Pochettino, Löw and Klopp in the frame for the Real Madrid job
Real Madrid hope that Zizou will be the one who decides whether to carry on or leave. All of the potential replacements are currently in employment and under contract.
Whatever Zinedine Zidane chooses to do at the end of the season, Real Madrid will respect his decision; but the club needs to be prepared for a possible scenario where they are obliged to find a new coach. Madrid appreciate the difficulty of what Zizou has achieved with the team during the past 26 months and feel that he deserves the right to make his own decision, and they are equally as aware that he will be the first to let them know when he feels he no longer has the drive to start a new project at the club.
Madrid must be prepared if Zidane decides to walk
Three names have been mentioned as possible replacements should Zidane decide to move on: Mauricio Pochettino, Joachim Löw and Jürgen Klopp. The Argentine coach, who knows LaLiga inside out, is the favourite of the three. His philosophy on the game is one which has the seal of approval among the management at the Bernabéu. A coach whose teams are daring and exciting, as demonstrated by Tottenham's impressive Champions League campaign, and also one who is adept at managing a dressing room full of stars and players which character. “Pochettino is ruthless if you cross him - he'll tell us when we need to work harder or play harder”, Harry Kane said recently.
Pochettino transformed Spurs
Last month, the Spurs boss flirted with Los Blancos with the comments he made when chatting to Onda Cero (“Real Madrid? football will take me wherever it leads me ...”); but Pochettino is under contract at Tottenham until 2021. The operation would be facilitated if the coach asks the club to release him but the Londoners are tough negotiators - as Madrid know only too well from their experiences in dealing with them for Modric and Bale. Convincing Daniel Levy to let both players leave for Spain was such an ordeal that the two had to practically rebel to get their own way.
Löw with Germany
Löw is also under contract, he has committed himself to the Germany job until 2020. Florentino has had his eye on the coach since the Brazil World Cup, but Löw has a solid relationship with the German Football Federation. Real Madrid, in the best of scenarios, would have to wait until after he finishes his duties at this summer's World Cup finals in Russia at the very least.
Kop king Klopp settled at Anfield
Klopp's name has also cropped up in some quarters - his past with Dortmund and what he is doing at Liverpool make him an outside option. He's also showed himself to be a good man-manager with how he has helped developing players such as Coutinho and Salah. But the Reds have practically handed him the keys to the club and fans are keen for him to carry on the good work and guide the team to silverware. He's under contract until 2022 and the main man at Anfield.
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