Several under-pressure managers will be nervously scanning the pool of freely available coaching talent waiting to replace them as domestic football is poised to resume next week.
The international game follows suit, with federations determining if they require a personnel change following the World Cup.
There are some well-known figures out there who are awaiting a call from a potential employer who might convince them to return to management.
We have looked at some of the top talent that is now unemployed in light of the plethora of new appointments that are anticipated in the upcoming months.
Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique, who left Spain following their elimination from the World Cup, is one of the most recent managers to find himself hunting for work.
It was unexpected to see La Roja ousted by Morocco in the round of 16 in Qatar after Luis Enrique had led his team to the semifinals of both the 2020 European Championship and the 2020–21 Nations League.
Even yet, Luis Enrique’s time as the head of state of his country was seen as a success, especially considering the lack of talent in the country at the time.
Before retiring in 2017, the 52-year-old Barcelona employee won two LaLiga championships and the Champions League. He now appears keen to get back into club administration.
When quizzed about his future plans, the Asturian said: “I see myself joining a club and developing a squad with greater finesse and precision than I had time to do with the national team.”
Thomas Tuchel
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A manager that could be heading from club management to the international stage is Thomas Tuchel.
Should Gareth Southgate choose to resign as England’s coach, the former Chelsea manager has been proposed as a replacement.
The Champions League, Super Cup, and Club World Cup were all won by Tuchel when he was at Stamford Bridge. He also made it to three domestic cup finals until being fired by Chelsea earlier this season.
He also led Paris Saint-Germain to two Ligue 1 championships and Borussia Dortmund to a DFB-Pokal success during his time there.
A major club will inevitably approach England if Tuchel is not chosen as their next manager in a short period of time.
Mauricio Pochettino
Another coach linked as a possible replacement for Southgate is Mauricio Pochettino.
With Harry Kane having suffered the disappointment of missing a vital penalty in England’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat to France at the World Cup, his former Spurs boss could be seen as the perfect appointment should Southgate depart.
Under Pochettino, Tottenham became top-four regulars in the Premier League and were Champions League finalists.
Yet the Argentine received criticism for failing to land a trophy with the North Londoners and a solitary Ligue 1 title and Coupe de France victory was seen as a disappointing return during his spell at PSG, before being sacked last summer.
Now waiting for his next opportunity, what Pochettino does have in his favour is a reputation for playing attractive, adventurous football and building a strong relationship with players.
Marcelo Bielsa
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Pochettino’s mentor Marcelo Bielsa is also waiting for his next managerial role to materialise.
Bielsa’s last position saw him take Leeds from the Championship into the Premier League, where the West Yorkshire club managed a ninth-placed finish in 2020-21.
A poor start to last season amid a number of injuries to key players, resulted in the Argentine being sacked from a job that had given him his longest reign as a club manager.
Now 67, Bielsa held talks over a Premier League return at Bournemouth earlier this year, while he has also been linked as a replacement should Frank Lampard be dismissed by Everton.
Another option is for the former Argentina and Chile boss to make a return to the international stage, with Uruguay said to be considering him as a successor to Diego Alonso.
Zinedine Zidane
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An international job is also said to interest Zinedine Zidane, who has been tipped to become the next manager of France.
Prior to this World Cup, Les Bleus were in poor form and there was a lot of speculation regarding Zidane succeeding his former team-mate Didier Deschamps as coach.
Four years after winning the World Cup in Russia, Deschamps has guided his country to the final once more. It could now be up to Deschamps as to whether he continues as national coach or not.
That could leave Zidane in limbo, with no natural fit at club level seemingly available in the short-term.
Zidane has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in 2021. With two LaLiga titles and three Champions Leagues on his resume as a manager, it seems only a matter of time before he takes on his next challenge.