Managers under pressure: Carlos Queiroz will not be Real Madrid manager next year, even if the team overhaul Valencia's two-point lead to win the Spanish league title, and sources close to Alex Ferguson's former assistant have suggested that he would be keen on a return to Old Trafford.

Queiroz would be warmly welcomed back at a club where he is highly rated. Ferguson, who accepts he will need to replace the stand-in number two Walter Smith, had described Queiroz's original appointment as "the best decision I ever made".

The Portuguese was credited with much of United's defensive improvement in winning the title last season, plus much of their tactical and organisational innovation, and his was not an acrimonious departure. Ferguson accepted that the chance to manage Real Madrid was too good to turn down.

Last week, Real's sporting director Jorge Valdano said: "Every Madrid manager who has worked under (president) Florentino Perez has completed his contract."

However, strictly speaking only Vicente del Bosque, has worked under Perez and while he did fulfil his contract, he was not offered the anticipated extension after winning two European Cups in four seasons. Instead, the former youth coach was eased out, despite winning last season's league title and reaching the Champions League semi-final.

Small wonder that Queiroz, whose side have been dumped out of the Champions League quarter-final after blowing a 4-2 lead, and slipped to second in the title race, finds himself in an unhealthy position.

And Perez's comments after Sunday's 3-0 home defeat by Osasuna were more telling than Valdano's words. Asked if Queiroz's job was at threat, Perez replied: "Now is not the time to talk about that," before adding, ominously, "we brought Queiroz in to win things."

"Madrid are in perhaps our worst situation for four years," Valdano added.

Perez, under fire for the first time during his four-year presidency as angry fans waved hankies and chanted abuse, is likely to stand for re-election in July and cannot afford to present a project led by a manager viewed as a failure.

But if that view appears a reaction to Real's recent collapse, it is not. Rather, Queiroz's is the chronicle of a death foretold.

Appointed to bring Real Madrid into the 21st century, Queiroz has failed to live up to extremely high, and very specific, expectations. The side have fallen victim of the same old troubles; lack of motivation, defensive frailty, and weakness in the air.

Real Madrid's policy is one of "Zidanes y Pavones", shorthand for Perez's dream of a side made up entirely of the world's best, the Zidanes, and youth-team products like Francisco Pavon.

Perez insists it is a question of conviction, but it is also the only way to balance the books; the outlay on Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo and the like is offset against the comparatively minuscule wages earned by the young players.

Queiroz's task was to work within that model, provide a little more discipline and structure (Del Bosque's perceived failing), promote home-grown talents and keep them in better shape.

But Queiroz, unimpressed with the youth team, quickly recognised the stark reality of Perez's plans when he was internally criticised for fielding Esteban Cambiasso and Albert Celades during the pre-season tour, both of whom the club wanted to sell.

He then looked on as they did nothing to keep Claude Makelele and failed to sign a new centre-back, while getting rid of 11 players. His calls for reinforcements denied, Queiroz committed the cardinal sin under Perez - he questioned the model. It will matter little that he was right.

Perez's first choice for a replacement is the England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, an experienced, high-profile coach, but a players' coach nonetheless. The Swede has made no secret of his desire to coach one of Spain's big two and sources suggest that when he was railroaded into a new deal with the FA, he reached a verbal agreement that he could walk, no strings, for one named club: Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri remained in limbo last night after an amicable but inconclusive meeting with Peter Kenyon, Chelsea's chief executive, left his medium-term future as the manager still uncertain.

All the Italian left the talks with was an assurance that there would be "further meetings".

Gerard Houllier's future as Liverpool manager is not solely dependant on securing a place in the Champions League, according to the club's chief executive, Rick Parry.

And finally, Newcastle yesterday moved to distance themselves from fresh claims that Porto boss Jose Mourinho will replace Bobby Robson.

Guardian Service