Against all the expectations and the wishes of the fans, Ernesto Valverde has remained the head coach of Barcelona and will be there come next season. But as much as his work and achievements, especially in domestic competitions, should not be disregarded, there’s a universal feeling that he is just no longer the right manager for the Catalans, whether they want to admit it or not.

The board seem to be trusting Valverde, or rather, the president is despite numerous board members not sharing that view. Still, by the words of the man himself, famously spoken after the Anfield debacle, “it is what it is”, and we have to move on with that in mind.

But regardless of the Blaugrana board not wanting change, we’re nonetheless going to indulge the urge and see who might be a good choice for a Barcelona coach.

So, without further ado, here are 15 managers who could restore Barcelona to greatness...

Thomas Tuchel

Even though his current campaign with PSG would not really attest to that, Thomas Tuchel is one of the best modern day coaches around.

His tactics, although sometimes perceived as too methodical, are quite exciting and proactive, which is the complete opposite of what Valverde has in mind and thus, exactly what the fans would like to see at the Camp Nou.

Marcelo Bielsa

Imagine this: it’s a beautiful, sunny day in Catalunya; people are drinking coffee outside, children are playing and birds chirping… But suddenly, you hear noise coming from the Camp Nou.

It’s Marcelo Bielsa screaming at his players to start running and stop sulking. Even Messi is doing sprints up and down the pitch. Absolute madness… Can you imagine it? Neither can we but it would be absolutely hilarious. And effective.

Xavi Hernandez

Ah, the prodigal son. From Johan Cruyff to Joseph Guardiola and to Xavi Hernandez – that’s the natural order of things and it will undoubtedly come true one day. This coveted midfielder, best of his generation (and all time?), has a brilliant mind and high footballing IQ.

But is he ready to step up? Well, if it were up to him then no, as he has stated before. But there’s no doubt Cules would welcome him with open arms.

Maurizio Sarri

Sarriball is… Weird. Sometimes it works like a charm and then the Blues somehow shoot themselves in the foot. But as peculiar as it may sound, Sarriball is the Italian tiki-taka and Barcelona are all about that. Sarri had trouble implementing his vision in England but still managed to get the Europa League crown.

Spain would definitely be a better fit and among those teams, Barca are the best match. One Campari and tiki-taka, to go, please!

Erik tan Hag

The current Ajax manager is a pretty tempting choice for Barcelona and for obvious reasons, too. His style of play, mentality and philosophy coincide with those of the Catalan giants: Possession based football with a brave attacking mindset.

In many ways, ten Hag is everything that Valverde isn’t, and if you ask Cules, that’s a great quality to have. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years.

Oscar Garcia

Well now we’re just pushing our luck, we know.

Yes, Garcia is not your usual high-profile, perfect for big teams kind of guy but he does possess certain qualities that make him somewhat attractive for Barcelona: he spent 15 years at the club (and La Masia), knows their core values and has coached their youth outfits while Pep was managing the senior team.

Something must have stuck with him after all those years. Worth a shot.

Lionel Messi

Now here’s a cracker – Lionel Messi has already discarded the possibility of ever becoming a coach in the future but seeing how he already more or less manages the Argentina team and reportedly has a huge say in Barcelona’s business, seeing him as a player/ manager would be quite something.

Not that this option is on the cards but the fans do want a radical change. It does not get much more radical than this.

Julen Lopetegui

What? An ex-Madrid coach at the helm of Barcelona? Blasphemy! Well, yes, true, but he does fit the system more than he did at Real, which was evident in his short and rather disastrous spell in the capital.

But his possession-based attacking football would be a much better fit for the Catalan outfit and would no doubt have more success there. Will it ever happen? Wouldn’t really bet on it, no.

Mauricio Pochettino

“I’d rather work on a farm than coach Barcelona”, were the words of Mauricio Pochettino when he was asked about this gig. It doesn’t surprise us coming from an ex-Espanyol man but in addition to feeling a general hatred towards Barca, Poch also has a brilliant mind.

There’s no denying he would do great things at the Camp Nou. Too bad it will never happen.

Pep Guardiola

Yeah, yeah, we know - Pep Guardiola, can you be more cliché than that? Granted, this is cheesy and predictable but good ol’ Pep is still the perfect fit for Barcelona.

Sure, he reached his peak in his short but extremely successful spell in Catalunya back in the day but his principles have not changed and Barcelona are in dire need of his blueprint. Would he propel them to instant success? Who knows, but saying that he wouldn’t improve them would be ignorant.

Arsene Wenger

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s problems were much deeper than Arsene Wenger being at the helm, and a prospect of him coaching Barcelona is a pretty weird one, granted.

But his footballing philosophy, trust in the youth system and the style of play do, at least on paper, suit the Catalan giant quite well. Valverde was one defeat away from the Invincibles, maybe Wenger could go the extra mile.

Garcia Pimienta

The current Barcelona B coach is actually a very good choice: he knows the club values, works hard to turn the young team into a true representation of the Catalan giant and is already a part of the family.

Sure, he lacks the big stage experience but when has that meant anything, anyway. It’s not like Barce made a similar move in the past and it worked out, right? Pep Guardiola, anyone?

Ronald Koeman

Granted, Koeman might not be everyone’s preferred choice with no real big-stage or big-name pedigree but he knows Barcelona and Barcelona know him.

He may not be the most exciting name to come out of the hat but his Blaugrana roots and current style complement the club and he would be a certain step in the right direction. Well, mostly anyone but the current manager would.

Laurent Blanc

Another quite unexpected name on the list but Blanc makes sense, at least, in theory. Sure, his PSG spell did not quite end the way he wanted it to end but he still insisted on attacking football with the ball always on his side.

But more importantly, if you need a complete reshuffle and you need it quickly, he’s your guy, just remember what he did with Bordeaux. Besides, he did spend a year with Barcelona way back in the 90s. That has to mean something, right?

Quique Setien

When Mr Setien was fired from Real Betis and Barcelona were on a brink of a collapse, it felt like fate called and those two would finally meet at the end of the rainbow.

The coach himself stated numerous times that he would be honoured to manage Barca and Messi but for some reason, the board just doesn’t seem convinced despite the obvious qualities he brings to the table. Quite a weird situation, that one.

Roberto Martinez

Bob doesn’t really have an impressive CV to his name but if the spell with Belgium is any indication, he would bring about the attacking football Barcelona are all about. Even though finishing third at the World Cup is no small achievement, Cules have certain reservations with Martinez, and rightly so.

But can they really be so picky with the water almost past their necks? Thought so.