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Mourinho will replace Zidane if he fails, says Calderon

January 5, 2016 12:57 pm

Zinedine Zidane’s spell as coach of Real Madrid may come to a quick end should the Frenchman fail and Jose Mourinho brought in for the second time, Ramon Calderon, former Madrid president, has said.

Mourinho was fired from the Bernabeu in 2013 following disharmony with some of ‘big’ players and fans of the club.

The 43-year-old, who was a part of the Galacticos era which included Ronaldo, Beckham, Raul and Figo, that won the Champions league in 2002, was announced the new manager of Real Madrid after Rafael Benitez was fired on Monday.

Calderon says it will be difficult for the respected Frenchman, with only the experience of coaching the club’s junior team, Castilla, to succeed and with an “engineer” president in the person of Fiorentino Perez who makes it difficult at the Bernabeu.

“I wish Zidane all the best but it will be difficult. He is not the one that the President wanted,” ex-Madrid president, Calderon told BBC Radio 5 live.

“He was trying to sign Mourinho and he didn’t want Zidane. That is the truth. I don’t know if he (Zidane) will be successful but if he is not, Mourinho will be on the bench in June.

“It is a great opportunity for Zidane [but] he lacks experience as a coach. That is a problem.”

Calderon was Madrid president from 2006 before he resigned in 2009 following allegations of financial vote rigging.

The 65-year-old brushed Perez aside, calling him an engineer other than a professional for sacking Benitez and previous coaches without proper replacement.

“Florentino Perez is an engineer, he is not a professional,” Calderon added.

“He decided to sack Carlo Ancelotti when everyone loved him. They changed Rafael Benitez but no one is advising who is the right man to be there.”

Another former employee of the club, Jorge Valdano, believes Zidane’s appointment is a big risk for the coach and club.

“Zidane taking over is such a risky move because of his lack of experience,” Valdano said.

Valdano was the club’s sporting director until 2011, following a fallout in his relationship with the then coaching staff headed by Jose Mourinho.

Whilst former heads of affairs at the Bernabeu criticised, an ex-colleague of Zidane, David Beckham, congratulated the former Le blues captain for the appointment.

Beckham described Zidane as the best man for the job: “Does it get any better than this?? A man that has been the best at a game we all love taking over a club that myself and many more people love.

“Someone with drive, passion and also doesn’t accept failure on any level taking over from a manager that has huge experience and respect in the game, but taking on a position that he will relish.

“The best person for the job.”

Accolades also poured in from other footballers, including Didier Drogba, Zidane’s fellow United Nations Development Programme ambassador.