Bridges Bernd

Schuster: on his way?

Calderon, and I'll state this absolutely clearly now, wants Rafa Benitez as the next coach of Real Madrid. I think he probably won't get him.

Graham Hunter
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Bernd Schuster is likely to be removed from his post as Real Madrid manager by Christmas, according to the Revista panel.

Our team of experts took an in-depth look at the problems at the Santiago Bernabeu following the weekend defeat to Real Valladolid and it seems clear that Schuster is living on borrowed time.

The German does not seem to hold the respect of the Real dressing room and has been at the centre of a long-running dispute with the club's sports director Predrag Mijatovic.

Spanish-based journalist Graham Hunter insists Schuster is only still in the job because the club do not have a replacement lined up - and even suggested Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is the number one target for Real President Ramon Calderon.

"It's a suspended sentence," Hunter said.

"It's absolutely clear that whatever happens, the best that Schuster can do is reach the end of the season, then he'll be out. I would say he'll be gone in the Christmas break.

"The reason that he's still there? The San Andreas fault in football terms that runs from top to bottom in this club meant that they didn't pre-plan for what if they had to get rid of Schuster mid-season.

"They're not ready. All the parts are pulling in different directions. Calderon, and I'll state this absolutely clearly now, wants Rafa Benitez as the next coach of Real Madrid. I think he probably won't get him.

"Mijatovic wants something different. Schuster has some of the players on side, but not all of them. Therefore you get a divided club and that's why we're seeing the results that we're seeing and that's why they're not ready to go and seize the opportunity now to go and sign a new coach.

"This week would have been a ridiculous time to do it because the players are all away on international duty. If you sign a new coach he doesn't talk to them until the dressing room before the game.

"Unless it's Harry Redknapp, don't go signing now."

Rift

Hunter also discussed the rift that exists between Mijatovic and Schuster over transfer policy and said the sports director is now likely to try to replace the injured Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben de la Red when the transfer window opens in January.

However, Hunter feels the club need to adopt a longer-term view when it comes to the recruitment of players.

"He's protecting his back, that's what he's doing," said Hunter following Mijatovic's press conference on Monday night.

"Effectively he's having to go public and face the same people as he's been leaking anti-Schuster stories to for months. They've been at loggerheads, those two men, since the summer.

"Schuster said about the transfer policy: 'I want central midfielders, I want defensive midfielders and I want another striker.' Mijatovic said: 'I'm giving you these players, this is the perfect squad.'

"They didn't plan for what might happen over the absence of a Van Nistelrooy or a Pepe or a Diarra. They're insufficiently equipped; they're going to go back to the market.

"The stance has shifted. Mijatovic has said all along they don't need to go back to the market, they'll sign next summer. In Monday night's press conference he said they'll make two more signings in the market.

"That tallies with trying to impress the fans and him saying we're covering the absences of van Nistelrooy and Ruben de la Red, whose career I fear is in some jeopardy because it was a heart problem.

"That's not what they need to do. They need to sign a left-back, they need to sign a central defender and they need to sign a central striker. Mijativic is not addressing the problems.

To see the views of Albert Ferrer and Guillem Balague - who suggests Arsene Wenger might be a target for Real Madrid - click on the video in the top right of your screen.