Former English star tears into Real Madrid dressing room — “The players are the bosses” | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich has sparked a wave of reflection around the club, with another trophyless season now all but confirmed and serious questions being asked about the internal workings at Valdebebas.

One of the most striking assessments has come from a man who knows the Real Madrid dressing room intimately: Steve McManaman, who spent four years at the club between 1999 and 2003, winning two Champions League titles during that period.

McManaman tears into Real Madrid

Speaking on TNT Sports (h/t Diario SPORT), McManaman pointed out the dressing room and how players run the rule over the club.

“The players are incredibly powerful. I think that is the crux of the matter. Arne Slot is the boss of Liverpool, Pep Guardiola is the boss of Manchester City… The players are the bosses of Real Madrid,” he said.

The former England international went further, suggesting that this dynamic is not new but rather a deeply ingrained feature of the club’s culture.

McManaman believes players are the real problem at Real Madrid. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

“Once the coach tells them to play a certain way, they go out and play in a completely different way. And that’s how it’s always been.”

For McManaman, the solution at Real Madrid has never been purely tactical. Success at the Bernabeu, he argued, demands a very specific kind of man-management.

“The coach has to be a mix between a little genius and his methods of persuasion. But you also need to be able to hug them and make them feel like all 25 are part of the team.

“The players have to enjoy the training, you can’t bore them with a lot of tactical work and video sessions. It’s a fine line between getting them happy and playing well.”

He pointed to figures like Carlo Ancelotti and Vicente del Bosque as examples of coaches who mastered that balance, before issuing a stark warning about those who have not.

“Other very loud coaches have arrived at Real Madrid and have run out the door,” he pointed out.