Is Frank De Boer The Right Man To Take Over As Southampton Boss?
After a decent campaign in the Premier League under Claude Puel, Southampton managed to finish in the top half of the table, but that was not enough for the manager to keep his job as he was recently sacked by the English club. Former Borussia Dortmund man Thomas Tuchel, who was reportedly the front-runner for the job, has ruled himself out now and the latest candidate linked with the most important job at the St. Mary’s is Dutch mastermind Frank de Boer.
According to reports from Sky Sports, De Boer is now the favourite to land the job and it is understood that he will be given the full backing of the owners this summer in the transfer market. At 47, he has already handled a couple of top clubs in Europe and could be the perfect man for Southampton.
A defender during his playing days for Ajax an then Barcelona, De Boer started his managerial career as the youth coach at Dutch club Ajax and moved on to the role of an assistant coach for the Netherlands national team in 2008. Just two years later, he was named the manager of the senior Ajax side for six long years, winning four back to back domestic titles and is already a decorated manager at the highest level.
However, his stint with Italian giants Inter Milan was a mediocre one as he only lasted for 14 games, where he won just 5, getting sacked after just 85 days. He is now without a job and is one of the very few managers that can be a hit at the St. Mary’s.
When it comes to playing style, De Boer is an old school manager who loves his teams to be compact at both ends of the field. He can shift his formation fluidly, according to the requirements but needs every player in his side to play their role to perfection.
He loves wingers who are quick and good in counter attacking situations and is more concerned about a midfield block that can frustrate even the best of the defences. His teams thrive when they have to play on the counter and at Southampton, he has all the tools that can make his system a success.
His time at the San Siro was not too great as he did not have too many players in consistent form. He may take time in England, but his system is already a proven one in the country and surely, his appointment may also help the club in signing some top class talents this summer.