Ian Darke

They followed Mbappe, not Alonso.

So...

I think it's really quite appalling.

I think it's a huge culture problem there.

And part of the culture problem is Florentino Perez, who is the president, because he encourages the players really.

It's a classic case of player power.

And those players know now that they're above the coach.

really and they can outlast the next coach who's appointed as well if they don't like him either so that's a huge problem compare that to where hansi flick has barcelona you know they're together as a unit they're a winning machine real madrid really are a bit of a mess there's a lot of talented players but to use the old cliche they look like characters without the plot a lot of the time when real madrid are winning as they have done

Absolutely.

I mean, look what he did.

An invincible season in the Bundesliga for a team that had never won that title before.

And it was phenomenal the tune he got out of that team with Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, of course, running the midfield, Rempong.

You know, it was excellent.

So his body of work still stands.

Did he have a...

Fair chance at Real Madrid.

I think history will say he didn't really.

And the player power got rid of him after what?

Well, only five months, really, if the season starts in August.

I do think if he looks back on it, he probably thinks I could have done one or two things differently.