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With Bernd Schuster you knew there was a problem because it wasn't talked about, just dealt with.  Yesterday, Schuster joined a long line of distinguished coaches who have been axed by Real Madrid.  This comes roughly one week before the Clasico at juggernaut Barcelona and days before Real Madrid's Champions League game versus Zenit St. Petersburg.  

What no one wants to talk about, further, is Mijatovic.  As much as Calderon can afford to smile, shake hands, and kiss babies; it is Mijatovic that is playing Marc Antony to Calderon's Caesar.

Sid Lowe wrote a brilliant piece, linked on Si.com, about Calderon's problems at Chamartin but - given the stop-the-presses coverage from Marca and As - I am going to speculate about how this happened.

1.  Guaranteed; Schuster let Mijatovic have it with words that cannot be repeated on this post.  Having lived in Madrid, there is no more fresh-off-the-boat sailor, blue language than a pissed off madrileño.  This tandem was never going to work out.  Schuster is a blue-collar type of guy who worked his way up to this level the hard way.  Mijatovic is a chulo - yet another one-time hired-gun, a pretty boy with slicked back hair still riding on the coattails of his brief but enigmatic days as a player.

2.  Losing to Irún did not help matters.  That team was a 2nd division 'B' team and they scored on Real Madrid at will. 

3.  Sergio Ramos needs to either lead, follow or get out of the way (to Milan).  No defender has inspired fans the way Sergio inspires fans but in the end the burden of defense falls on him just the same way that the burden of creative play falls on Guti and the burden of scoring falls on Raul.  Spanish fans want Spanish dedication to the Spanish team.  If Sergio isn't ready to captain that defense, either by arm-band or by example, then he should, sadly, go.  Cannavaro, Marcelo, Heinze, Metzelder and Pepe are all quality players but they do not shoulder the burden as Sergio Ramos and, to a lesser degree, Michel Salgado do.  Both Ramos and Salgado should accept that and stay or reject it and leave. Sergio's situation is going to be even more difficult with Juande Ramos in charge.  I'll get to Juande later.

4.  When Schuster started spelling out that the reason Soldado, Parejo, Granero and Arbeola did not stay in-house was because of the galacticos then the writing was on the wall.  That statement flew in the face of Calderon's promises to bring in marquee talent like KaKa, C. Ronaldo, and Fabregas.  Hindsight being 20/20, the minute one read that - one had to know there was a huge problem.  I regret don Bernd's firing.  He, like so many other Real Madrid coaches, got the short end of the stick.  He'll likely return to Getafe sooner or later and try and stick it to Mijatovic every chance he gets.  Yet another Madrid talent that got away.

Juande Ramos is here and there is hope.  To be blunt.  Juande is cut from the same cloth as Luis Aragones and Vicente del Bosque.  Do as you are told and do it well with a smile on your face or you Pack... Your...  Bags.  This will hold true for everyone.  Everyone.  I am looking at you two, especailly, Iker and Raul.

1.  Defense.  They will be expected to play well or they will be replaced by someone who will.  No doubt.  At Sevilla, Juande Ramos had a backline filled with strong, tough and yes- offensive-minded players.  Salgado's days are numbered.  So are Torres'.  If Sergio doesn't shape up he will be joining Beckham in Milan.

2.  Midfield.  Get ready for the Fernando Gago show.  Gago is precisely the type of player that Juande covets.  Tough, smart, and lethal.  Guti, on the other hand, had better eat his Wheaties.  Juande likes work-a-holics and anyone who watches Guti play knows that he lapses.  You will know how Juande's relationship with Guti goes if Guti keeps his armband.  With Diarra out, I also expect to see Javi Garcia and Ruben de la Red (God willing) get opportunities at midfield.  Drenthe, on the other hand, had better show more than his tenacious strength, and fast, or he is going to be the Dutchman Out.  Everyone else will probably be safe for a while.  The Dutch trio of Robben, Snjeider, and Van der Vaart should also get a good shot in the arm of Juande-ativity as well; with some front-line time perhaps for at least Robben and Rafa, if not for Wesley as well.

3.  Offense.  Glory days are coming.  With the lineup of Huntelaar, Higuain, Raul, Saviola, and Van Nistlerooy (when he returns) Juande's Christmas comes early.  Bear in mind that, yes, this is still just my speculation but here is what I see at Juande's Real Madrid.

First off, it will suck to be the press.  Juande is old-school and that means forget the niceties and the quippy remarks.  Juande lays it out straight and to the point.  Hallelujah!

Raul will run wild in the center.  Raul hasn't the speed anymore to play up front but Juande will have him front-end holding and splitting defenses for Higuain and for Huntelaar.  In a Juande system, Raul's tenacity is what will keep him off the bench and in the game.  Why?  Because Juande has just inherited a front line of killers.  

With (now) Raul, Higuain, Saviola, and (later) Huntelaar and Van Nistlerooy; Juande has a ready-made front-line that gives him everything he wants; tenacity (see above for #7), unbridled finishing ability (Higuain), and quick-touch dribbling skills (Saviola).  When the Dutch contingent returns Juande is going to have even more options up-front.  Huntelaar, despite my reservations about him, scores.  If Van Nistlerooy returns to form he could retire at Real Madrid, if he doesn't, bye-bye.

Juande Ramos, if he can pull it off this weekend, will automatically guarantee himself a job through 2010.  Watch what happens versus St. Petersburg.  If players respond to Juande you will see it on the field.  If there is a lot of yelling and complaining then that is a bad omen.

In the end, no one is happy to see don Bernd go.  Everyone knows who is behind it as well (Mijatovic).  This leads us to two conclusions.  One, the onus will be on Mijatovic to now keep his job.  He is now fresh-out of excuses.  Two, if Calderon does not side with Juande completely his days are numbered as well.

As always, sorry for the length but these are interesting times at Real Madrid.