Most football managers dream of their club being bought by a wealthy owner or consortium. Certainly, few get the chance to spend a war chest in excess of £100m to improve their squad. Yet even those who have the opportunity to do so often find the experience unfulfilling.
After taking Chelsea into the Champions League and gaining a new owner in Roman Abramovich, Claudio Ranieri was unceremoniously replaced by Jose Mourinho the following season. Eight years later, Ranieri was brought to Monaco by oil rich owners to replace the inexperienced Marco Simone. Now having overseen Monaco’s promotion back to France’s top division, the club have signed James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho from Porto for a combined £60m. Colombian striker Radamel Falcao is expected to follow suit shortly.
This level of investment has seen expectation levels soar at the club. A season of stability in the lower echelons of Ligue 1 will not suffice for the club’s ambitious owners and if Ranieri cannot deliver a side capable of challenging for honours, one wonders how long a manager with his fair share of recent failure will last.
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