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Goal.com Poll: Who Is The Best Manager In World Football?
With the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards coming up, we at Goal.com took a pause and wondered why there wasn't any debate on the best manager in world football. So we ask India who, according to them, is the best football manager in the world today. And trust us, making the decision isn't as easy as you'd think!
30-Nov-2008 12:38:22 PM
Okay, this is an age-old debate, but one whose outcome is made all the more difficult by the quality of choices. Many of the current managers in world football are already legends in their own right, while others aren't far enough from getting there. We shortlisted ten names for you to assist you in making your decision, so let's now take a look at the contenders!
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) - "Le Professor" has come a long way in the last twelve years, from being a virtual unknown on his arrival in London, resulting in cries of "Arsene Who?" He is now the most successful manager in Arsenal's history, and has changed the way football is played and looked at in England. He brought with him his own style of beaufitul football, stuff that fans in England had never witnessed before, which will be remembered by each and every Arsenal fan forever.
Off the field too, he revolutioned training methods at the club, and was instrumental in the club shifting to a 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium in Ashburton Grove. All this coupled with his exceptional eye for talent, especially young talent, makes him a front-runner in this poll.
Carlo Ancelotti (AC Milan) - If him being currently the longest-serving coach in the Serie A, says a lot, him being considered as one of the best managers ever for a club like AC Milan, who have countless trophies to their name, makes it perfectly clear. Carlo Ancelotti, or "Carletto" is one of the best coaches in world football today. He took over a floundering AC Milan side, and brought them back into the Champions League, and has won the competition twice since, making him only the second manager after Vicente Del Bosque to win the trophy on more than one occasion.
He has also won the Scudetto in his time at the club, and introduced a new, and much more creative style of play at the club since his arrival. And now, with a Ronaldinho-powered Milan back on track in the Serie A, Ancelotti can look forward to a few more trophies in the coming years.
Fabio Capello (England) - Fabio Capello has probably got the most enviable CV a football manger could have. He's tasted success everywhere he's ever worked, which includes the likes of Real Madrid (2 La Liga titles in 2 years), Juventus (2 Scudettos in 2 years, which the club was later stripped of), AC Milan (4 Scudettos and 1 Champions League in 5 years), and AS Roma (1 Scudetto and 1 Italian Super Cup in 5 years).
If results are what top-level football is all about, then Fabio is your man. He might not make his men play the most beautiful football, the football is never negative, and is as effective as it can get. His current job as England manager might just be his toughest assignment till date, but if someone could rise up to the challenge, it has to be Don Fabio. A clear favourite for the poll based on top-level honours.
Guus Hiddink (Russia) - Guus Hiddink, despite never having managed a top club side or a trophy-winning national side for a significant length of time, still manages to retain his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in world football today. His exploits at the internation level are there for all to see. He took hosts South Korea, who had previously not even won a World Cup match, all the way till the semi finals in 2002, after which he was given honorary citizenship of South Korea, and even had a stadium named after him.
Post Korea, he also guided the Aussies to their first World Cup appearance in 2006, and even took them to the second round.
Currently coach of the Russian side, he enhanced his reputation even further and surprised many as his side reached the semi finals of Euro 2008, playing some scintillating football on the way. If someone wants to look at a manager who hasn't had the best side to work with and still has made quite a name for himself, it has to be Hiddink.
Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan) - Love him, hate him, but you just can't ignore him! Jose Mourinho's popularity has grown in much accordance with that particular line in recent years, ever since his celebrations at Old Trafford after Porto went past the Red Devils in the Champions League. The "Special One" took Porto all the way in the Champions League that year, defying all odds and expectations, and after his move to Chelsea, won a string of trophies, that included back-to-back Premier League titles, two Carling Cups, and an FA Cup triumph. His achievements in such a short time, dynamism, and popularity amongst players makes him another favourite for this poll.
Luiz Felipe Scolari (Chelsea) - The current Chelsea boss has vast experience as a manager, having coached sides in three different continents. He was immensely successful as coach of Gremio in Brazil, and after a few successful stints in the middle-east, he guided Brazil to a rather comfortable World Cup triumph in 2002, when not many tipped them for success. He took over the reins of a rather inconsistent Portuguese national side in 2003, and took them to the final of Euro 2004, and also 4th place in the World Cup in 2006.
At Chelsea, he's already begun to work his magic, as the Blues have finally got the hang of what beautiful football is, and currently lie at the top of the league.
