21 May 2025 20:47:55
You know I nearly fell for the whole Ancelotti story but after thinking about it more I just can't see it.
You look at his roles previously if Rangers took him in it's another absolute project manager.
Plus can anyone actually see him in November, December, January at various Scottish grounds, rain pounding wind blasting and Ancelotti shouting instructions? I just can't see it at all.
Gerrard could still be seen as a project manager if we took him back but he's proven he can win a league that was won under the circumstances everyone else was playing too during lockdown and his team were getting better and his European results were getting better.
Ancelotti starts from scratch, a project we don't know he can handle as he's never managed on his own.
Whether you agree or not, DA has never managed a club on his own always been assistant? Big gamble in my book if it's him.
21 May 2025 20:59:40
Got to agree stig. Ancellotti in a wet dreich February. It's no happening. Come back Stevie G.
21 May 2025 21:57:02
I don't want Anchelloti.
stig, i agree with your post.
21 May 2025 22:01:57
I'll bite stig as a member of the Ancelotti camp over Gerrard.
Is Ancelotti a risk? Absolutely. But so is a manager who has failed at two other clubs with significantly more funds than ourselves.
Ancelotti may never have been a "manager" as such but if you read any interviews from players he's coached they will give glowing recommendations of him. Javi Martinez, David Alaba and Eder Militao to name a few. He also would have the support of a sporting director, technical director and backroom staff. Don't forget Gerrard was a youth team coach before he came to us.
Gerrard in Europe in his final season with us had actually been eliminated from the UCL by 10 man Malmö, scraped past Alashkert 1-0 on aggregate and then lost to Lyon and Sparta Prague without scoring before beating Brondy at Ibrox then drawing away from home.
Ancelotti may be inexperienced but he has been part of some of the biggest clubs in the world and at one time was a target for the Everton job when none other than Kevin Thelwell was the sporting director. He's been at winning clubs and has had an extensive "apprenticeship" under his auld man.
A criticism of Clement, Russell Martin and other managers has been how one dimensional and rigid they are. If we cast our minds back to when Gerrard was here he was criticised for having no plan B and being rigid. He then went on to continue to play the same style of football at Villa and Saudi and stuck with it even when results were slipping or players were unavailable.
Ancelotti in his own interviews on podcasts has spoken about building tactics around the player's strengths and making a system rubbish what they have and exploiting opponents weaknesses. Basically being fluid and adaptable. He has made big game calls whilst being an assistant such as subbing on Alaba to take a free kick at 1-1 which he scored to win the match 2-1, subbing on Joselu Vs Bayern to win or instructing Benzema to let donnaruma get the ball and take a touch then pounce which resulted in real coming back to beat PSG.
He could flop and he could be a masterstroke. Just as Gerrard could because who's to say Gerrard will come back with the same passion and fire he had the first time when he was looking to prove himself. He's coming back with wounds to lick and of the two risks to be taken I'd prefer the risk of Ancelotti.
21 May 2025 22:34:10
Ayrshire Murphy excellent response to my post and enjoyed reading it
I put a wee article up on Ancelotti over a week ago on the site from what I found on the net
On paper he sounds great and could potentially work
But given the names you have just mentioned and the players who were at his disposal could you actually see him coming here to manage our club who could potentially be recruiting under tight circumstances OOC players trying to unearth rough diamonds
I just can't see it given what he's used to working with and the expenditure he's used to witnessing and like I said standing here in dead of winter shouting at the likes of propper Tav Souter etc
I think we might be below his expectations for his first manager role and may be looking at the prem or somewhere in Europe with a club with a more established playing squad and more funds to spend to make his mark just my thoughts I could be teri ky wrong but I suppose we will see mate
But again thanks for the in depth reply ??.
21 May 2025 22:39:54
AyrshireMurphy. I concur. Well written post mate.
21 May 2025 23:03:40
Here's a more relevant question if Ancelotti is so well respected as a young coach and ready to step into management why would he choose us and Scottish football, he basically has to set up him and his family in a new country, change of climate, new lifestyle, plastic pitches, and a style of football domestically that he isn't used to, can't see it and I'm glad of that and also not just for us but a potential risk to his managerial career.
22 May 2025 00:19:48
Stig I completely get all that and part of myself is unsure of why he would want to come here other than possibly the challenge of it all and the project the club have put in front of him.
I also get the calibre of player as he has gotten to work with a much higher level of professional and much better climate in Spain. He has however worked at Everton as assistant and worked in Germany, Italy and France. Now I am no weatherman but I'd like to say he's worked with lower calibre than real and Bayern but also worked in weather maybe not as bad as our but getting there.
I would say every concern you mention is completely valid and it's one of those ones we'll just have to wait and see. Rosevale again I'll offer a fair response to your concerns. Gerrard would also have to adjust lifestyle and climate and apparently according to Keith Jackson his wife doesn't want to move to Glasgow and would much rather remain in Bahrain or move to Dubai. That could be BS but could be true and would be a similar issue for Ancelotti and SG has already worked in Glasgow whilst his family remained in England so balancing work and family like that is possible if DA chose that option.
22 May 2025 01:00:04
He has already set up homes in the past in Liverpool, Munich, Naples and Madrid. He may see Rangers as a challenge, a challenge if successful may catapult his career. Not too mention what 49ers may be offering in regards to a state of the art sport science complex and more freedoms to coach how he wants. More importantly, we're the Famous Glasgow Rangers.
22 May 2025 07:38:50
Ayrshire enjoyed the rapport ?.
22 May 2025 08:12:24
I can see advantages in both Ancellotti and Gerard. I'd be happy with either. Just hope it is as a surprise could happen as there is no real information coming from those in the real know.
22 May 2025 09:06:49
One of the most balanced measured threads yet. Nice review and response Stig and Ayrshire. The way it should be rather than the bickering. Well done.
22 May 2025 10:15:41
Nice adult balanced conversation stig. Now back to reading the bickering and I told you so's of the other threads lol.