by Ian Farquharson

Created on: December 14, 2009

Guide to some of the greatest soccer managers the world has ever seen

Being a manager of a soccer team would have to rank as one of the most precarious occupations in the world with the fate of your job depending on the success of your club. Many managers come and go on a regular basis, although there have been some during the history of the sport who have influenced the game and turned teams into world beaters. Some of the best include the following. 

Alex Ferguson

Ferguson will definitely be remembered as one of the greatest managers ever for the success he achieved at two clubs. The first team that rose to greatness under Ferguson’s guidance was Aberdeen in Scotland. The top two teams in Scotland are the Glasgow clubs Rangers and Celtic and they have dominated Scottish football over the years. However in the 1980’s Ferguson built a team that challenged them and achieved great success. In the time Ferguson was manager Aberdeen won three league titles, four Scottish cups and even went on to record success in Europe when they defeated Real Madrid in the final of the Cup Winner’s Cup in 1983. However Ferguson will probably be better remembered for the time he has spent as manager of Manchester United. When he took over, United had gone many years without a league title and although they had some cup wins were not seen as a particularly successful team at the time. However Ferguson turned this around and since his appointment United have gone on to be the most successful team in England. Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 United have won it a record 11 times. They have also had cup success both in England and in Europe. United have captured the Champions League trophy twice under Ferguson and this is the ultimate achievement for a club side in Europe. Ferguson will rank among the best managers ever in England and also in the world.

Rinus Michels

Michels was the legendary manager of the Dutch national side of the 1970’s and was the coach who popularized the use of total football where players could comfortably interchange positions during a game. He began his managerial career at Ajax in Holland and during his six years there the club won the Dutch league four times and the cup three times. He also guided Ajax to the biggest prize in Europe when they won the European Cup in 1971. Following this he moved to one of the biggest clubs in Europe, Barcelona where he also had success, winning the Spanish League and Cup one

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>