Succeeding the right way at Monaco
This article is in no way a reference point to my Wenger orientation. It’s just a glance at a future option for the Arsenal. Once a professional reaches the age to get a free bus pass its negligence not to look at replacements and it seems the gunners are already looking out for their next manager. Given RB Leipzig managers, Ralph Hasenhuttl, comments early in the season all but confirming the north Londoners had made light contact. When he implied stories linking him to being Arsene’s successor had been “well-researched”. Now the dreamer in me ebbs between the safe hands of super manager Carlo Ancelotti coming in and taking us to the next level or giving the plucky young Englishmen Eddie Howe a chance to build a dynasty at one of English footballs power houses. The reality is ones far too bigger risk and the others probably unattainable from a monster club in Bavaria. However, a third protagonist has entered my thoughts having watched a sizeable chunk of Ligue 1 this season and that’s Leonardo Jardim of high flying Monaco.
Born in Venezuela to Portuguese parents Leonardo Jardim never played football professionally and has been a career coach. At the age of 24 he became the youngest Portuguese coach ever to obtain a UEFA A licence. He started his managerial career aged 30 at Portuguese third Division side Camacha where he was previously assistant manager for two years. Jardim then spent four and a half seasons there honing his skills before jumping to fellow third division side GD Chaves. And this was where he had his first success, getting them promoted too Portugal’s second division in his only full season at the club. Leonardo was then appointed manager of fellow second division club Beira-Mar and it was here where he finally made it too the Portuguese top flight achieving promotion in his first season. He stepped down in the February the next season following a string of bad results, the side did stay up though following his departure. This managerial misdemeanour did little to dampen Portuguese club’s appetite for him and was appointed manager of Braga that summer where he led them to third in the top division, the Europa League round of 16 and an incredible record breaking 13 successive league wins in his one and only season at the club. A row with the chairman led to a parting of ways.
The next season he found himself at Olympiakos where he was again sacked for a row with the chairman with the club ten points clear at the top of the league. He returned to Portugal at the start of the next season, 13/14, as manager of Sporting Libson. He guided them to second place in Liga Nos compared to sixth the season before and then in the summer he was appointed manager of AS Monaco succeeding Claudio Ranieri.
Giving Arsenal a scare with Olympiakos
In the years running up to Jardim’s appointment AS Monaco were splurging Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlevs cash on an array of foreign talent getting them promoted and then buying such stars as Falcao, James Rodriguez, Moutinho and so on. However, if the Portuguese manager thought he was going to get unlimited funds to build a super squad to rival Qatar backed PSG he was soon in for a shock. And set a task of a different nature. The owner seeing there was going to be no stability in the sugar daddy model decided to focus more on youth development and buying rough diamonds. To get to grips with the size of the task he’s undertaken and the level of change you only have to cast your mind painfully back to Arsenal’s 3:1 home defeat to the principalities club back 2015.
Masterminded a win over Arsenal at The Emirates
Only six players from that 18 man squad that destroyed us were in there line up for a recent monster clash with PSG. Whereas from Arsenals squad that evening everyone’s still on the club’s books bar Tomas Rosicky, raising questions about us as sellers and accountability for failure but that’s for another day. It is not just ageing deadwood they have disbanded in the last three seasons it has been some of Europe’s hottest talents; James Rodriguez, Martial, Kondogbia, Kurzawa, Carrasco and many more. And they’ve maintained a good level during this cycle’ two 3rd place finishes and a run to the champions league quarter finals and now half way through this season, his 3rd, they sit top of Ligue 1, in the Coupe de Ligue final and looking forward to facing City in the last 16 of the champions league where they topped a group including spuds and Leverkusen. Most impressively, Leonardo’s band of youngsters are the top scorers in Europe.
