There is a revolution in European football, and it's being led by Basque coaches. The Basque Country has long had a rich footballing heritage but right now one province in particular, Gipuzkoa, is responsible for producing some of the best tacticians on the continent.
Xabi Alonso is on the brink of leading Bayer Leverkusen to a first-ever Bundesliga title, becoming the first team to break Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the German top flight all while remaining unbeaten. In England, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are top of the Premier League and within striking distance of the Champions League semi-finals. And Aston Villa, under the guidance of Unai Emery, are close to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever.
Basque coaches are not just doing well abroad, they are flying the flag in their own region too. Imanol Alguacil has been working wonders with Real Sociedad for several years, winning the Copa del Rey in 2021 and taking them to the Champions League knockout stage this season. And in the neighbouring Basque province of Vizcaya, Ernesto Valverde has just guided Athletic Club to a cup win - their first trophy in 40 years.
As Manchester United look for candidates to succeed Erik ten Hag after a truly dismal season, they might want to look at the continent's hotbed of coaching talent. The time is ripe to join the Basque coaching revolution and Andoni Iraola, whose Bournemouth side take on the Red Devils on Saturday, would be a fascinating candidate to take charge at Old Trafford.
