Mikel Arteta, Brendan Rodgers, Patrick Vieira, Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Max Allegri, Leonardo Jardim, Joachim Loew, Diego Simeone - many have been mentioned as potential successors to Arsene Wenger following the announcement last week that the Frenchman will be leaving Arsenal after 22 years in the job at the end of the season.
At this stage, speculation is rife, with the number of names linked suggesting Ivan Gazidis and the Arsenal hierarchy haven’t actually identified a successor themselves. Some candidates are inexperienced with a link to the club, like Arteta and Vieira, while others have made their name elsewhere in Europe, like Jardim, Nagelsmann and Enrique. The nomination of Carlo Ancelotti is perhaps most intriguing, though.
It could be argued that Ancelotti ranks above Wenger in the managerial legend stakes having won titles in Europe’s five biggest leagues, also winning the Champions League three times over the course of his career. He is a true great, which on the face of things would make him the most qualified candidate to replace Wenger in the summer. It’s easy to see why some Arsenal fans would be enthused by the prospect of the Italian pitching up at the Emirates Stadium, even considering his Chelsea past.
But Ancelotti would be the wrong man at the wrong time for the Gunners. In many ways, the former AC Milan, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid boss is similar to Wenger. His greatest strength is the trust he places in his players, but it is also his greatest weakness. At Bayern Munich, his players were said to be confused at his hands off style to the tactical side of the game. Wenger has suffered in the same way at Arsenal.
The Gunners need a tactical mastermind to get the best from a squad that is nowhere near being the sum of their parts. Ancelotti thrives at clubs which are already good enough to compete at the top level. At Real Madrid, his success was down to the quality of the players he had and the way he harnessed them, allowing them to make decisions for themselves. It was the same at PSG.
But at a club down on its luck, looking upwards at their rivals, Ancelotti’s management style doesn’t work so well. Arsenal need someone who won’t just overhaul the team on the pitch, but the culture around the club as a whole. Ancelotti is one of the best coaches going in Europe, but he doesn’t fulfil the criteria. As tempting as it might be, the Gunners must pass on appointing the Italian. It’s just not the right fit at this moment.
