Gasperini first to fall off the (not-so-)merry-go-round

Gian Piero Gasperini is the first high profile managerial casualty of the season, following his sacking by Inter Milan this week.

And with a host of Europe’s top clubs beginning their seasons sluggishly he may not be out of a job for too long.

Despite stating his desire to remain at Arsenal for “another 14 years”, Arsene Wenger’s tenure at the club is looking increasingly unstable.

For Wenger’s prayers to be answered, his backline must experience a transformation akin to that of Torres between the 46^th and 82^nd minutes of last weekend’s match with Manchester United.

In other words they need to stop clinically burying the ball into the back of their own goal and start blazing it into the stands. “Safety first, lads”.

                                Arsenal should defend like Torres finishes.

It seems Wenger’s loyalty and achievements for Arsenal in the past are saving him for now but the majority of under-fire managers around Europe do not have such a kinship with their clubs to rely on.

This was the case with Gasperini who was dismissed by Inter after just five competitive matches in charge.

Managerial Pressure

There have been slow starts at more of Europe’s top clubs with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Marseille already a few points off the pace.

One would expect Messrs. Guardiola and Mourinho to be allowed time to improve, and no doubt they will do just that. After all they are only 2 and 3 points off the top of La Liga, although a couple of surprising results have shown their clubs’ respective fallibility.

Allegri, at Milan, is likely to have some breathing space too, afforded to him by his team’s Serie A triumph last season. Deschamps has also enjoyed a successful tenure at Marseille so should be safe for now.

Waiting to Cash In

However, check out these managerial “dolites” waiting to pounce:

• Rafael Benitez – Since departing Inter Milan in 2010, old Rafa seems to have been happy keeping himself occupied with facial grooming and the odd bit of punditry. He was rumoured to have been approached by Valencia earlier this year despite current coach Unai Emery’s reasonable success. Still, with a Champions League, UEFA Cup and two La Liga medals to his name he will be linked with every big job going.

Benitez: more popular with Gillette than Gillett.

• Carlo Ancelotti – Following his somewhat unfair dismissal from Chelsea last season, this Italian veteran should be on every club’s radar. If it weren’t for his strong connections with Milan I’m sure he would have been in the running for the Inter job. One Premier League title, one FA Cup, one Serie A title, one Coppa Italia and two Champions League victories make for an impressive CV.

• Bernd Schuster – People forget he won the La Liga title in his first season in charge at Real Madrid. Unemployed since an unsuccessful spell at Besiktas, his constant confrontations with the media have perhaps held him back. Still a high-profile name out of work.

And I’ve not even mentioned the likes of Mark Hughes, Martin O’Neill and Alan Curbishly on the domestic front.

So with the tolerance of boards at an all time low and a host of experienced, unemployed managers waiting in the wings, pressure on Europe’s top bosses is growing.

Gasperini’s demise has not quite set the merry-go-round spinning, as Inter have employed the previously out of work Claudio Ranieri in his place.

This seems a somewhat unusual appointment due to the “tinkerman’s” apparent reluctance to remain at a club for more than two seasons (he hasn’t done so in 4 jobs since leaving Chelsea in 2004). Nevertheless, the Inter board seem to be aware of this as his contract only runs to 2013. 


Merry-go-round

Still, with unpredictable results cropping up all over Europe, it’s surely a matter of time before football’s ever more ruthless boards start applying the pressure and setting the managerial carousel into over drive.

Who knows, in the not so-distant-future Steve Kean could be brushing up on his Italian and the “special one” could be tucking into some Venky’s chicken with David Dunn.

                      Couldn't resist posting this. Never gets old.