Marcello Lippi (Italy) - The World Cup-winning coach was so severely missed by the Azzurri after '06, that they reappointed him after the disappointment at the Euros earlier this year, and why not? Apart from taking an unfancied Italian side distracted by the Calciopoli scandal all the way in the World Cup, Lippi has stamped his authority on club football as well. He won five Scudettos with Juventus between 1995-2003, along with a Champions League victory and three runners-up finishes. The World Cup-crazy fans will surely tend to lean towards the former Sampdoria midfielder when it comes to the poll, and it certainly wouldn't be a wrong choice!
Ottmar Hitzfeld (Switzerland) - The current Swiss coach is probably not the most well-known coach in India, mainly due to the EPL and La Liga-centric coverage, but Ottrmar Hitzfeld has earned quite a reputation for himself all over Europe for being a top class manager. He's only one of two managers to win the Champions League with two different clubs (Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich), and has also won a staggering seven Bundesliga titles (2 with Dortmund and 1 with Bayern). He's been voted as the World Coach of the year on two occasions, and was also voted as Bayern Munich's greatest coach ever. Anyone who has followed the Bundesliga, or anyone with good knowledge of European football will know, that he is one of the top contenders in this poll.
Otto Rehhagel (Greece) - He was a virtual unknown in India when Euro 2004 kicked off, but what a name he made for himself by the end of it! He turned Greece around from a team noone wanted to play for, to European Champions. However, much before the triumph of 2004, the German had made quite a name for himself, managing Werder Bremen for 14 years, bagging two German championships in the process, along with a string of cup wins. He also managed the near-impossible feat of winning the league with a newly-promoted side, when he did it with FC Kaiserslautern in 1998.
Often criticized for being a touch too defensive, Rehhagel's policy is rather simple, to build from the back, which is the base for any successful team. He chooses to be practical, and delivers results which noone even expects. Add to all of this his penchant for spotting talent, and we have one hell of a football manager.
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) - This is probably the name many of you were looking for, and not without reason. The fiery Scot has been manager of Manchester United for 22 years, during which he won a slew of awards, which include the "Manager of the Year" award a record number of times, and was also the inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame. He received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth for his services to British football in 1999, the year which saw the Red Devils complete an unprecedented "Treble", i.e., win the Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup, a feat no English club has ever achieved.
If you don't already know, Fergie has guided United to 10 league titles, 5 FA Cups, and 2 Champions League triumphs during his stay at Old Trafford. That record, combined with the sheer number of Manchester United fans in India, make SAF Goal.com's favourite for the poll!
Vote now for your favourite manager, and do check out the results on 10th December, 2008!
Goal.com
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) - "Le Professor" has come a long way in the last twelve years, from being a virtual unknown on his arrival in London, resulting in cries of "Arsene Who?" He is now the most successful manager in Arsenal's history, and has changed the way football is played and looked at in England. He brought with him his own style of beaufitul football, stuff that fans in England had never witnessed before, which will be remembered by each and every Arsenal fan forever.
Off the field too, he revolutioned training methods at the club, and was instrumental in the club shifting to a 60,000-seater Emirates Stadium in Ashburton Grove. All this coupled with his exceptional eye for talent, especially young talent, makes him a front-runner in this poll.
Carlo Ancelotti (AC Milan) - If him being currently the longest-serving coach in the Serie A, says a lot, him being considered as one of the best managers ever for a club like AC Milan, who have countless trophies to their name, makes it perfectly clear. Carlo Ancelotti, or "Carletto" is one of the best coaches in world football today. He took over a floundering AC Milan side, and brought them back into the Champions League, and has won the competition twice since, making him only the second manager after Vicente Del Bosque to win the trophy on more than one occasion.
He has also won the Scudetto in his time at the club, and introduced a new, and much more creative style of play at the club since his arrival. And now, with a Ronaldinho-powered Milan back on track in the Serie A, Ancelotti can look forward to a few more trophies in the coming years.
Fabio Capello (England) - Fabio Capello has probably got the most enviable CV a football manger could have. He's tasted success everywhere he's ever worked, which includes the likes of Real Madrid (2 La Liga titles in 2 years), Juventus (2 Scudettos in 2 years, which the club was later stripped of), AC Milan (4 Scudettos and 1 Champions League in 5 years), and AS Roma (1 Scudetto and 1 Italian Super Cup in 5 years).
If results are what top-level football is all about, then Fabio is your man. He might not make his men play the most beautiful football, the football is never negative, and is as effective as it can get. His current job as England manager might just be his toughest assignment till date, but if someone could rise up to the challenge, it has to be Don Fabio. A clear favourite for the poll based on top-level honours.
