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There are a large number of talented coaches available for work at present
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Each season sees a high turnover of managers in the Premier League
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These managers will surely be on many club’s wish-lists in the months ahead
Being a football manager is a dream job for many sports betting fans worldwide. Even the best in the business don’t have much job security, though, with clubs becoming more and more trigger-happy over the last couple of decades.
Failure can be lucrative in football management with whopping severance packages for the highest-paid managers. Being out of work for months or even years is financially viable for the biggest names, allowing them to wait for the right opportunity to come up.
Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich will both be looking for new managers at the end of the 2023-24 season. Other appealing vacancies are bound to open up. Here are the best football managers out of work as of February 2024…
Zinedine Zidane
Despite leading Real Madrid to three Champions League wins and two La Liga titles, it’s a stretch to call Zinedine Zidane one of the greatest football managers of all-time.
Zidane has excelled as a man manager of star-studded squads, and exercised tactical pragmatism in the biggest games.
While the former Ballon d’Or winner has been linked with the Juventus and Manchester United jobs in the past, it remains to be seen if he will take the risk of managing elsewhere. The France job seems made for him.
Jurgen Klopp
A huge hit during his tenure at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp made the decision to stand down at the end of the 2023/24 season - much to the dismay of Liverpool supporters around the world.
Klopp was a beacon of light for Reds fans, transforming the entire mood at the club as Liverpool challenged for trophies on a yearly basis. He even managed to bring a first Premier League title to the club.
It'll be interesting to see whether Klopp takes a job at another top flight club in England or not - with many believing that he will move back to continental Europe if the right position becomes available.
Xavi
One of the greatest players of his generation, Xavi's transition from midfield to manager has been up and down to say the least.
The Barcelona legend made over 500 appearances at Camp Nou during his playing days but his tenure at the helm on the sidelines ended on a sour note after he was dismissed in May 2024.
David Moyes
One of the Premier League's old guard, David Moyes is now a free agent after West Ham United called time on his tenure at the London Stadium in 2024.
He has plenty of top flight experience and is an obvious target for any club looking for a seasoned professional to take over - especially given his wealth of Premier League knowledge.
Graham Potter
Like others who have failed in their first job at a top club, Graham Potter is in a weird spot in his career.
Similar to Cooper, Potter’s chances of success at Chelsea were undermined by bizarre and disorganised recruitment. The Blues did not give him the time he needed.
Potter needs a team to invest in the wider project. Brighton were a great fit for him. Could Newcastle be a good landing spot if they choose to move on from Eddie Howe? Or is Potter an ideal successor to Gareth Southgate?
Joachim Löw
In charge of Germany from 2006 until 2021, Joachim Löw is the longest-serving manager in Die Mannschaft history. Löw led Germany to glory at the 2014 World Cup, and was twice named German Football Man of the Year.
His club management record is hardly spectacular, though. Löw has not managed a club team since 2004.
The game has changed drastically since then, and his most high-profile job was with Stuttgart in the 1990s. At 64 years old, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Löw steers clear of club management.
Ole Gunnar Solskjær
Ole Gunnar Solskjær might not have reignited the glory days at Manchester United, but he did bring much-needed stability. For all his shortcomings, the Norwegian finished with a win rate only bettered by Erik ten Hag, Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho.
Solskjær has been rumoured as a possible successor to Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich.
His failings in the biggest games don’t appear to have deterred FC Hollywood, but it would be a shock to see Bayern go with Solskjær when there are so many other excellent candidates on the market.
Massimiliano Allegri
Regarded by many as one of football's great tacticians, Allegri was sacked just two days after leading Juventus to Italian Cup success over Atalanta in May 2024.
Reports claim that it was down to his conduct during the match, but fans have pointed to a number of flare-ups between the manager and the club's hierarchy during his second tenure in Turin.
He's achieved everything there is to achieve in Serie A so a move abroad wouldn't be out of the question and online news reports believe he could be recruited by a leading Saudi Arabia team in the coming months.
Mauricio Pochettino
The Argentine was a good footballer but management has definitely been his calling and he did incredible things during his stint at Tottenham Hotspur.
His most recent spell at Chelsea was a mixed bag but the Blues finished the season strongly and many were shocked to see Pochettino leave Stamford Bridge in May 2024.
It'll be interesting to see if a Premier League rival takes a chance on Pochettino this summer. There's bound to be some interest from a certain club in the north west...
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
