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Taking it Global : Which manager would rule the world?

In this short piece, I take a look at how club managers would turn out if they managed their national side.

Pep Guardiola, Spain – The Manchester City manager is attack-minded, and isn’t scared to change things around if needed to. Would he copy is club success with Spain though? Having won titles with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, its fair to assume that he’d do the same with the national side, and would have no problem with well-established players.

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Jose Mourinho, Portugal – he’s very defence-like, and has shown that with the likes of Manchester United, and Chelsea. No doubt would he be likewise with Portugal, but would often find himself in constant trouble with officials due to protesting decisions which have gone against his side, and would spend most of his management in the stands. Like Guardiola, his plethora of trophies is also rich.

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Mauricio Pochettino, Argentina – A manager which looks to young players, and has done so at club level (hence why we’re seeing the rise of Dele Alli, and Harry Kane). He’ll almost certainly do the same with Argentina, and maybe wouldn’t have dropped in form Mauro Icardi. However, he would have to manage a superstar in the form of Lionel Messi – something he doesn’t have to contend with at White Hart Lane.

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Claude Puel, France – Having done reasonably well with both Southampton, and Leicester City, how would he do on the international stage? In his first, and only season at St Mary, he was widely criticised for his defensive style, and with the sort of attacking team France are, I doubt he’d last long in the France hotseat. I’m sure he’d be getting to the latter stages of major tournaments, but his tactics would draw similar attention to what France v Denmark did.

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Jurgen Klopp, Germany – the eccentric manager would be coming off the back of reaching the Champions League final had he got the call to replace Joachim Low. How would he do?  Seeing his temperament in both Bundesliga, and the Premier League, its fair to say he’d be “right up for it”, and would get in the faces of officials if a decision didn’t go his way. 

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So, of the five managers I’ve selected, which one do you think could replicate their club form with their respective country?  

The stumbling block each manager would have is the fact that they wouldn’t have long to spend with players due to club commitments. Who’d work their way around the issue the best?

Images within the article courtesy of Getty Images

Featured Image created by Charlie Pumfrey