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Every year, there is a lot of focus on managers who are without a job because there will be at least one top European club with a manager having an uncertain future.
For instance, last season, managers like Carlo Ancelotti, Thomas Tuchel and Luis Enrique were without a job. There were intense speculations on the future of Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte throughout the season and as a result, Ancelotti, Tuchel and Enrique were linked with either one of Arsenal or Chelsea at some point.
However, Ancelotti joined Napoli, Tuchel joined PSG and Enrique took over as manager of Spain during the summer.
This season isn’t going to any different. Already, a vast segment of Manchester United fans is calling for the head of Jose Mourinho after a poor summer transfer window and a defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in only the second Premier League game of the season.
There are several unemployed managers at the moment including Premier League famed Sam Allardyce and David Moyes. So, here are the top 5 managers without a job.
Honourable mentions - Peter Bosz, Peter Stöger, Vincenzo Montella, Slaven Bilic and Siniša Mihajlović.
#5. Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc has been away from management for over two years now and it’s surprising that he hasn't taken up a new job despite interest from several clubs and international teams.
Blanc started his managerial career with Bordeaux with whom he won the Ligue 1 in 2009. In total, he won four trophies with the club in three seasons with a win percentage of just over 59%.
He left Bordeaux in 2010 to take over as manager of France in the aftermath of their disastrous World Cup campaign. However, he stepped down as France manager after the team was knocked out in the quarterfinal of Euro 2012 by defending and eventual Champions Spain.
A year after resigning as France manager, he was appointed the manager of PSG following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.
Blanc oversaw the progress of PSG under their new ownership and won eleven out of twelve domestic trophies in three seasons with a 72.83 winning percentage. However, he failed to take PSG beyond the quarter-final of the Champions League and it cost him his job.
Interestingly, PSG hasn’t got past that stage after Blanc left and they also failed to win the Ligue 1 the season after Blanc’s departure.
Blanc was approached by several teams to be their new manager including the US men’s national football team. However, from his recent comments, it seems like he’s interested in managing only at the club level.
“I know I’m fussy, only a big club would interest me. If not, I’ll face facts and think of something else.”
#4. Ralph Hasenhüttl
Ralph Hasenhüttl is easily the lesser known name in this list but if he’s given an opportunity to work with a popular European club, then he may surprise a few people.
The 51-year-old made headlines when he took over as manager of FC Ingolstadt 04 in October 2013. When he was appointed the club’s manager, they were bottom of the 2.Bundesliga table and he guided them to a 10th placed finish.
In his first full season with Ingolstadt, Hasenhüttl took the club to the Bundesliga for the first time as second division Champions and in 2015/16, he ensured that they retained their top-flight status with a respectable 11th in the table.
At the end of the 2015/16 season, Hasenhüttl chose not to renew his contract and took over as manager of Bundesliga debutants RB Leipzig.
In the first season under Hasenhüttl, Leipzig defied odds by finishing 2nd in the league and thus qualified for the Champions League. The following season, Leipzig could only manage a Europa League spot.
He parted ways with Leipzig at the end of the 2017/18 season as he couldn’t agree on a long-term contract with the club.
A club like Southampton with good resources and a lot of fantastic young players would be a perfect fit for Hasenhüttl.
#3. Antonio Conte
We enter the heavyweight category from #3.
Conte was removed from his post as head coach of Chelsea in the summer and was replaced with Maurizio Sarri. However, Conte left his mark at the club in just two seasons.
The Italian joined Chelsea before the 2016/17 season after helping Italy to the quarter-final of the Euro 2016.
Chelsea won the Premier League title in Conte’s debut season with 93 points and 30 wins. At that time, it was a Premier League record but it was bettered by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in 2017/18.
Conte's Chelsea also reached the final of the FA Cup in his first season but lost to Arsenal in the final. The following season, Conte fell out with the Chelsea management over transfers and also with key first team players David Luiz and Diego Costa.
Chelsea only managed to finish 5th in the league in Conte’s second season but they won the FA Cup by beating rivals Manchester United in the final.
The Italian’s work at Chelsea was spectacular considering the issues he had throughout his tenure.
Before Chelsea, Conte was at Juventus for three seasons and it was under his tutelage that the Old Lady became a force to reckon with.
#2. Arsene Wenger
At the end of the 2017/18 season, Arsene Wenger drew curtains on his 22 years long spell as manager of Arsenal.
Wenger’s legacy at Arsenal, in the Premier League and even in the history of the game is unparalleled. He managed Arsenal in 1235 games and his 707 wins gave him a win percentage of 57.2.
The 68-year-old won 17 titles in his 22 years at Arsenal. He won three league titles, a record seven FA Cups and seven Community Shields as Arsenal manager but the UEFA Champions League eluded him.
In the history of the FA Cup, only four teams have won more trophies than Arsene. However, his biggest achievement at Arsenal was winning the Premier League unbeaten in 2003/04. His team from 03/04 were nicknamed ‘the invincibles’ and they are often talked about but has never been replicated.
Wenger also oversaw the construction of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and during a period of severe financial crunch, he managed to secure a minimum of Champions League qualification for 20 successive seasons.
He’s taking a deserved break from management but he’s not out of the game yet. If a proposal that interests him comes up, then he will be raring to get back on the touchline.
#1. Zinedine Zidane
Without a hint of doubt, Zinedine Zidane will be the man on top of the wanted list for any top club looking for a new manager.
Zidane took over as manager of Real Madrid halfway through the 2015/16 season and he won the UEFA Champions League at the first time of asking. But things were about to get better for Zidane and his Real Madrid side.
The following season, Real Madrid became the first team in the Champions League era to defend the title. In 2017/18, he made it a hat-trick of titles and thus became the most successful manager in the history of the competition along with Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti. It goes without saying that the latter two took significantly longer to achieve the feat.
Zidane won nine titles in his two and a half year spell as Real Madrid manager. The only trophy that eluded him was the Copa del Rey but it doesn’t matter at all.
He managed the Los Blancos in 149 games, winning 104 and losing just 16. He had an impressive win percentage of 69.80.
The 46-year-old has been linked with the Manchester United job in recent days and it will be interesting to see if there is any truth in these rumours.
