There still is no certainty about Álvaro Arbeloa’s continuity as Real Madrid manager, but it is almost certain that he will not come back. In that search, many names have been mentioned, with Jose Mourinho being the most prominent one. For former Spain international Gaizka Mendieta, that would not be the best choice, as he explained in an interview with PlayUK.
Mendieta said: “To me personally, Mourinho going back to Real Madrid is a surprise. I think sometimes a second spell is risky. In my experience, there are not many cases where it works. A third time, I do not think it is appropriate. I also think he is not the same Mourinho he was years ago, the first time. I think a lot has changed for Mourinho himself.”
The former midfielder has plenty of experience in the sport, having starred for Valencia before moving to Barcelona, while also playing for Spain’s senior team. Mendieta’s thoughts also included his preferred replacement as manager.
Mendieta picks Raúl as Real Madrid manager
The former player chose a club legend as the best possible manager: “I think that if Florentino Perez called him, he would obviously go, but that is not going to happen. And Raúl is not waiting by the phone because he knows that his moment probably passed years ago, maybe just before Xabi Alonso.”
Mendieta was the captain in Valencia (Shaun Botterill /Allsport)
Hiring a Real Madrid legend like Raúl could create a big reaction in the dressing room, which may seem like the main issue. Even so, that looks almost impossible, as the former striker has not been in the running.
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Mendieta said: “It was then that he thought it was his moment. I would have loved to see him there. I think he was ready, especially when they made a managerial change that was not new to the team, like what happened with Arbeloa.”
The future manager
There are many things the new manager will need to succeed. Tactical knowledge is a must, while being able to manage players with difficult personalities may be even more important. For the former left-footed midfielder, the squad should also be heavily revamped.
Mendieta said: “There are two sides to it. One is that they have not won a title in two years and the manager they hire must do better than the others. But at the same time, it is a risk because it is clear the club needs to sign players, almost one for each line. That is what Alonso wanted.”
