Betfair Ambassador Rivaldo says Erik Ten Hag could work wonders with Man Utd’s talented squad, discusses Liverpool and Man City’s rivalry and praises Xavi’s transformation of Barcelona…
“I am excited to imagine what Erik Ten Hag could do with a United squad filled with some of the best players in the world.”
According to reports this week, Manchester United have spoken to Erik Ten Hag about becoming their next manager and he is now the odds-on favourite in the betting.
Looking at what the Dutchman has been doing with Ajax, I’m sure he could be a great option to become United’s next manager. He is an excellent coach.
His attacking style and attractive football fits United’s identity and it’s a pleasure to watch his Ajax team playing. So I am excited to imagine what he could do with a United squad filled with some of the best players in the world.
He would be a great signing for Manchester United.
Man City and Liverpool battle is too close to call
With Liverpool just a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League title race, an FA Cup semi-finals between the teams and a potential Champions League clash on the cards, the rivalry between the teams is intense.
Everyone likes a good club rivalry, and I can only be happy about the way these two clubs have been fighting each other in the last few seasons.
Looking at both teams’ quality I can’t point to one as favourite over the other since both teams have fantastic players and coaches that we all love to watch.
For me its impossible to pick the one that will win more trophies by the end of the season. It would probably be the mental part of the game that decides which club has most to celebrate come mid-May.
Clasico win showed Xavi is inspiring Barca stars
Barcelona’s 4-0 win at Real Madrid, and their 12-match unbeaten streak in all competitions, means my old club are improving very quickly under Xavi’s management.
The Catalan manager stopped playing not so long ago and that seems to make things easier for him in the relationship he has with the players. Some of them even played with him. He’s managing to get more from players who underperformed under previous managers.
The team looks united around their manager, something that gets easier when the coach is someone from La Masia – an idol for many of his players now and also a very friendly guy.
If the team continues like this, they can start winning titles this season, such as the Europa League, and who knows maybe even scare Real Madrid a bit in the La Liga title race. I wouldn’t have said that a few weeks ago.
We still need to be patient with Xavi’s Barca
Many people are already saying the great Barcelona are back, but we should wait a bit more before drawing such conclusions of such type. But I understand that everyone (fans, ex-players and club officials) are very excited and happy about the team’s upturn in form.
Few would imagine that this could change so quickly, but we must wait to see if the strong connection between Xavi and his players will last and if he can restore the club to the pinncale of Spanish and European football.
I thought that Barça’s recovery would take more time after severe financial problems and the loss of crucial players, but the win at Santiago Bernabeu last Sunday was a great achievement. It made me very happy, especially because I’m a football fan and also a Barcelona fan at the same time.
Trust Tite to make right calls for Brazil
Brazil host Chile tonight (Thursday) in a World Cup Qualifier. My old team have already qualified and, with Chile desperate to win the match and keep alive their chances of going to Qatar, Brazil could be in for a tough night.
Over all, though, Brazil are much stronger and will feel more relaxed for having qualified already, and when you have no responsibility in a match things tend to become easier, so I expect a comfortable home win.
Every time Brazil plays there’s a lot of buzz surrounding Tite’s selections. But when you have around 50 excellent players to pick from, many of talented individuals will be left out of the final 23.
I can only respect Tite’s choices. It’s always a tough decision for a Brazil manager to select his strongest squad, especially in a World Cup year. I trust Tite to take the corrent decisions.
Source: Betfair Premier League
