Spending six years in charge of AFC Ajax, Frank de Boer made quite the name for himself in the managerial world before earning himself a move to Inter, which didn’t exactly go to plan, before moving to Crystal Palace, where he is now at the risk of being sacked.
The Eagles’ manager hasn’t exactly had the best start to his Selhurst Park career, losing his first three games in charge, and he could have avoided all of this had he decided to leave his former Dutch club sooner.
According to his lawyer, Guido Albers, the Crystal Palace manager had the chance to join more ‘reputable’ clubs after his first four years at the helm of Ajax, sides such as Liverpool and Tottenham.
Speaking to Voetbal International, he said: “I was called by top clubs in the Premier League, whether that was the Reds or Spurs, because he was successful at the time.
“Then a two-year period followed when he did not win any titles, and then you suddenly get a lot of other clubs, which makes it difficult. When is the right time for a manager to decide it’s the right time to go.”
Few managers get the chance to move to Liverpool or Tottenham just four years into their careers, and it’s understandable if the now Crystal Palace manager decided to turn them down, wanting more experience in the job before moving up in the world.
And, perhaps, it seems it was the right thing to do.
Just look at his brief time in charge of Inter: five wins, two draws, seven losses.
Not all managers are like Pep Guardiola or José Mourinho, capable of going from club to club, winning trophies regardless of the squad at their disposal.
Some need time, and perhaps, for Liverpool, Tottenham and Frank de Boer alike, the Dutchman’s refusal was a bullet dodged.