Its more than just clever recruitment that make the 43-year-old a good fit for Arsenal, in my opinion. It’s the team he’s built. When I watch Monaco I see pace from the full backs in Sadie and Mendy, Power and strength in the middle with Fabiano and Bakayoko and ingenuity on the flanks in the form of Silva and Thomas Lemar. I see early Wenger teams and that is what I pine for, this is probably the closest team I have seen to the Invincibles, an ability to stride from one end of the pitch to the other so quickly. The Venezuelan born coach has also shown versatility and a willingness to adapt his methods depending on the situation. For instance, in his first two years he made Monaco a more defensive outfit and now this season they’ve exploded into the most exciting team in Europe. I could try and explain the thing that got me salivating the most during my research but it’s easier for me to give you the link to the transcript of his first Monaco press conference. The way he precisely talks tactics, vision for the team and how to get there is what I want next. If he wins Ligue 1 it would be an amazing achievement given PSG’s super star squad.
Wenger shaking hands with his ultimate successor?
Obviously Jardim hasn’t rebuilt Monaco on his own he’s had Antonio Cordon, Claude Makelele and Luis Campos as technical directors at different points of his reign and its certainly an area Arsenal are going to have to make an appointment in going forward into the post Wenger era. Arsene truly is the last dictator in top level football and no new man is going to take on all Arsene’s responsibilities. Even if Jardim wins League 1 this season and le prof hangs up his gloves he would still be considered an outsider for the role. We always used to be ahead of the curve as a club, foreign manager, diet and fitness, recruitment from the continent, televised matches, kit numbers etc. Even in managerial appointments we’ve been different, there was a Scotsman who had one promotion with second division Millwall who came in and bagged a couple of league titles, 3 domestic trophies and a cup winners cup. Then there was a Frenchman from japan who delivered 3 League titles, 6 FA cups and a gold trophy and he also had a Ligue 1 title with Monaco. So let’s be ahead of the curb again and get Europe’s next super coach.
Red member and 26-year-old engineer from Dorset. My life’s biggest regret is never going to Highbury. I try to attend as many games as possible. I’ve always had a love of Arsenal left wings, starting with Overmars, through Pires and Nasri, right up to Alexis. I don’t have an agenda: I just write about the game and club I love as I see it.
Interesting article. In 1996, with no top four and less money, we could afford to take a risk in Wenger. Or Bertie Mee in 1966, or Graham in 1986. I’d prefer a tested manager at the highest level. But he looks like he has potential.
From a distance, he’s definitely my preferred choice, above Ancelloti. His work at Monaco is mightily impressive.
I’ll support Wenger till he goes, whenever that is, but I want the next guy to be strong on defence and big on cynicism. As you say, he has now built on that defensive strength and toughness a team who counter attack wonderfully well.
There is absolutely no reward and lots of punishment for being a clean team in the premier league, so I want to find out if we continue to be shit on by refs should we match the other teams for cynical play, or if they treat us just like other teams if we join them.
Chances are, unfortunately, Jardim has little responsibility for Monaco’s player recruitment, but even if he only identifies the type of player he wants that is still something.
Arriving this summer might also give us a shot at Mendy and Bagayoko, two players who look born for the premier league and who would be tremendous additions. Though I suspect we would be defeated on finances anyway as City, Chelsea, Utd will probably snap them up.
Well said Freddy. We’d effectively be reverting to character. One nil to the Arsenal…
As a arsenal fan he is exactly what arsenal needs to be challenging for the title. It would be great if he carry back patrick vieira and thierry henry to work with him as a part of his coaching team. Glory day here we come
It’d be interesting to see what you could find out about Dragan Stojkovic; the man long-linked as AW replacement. If we’d like something a bit different again…?
Great article. I followed his career since Sporting Lisbon and I use to rate him as a (ultra)defensive coach too. In fact, he build very balanced teams: rock solid behind, creative enough in the center and very effective in attack. He’s not obsessed with ball’s possession and could give us a more direct approach to the goal. ASM is a joy to watch this season and I have to agree: they manage the transitions (attack-defense/defense-attack) like The Invencibles. If Wenger decides to go this season -sadly for him with no fairy tale ending by the way the team is playing-, Leonardo is, in my view, the best option to replace “The last emperor”.