Carlo Ancelotti is a fool if he’s waiting on Manchester United

Manchester United is a great managerial gig, but it’s not worth sitting out an entire season for Carlo Ancelotti

Managing Manchester United is the dream job for millions of football fans around the world. The chance to get that job would make a lot of men make strange, silly decisions. I just never thought Carlo Ancelotti would be one of those men.

It’s rumored that the former Real Madrid manager is willing to remain unemployed until the summer of 2017 to wait to take charge of Manchester United.He claims that he’s not going to rush back into management just for the sake of having a job and instead, wants to wait for the right project. If he’s waiting that long for the United job to open up he’s not waiting for the right project. He’s waiting for the right name to bring him into gainful employment.

At 56 years of age I’d expect Ancelotti to be smarter. He isn’t a silly school girl that should be taken in by the trappings and traditions of Old Trafford. He should be making decisions like an adult. If he were, he certainly wouldn’t be sitting at home until the summer of 2017 pining away for Manchester United.

More from Playing for 90

• Alexia Putellas reaches 400 games with Barcelona
• Everything you need to know ahead of the 250th ‘Super Clásico’
• Barcelona put five past Real Betis
• Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
• Baffling Liga MX ruling strips Puebla of a hard-earned victory

There are likely going to be several other high-profile jobs opening up in the Premier League in advance of United. It’s a pretty solid bet that both Chelsea and Manchester City will open well before Louis Van Gaal’s time in Manchester is up. Either of these positions would represent quite an attractive project for a manager like Ancelotti.

First off, the Chelsea project, provided Mourinho is fired as most expect, would be an amazing opportunity for Ancelotti. He could take over for a manager that is his exact opposite in terms of personality. He’d look like a dream for the Chelsea fan base in contrast to “the Special One.”

The opportunity at Stamford Bridge should also appeal to Ancelotti’s ego. He could take over for the biggest ego in football and restore Chelsea to its former glory. He would be a hero in the papers, in the minds of Chelsea fans and his place in football history would be assured. There’s nothing about the Chelsea opening that wouldn’t appeal to a rational Ancelotti. The only reason he wouldn’t jump at that chance is if he’s irrationally fixated on Manchester United.

Manchester City might not present the same possibilities in terms of taking over for a borderline tyrant, but it still is quite attractive from a footballing perspective. If Manuel Pellegrini isn’t able to win a title with the wealth of talent in the squad then he’ll likely be dismissed. For Ancelotti, it would be the easiest path to achieve his dream of winning a Premier League title.

They have as much wealth as anyone in the league and already have the requisite talent. What’s not to like? Again, the only reason he’d pass on City for United is because of the fanfare associated with the job.

Carlo Ancelotti is a grown man and certainly is entitled to make his own decisions. He should be smart enough to make him like an adult though. He should be so lucky as to have the opportunity to manage a formidable club like Chelsea or Manchester City. Instead, he seems prepared to foolishly sit and twiddle his thumbs while hoping he can fulfill his childish dream of managing Manchester United. Frankly, I expected better from such a world-renowned managing talent.