Where's the coach capable of taking on Real Madrid?

Know the noise orchestra musicians make just before they come together to perform a West End or concert? Real Madrid.

When a group of talented soloists tries to play together, they all sound like tone-deaf.

After a Champions League knockout, it would be incorrect to claim that the investigation has started in Madrid. The scrutiny is ongoing.

In January, the Super Copa was defeated, as were the La Liga ambitions with only seven games left.

Xabi Alonso was fired as the original solution. He had a mandate to make things more dynamic and mix up the team. The immediate effect of his arrival was enormous as he led the team on a 14-game unbeaten start in the league. He wanted to stamp his authority on the team by making them more dynamic and rattling some egos.

He had to alter his plans due to injuries, and he returned to the players that he had demoted or treated as an example. He lost his job because of the laziness in his response.

There is very rarely a world-class option available mid-season and so reserve team manager Álvaro Arbeloa took temporary control. His strategy was to promote Castilla players. This answered the criticisms that Real Madrid doesn’t produce enough players, and the progress made by a few players has been very impressive.

He needed to turn to the old guard when it was crunch time. He was faced with the same problems as before: talented musicians doing their own thing. The band had no rhythm, and was out of tune.

It’s now obvious that, despite being the betting favourite, he is not the right man to lead the club. Who is it?

Real Madrid is one of many clubs that are looking for a manager in the summer. They will be at the top of a list which includes Manchester United and Tottenham as well as Liverpool and Manchester City.

There will be a wide range of candidates come the summer. Mauricio Pochettino and Didier Deschamps may be looking for a new challenge after the World Cup; Jürgen Klopp is constantly linked; Enzo Maresca, Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner will be available.

Pochettino was only successful at PSG. He was fired after he won Ligue 1 with PSG. I don’t believe Klopp would be willing to face a changing room filled with prickly players. Maresca Iraola Glasner are all fine candidates, but they’re not quite ready for this kind of challenge.

Deschamps has been a great leader in France, and he’s managed teams with complex personalities. He is a tough guy who can take the inevitable criticism. His X-factor is the same as Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zdane. When he talks, players pay attention. He is not dictated to; he dictates.

And if you want an outsider, one name missing from any bookie’s list… What about Roberto Martínez? He has coached Belgium’s toughest squad, and is now overseeing Portugal as they prepare for the World Cup. Cristiano’s ego is bigger than anyone else on earth – he has also harnessed this talent.

For the sake of transparency, I’ll admit that he was a close friend. However, he would still be a strong candidate.