Pep Guardiola
Luis Enrique continues to be amongst the leading candidates for the vacant head coach role at Chelsea. The Spaniard, who has been out of a job since his contract with his national side wasn’t renewed following the World Cup, is just one name on an extensive shortlist.
Former Hoffenheim, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is the other standout favourite, whilst Mauricio Pochettino, Carlo Ancelotti and Ruben Amorim are also linked with the job. It is Enrique that offers perhaps the most intriguing proposition, though.
As a more experienced coach than Amorim or Nagelsmann, his success with Barcelona and the youth takeover of Spain offer a well-rounded CV for an elite manager. He has also been compared with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola by former Blues defender William Gallas.
Pep Guardiola said: “Enrique would bring a Spanish style to Chelsea. He’s won trophies, so he has a lot of experience he can bring. He can bring something new too. He also has to know what players he needs to try and win the league, so I think it will be a good fit. It’s very difficult now to find the right manager for clubs now, as they don’t have time to show what they can do. Pep Guardiola showed how to win trophies with City. So it will be interesting to see if Enrique can do the same thing. It will be a great challenge for him.”
The pair, who both had incredible success at Camp Nou, are comparable due to not only their nationality, time in Catalonia and possession-based play-style, but also because they became impressive and highly-rated midfielders at Barcelona as well. Enrique himself crossed the divide between Real Madrid and their historic rivals. Upon his announcement in 2017 that he wouldn’t be continuing to oversee the club’s on-pitch decisions, Guardiola was asked about his immediate thoughts.
Pep Guardiola said: “I have two reactions. As a Barcelona fan, like supporters, I’m sorry, it is the club of my heart, so I’m so sad because we’re going to miss the perfect trainer from Barcelona from his personality and character. His three years, they played unbelievable football with unbelievable players. The second one, if he decides that, I understand him completely, of course I wish him the best it’s just like a fan and a membership from Barcelona just to say thank you for all he did in three years at my club.”
Enrique has also been linked with taking over at the Etihad Stadium once Guardiola’s work is done. Given the speed at which Chelsea are burning through managers its not implausible that he could manage at Stamford Bridge and in Manchester too in the coming years. He himself has praised Guardiola in the past and would like to see him mix things up in the future.
Pep Guardiola said: “I’d love that, I wish [Guardiola] was the Spain coach. I’d love it – it would be perfect. What’s more, I’d love to see our national team with his stamp on them. I don’t think Spain could have a better coach.”
For now it’s Chelsea that need a new coach and Guardiola’s word is as good as any when it comes to that.
