Perez has to heed history

LONDON: It says a lot about modern-day football that Zinedine Zidane — a hero at the Bernabeu as a player and the man who won the Spanish giants back-to-back Champions Leagues and the La Liga title during his first 18 months as coach — is, despite the new contract, possibly fighting to keep his job.

It would say even more about Real president Florentino Perez if he does eventually decide to give the Frenchman his marching orders.

While this season has not gone according to plan, there has been a refreshing air about Zidane since he became boss. He has refused to splash the cash, insisting he had the players he needed to win the big trophies. That he made good on that promise only serves to underline what a good coach he is.

It is barely six months since he led Real to La Liga and Champions League glory, he has not become a bad coach overnight, and by all accounts he is liked and respected by the players.

They are still in this year’s Champions League and Perez would do very well to remember what happened the last time he sacked a popular Real coach who had won the club two Champions League crowns.

During his first stint as Real president Perez bizarrely axed Vicente del Bosque in 2003. The five managers who succeeded Del Bosque won just one trophy between them, and even then that was just the Spanish Super Cup, hardly cause for celebration.

More than anyone Perez should know that rash decisions, especially ones concerning successful coaches, rarely work, and back Zidane to turn things around. It is the very least he deserves.