Real seek 'British-style' manager

Real Madrid are planning to employ a "British-style" manager as part of an overhaul of how the club are run. The Spanish giants have concluded that the galacticos system is struggling and that they may need to build a team around a more powerful manager rather than simply relying on big-name players.

Real Madrid are planning to employ a "British-style" manager as part of an overhaul of how the club are run. The Spanish giants have concluded that the galacticos system is struggling and that they may need to build a team around a more powerful manager rather than simply relying on big-name players.

At present Real employ a coach, currently Mariano Garcia Remon, who has little say in the make-up of the squad and is regarded - as Carlos Queiroz found out - as dispensable.

Contrary to reports in Spain yesterday, the England coach Sven Goran Eriksson is not in the running to replace Remon, who is likely to step down in the summer even though he only succeeded Jose Antonio Camacho in September. Camacho, like Queiroz, has criticised the present set-up. One name that has been prominent is the Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari, who has the kind of strong personality Real need.

The Spanish side would undoubtedly be interested, once more, in Arsène Wenger but he has just signed a new contract at Arsenal and is unlikely to leave especially as he is so closely associated with their move to a new stadium at Ashburton Grove.

Real's president Florentino Perez is considering moving their sports director, Emilio Butragueno, who has been blamed for much of the club's troubles, into another director's role.

The former Milan coach, Arrigo Sacchi, currently technical director at Parma, may succeed Butragueno, although Perez may revamp the whole set-up to give more power to a new manager.