Why Zidane will NOT take the Man Utd job
Robin Bairner
- 21 Nov 2021 09:28 GMT
- 5 min read
Zinedine Zidane has been established as a favourite to take the Manchester United job from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
An incredible 4-1 capitulation against Watford on Saturday means that Solskjaer is unlikely to last long at Old Trafford, with the club now seventh in the league after a wretched run of form that has included chastening losses against Manchester City and Liverpool.
There is a case to be made for Zidane: he is out of work and therefore accessible, while he also boasts an impressive pedigree both as a player and as a coach thanks to his work with Real Madrid.
However, there are numerous factors that suggest Zidane will not be the man to replace Solskjaer in the Old Trafford hot seat.
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Communication
Zidane does not speak good English – at least not to a level that he is comfortable with. He believes that his language skills would be an important barrier that means he would struggle to get his ideas across to the team.
Of course, this has not stopped Marcelo Bielsa becoming a cult hero at Leeds.
Stress
Zidane has twice stepped down from the Real Madrid post citing exhaustion and a desire to take time out of the game. He has only been away for six months, which is unlikely to be the type of break he was after when he resigned in the summer.
Man Utd boast an incredible statute that might interest Zidane had it not been for one job that he truly wants coming free on the horizon…
France
Didier Deschamps is set to step down from his role as France head coach following the 2022 World Cup – and Zidane is widely expected to be the man who fills the void left by his former international team-mate.
For a man who apparently wants an easier life than is offered to him at the top of the club game, international football would appear to be the perfect solution.
Wife
Veronique Zidane is widely reported not to want to live in Manchester, which will block Zinedine’s move to the club.
When Zidane was a player, it is reputed that he did not want to move to Man Utd because of the weather.
The Manchester lifestyle, then, is another important factor that counts against this move.
