City manager candidates

May 15, 2007

CLAUDIO RANIERI: Italian would relish a return to the Premiership

Claudio Ranieri

Former Chelsea boss's contract with Parma is up next month and the likeable Italian would a love another crack at the Premiership. He did well at Stamford Bridge but earned the nickname "Tinker Man" for his frequent squad rotation.

Sven Goran Eriksson

Former England boss has revealed his desire to return to management and would like to work in the Premiership. Although he never achieved major honours with England, his record compared favourably with other recent bosses and he guided Lazio to a league and cup double in 2000. He has also tasted success with IFK Gothenburg, Benfica, Sampdoria and Roma.

Louis Van Gaal

Technically astute boss has had successful spells with Ajax and Barcelona, and is now prospering with AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Ronaldo Koeman

Imposing centre-back has made a successful transition to management having served his apprenticeship under Guus Hiddink. He has since had spells at Vitesse Arnhem, Ajax, Benfica and PSV Eindhoven, who he guided to the Eredivise title this season.

Gerard Houllier

Frenchman has guided Lyon to run-away Ligue 1 success this season. He managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004 - he previously shared the job with Roy Evans - with the highlight a cup treble in the 2000/2001 season. They won the Worthington, FA and UEFA Cups in that campaign.

Paul Jewell

Former Wigan boss quit the Latics after securing their Premiership survival. He is thought to be taking a break from football so is unlikely to get the job, but eventually he would like a bigger challenge and City would represent that.

Who would you like to see brought in? Have your say.

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Andrew (14/05/2007 at 17:42)

All three of the foreign coaches have had success abroad and a certain amount of success here. All three are defensive minded so should settle in well at City! Whether they have the wherewithall to sort out the mess that is the team from number 6 to 11 is another matter because our midfield and attack have been abysmal all season. Having said that, they would all do a better job than SP in that regard. What about some of the Dutch coaches that have been mantioned here? As for Jewell, forget it. After his comments earlier today, he won't even be applying for the job!

Bluer than Ever, Northwich (14/05/2007 at 17:44)

Whoever is the manager, he will need millions to spend to put together a team that has any chance of Euro aspirations. All the best to Pearce but in the end the board had little choice when we now have the record for the fewest home goals in a topflight league ever and 1 point less than we did last year.

allan (14/05/2007 at 17:45)

Not Jewell. What about Co Adriaanse? Hasn't Koeman said he'd like to manage in England?

Psycho,, Stade de Manchester (14/05/2007 at 17:48)

Well Ranieri has been seen by two different people in Manchester today. Get your spondulies on now at 4/1 boys.

Njinsky Blue, Spain (14/05/2007 at 17:51)

I think the list given by MUEN is not very extensive. None of the Dutch, who would top my list are even mentioned-Hiddink, van Gaal, Koeman etc. As such I do not feel able to vote in the poll.

Neil Higson (14/05/2007 at 17:55)

Ranieri, Houllier, Eriksson - no way, no better than Pearce and much more expensive. No Jewell, Allardyce or Simpson either - unproven or limited in ability. God forbid Strachan (but I have a nasty feeling about our board) Proven track record required who can handle big names and can breach the divide between English and Foreign players and who will have the respect of all - gotta be Big Phil Scolari. Go for broke and get him. If he won't come get in Terry Venables with Brian Kidd as 1st team coach.

Carl, Bolton, Bolton, Gtr Manchester (14/05/2007 at 17:56)

Van Gaal please. Excellent pedigree. Has also said he would like to manage in the Premiership. His teams play exciting football. Has the pedigree to bring some proper footballers to the club. Still has a chip on his shoulder and desperate to prove to the world he can bring more success to add to the impressive list of trophies he has won in his career as manager at Ajax and Barca. He is also barking mad..suits us down to the ground

Jonboy, Didsbury (14/05/2007 at 17:59)

Sven for me ..... With a bag full of Thai money.

Probably Paul Simpson tho ! with niche money.

OB1, Transmancunia (14/05/2007 at 18:00)

Not a thrilling line-up. The board should have acted sooner and approached Allardyce but they missed that opportunity.

Urmston Blue, Manchester (14/05/2007 at 18:05)

Andrew: 'All three are defensive minded'?? Gerard Houllier is not neccessarily so. Have you watched Lyon at all recently!! They are fantastic to watch and in Juninho Pernambucano they have one of the best flair players in the world. Then, they have great attack-minded players like Sydney Govou, Malouda, Kim Kallstrom, Fred and Hatem Ben Arfa. They are truely a class side and in their 36 league games this season have only lost 4! They have scored 61 goals and have a goal difference of 36! Hardly defense minded is it?

Kapil, Chorlton (14/05/2007 at 18:20)

No no no no. There, that's what I say to all 4 candidates. I really think that the board have missed out on a golden opportunity re Sam Allardyce especially if the rumours that City was his first choice are true. Ranieri flopped big time at Valencia with a squad of very good players and he also has the problem that he once paid a lot of money for Bernardo 'Where's the goal?' Corradi.

