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Zinedine Zidane has thrived in his nascent career in charge of Real Madrid It’s every fan’s dream. The scenario of a player who thrilled and delighted them on the pitch, thus earning a permanent place in their hearts, then coming back and taking charge of the club as a manager, and going on to win scores of trophies for the club.Zinedine Zidane is halfway through that scenario; the French legend enchanted the Bernabeu faithful with his 5 year spell as a player, and has returned to take the reins from the much-maligned Rafa Benitez, and has overseen two games with an overall aggregate score of 10-1. Not bad for a managerial rookie.With Zizou’s bright start to life in the Los Blancos hot seat, are there more legends who could follow in his path? With Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique managing Atletico Madrid and Barcelona respectively, perhaps La Liga is setting a trend for the rest of football to follow.Here are 5 club legends from European football who could quite conceivably end up as managers of their respective clubs:
#1 Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Ryan Giggs has a history of coming to Manchester United's rescue as a player. His iconic bare-chested celebration after a mazing solo run that ended up in a winning goal for Manchester United in a FA Cup semifinal replay against old foes Arsenal at Villa Park has gone down in footballing folklore.
When David Moyes was leading the Red Devils down a very mediocre path, the United board took the decision of sacking him, and appointing their man for all crises, Ryan Giggs as interim manager. With four games remaining in the season, Giggs had a modest start to his managerial career, winning two out of the four games and overseeing a defeat and draw in the other two.
Given that Giggs, by his own admission, admitted to being unable to sleep during this period in charge of Manchester United, there are a few doubts about his suitability for the managerial role. One person who is not in any doubt is Giggs' immediate superior, Louis van Gaal.
Speaking in April last year, the Dutchman revealed that he expects Gigg's to succeed him, saying "I expect that he [Giggs] will be the next manager after I am gone."
The 63-year-old also added, "Now I have the responsibility. He [Giggs] has tasks that he has to perform like the players. What he has to do, for me, he does it very well."
#2 Xavi (Barcelona)
A La Masia graduate who went on to become the lynchpin of Barcelona's midfield, winning multiple trophies with the club, eventually leaving to a payday in Qatar.
That description could apply to either of Pep Guardiola and Xavi Hernandes, with an extra phrase for Guardiola - 'went on to become one of the best managers of all time.' Xavi is still seeing out the sunset of his career, playing for Al Saad in Qatar, but the Spaniard has the potential to eventually add a managerial role at Barcelona to his CV.
Xavi is currently obtaining his coaching badges in the Aspire Academy in Qatar, and the Spaniard has eyes on an eventual return to Barcelona in a coaching/managerial capacity, saying "I’m going to learn the trade, I’ve already started my education here at the Aspire Academy. I don’t know what the future will hold for me, but of course I’d love to return to Barça one day. That’s my aim and the closer it is to the pitch, the better."
Xavi's intelligence on the pitch ought to translate well into management, as the Spanish World Cup winner agrees, saying "I like the pitch, being close to the football, what happens in the game itself. I’m following Spanish football while I’m still playing, and I’m really enjoying myself."
#3 Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Steven Gerrard is the very epitome of a dream footballing career, joining Liverpool's academy at the age of 9, to a trophy-laden 17 year spell in the first team at Anfield, being adored by fans while captaining his club. Yet, in an interview in 2013, Gerrard wants to take the dream further, saying "The dream come true would be to manage Liverpool, when the Liverpool job becomes available."
With Gerrard now having moved to LA Galaxy in the MLS, the Liverpool legend is contemplating his future after what many consider his last year as a player. Gerrard has only just started the process of obtaining his coaching badges, and already has regrets about not having it done sooner, saying " I have regrets I didn’t start my coaching badges at 21-22. All that time wasted in hotels as an England player when I’ve been bored and was watching ‘The Office’ and ‘The Sopranos’."
"I wish I’d done my CBA (coaching) licence then so I’d be doing my pro-licence now."
Gerrard is under no illusions about the difficulty of management, which ironically makes him perfecly suited for the role. The midfielder revealed his intentions, saying "I’ve dreams and aspirations of going into coaching and management but at the moment I’m nowhere near ready for management. When you start your coaching badges you realise pretty sharp it’s different. You’re in control of 25 men with different egos."
#4 Francesco Totti (AS Roma)
Il Re di Roma (The King of Rome), Francesco Totti is one of the best players to have every graced the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. Whether the ‘King of Rome’ becomes the Allenatore della Roma (Coach of Rome) is actually not that great of a possibility.
Totti has always maintained that he is far too ‘nice’ a person to ever be the snarling, gesturing figurehead of a club that prowls the touchlines. Instead the Golden Boy of Roma has always opined that he will maintain his 26 year association with Roma and make a move to the boardroom when his playing career ends.
