When the talks of an interim manager come into the picture, it’s evident that the club is struggling. They want to enforce a change to alter the club’s destiny for that season. They hope a managerial change can somehow save their disappointing season so far.
A temporary solution of sorts.
Now coming in as an interim manager is a lot difficult. First, the manager does not have his team, which he would probably build by signing players in the summer. Second, he has some demotivated individuals in the dug-out and a team struggling for results.
Out of all these difficulties, the task of the temporary interim is to salvage something out of the season. And if they exceed the expectations, they might even get the job on a more permanent basis!
So, Let’s look at some of the best interim managers who actually did, exceed the expectations!
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United)
Now say whatever you want about the man, but as an interim, nobody can deny, that he did a fantastic job. Taking over from Jose Mourinho in December of 2018, Ole succeeded to astonish everyone.
Manchester United was struggling in their third season with Mourinho. Which is the character trait of the man by now.
So, United appointed their ex-player and Champions League Winner Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Surpassing everybody’s expectations Ole won 14 of the last 19 games of the season and to top that off, he also came through in Paris. Which is now famously known as, ‘that night in Paris’.
Stefano Pioli (Milan)
Stefano Pioli’s 2019 appointment as Milan’s full-time manager was intended to be a stopgap as Milan pursued a more desirable name.
However, a pandemic struck, as did a three-month football sabbatical, and the Rossoneri returned to fight under Pioli in 2020. The Italian made them look their strongest in years and went unbeaten after the shutdown, booking himself into the gig and sparking a genuine Milan rebirth.
Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Zidane was the assistant coach of Real Madrid since the 2013-14 season. When Rafa Benitez was sacked mid-season Zidane finally took over as the head coach in January 2016. Zidane then managed to Finnish La Liga as the runners-up, only behind Barcelona, and also won the Champions League.
He then was made permanent.
In his first spell, he won 3 back-to-back Champions Leagues and 1 La Liga title. Who started as an Interim, really managed to get into the history books of Real Madrid again.
This time as a manager.
Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich)
Despite winning the Bundesliga in his first season in charge, Niko Kovac was sacked by Bayern Munich in October 2019 after a series of disappointing results that put the club in a true battle to retain the title.
With RB Leipzig putting pressure on, new assistant Hansi Flick stepped up and dramatically energized Die Roten. They became a pressing machine and blitzed their way to another Bundesliga title, as well as the Champions League and DFB-Pokal for the continental treble.
Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea)
Di Matteo already a fan favorite as a player for Chelsea, this time came back to the club as a manager. He took over from André Villas-Boas on 4th March 2012.
Only an interim manager, Di Matteo first won the FA Cup for Chelsea and then went on to defeat Bayern Munich in their backyard in the Champions League final. Chelsea won their first champions league ever!
Roberto Di Matteo – the dream Interim manager!