Is Luis Enrique the man for Arsenal? by Konstantin Mitov
A lot of names have been hovering around the press as a potential replacement for departing Wenger, but the bookies have their money set on former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique.
He is probably not the first choice you’d pick, but realistically we are nowhere near Simeone, who’d be my first pick. Ancelotti is likely to get the Italy Job and then there’s Allegri. Will we be able to get him? With no champions league it would be extremely difficult as he could land any job he wants with his recent heroics at Juventus.
So that leaves Brendan Rodgers who speaks like a man who will stay at Celtic and won’t be a too popular choice anyway. And after him, Vieira suggested that he might take the job one day, so for former players, Arteta would be the favorite.
It’s not that I don’t like Mikel, but he has zero managerial experience and although he is under Guardiola’s wing, he didn’t step in the dugout when Pep got sent off against Liverpool and that’s not the kind of responsibility I want our next manager to have.
So all and all, the only big name left is Luis Enrique as Tomas Tuchel is likely heading for PSG. The spaniard has won 2 league titles, 3 cups in a row and the Champions League with Barcelona. A pretty good record, although he hasn’t achieved much with Roma and Celta where he was also manager.
People say that Barca won the CL under Enrique due to the famous MSN trio, but I don’t buy it that anyone can just win it with those players as numerous managers have failed to win the CL with great teams, like Mourinho at Madrid and Ancelotti and pretty much every other manager at PSG for example.
But the targets at Arsenal will be much lower, starting with first getting back to the top 4 and also doing it on a small budget, when there is massive surgery needed in a few key ateas.
The job at will have to start with first fixing the basics of the game like defending. Then pressing and playing without the ball and after that we can start building back a style of football. Something which Wenger became synonymous with but is missing at the moment.
Is Enrique capable of the rebuilding job? It’s difficult to say, but I firmly believe a well known big name needs to take the job and Luis will have the success behind him to take the respect of the players.
He has a hot blooded personality and he is known for having a difficult relationship with the media. After a failed game with Roma in the Coppa Italia against Juventus he asked a reporter if he had a “mental or psychological problem”.
He’s also had a few media bust ups in Spain, but I feel like all top managers have this and it shows that you care. I think we need a personality manager that will shake up a pretty much dead atmosphere and it would be great if he is younger.
Enrique is also on Chelsea’s shortlist as everybody knows Conte will most likely leave, despite not yet officially announcing it and if we can get one over them with the manager that’d be great. Besides, we can still win the Europa League as difficult as it may be, but if we do it it changes the entire landscape of our summer business.
Hopefully we can do it tomorrow! Let’s fill the stadium and be the 12th man! Onwards and upwards!
Konstantin