Lopetegui, the next Wolves manager pending Chinese takeover

Guillem Balague dissects the situation and analyses what the Spanish manager might bring

An audacious Chinese ‘takeaway’ right under the noses of the Spanish FA means that Julen Lopetegui might announced next week as the new manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The expected resignation of La Roja manager, Vicente del Bosque, following Spain’s elimination for the European Championship left a vacancy at the Spanish FA that the federation’s President, Angel Maria Villar was hoping Lopetegui, who won the European Championships with the country’s Under 19 side in 2012 and Under 21s in 2013, could be a candidate. But the English adventure has got a massive pull.

A mixture of politics, hostile press and a section of volatile fans contributed to Lopetegui’s sacking as manager of Porto in January of this year with the club four points off the top of the table and only a week after they had been top of it. By the end of the season, however, the side was a full 15 points adrift of league champions, Benfica.

His return into the Russian roulette world of football management might then see him spurn the ‘Red’ of the national side, opting instead for the ‘Black’ Country that is home to the sleeping football giant that is Wolverhampton Wanderers.

His appointment is inextricably linked to the likely takeover at Wolves by the 47-year-old Chinese internet billionaire Robin Li expected to be announced shortly. Mr Li, or to give him his Chinese name, Li Yanhong is the founder of the Chinese search engine Baidu, and currently thought to be the seventh richest man in China with a wealth estimated at around £10.5 billion. So in the world of football that is considered the biggest Chinese football investor in the world.

So who is Julen Lopetegui and what will he bring to Molineux?

The Basque born 49-year-old former goalkeeper joined the Spanish Federation back in 2003 as an assistant to the Under 17 side, going into club management with Real Madrid B and Rayo Vallecano before moving back to the Federation where he took charge of the Under 19, 20 and 21 sides.

A tough talking, assertive, pragmatic, ‘horses for courses’ type of manager he will be under no illusions as to the size of the task he is taking on, or just how big a club Wolves are and how vital and important a role they actually play in their community.

His style of play is characterised by domination of the ball, pressure high up the pitch and aggressive defence, but he is not a coach that relies on typical Spanish methodology, so anyone expecting to see a stereotypical imitation of what they imagine Spanish possession football to be is likely to be disappointed.

Neither will he come bounding into the job like the proverbial Spanish bull in a china shop, but rather spend time initially looking at what he has at his disposal and then seek to utilise it to the best of his ability before making any changes.

He will be more than aware of the fact that his squad will be mostly comprised of UK and Ireland players and to that extent his choice of backroom staff will almost certainly be made with a view to minimising the possibilities of any matters being ‘lost in translation’. His English is adequate to good, and I am sure he is working to pick some more.

He will know better than most the potential pitfalls, banana skins and conspiracies that that can frequently inhabit the muscle flexing, testosterone fuelled confines of many of football’s changing rooms and training grounds having been a Barcelona and Real Madrid player himself.

Should he have any doubts on that score, he could do worse than speak with Juande Ramos, once of Tottenham or former West Bromwich Albion boss, Pepe Mel neither of who ever managed to bridge the cultural divide they were faced with, and whose sojourn in to the world of English football was, consequently, short, and more sour than sweet.

Failing that he could even ask fellow Basque, Aitor Karanka who also endured something of a rocky road before getting it right with a Middlesbrough side that will be playing in the Premier League this coming season.

Chinese investment should certainly go a long way to guaranteeing they will be one of the major players on the Championship transfer scene next season, but fans will need to be patient as Lopetegui assesses just what will be required to try to ensure the Wolves regain their place among English football’s elite that they lost at the end of the 2011-12 season.