5 Potential Replacements Should Barcelona Sack Luis Enrique
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique continues to do things his way while in charge of the first team.
Someone who has divided opinion recently, Lucho nevertheless oversaw an unexpected but excellent win against Atletico Madrid, which has given the previously under-fire manager a further grace period.
However, just one more insipid performance and loss to a team at the wrong end of the table and you feel that it could well spell the end of Lucho’s tenure.
Let’s take a look at five potential replacements should the club decide to make changes…
Ronald Koeman
1 of 5
Probably the most obvious choice at this point in time, Koeman has enhanced his reputation at Southampton this season.
A team that was expected to struggle after losing many of their top players, the Dutchman’s acumen has seen to it that rumours of their demise were very premature.
As a player, Koeman will always be revered in Catalonia as the player who brought the first European Cup to the club with a rocket of a free-kick, on that fateful night at Wembley in 1992.
Asked recently if he would consider taking over, Koeman noted per Simon Peach of the Press Association via the Daily Mail:
"At teams like Barcelona, if they lose games, there's always a lot of critics, rumours, speculation.
I know because my whole life I'm linked to Barcelona, but it's not a time to talk about that, because I think it's not respectful to Southampton as a club, it is not respectful to the people of Barcelona.
"
Frank De Boer
2 of 5
Another ex-Blaugrana, Frank De Boer is well ensconced at Ajax.
There may be a question mark as to whether he would prefer the comfort of the devil he knows rather than uprooting his family to Barca.
It could even be looked upon as a lack of ambition if any job offer was refused.
In a side that routinely wins the Eredivisie, De Boer has little else to prove domestically, but his teams aren’t good enough to make the leap in Europe.
Surely the thought of organising a side capable of winning all of the major trophies appeals?
Andre Villas-Boas
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Despite his association with Jose Mourinho, Barca shouldn’t be dissuaded from considering the Portuguese.
Villas-Boas shares many of the same traits as his contemporary and is forward-thinking enough tactically to ensure that Barca will be hard to beat.
Via Adam Bate at SkySports, Zenit St. Petersburg player Hulk sang the praises of a manager who didn't fare so well in England:
"He is very intelligent tactically. He was almost so well informed about the opponents that we pretty much knew everything about them when we went out on to the pitch.
It was scary how much we knew.
"
Out of the spotlight in Russia, his win record of 19 from 23 going into the end of last year speaks for itself.
Roberto Martinez
4 of 5
Everton are enduring a dismal season at present, quite the opposite to their last campaign when Martinez was being lauded for his excellence in the role.
Why the Toffees have struggled this term is hard to explain, but the former Wigan manager will not waver from the way he wants his teams to play football.
Attacking, expansive with high-quality passing a pre-requisite, Martinez’s is a style that will sit perfectly with the Camp Nou exponents.
Xavi Hernandez
5 of 5
Perhaps the most left-field choice of the five but certainly one that would allow for continuity.
As the senior member of the squad, respect from his players is almost certainly already assured, and as the fulcrum of the side for many years, there is likely to be an ease with which he can put his ideas across.
The “top job” seems a natural progression for a player that has served the club so well, and why shouldn’t he be considered?
A lack of experience is a handicap but remember, Pep Guardiola hadn’t had any top-level managerial experience himself before 2008.
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