Given that Totti is 39 years old, rumours of his playing career coming to an end are constantly swirling the press, with his wife reportedly saying that the legendary Italian will hang up his boots at the end of this season. However, in a jocular birthday wish to former teammate Daniele Conti, Totti revealed that he plans to play on for two years, saying “'You're getting old. I've heard that you're training to become a coach. I'm playing two more years, so if you want me to play (for you), I'm coming!”
Given Totti’s undoubted intelligence on the pitch, it’s quite likely that he will bring the same intelligence to the managerial role. Totti recently gave hope to those Curva Sud regulars who hope he occupies the managerial seat in the future, saying “You know, I was speaking about this [becoming a manager] to a friend just the other day. I said, 'Nowadays everyone's doing it, I think in the end it will appeal to me too.' Perhaps I'll start with kids, but maybe there's no need. After all, for someone who's played at my level it doesn't take long to learn.”
#5 Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Thierry Henry’s faltering start to life as a pundit employed by Sky Sports has had many doubting whether the legendary French striker can eventually take up Arsene Wenger’s mantle at Arsenal. Henry’s brooding ego and his difficulty in communicating the swiftness and depth of his footballing brain to others are points against Henry, if he ever occupies the managerial dugout at Arsenal.
Despite Henry’s apparent faults, there are many at Arsenal, including his former manager, who believe that the Frenchman has what it takes to become a top manager. Henry revealed his education from one of the very best in the profession, saying "We speak about training youngsters and how it's different to training senior players. We talk about being a manager, we talk about players from the academy. I will ask him questions on how to deal with certain situations."
Henry, who is currently working with Arsenal's U-19 side as a coaching assistant, is well on his way to becoming a manager, and hopes to gain his badges soon, saying "I’m obtaining my badges right now with the Welsh FA and looking to gain the A-licence. It goes without saying that I asked Arsenal if I could do that with them and be involved with the team."
The French legend has plenty of cheerleaders from his playing days in his aim to become a manager, with Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto voicing his support, saying "Maybe one day he could be Arsenal manager. For Thierry when Wenger leaves be quite soon. Maybe he needs more time, but one day he can do it. He’s doing the right thing working with the youngsters, he’s learning day by day. He knows Arsenal.”
#6 Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Pep Guardiola, Jupp Heynckes, Louis van Gaal, Joachim Low, Ottmar Hitzfeld – this glittering group of trophy winning managers have all mentored Philipp Lahm through out his Bayern Munich career. The German fullback is acknowledged as one of the best defenders in the world, and a personal trophy cabinet filled with over 30 awards and trophies cumulatively reveal his expertise.
Lahm is one of the most intelligent footballers on the pitch, as he has been regularly entrusted with carrying out team instructions by his managers. The sight of Lahm being gestured over by his boss and then relaying the change in tactics to his teammates is not an uncommon one. Indeed, Pep Guardiola was seen handing Lahm a note to which the German responded by charging up the pitch and scoring a winner for Bayern.
Lahm’s entry into management isn’t a sure bet, the 32 year old hasn’t spoken about his future plans in the past. However, given the high esteem in which Guardiola holds Lahm, it will not be a surprise to see Lahm manage Bayern one day, as the Bavarian giants have a history of successful players going to become the club’s manager.
“Philipp Lahm is perhaps the most intelligent player I have ever trained in my career. He is at another level.” This quote from Guardiola, who’s managed Xavi, Messi, Carlos Puyol, Xabi Alonso among others, clearly states Lahm’s suitability to the managerial role.
#7 Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Frank Lampard’s spell at Manchester City failed to tarnish his enviable legacy at Chelsea, with the midfielder still adored by those occupying the Stamford Bridge seats. The England midfield legend, who is currently seeing out the fag end of his career in the MLS with New York City FC, has his eyes set on an eventual return to Chelsea, but in a non-playing role.
Speaking in 2012, Lampard revealed his future ambition, saying “I am thinking about my coaching badges now but there is only one club I want to manage. I know it might sound a bit big-headed or selfish but I wouldn’t want to go through "showing myself" with a lower club. Although I would never expect to walk into a position such as the Chelsea manager, this is the only club I’d want to manage.”
The fact that Lampard want’s to immediately start off as Chelsea manager is a bit concerning, but someone who does not have any doubts about his future capacity as a Chelsea manager is Jose Mourinho, who spoke about Lampard’s return, saying “Everybody wants it, Mr Abramovich - the No.1, the most important person - wants very much Frank to be back, I want him to be back, the staff want him back, so he comes back for sure.”
“He can be a coach, he can start at the academy, he can start being my assistant at the same time because he is doing his coaching badges, or he can start in a different role.” With Lampard already on the path to becoming a manager, it is only a matter of time before the man who used to conduct Chelsea’s play on the pitch becomes the orchestrator off it.
