David Ornstein of The Athletic says that Chelsea have narrowed down the new permanent manager search to just a handful now, so it’s worth bearing in mind that it might not actually be just one of Julian Nagelsmann or Luis Enrique.
But the general consensus is that one of those two are most likely as of now to become Chelsea’s next permanent manager, and that could actually come sooner than we think.
The thing is both of them are a little different in terms of style of experience. I think they also have some similarities. But there are also key differences.
Nagelsmann out of the two is younger and less experienced as a manager – that’s just a fact. Therefore there are risk elements on that side. But neither of them have ever managed in the Premier League before either, which could also present risks. Enrique hasn’t managed domestically since 2017.
The thing is, neither can really be called a ‘perfect’ candidate, but then is there such thing? At least, is there such thing available right now?
Both have pros and cons and when someone asks me who I prefer, I’ve been fluttering between the two. None of them standout clearly enough from the other for me and to be honest when I really think deeply into each, I’d actually be content with either of them.
Nagelsmann is a tactical genius and will be asking for a new spine of the team – goalkeeper, defensive midfielder, and a striker. And people know how badly we need that. But who is to say Enrique wont ask for that as well? I’m sure he can equally see how badly the team needs that.
And is Enrique bad tactically? Of course not. He has different ways and setups perhaps, but he certainly knows how to set a team up.
The biggest thing for me right now is the strong mentality. This group of players needs a strong personality in right now. They need someone who will not only encourage and motivate, but also be firm, fair, and a little bit stricter than what we have seen. I always said someone between Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter in terms of personality would be good, but leaning more towards Tuchel’s side. Some players do need an arm around them sometimes, but we need a manager in who will lead from the sidelines, who will be passionate, vocal, and motivating. That for me is the most important element we should be going for right now.
Enrique obviously stands out in that department, but again, I think it’s unfair to say that Nagelsmann doesn’t have a bit of this about him as well. It’s more just the experience side of Enrique that shines through there.
This squad needs a ruthless manager, not someone who wants to give all these players a chance, once again. How many chances can they have? We need someone who will come in and make bold decisions and try different players/ideas. What we are doing now is not working, obviously.
I love Nagelsmann, and when I saw that he was available and we were sacking Potter, I immediately leaned towards going to get him. He’s a top coach and a top manager. But I also rate many aspects of what Enrique can bring.
As you can see, I’m a little split, and that means that if it’s out of these two, whoever we get I’ll be content and that’s a good result as far as I’m concerned.