Marco Silva began his senior coaching career at Estoril (2011/2014), managing 116 matches with 1.66 PPM, building his reputation in Portugal. He stepped up to Sporting CP (2014/2015), coaching 53 matches at 2.08 PPM, showing immediate impact at a bigger club. He moved to Olympiacos (2015;2016), where he delivered his...
Chelsea has recently announced their decision to part ways with the Italian head coach, Enzo Maresca, following reported tension between the management and the head coach. The decision comes at a surprising time and raises many questions about Chelsea’s future, short-term objectives, and results. Taking such crucial decisions at a...
Lens top Ligue 1 as we close in on the halfway point, ahead of PSG by one point at the top of the table. The historic French club has had a meteoric rise over the past five years, considering they were in Ligue 2 as recently as 2020. Franck Haise...
It was always going to be tough to replace Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman headed west to take over at fallen giants Manchester United. Ten Hag bowed out as a three-time Eredivisie champion, leaving his successor with massive shoes to fill at the Johan Cruijff Arena. CEO Edwin van...
Who Is Erik Ten Hag? Following the sacking of Marcel Keizer in December 2017, Erik ten Hag took over as the manager of Ajax. Since his appointment, he has won the Eredivisie title in the 2018-19 season and the KNVB Cup. This is on top of a well-documented run to the...
Looking back at the start of the 2025/2026 Bundesliga campaign, it seemed as if the season had already derailed for Borussia Mönchengladbach after just three matchdays. After a hefty 0-4 loss at home against Werder Bremen, manager Geroardo Seoane was relieved from his duties and Eugen Polanski was named interim...
Raffaele Palladino was recently appointed as the new head coach of Atalanta, following the sacking of Ivan Jurić, with La Dea occupying the 13th spot in Serie A, having won only two games, drawn seven, and lost two out of 11 games. Despite achieving results in the UEFA Champions League, it appears that Atalanta’s management was not satisfied...
With the current international break, we can already extract some conclusions from these first months of competition in the European leagues. In La Liga, the verdict seems unanimous: one of the major surprises of the season is Elche CF under Eder Sarabia. Recently promoted after finishing as runners-up in the...
There are not many clubs that have been consistently well run despite personnel turnover in Germany over the last couple of years, and for the longest time, SC Paderborn didn’t look like it either. After their miraculous promotion to the Bundesliga in 2014, the club was relegated twice in a...
Something unprecedented is happening in the Scottish Premiership right now. The Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers has dominated Scottish Football for far too long. The last team other than Celtic or Rangers to win the Scottish Premiership was Aberdeen in 1985 under the direction of Sir Alex Ferguson. In fact, since...
By appointing Francesco Farioli as manager last summer, FC Porto signalled their intent to evolve, not just change leadership. After a period of domestic stagnation, Dragões now seek a renewal of identity, characterised by a sharper tactical framework, greater control of matches, and a return to proactive football. Farioli, aged...
Under manager Manolo González, Espanyol entered the 2025/2026 season with a renewed focus on tactical structure and discipline, aiming to improve after just missing out on European competition last year. While their average possession this season (around 40.5%) doesn’t place them among La Liga’s most ball-dominant sides, it reflects a philosophy...
Sunderland could not have dreamed of a better start to their Premier League season. The Black Cats currently sit fourth in the table after their 2-1 stoppage time win over Chelsea, making it three wins in their last four matches. It’s an incredible rise considering in October of 2020, they...
There are few clubs in Germany comparable to FC Schalke 04. As one of the oldest and most traditional clubs in Germany, with a very emotional and impatient fanbase, Schalke has been a key part of the Bundesliga for most of its history. However, die Königsblauen also has a reputation as a...
After a period of inconsistency and managerial changes, Villarreal have re-emerged among La Liga’s elite under the familiar guidance of Marcelino García Toral. The Yellow Submarine, now third in the table, have rediscovered their essence. They are a team defined by compactness, controlled aggression, and a clear tactical identity. Marcelino's...
Argentinos Juniors are one of the biggest sensations in Argentine football in 2025. El Bicho, a cradle of talents like Fernando Redondo, Juan Román Riquelme, or the legendary Diego Armando Maradona, have established themselves as a contender for the Torneo Clausura. Positioned third in the Annual Table, the last direct...
People often obsess over formations and forget that it is the personnel and the actions behind the structure that determine whether a formation becomes functional or not. The numbers on paper are just a base or a reference point. What matters is how the system breathes, how players interpret their...
SV Elversberg's story has been one of the best in German football over the last couple of seasons. Starting in the fourth division, the Regionalliga, CSO Nils-Ole Book took the club to multiple promotions with head coach Horst Steffen. During these seasons, the team consisted of a strong core that...
Paulo Fonseca was appointed by Olympique Lyonnais on the 31st of January, 2025, to improve overall performance and achieve European qualification. Lyon had played 19 matches at that point and had only one win in their last five showings. With him on board, they won seven of the next nine games, setting a positive benchmark....
In a past interview, Nuno Espírito Santo explained his defensive philosophy: “I think, but maybe I am the only one, that the defensive process can take care of the game. Why is that? Because teams wait to defend. If you create something where you go to defend, to steal the...
