Former Real Madrid Manager Alvaro Arbeloa Lands New Job

In January of this year, Alvaro Arbeloa - former first team player and then head coach of Castilla - was announced as manager of Real Madrid first team until the end of the season, replacing Xabi Alonso who was sacked after just six months or so in charge of the team.

Although things did not go quite to plan, with the club failing to win any of La Liga, the Copa del Rey nor the UEFA Champions League, it was clear that there was no ill feeling from the club nor fanbase towards Arbeloa, who had clearly tried his best during a difficult situation.

Many said that he had got the better of his opposite number, Vincent Kompany, during the quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich, and that individual mistakes at both ends of the pitch had cost the team progression to the semi finals. 

Out of respect for the 43-year old, the club waited until after the end of the season to announce Jose Mourinho as the team's new permanent boss, a manager Arbeloa spent three years playing under at Los Blancos. 

There was a feeling that he had done enough during his few months in charge to get himself a job at another club. And well, that is what has transpired. Indeed so, as in the early hours of this morning (CET), Premier League side Fulham have officially announced Arbeloa as their new head coach, penning a three year deal in West London. 

Funnily enough, there has been a three way manager trade of sorts. Marco Silva was the Fulham manager last season, and is now manager of Benfica. Mourinho was manager of Benfica last season, and is now manager of Real Madrid. Arbeloa was manager of Real Madrid last season, and is now manager of Fulham. Funny old game. 

The script has already been written by the Premier League. His first game in charge will be against Alonso's Chelsea in a West London derby on the 24th of August at 21:00. 

To add even further spice to the story, the game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football segment in the UK. One of the pundits on the show is Jamie Carragher, who played with both Arbeloa and Alonso at Liverpool between 2007 and 2009 (and the latter for three years before that). 

No doubt every Real Madrid fan wishes the popular figure a lot of success over in England.