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The heat is on in England as the arrival of the likes of Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte has cemented the fact that the English premier league would experience a tough 2016/2017 season.
The winning manager of the 2015/2016 premier league title acknowledges the fact that it is going to be tough in the coming season, just as the humble Italian manager stated that it will be difficult for his side to retain the title, but they must also try to be among the teams that would go for a slot in Europe next season.
Sports Intelligence looks at likely managers who may plan to take over from the Italian.
Jose Mourinho – Portugal (MANCHESTER UNITED)
The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’, was compelled to have a first stint with another English club after he was sacked in Chelsea barely seven months after winning the premier league title with the club of his heart.
Mourinho may not have an accomplished CV as far as playing career is concerned, but has a long list of honours as a football manager in Europe. He has won premier league title in Portugal (Porto), England (Chelsea), Italy (Internazionale), and Spain (Real Madrid), before facing the difficult task of being sacked for the second time in Chelsea.
Mourinho’s quest to remain in the premier league is to enable him get his pound of flesh from Chelsea, return United to the top four and possibly win the premier league with Manchester United. The Portuguese may not win it immediately, but he will some day win the title with United.
Pep Guardiola – Spain (MANCHESTER CITY)
Guardiola is arguably one of the most decorated manager as far as football management is concerned. He had a good record as a footballer, winning the champions league as a footballer and also becoming the sixth person to win the title both as a player and as a manager.
Guardiola had a good record with Barcelona where he won all the six trophies available to him in his first season, which also includes the Spanish La Liga and later on completed the Bundesliga title in all the three seasons he was in charge but failed to win the champions league title with the German giant.
Winning the premier league title with Manchester City in his first season is a further proof of his confirmation and superiority above all other managers, just as he did with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Antonio Conte – Italy (CHELSEA)
The 46-year-old former Italian manager lands in England with wealth of experience from domestic and international performances both as a player and as a manager.
As a player, he won five Serie A titles with Juventus along with the Uefa Cup and the Champions League in 1996 before winning three Serie A titles in charge of ‘The Old Lady’.
Conte is a serious coach whose side ended Spain’s two consecutive dominance of their Euro campaign during the Euro 2016 championship in France.A coach of reputation who strongly feels that he is got what it takes to transform Chelsea from their present situation.
In his first Interview upon arrival to England for the Chelsea job, Conte noted that Chelsea belong to the champions league group and hence it is his desire to take them back there, not minding who will lose his slot.
Jurgen Klopp – Germany (LIVERPOOL)
The former Borussia Dortmund manager was approached after making Borussia Dortmund a team to be beaten in the German Bundesliga as well as in Europe. He wad won successive league titles with Dortmund before his arrival in England.
Klopp landed in England since 2015 and has looked up to finishing on top of the league but has since been struggling to do that. He guided Liverpool to two finals in the just concluded season without winning any of them, one in Europe (Europa League) and the other a the Capital One cup.
The fact that he faced his former club Dortmund in the Europa league enroute the final and emerged victorious with Liverpool is a clear indication that he is a coach who knows his mettle, before losing to Sevilla in the final.
Klopp is one of the managers who is determined to have his hands on the premier league title, and surely believes that his side can do that in the new season, he had a problem of trying to lay his hands on all the titles available to him, but eventually lost all. He will be determined to adjust and win at least a title this season, with eyes on the premier league.
Mauricio Pochettino -Argentina (TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR)
The 44-year-old former Southampton manager had an accomplished career as a player, before becoming a manager. Though he was a centre-back defender, but he scored 26 goals during his hey days in club football out of 509 appearances.
Pochettino took over Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, and succeeded in ensuring that Tottenham had a role to play for England in Europe in tournaments. The nost recent being the fact that he has succeeded in qualifying Tottenham Hotspur for the 2016/2017 champions league tournament.
The Argentine succeeded in making Spur a major contender in the premier league title last season, until Chelsea spoilt his sides party by forcing them to a draw, which eventually led to Leicester City winning the title with two more matches left.
The manner with which Tottenham fought to finish on top of the table before eventually finishing third, clearly shows that he has his eyes on the premier league title, and he remain one of the youngest managers who are ready to cause upset.
Arsene Wenger -France (Arsenal)
The Arsenal manager had his name on this list as a major contender for the title, not because he has really aimed at winning it, but because he is the only manager who has gone closest to the title in the last ten years and have also refused to win it.
Wenger won the title last in 2003/2004 season, and has since gone into his shell but ensured that Arsenal finished among the top four in the premier league title since then. No doubt, Arsene Wenger is the only manager in Europe that is not under any form of pressure, as tries as much as he can to bring in economy policies into football management, thereby placing priority on buying and selling of players than aiming to win titles.
The French man may cause an upset, just like he did on the last day of the league in the last season by climbing to the second position on the league table. He probably has his eyes on the title, but waiting for the right time to win it.
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