Why Carlo Ancelotti Fits the Profile as Real Madrid Manager

Carlo Ancelotti permitted a wide-ranging interview with the Spanish radio station Cadena Cope (h/t AS) earlier this week, in which he covered a number of potentially difficult subjects.

Questions on his relationship with club president Florentino Perez, the summer departures of Angel Di Maria and Xabi Alonso, the arrival of James Rodriguez and the future of Iker Casillas were all dealt with in the same cool, calm and collected manner.

Ancelotti batted away a string of awkward questions with a grace that suggested a career in politics would be well within his reach.

Now in his second year at the club, the interview provided further confirmation that the smooth-talking Ancelotti is far better suited to the position than his inflammatory predecessor, Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho arrived in Madrid to much fanfare in the summer of 2010 on the back of his Champions League triumph with Internazionale. He quickly set about forging the same sort of siege mentality that had proved so successful for him at Porto, Chelsea and Inter before.

But his repertoire of rodomontade and public politicking grew tiresome to both the Spanish press and, indeed, his own players. He divided both the dressing room and the club's supporters, as per Sid Lowe of The Guardian.

By his third season—in which Madrid finished a full 15 points shy of Barcelona—there was little doubt that his time at the Bernabeu was coming to a fractious close.

Ancelotti was the perfect antidote.

The even-tempered Italian had garnered a reputation as a man who calmly gets on with his work regardless of the restrictions or impositions bestowed on him by his employers.

His relaxed demeanour and studied approach were a breath of fresh air and have proved to be far more befitting of a club as old and grand as Real Madrid.

He is fair with his players and never airs internal laundry in public. He has not engaged in any power plays like that of Mourinho that led to the departure of Jorge Valdano as the club’s general director.

What’s more, Ancelotti equalled Mourinho’s three-year trophy haul in his first season at the helm. He achieved what Mourinho could not in leading Madrid to their 10th Champions League triumph.

And he did so without making an enemy of either Barcelona or local rivals Atletico Madrid.

Gabriel Pecot/Associated Press

Di Maria was a key part of last season’s success and most coaches would have complained bitterly about his departure. But Ancelotti was again content to support the club’s actions during his interview with Cadena Cope.

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I was in agreement with the club. There are moments when the club has to say no. You cannot change your policy for one player. Di María was asking for a lot of money and he preferred to leave to find it. The club couldn't pay him what he wanted. People tell me I'm a club manager. Of course: I train for the club, not for players.

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He also defended Casillas’ right to start, refused to blame Alonso for wanting to leave the club, offered words of encouragement to Isco and Raphael Varane and justified the fee paid for Rodriguez.

He described his relationship with Perez as “very good, very direct,” and made it clear that he would refuse to work for a president who did not respect his autonomy in respect of team selection.

While Mourinho specialised in creating and publicising problems that once overcome would strengthen his position, Ancelotti avoids confrontation and privately and quietly works on solutions to any issues that do arise.

His conciliatory style has proved an ideal fit for both the club and its players. With Ancelotti, the focus is on the football and that has proved beneficial to everyone involved with Real Madrid.

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