After hanging up their boots, many ex-footballers try to remain linked to the world of football and the best way they find is on the bench. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a great opportunity at the first change like the Cholo Simeone (Atlético), Xavi Hernández (Barcelona), Frank Lampard (Everton), Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) or Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa). Many prefer to learn little by little the job coach in their ‘new’ life as coaches.
If Zidane got fired up next to Ancelotti and then went to Castilla, Raúl González Blanco has decided to start from the bottom directing the Madrid subsidiary. The case of the mythical ‘7’ of Real Madrid is not unique among his former generation partners. There is a large batch of future great coaches that is simmering in the reserves of European clubs. Although the great reference of all of them is Xabi Alonso. The Real Sociedad, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder is the leader of Real B that is fighting to survive in LaLiga SmartBank. With offers from superior teams, Xabi Alonso wanted to start from the bottom as Pep Guardiola or Luis Enrique did in the past.
But they are not the only ex-stars who are in the affiliates waiting for a great opportunity. The list is extensive and surprising: Sergi Barjuan (Barcelona B); Júlio Baptista at Valladolid Promise; Miguel Ángel Angulo, at the Valencia Mestalla; Alberto Cifuentes (Cádiz B) and Manuel Pablo at Deportivo de La Coruña U-19 are some of the examples in Spanish football. Sergi already managed this current season for three games at Barcelona before the arrival of Xavi Hernández, and in the past he had experiences in Recreativo, Almería, Mallorca and even Chinese football.
But outside our borders there are other great examples: Jonny Heitinga (Ajax B); Ruud Van Nistelrooy (PSV B); Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich); Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina); Christian Chivu (Inter Milan); Geïda Fofana (Lyon B); Ariel Ibagaza (Olympiacos); Pablo Garcia (PAOK Thessaloniki); Radimov (Zenit 2) and the last to debut, Javier Mascherano (Argentina Sub-20). Soon we will have them at the top like now Andoni Iraola (Rayo Vallecano); Bolus (Ponferradina); Patrick Viera (Crystal Palace); Scaloni (Argentina National Team); Tudor (Verona), Motta (Spezia); Solari (America)…
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