Van Gaal in the frame after City sack Pearce
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
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The sacking of Manchester City's manager Stuart Pearce yesterday was carried out with the blessing of the club's prospective new owner Thaksin Shinawatra, and the former Thailand Prime Minister was in England at the weekend when the club raised the question of a successor. City are determined to appoint a foreign coach to replace Pearce, with the Dutchman Louis van Gaal among the favourites.
The former Barcelona manager, currently at AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, is not the only option on the list and has recently signed a new contract at the club. It is understood that Shinawatra's advisers are not at all interested in Sven Goran Eriksson, who is known to have admirers at the club. The level of influence that they are exerting on the appointment process would suggest that the £130m bid for the club is close to being accepted.
It is thought Shinawatra, ousted from Thailand by a military coup last September, is on the brink of receiving public backing from City's major shareholders. In the mean time, Van Gaal, 55, and Claudio Ranieri, 54, the former Chelsea manager, are under consideration along with the former Liverpool manager Gérard Houllier, 59, now at Lyon. It would appear that the club's prospective new owners are keen to make sure that they have a big name in place to spend what could be a £50m transfer fund this summer.
As Shinawatra's consortium goes through the due diligence process with a view to buying the club, City have wasted no time in getting rid of Pearce, 45, who was told the news yesterday by the chief executive, Alistair Mackintosh. Although Pearce originally said when he took the job that he would waive any compensation in the event of his dismissal, he signed a rolling two-year deal in March last year, which should entitle him to around one year's salary as a pay-off.
Pearce's dismissal means that his successor will be the 12th City manager to occupy the post in the same 20-year time frame that Sir Alex Ferguson has reigned supreme at Manchester United. Mackintosh is a highly rated young chief executive, whom the new owners look certain to keep on after their takeover and he is expected to open talks with the successor over the next few days.
Among those from whom the Shinawatra consortium will also be taking advice over the new manager will be Keith Harris, the football finance expert who has advised on a number of takeovers, including Randy Lerner's acquisition of Aston Villa last year. City are looking for a big name, and Van Gaal, who won the European Cup with Ajax in 1995 and has one Uefa Cup and two Spanish titles to his name certainly fits the bill. As Barcelona manager he was Jose Mourinho's mentor.
Joey Barton's appalling behaviour has also not helped his manager's future, although the England midfielder is expected to be sold regardless. Despite reports, there are no immediate plans for a disciplinary hearing for the player, who was suspended for the last two games of the season for attacking Ousmane Dabo during a training session. Pearce also fell out with his board over his acceptance of the England Under-21 manager's job this season, which he took without permission from the club, and he will now be at liberty to take charge of that job full-time. The Uefa European Under-21 Championship takes place in the Netherlands next month, with Pearce due to name his final squad on 30 May. The Football Association has indicated that it wants Pearce to do the job full-time.
City's dismal goalscoring record they have not scored at home since New Year's Day was a key factor in Pearce's dismissal, as was the reluctance to hand him the transfer kitty that Shinawatra is likely to bring with him. Pearce's signing of the Greek forward Georgios Samaras for around £6m has become a symbol of City's failure this season. He has scored just six goals and none in the Premiership since New Year's Day.
Pearce's association with City has lasted five years in which he has been player, coach and manager. He was appointed on a tide of optimism at the end of the 2004-2005 season after taking over from Kevin Keegan. He won his second manager of the month award in August 2005 and was among those suggested as a successor to Eriksson for England.
Shepherd decks St James' halls for Allardyce coronation
Newcastle United have called a press conference for this afternoon at which it is thought Sam Allardyce will be unveiled as the club's new manager.
Freddy Shepherd held talks with Allardyce in London on Friday and the chairman was in contact with his representatives again yesterday as Manchester City were sacking Stuart Pearce and potentially looking to Allardyce to replace him.
Allardyce was at Old Trafford yesterday for the launch of the PFA Centenary Cricket XI v Football XI Twenty20 game, and he was giving little away.
"Obviously there is an interest in Newcastle, where we have had a discussion, and we will see where it goes," he said. "Of course it has popped up a bit quicker than I thought and whatever happens in the next few days will be vital in terms of what announcement will be made."
