Written by 
Samuel – October 9, 2024
The end of the 2023/2024 football season witnessed the departure of several managers from clubs across Europe. These departures can be attributed to a recent change in the club’s structures, poor performance and change of ownerships.
Several teams across Europe enter the new season with high expectations, hoping to improve on the previous season and end on a high.
These heights can only be attained with the appropriate managers, which is why some teams have parted ways with their previous coaches and engaged a suitable manager who they believe would lead them to success.
These new managers have had varying level of success in the new season, with some performing well and others struggling to fit their ideology into the teams’ style of play.
As a result, we will be looking at various mangers in prominent European clubs and how they have handled expectations for the current season.
Hansi Flick
Barcelona dismissed Xavi Hernandez as head coach in May after going trophyless in the previous season and finishing ten points behind La Liga champions Real Madrid.
Following Xavi departure, Barcelona appointed Hansi Flick, a former Bayern Munich and Germany manager to spearhead the club’s ambitions and return the team back to its glory days.
The German tactics appear to have been properly instilled into the team’s style of play as Barcelona attack continues to rage. They are currently leading the La Liga table with twenty-eight goal scored heading into the international break.
Barcelona has also performed decently in the Champions League with one win and one defeat, which is a major concern for Hansi Flick after the club was eliminated in the group stage last season, marking the second consecutive season they’ve failed to advance to the knockout stage.
Hansi Flick has made a great start in the early stages, living up to expectations and the team’s standard. Top of La Liga, three points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid is regarded as the bare minimum of a high-quality coach such as Hansi Flick.
Enzo Maresca
Chelsea have had several managers since Todd Boehly’s Consortium took over in 2022 with the most recent departure being Mauricio Pochettino, who is now the manager of the United States National team.
The Argentine was fired after Chelsea finished sixth in the 2023/24 EPL season, qualifying them for the UEFA Conference League for the first time in history. Following his departure, Enzo Maresca was appointed after a successful tenure at Leicester City, which helped the Foxes return to the English topflight.
There were many worries about whether the Italian coach was the proper fit for the club’s mission and can return the team to winning ways after two consecutive catastrophic seasons.
However, Enzo Maresca has started the season strong, with only two defeats across all competitions. He has helped the blues immensely as they are now in the top four of the league table heading into the international break, a feat they have not achieved in the previous two seasons.
Furthermore, he started their Conference League campaign on a high note, defeating Genk 4-2 and making them one of the early favorites to win the trophy.
Arne Slot
Arne Slot became Liverpool’s 22nd full time Manager following the departure of Jurgen Klopp, who had been with the club for nine years.
Slot had a successful stint as the coach of Feyenoord, leading the club to the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League final and winning the Eredivisie and Dutch Cup in subsequent seasons.
There were big worries about the Dutch manager’s ability to fill Jurgen Klopp’s shoes and continue the club’s winning tradition. However, Slot’s journey in Liverpool has been remarkable, as his team presently leads the English Premier League table with only one defeat in competitive actions.
Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta was appointed manager of Serie A giants Juventus in June 2024 after successful spells with Spezia and Bologna. His appointment followed the departure of Massimiliano Allegri, who failed to lead the club to the Serie A title.
This appointment marked a watershed moment in his managerial career after guiding Bologna to a Champions League berth, demonstrating his tactical prowess and ability to drive results with young players.
There were considerable doubts surrounding his appointment, particularly whether he could handle a huge club and big players in Juventus, as the Italian giants were his first major big job.
However, he has proved his abilities in the early stages, sitting comfortably in third place in the Serie A League table. Furthermore, his squad has conceded the fewest goals in the league, with only one goal in seven league matches since the beginning of the season.
He will face stiff competitions from Antonio Conte’s Napoli and Inter Milan to win the league title for Juventus for the first time since 2019/20 season.
Verdict
The 2024/25 season is still in its early stages across Europe, as new managers work to integrate their philosophy into the team’s style of play, which typically takes time.
Nevertheless, there are some early signs of significant development from new managers who have kept a high momentum and have fostered a winning mindset in their players, but it remains to be seen whether they can maintain this level of enthusiasm as the season unfolds.