Houllier spent a lot of money at Liverpool and ok he won a few cups but ultimately they did not play attractive football and you have to question his transfer policy. With him I fear we would have the same situation we did with Pearce - boring football and wasted money.

Sven - can't even believe he is being mentioned here. The only time he won anything of significance was when he almost bankrupted Lazio to the scudetto. Has everyone forgotten what a mess he made of managing England. Again the football under him will be boring long ball rubbish.

Paul Jewell - sorry not big enough for a club like ours. He would fail to attract top players and in my mind is not much of a step up from Pearce. The only thing in his favour is that his sides play attacking football but look where that got Wigan this season.

Guvnor's Friend, Redditch, Worcestershire (14/05/2007 at 18:27)

Well MUEN you don't need to worry about that poll on Pearce now do you?

Eriksson and Houllier would probably bore us to death, Jewell's a non starter, Ranieri isn't bad but I think I'd go for Louis Van Gaal who has had success with Ajax, Barcelona, Dutch national team and latterly AZ Alkmaar. He is reported to have said he wants to come to the Premiership and the Dutch seem to have a certain pedigree when it comes to coaching i.e. Cruyff, Rijkkard, Koeman, Gullitt (to a more questionable degree). The Thai Guys were said to be in at the COMS today so let's hope the takeover moves ever closer. Final point, I take it Stupid Stu walked without any compensation...just like he said he would when he thought he was going to get the England job and didn't want anything to stand in his way!

nick lawless,caterham,surrey,(Blackley born and bred), caterham (14/05/2007 at 18:32)

big phil is the only choice,he would be megga.!!!

Phil Geertsma, Sacramento, CA (14/05/2007 at 18:34)

One of the four Dutchmen,
please - Hiddink, van Gaal,
Adriaanse or Koeman. Of
course, if Big Phil is viable, you'd jump at the
chance, as Neil Higson has
rightly pointed out. I think
there is zero chance of
Scolari coming to COMS, as
he can pick and choose just
about any job he wants. Carl
in Bolton is also correct
about van Gaal being "barking
mad" so I hope the MCFC fans
would be ready for the
"style" of management he
would bring here....(smirk).
If it has to be one of the
mentioned quartet, only
Raineri would be acceptable,
IMHO.

Magic Mike, Middleton (14/05/2007 at 18:46)

Big NO to all of them 4. Got to be either big phil,hiddink or van gaal. We are going to be taken over 99% shinawata's army was again at COM'S today and wardle said how can we give him money to start spending when they will just get rid of him so it would be a complete waste of time and cash. I really think the new owners know who there bringing in with at least a £50 millon transfer kitty.

lee hardcastle (14/05/2007 at 18:53)

NONE OF THESE FOUR!! ISNT IT TO LATE TO HI-JACK BIG SAM I THINK HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT MAN TO TAKE CITY ONTO THE NEXT LEVEL, BUT TYPICAL CITY ONE WEEK TO LATE IN EVERYTHING WE DO!!!!

Shaun, At My Desk (14/05/2007 at 18:53)

Please,please,please,let's have a time out. We need to get this right for a change.
Let's get the right man in for once.

George, Amsterdam (14/05/2007 at 18:55)

Van Gaal please. He wants to prove himself at Premiership level. Done it at every level. Has proven he can work with young players/ academies. Can work on a tight budget. Has the contacts. Has it all...give him a big salary and free reign to do what he wants on and off the pitch.

bluemoon1078, Northern Moor (14/05/2007 at 18:58)

ranieri, sven or van gaal, i'd take any one of them providing we get the takeover cash. they can all atract big players and wouldn't be scared of the big money

Doug (14/05/2007 at 18:58)

Please Not Sven Goran Eriksson or Paul Jewell.

Louis van Gaal failing that the tinker man Ranieri who's buys at Chelsea were.......

Frank Lampard , Emmanuel Petit,Boudewijn Zenden,Jesper Grønkjær,William Gallas,Damien Duff,Wayne Bridge,Joe Cole,Scott Parker ,Glen Johnson,Hernan Crespo,Claude Makelele,Adrian Mutu yep & ok he did buy Veron but out of that lott quite a few decent players.

blue in the face, los angeles (14/05/2007 at 19:00)

Some of you are forgetting that Big Sam was raised a Rag.

OB1, Transmancunia (14/05/2007 at 19:09)

Phil G,

I agree.

StevoDevo, Bolton (14/05/2007 at 19:10)

Ranieri IF there is money coming in. Jewell or Billy Davies if not. None on the list would do worse than Pearce although one poster on another thread suggested Roeder might be in the frame and that would be disastrous!

Magic Mike, Middleton (14/05/2007 at 19:13)

To all you people saying we have missed out on big sam how can wardle bring anyone in now when the new owners will want there own man.

Robert Young (14/05/2007 at 19:34)

Sorry for Psycho but bad results made it inevitable, Gerard Houlier would be my choice, he's made a great job of an average squad in Lyons

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