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José Mourinho is leaving Real Madrid in June. That's certainly the word on the street in Spain and the UK with the Special One looking especially unhappy at the Santiago Bernabeu these days. So now is a fine time to look at the runners and riders who could replace the Portuguese and take on Real Madrid's never-ending quest to beat Barcelona...
Rafa Benítez
Spanish Thing odds: 5-1
It's unlikely that the former Liverpool man will be eye-poking members of the opposition technical team on the touchline or waiting in stadium car parks to insult referees, so that's two plus points at least in the positives column for Rafa Benítez should he don a dodgy tight, nylon suit for a potential job interview at the Santiago Bernabeu. The fact that the Madrid-born manager both played and coached in the club's youth-team ranks will certainly help the candidate's case, too.
Benítez also fits the bill of having managed 'big clubs', having won the Spanish league title with Valencia and a certain European trinket with Liverpool. The fact that Rafa's style of football may not be as flamboyant as some Madridista fan factions would like may not be as relevant now as previously with both Fabio Capello and José Mourinho having spent time on the Bernabeu bench with title-winning results, leaving a more pragmatic approach from a demanding set of supporters.
Míchel
Spanish Thing odds: 10-1
A swarthy, good-looking figure with a lot of influential friends in the local press. A personality who can certainly talk a good game. What's more, Míchel is a former player having played for Madrid for over a decade, another candidate who ticks the portentous 'feels the spirit of the club' box, something that José "they asked me to train them, I didn't ask them" Mourinho rather lacked. What is currently working against Míchel though is that the manager doesn't exactly have a glittering coaching CV. The former midfielder failed to get Rayo Vallecano promoted from the third tier of Spanish football, then contrived to get Real Madrid's extremely talented second side relegated.
Míchel took over Getafe in 2009, managed to keep the side up and even succeeded in taking the team to sixth in his first full season in charge. His second was less spectacular with Getafe flopping about in 16th, forcing Míchel's departure from the Coliseum.
He has a chance to prove himself once again, having just been appointed Sevilla manager until the end of the season. It's an opportunity to show he can handle big players and big expectations from fans, something that would certainly be normal life in the Real Madrid job.
Joachim Low
Spanish Thing odds: 15-1
A story that broke around about Christmas time in Marca - the Spanish press have been musing on Mourinho's departure for some time - had the current German national team coach at the top of the tree to replace the Special One. There is the suspicion though, that no matter how talented Low is, this appointment would not go down at all well with the Madridista massive even if Low were to win Euro 2012, due to language issues, a lack of extensive knowledge of la Liga and a certain 'who?' factor amongst the more casual, dipping their toes in football supporters.
Aitor Karanka
Spanish Thing odds: 25-1
José Mourinho's assistant has certainly taken on the role as first-team manager in terms of giving press conferences with the Basque having gone before the media 38 times in the past season-and-a-half when Mourinho's relationship with the press reaches a critical phase or he simply can't be trusted to keep his trap closed.
Karanka doesn't saying anything too controversial - anything naughty that is uttered is most probably handed to him on a piece of paper one suspects - is a club man and would offer continuity in the event of Mourinho's departure. The problem is that Karanka is ever-so-slightly dull and introverted, something that could see him being chewed up, digested then wazzed out by Spain's ferocious sporting press and has never managed a club on his own, aside from a two-year spell in charge of Spain's U-15 side.
Arsene Wenger
Spanish Thing odds: 40-1
The Frenchman has certainly been approached in the past for the Santiago Bernabeu post but has never wanted to take it up on the grounds that he has a very nice gig at Arsenal, thank you very much and the feeling that he would have little or no control over the ability to sign promising teenagers for millions of euros who subsequently flop. Wenger's recent trophy-less run certainly won't help the manager's cause either, although his revered status in Spain and relatively diplomatic ways certainly work in his favour.
Tim Stannard
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