X

Real Madrid: Why Carlo Ancelotti Should Not Be Their Next Manager

Samuel Marsden@@samuelmarsdenX.com LogoFeatured ColumnistJune 3, 2013

PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 18:  PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti looks on after the Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Stade Brestois 29 at Parc des Princes on May 18, 2013 in Paris, France.  (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Michael Regan/Getty Images

It's been nearly two weeks since Carlo Ancelotti was told by PSG's president that it was "not possible" for him to leave the French champions (via BBC). 

Marca recently described the potential move as an "uphill struggle" and "grinding to a halt," which begs the question: Is it all worth it?

Like players, all managers have their price. If Ancelotti justified his speculated £3.4 million release clause (via talkSPORT), would Florentino Perez not have stumped up the cash by now? If he really wanted him?

After all, in elite football, what is £3.4 million these days?

The fee for Ancelotti would have to be multiplied over 23 times to sign Cristiano Ronaldo, 16 times to sign Kaka and even by eight and seven times to sign Luka Modric and Fabio Coentrao respectively (based on what Madrid paid for them).

It's not like Perez is shy when it comes to signing cheques. He paid over £10 million in compensation to free Jose Mourinho from his contract at Inter Milan in 2010 (via ESPN).

He's also the president that oversaw the "Galactico" era, and the president who returned to throw money at the players who made up the most expensively assembled squad ever—which Mourinho got to play with after replacing Manuel Pellegrini.

It all makes the delay increasingly intriguing.

Perez clearly isn't sold on Ancelotti to the extent that he will do whatever it costs to bring him in. It is often cited that the Italian tactician has proven success in the Champions League, fitting in perfectly with Madrid's La Decima ethos, but that was with AC Milan (twice) and not since 2007 now.

And, although he's since won titles in England and France, he only actually clinched Serie A once in eight years with Milan—plus a further six seasons spent with Reggiana, Parma and Juventus.

This past week saw Anatoliy Tymoshchuk claim that outgoing Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes is 99 percent certain to be the next man perching his derrière on the Bernabeu bench (via BBC).

Heynckes says that he doesn't know why the Ukrainian has said that, but it could help add some background to the thoughts going on inside Perez's head.

The German manager led Bayern Munich to the Champions League final last season, where they were cruelly beaten by Chelsea, and has just secured a domestic league, cup and European treble with the Bavarians this season.

He's also available for nothing, due to the arrival of Josep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena this summer, as revealed in January.

Heynckes had previously announced his retirement, and at 68 the only ace card Ancelotti currently holds over him is age—the Italian is 15 years his junior at 53.

But at a club where tenure is not the be all, end all—only seven coaches have lasted three full seasons or more—one or two good years would far outstrip three or four OK ones.

Ancelotti may well remain Madrid's first choice, although he may only remain it through loyalty of a pre-agreement.

Perez may secretly be hoping no deal can be struck, and he can bring Heynckes back for his second spell in the Spanish capital, having won the Champions League for the club in his solitary year there in 1998.