Managing a Big Club: A Wrong Choice for Young European Coaches

The trend of several major European clubs hiring young coaches has proven to be challenging. The fresh ideas from Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim, and Thiago Motta have been overshadowed by the immediate need for performance. The dismissals faced by all three have left a blemish on their respective career records. Coaching a major club at a relatively young age has turned out not to be a wise choice.

A smile continuously adorned Alonso's face after signing a three-year contract as the coach of Real Madrid last year. Throughout his introductory press conference, Alonso could not stop smiling. He had just secured a position that many experienced European coaches dream of. It is hard to believe that Alonso, who is only 43 years old, has been entrusted with managing one of the biggest clubs in the world.

It is unusual for Real to place trust in a young coach. Alonso has also entered the historical record as one of the youngest managers of Real. He himself describes the opportunity to manage Real as a historic moment that is very difficult to replicate in the future.

"This is an emotional day. The kind of day you will remember because it will only happen once in a lifetime. I feel pride, responsibility, joy, and an incredible energy to return to a place that feels like home. I want to start this new chapter," said Alonso in May 2025.

After 225 days have passed, Alonso's enthusiasm and optimism have turned into disappointment. The defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final marked the end of Alonso's tenure with Real. This was the culmination of a drama that had been unfolding for months prior. In terms of results, Alonso's performance was not poor, winning 24 out of 34 matches. Real still has opportunities in the UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey, and La Liga.

However, Real's performance under Alonso has been very unpromising when facing major teams. Alonso's effectiveness has yet to be proven following defeats to Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Worse still, his ideas have not received a positive response from several senior players of Real.

What happened to Alonso is also experienced by Ruben Amorim at Manchester United. As fellow young coaches, they bring ideas that have proven successful when applied at their previous clubs. "As a coach, you have to choose one way or another. I always choose 100 percent our way. I choose to take a little risk. I have great faith in our style of play, and they will believe as well," said Amorim with confidence.

However, the three-defender formation that elevated Amorim at Sporting Lisbon did not run smoothly at Manchester United. Alonso, who prioritizes system over player creativity, faced opposition. They quickly realized that applying the same formula at a big club is a different challenge.

There is a kind of old culture that has already taken root in big clubs. The players there have an ego that differs from that of mid-level clubs. Representing a big club is a significant achievement, which often leads them to belittle young coaches with relatively short experience. Amorim, Alonso, and Motta struggle to implement their ideas because the players do not show them the respect they deserve.

It is undeniable that coaching experience is a factor for players in how they view their coach. Coaches gain respect as their experience and achievements accumulate after years of involvement in the coaching world. Alonso's achievements are limited to the domestic scene in Germany. Similarly, Amorim has been entirely involved in the Portuguese League. Meanwhile, Motta has not yet had the opportunity to present any trophies for Bologna.

At this point, the choice of these young coaches to immediately take on big clubs feels misguided. Their fresh ideas are overshadowed by the clubs' need to achieve positive results as quickly as possible. Big clubs have an undeniable habit that results are everything.

If not, it would be impossible for Cesc Fabregas (Como) or Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton and Hove Albion) to last for a considerable time. The reason is that they are in the right ecosystem. Como and Brighton are not among the big clubs with demanding supporters, so waiting for results from the process is very much accepted there.

"Results are very important. They are crucial. But at Como, there is real progress behind the scenes, with a path that began two years ago and is moving very quickly," Fabregas said, as quoted by Football Italia.

The anomaly is directed at Mikel Arteta, who is now transforming Arsenal into a solid team. However, it is important to remember that the former assistant to Pep Guardiola has the advantage of trust from the Arsenal management. Like other young coaches, Arteta also faced difficult times in the beginning.

Even when supporters began chanting "Arteta out" after the difficulties faced by the Spanish coach in his early seasons, the club owners continued to support him. Moreover, Arteta was able to secure the addition of coaching staff and the recruitment of players he needed without significant interference from others within the club. Such extraordinary support is rarely found in any top-tier club. That is why a case like Arteta's has not been seen in other major clubs.

When Arteta shines, Alonso, Amorim, and Motta have tarnished their coaching histories with dismissals. Any young coach surely hopes to continue coaching at the highest level.

Now, after being dismissed, they see their dreams potentially tarnished because their first tenure with a major team ended in total failure. Until now, the three of them have not secured new clubs, although several major teams have expressed renewed interest.

Alonso, for instance, is strongly associated with Liverpool. However, it would be wise for Alonso to carefully consider his decision to return to coaching a major club. He needs to conduct a deeper analysis of the club's character and philosophy if he does not want to repeat the experience of being dismissed. Being dismissed by a major club once may be understandable. However, if it happens twice, it is unlikely that another major club will be interested in him again.