Guus Hiddink (Russia) - Guus Hiddink, despite never having managed a top club side or a trophy-winning national side for a significant length of time, still manages to retain his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in world football today. His exploits at the internation level are there for all to see. He took hosts South Korea, who had previously not even won a World Cup match, all the way till the semi finals in 2002, after which he was given honorary citizenship of South Korea, and even had a stadium named after him.
Post Korea, he also guided the Aussies to their first World Cup appearance in 2006, and even took them to the second round.
Currently coach of the Russian side, he enhanced his reputation even further and surprised many as his side reached the semi finals of Euro 2008, playing some scintillating football on the way. If someone wants to look at a manager who hasn't had the best side to work with and still has made quite a name for himself, it has to be Hiddink.
Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan) - Love him, hate him, but you just can't ignore him! Jose Mourinho's popularity has grown in much accordance with that particular line in recent years, ever since his celebrations at Old Trafford after Porto went past the Red Devils in the Champions League. The "Special One" took Porto all the way in the Champions League that year, defying all odds and expectations, and after his move to Chelsea, won a string of trophies, that included back-to-back Premier League titles, two Carling Cups, and an FA Cup triumph. His achievements in such a short time, dynamism, and popularity amongst players makes him another favourite for this poll.
Luiz Felipe Scolari (Chelsea) - The current Chelsea boss has vast experience as a manager, having coached sides in three different continents. He was immensely successful as coach of Gremio in Brazil, and after a few successful stints in the middle-east, he guided Brazil to a rather comfortable World Cup triumph in 2002, when not many tipped them for success. He took over the reins of a rather inconsistent Portuguese national side in 2003, and took them to the final of Euro 2004, and also 4th place in the World Cup in 2006.
At Chelsea, he's already begun to work his magic, as the Blues have finally got the hang of what beautiful football is, and currently lie at the top of the league.
Marcello Lippi (Italy) - The World Cup-winning coach was so severely missed by the Azzurri after '06, that they reappointed him after the disappointment at the Euros earlier this year, and why not? Apart from taking an unfancied Italian side distracted by the Calciopoli scandal all the way in the World Cup, Lippi has stamped his authority on club football as well. He won five Scudettos with Juventus between 1995-2003, along with a Champions League victory and three runners-up finishes. The World Cup-crazy fans will surely tend to lean towards the former Sampdoria midfielder when it comes to the poll, and it certainly wouldn't be a wrong choice!
Ottmar Hitzfeld (Switzerland) - The current Swiss coach is probably not the most well-known coach in India, mainly due to the EPL and La Liga-centric coverage, but Ottrmar Hitzfeld has earned quite a reputation for himself all over Europe for being a top class manager. He's only one of two managers to win the Champions League with two different clubs (Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich), and has also won a staggering seven Bundesliga titles (2 with Dortmund and 1 with Bayern). He's been voted as the World Coach of the year on two occasions, and was also voted as Bayern Munich's greatest coach ever. Anyone who has followed the Bundesliga, or anyone with good knowledge of European football will know, that he is one of the top contenders in this poll.
Otto Rehhagel (Greece) - He was a virtual unknown in India when Euro 2004 kicked off, but what a name he made for himself by the end of it! He turned Greece around from a team noone wanted to play for, to European Champions. However, much before the triumph of 2004, the German had made quite a name for himself, managing Werder Bremen for 14 years, bagging two German championships in the process, along with a string of cup wins. He also managed the near-impossible feat of winning the league with a newly-promoted side, when he did it with FC Kaiserslautern in 1998.
Often criticized for being a touch too defensive, Rehhagel's policy is rather simple, to build from the back, which is the base for any successful team. He chooses to be practical, and delivers results which noone even expects. Add to all of this his penchant for spotting talent, and we have one hell of a football manager.
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) - This is probably the name many of you were looking for, and not without reason. The fiery Scot has been manager of Manchester United for 22 years, during which he won a slew of awards, which include the "Manager of the Year" award a record number of times, and was also the inaugural inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame. He received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth for his services to British football in 1999, the year which saw the Red Devils complete an unprecedented "Treble", i.e., win the Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup, a feat no English club has ever achieved.
If you don't already know, Fergie has guided United to 10 league titles, 5 FA Cups, and 2 Champions League triumphs during his stay at Old Trafford. That record, combined with the sheer number of Manchester United fans in India, make SAF Goal.com's favourite for the poll!
Vote now for your favourite manager, and do check out the results on 10th December, 2008!
Goal.com
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