News

This Barcelona Legend Is Getting Into Coaching

We will be honest. Of all the famous former Barcelona players, Samuel Eto'o is not the one we would have expected to make a move into coaching.

Carles Puyol? Definitely. Xavi? Sure. But Eto'o? Since when do poachers go in for coaching?

Samuel Eto'o was, and is, a great goal-scorer. And now his club, Antalyaspor, has sacked former manager Yusuf Simsek and appointed Eto'o as the temporary player-manager until they can find a new coach.

Sure, Eto'o has been around for a long time and is already Antalyaspor's captain in his first season with the Turkish club.

What would have been more fun than Eto'o as player-manager is if Antalyaspor had been successful in their pursuit of Ronaldinho this summer, and then had named the Brazilian player-manager. We would have paid serious money to watch that. He would have made Tim "Tactics Tim" Sherwood look like Pep Guardiola.

Instead, they're stuck with Eto'o, and on a one-game win streak after Eto'o began his managerial career with a 3-2 win over Mersin last weekend.

If Eto'o gets good results, Antalyaspor have said they could keep the Cameroonian striker as manager on a permanent basis. In the form he's in right now, Eto'o might not be ready for a full-time move to the dugout. 

Eto'o has 13 goals so far this season, which is fairly impressive for a 34-year-old man. Dude's still got it.

Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus

Videos you might like