The Sports Agents Pep’s heir to Fergie’s shadow: Why clubs struggle to move on
Jan 9, 2026
Guillem Balague, a renowned Spanish football journalist, dives deep into the complexities of succession planning in football. He explores how clubs like Manchester United and Manchester City face challenges in transitioning from legendary managers. Guillem discusses the benefits and pitfalls of Chelsea's multi-club model and reveals the often-hidden world of illicit recruitment practices. He also examines Unai Emery's successful strategies at Aston Villa and contrasts the pressures on top clubs with those on smaller teams like Brentford.
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Legacy Overshadows Succession
- Manchester United still measures new managers against Sir Alex Ferguson's legacy, showing a failed succession process.
- Guillem Balague argues that constant reference to Ferguson proves United's succession planning has gone wrong.
City Prepared — Then Plans Shifted
- Guillem Balague recounts Manchester City preparing for Pep Guardiola's departure and Chiqui Vigaray's retirement plans.
- He describes internal timing shifts when Pep delayed leaving and Chiqui decided to depart earlier than planned.
Multi-Club Groups Create Succession Pipelines
- Multi-club ownership creates an internal talent pool that simplifies succession and candidate familiarity.
- Balague notes managers in group clubs often know the parent-club model and bosses before moving up.
