Diego Simeone....is he what City need?

Diego Simeone was at it again on Saturday – conducting the crowd as his team made fools of their richer rivals Real Madrid. 
His achievements at Atletico Madrid have been little short of astounding at times but could he really transfer the magic to Manchester City? 
Here, Sportsmail looks at the pros and cons of hiring one of the most charismatic, occasionally combustible, and highly successful coaches in football.

JUST WHAT CITY NEED?
How many times have Manchester City looked long on talent but short on belief and passion? 
Speaking on Spanish radio last week Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino said they were ‘the most gifted team in the league’ but that Chelsea ‘did more with less’. 
Simeone is the master of motivation. He lifts his players for big games like the Spanish Cup final in 2013 when he beat Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, and in the Europa League the year before when he beat Marcelo Bielsa's Athletic Bilbao. But he can also maintain that energy throughout a whole season?
Atletico Madrid’s players always believed they had a chance in the Champions League last season because over two legs they feel they are a match for anyone. But they doubted that in a 38-game season they could really get the better of the superior squads of Real Madrid and Barcelona. 
And yet, Simeone convinced them, and they won the most difficult competition of the lot. If what City need is a little more passion then La Liga’s Mr Motivator could be Manuel Pellegrini's perfect successor.

FORTRESS ETIHAD
With 12 points already dropped at home, teams don’t go to the Etihad with fear and it shouldn’t be that way against the league champions.
In La Liga in contrast, nobody wants to go to the Vicente Calderon where Real Madrid have already lost three times this season. But much of that comes from the special bond that exists between Simeone and the Aletico Madrid supporters - something that would be difficult to replicate in Manchester.
He turned up in high regard as a former captain and double winner and in any player-manager dispute he will always have the 60,000 home fans on his side. That instant loyalty would not be available to him away from Madrid. 
He probably wouldn’t get away with having his son Guiliano as a ball-boy jumping into his arms whenever City scored. He could try to bring the old Maine Road passion back to City, but he would have to get the team playing well first before anyone started jumping up and down to the tune of 'Ole! Ole! Ole! Cholo Simeone'.

TO BUILD AND REBUILD
Last summer he had to watch Thibaut Courtois go back to parent club Chelsea and Diego Costa and Filipe Luis follow him to Stamford Bridge. 
He didn’t complain, just built another indestructible side that plays exactly the same way. On Saturday in the derby he had midfield journeymen like Tiago and Gabi out-performing World Cup winners like Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos. 
Under his wing Diego Godin has emerged as one of the best central defenders in Europe. Mario Mandzukic – lost at Bayern Munich – has found his best form again. And he can handle big signings too as the success of the £22.2m acquisition Antoine Greizmann and previously Radamel Falcao prove.
He would have no problem working with City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and making the transfers work.

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER
Simeone speaks very little English. And even if he learned the language quickly something would inevitably be lost in translation. 
Part of the spell he casts over supporters and staff alike comes from the way he expresses himself. Speaking through an interpreter as Pochettino did in his first season or in the broken sentences of a novice, some of the power of his message would be watered down. 
His fitness coach, the brilliant Oscar Ortega, would have similar problems as would his trusted No 2 Mono Burgos. It would certainly be an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one.
 

TACTICS
Forget the idea his teams don't play football. Real Madrid were played off the park on Saturday with flicks, tricks and bicycle-kicks all part of the show. 
His teams are compact when defending and attack as a unit but he is bold enough to take chances when the time is right to do so. Falcao and Costa have enjoyed playing for him.
He wants defensive solidity but full backs can overlap as Guilherme Siqueira did in the Madrid derby to make the second goal. He's not a fan of possession for possession's sake. 
He's even said that too much of it can be a negative because it allows the opposition to regroup. He likes to hurt teams with the ball, not just have it for the sake of it. It's a philosophy that fits the Premier League perfectly.

A GAMBLE WORTH TAKING? IT WOULD BE FUN FINDING OUT
Seeing the Man in Black in the dugout going up against Arsene Wenger or Jose Mourinho, Sam Allardyce or Tony Pullis would give the Premier League a shot in the arm, the like of which it hasn’t had since the self-proclaimed Special One first showed up in 2004. 
Simeone’s high energy man-management would shake up the City dressing room, his high-intenstiy football would shake up the league, and his touchline passion would shake up the fourth official from time to time.
It wouldn’t be without its glitches – the team-talks might have to be delivered via Sergio Aguero at first – but it would be a rollercoaster ride and if this season comes to a crawling climax with no trophies you could see why it might be one City's power-brokers might want to take.

If we wanted him, and got him in June, then he has time to learn enough English before the season starts.

Decent read, right up until this bit:

the team-talks might have to be delivered via Sergio Aguero at first

Erm...  We have a fair number of Spanish speakers and some of them speak English fluently.  In fact, we have one player who does both of these AND epitomises the blue blood player we love.  Seems to me like that journo didn't quite do his homework.

But the rest of it, yes, I agree with.

At least he's proving he's not a one season wonder.

Yeah, had to laugh at the Aguero bit....he hardly speaks English.