So many coaches have come and gone in the English Premier League. While some have left traces of them behind, some actually made their mark on the field and some did so off the field. The influence of these coaches on their teams and their impact on the Premier League cannot be underestimated.
Since the dawn of Premier League in 1992-1993, no English coach has won the league. While the likes of Scottish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Spanish coaches have all tasted the glory of lifting England’s most prized trophy.
However, despite winning the Premier League the impact of these coaches varies considerably. Below we rank the greatest English club manager based on their team achievement and impact on the sport.
Arsene Wenger
For a man that came in and transformed Arsenal, securing trophies and taking the club to a new level, no coach or manager embodied his club more than Arsene Wenger. In the rich history of the Premier League, Frenchman embodied Arsenal in his time as the manager of the team.
The French tactician spent 22 years at the helm at Arsenal while the team won the Premier League on three occasions, a number of FA Cups, a League Cup (Carabao cup) and several Community Shield victories. Perhaps most impressively was Arsenal’s epic unbeaten season of 2003-04, still yet to be matched.
Arsene Wenger transformed Arsenal’s style of play, turning them into one of the most admired club’s in the world, he also transformed the player’s lifestyle’s off the pitch. With an emphasis on nutritional importance, the team were at the top of their game.
Although, he never won the Premier League more than three times, Arsene Wenger’s team came close on many occasions to claim the Premier League gong. Their Champions League qualification was always on the cards and the team achievement and stability was only behind that of Manchester United, who dominated the under arguably the best manager in history of the Premier League.
However, it was a sad end to Arsene Wenger’s reign at the club, with fans hounding Arsenal’s owners to replace him. Wenger is undoubtedly a Premier League great. Spending 22 years with Arsenal, winning his first double in just two years of his reign, a trick he repeated in 2002. But it is a blot on his career copybook that European success eluded him, after his Gunners team lost the 2006 Champions League final to Barcelona in Paris.
Pep Guardiola
Before his move to the Etihad, the Spanish coach was a terror in the mind of the opposing tactician. While he won so many accolades, with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Pep Guardiola has always instilled a kind of style that entertains and yet brings glory to his team while his employer always find a joy in his work.
Although, he almost always never spent more than four years in the same role, with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. The Salpendor born tactician committed his allegiance to Manchester City towards the end of last year to bring his time at English giant club to more than seven years by the time he sees out his contract.
However, his achievements on and off the field have been so pleasing, not to the eye of the Manchester City directors and owners alone but in the heart of the City’s fans and football lovers.
More so, when he arrived at Manchester City, Guardiola totally transformed the team to a winning machine, feared by every English club. While the Spanish tactician’s City hold the record of most points in the history of the Premier League with 100 points, with which they won 32 matches out of the 38 in a season, the team scored 106 goals while letting in only 30 in the process. The blue side of Manchester had a stellar season winning the domestic double with an impressive season.
More importantly, Guardiola’s achievements in the Premier League became more apparent as they came from behind to win the Premier League in the following season when they found themselves 11 points behind Liverpool. They won the domestic treble in the process, a feat never been achieved in the league since its inception.
However, the following season had seen Guardiola’s team diminished in their prowess and efficiency but winning the season’s curtain raiser cup and Carabao was reference to the team mentality and winning capability and while the current campaign had resurfaced the old Manchester City with a lethargic attribute, many fans are now clamoring for team to achieve a feat never once done in the history of Europe top league, making the team to win a four title in the campaign with UCL, EPL, FA Cup and Carabao and that is how much the world of football trust in Pep’s ingenuity when it comes to bringing out the best in his squad. Who would have not when it obvious since it’s time at Barcelona.
Sir Alex Ferguson
There can be little argument of who the greatest manager in history of Premier League is. Sir Alex Ferguson proved to be a master tactician with the prowess to man-manage his players and get the best out of them. The Scot manager goes down as the Premier League’s finest.
With Sir Alex Ferguson’s arrival at the Theatre of Dream’s in 1986, he was famously close to been sacked by the club, however an FA Cup triumph against Nottingham Forest, courtesy of a goal by Mark Robin marked the birth of greatness and Manchester Utd deservedly reaped the reward of been patient with the Glasgow born tactician.
Manchester United’s patience with Sir Alex Ferguson was richly rewarded as the Red Devil’s came to dominate the Premier League era, with 13 Premier League titles as well as 5 FA Cups, along with League Cups and Charity Shield victories. He achieved such greatness with the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville, the panacea of homegrown talents.
Manchester United could have arguably enjoyed more continental success, with only 2 Champions League crowns. Although it’s nothing to be sniffed at, with Manchester United’s pedigree and the 27 successful campaign’s with Sir Alex at United. United’s incredible late comeback against Bayern Munich in the 1999 final was one of the most memorable football moments ever.
While the Scottish born football manager achieved success, he transformed the club into a fearsome and gruesome serial winner while building in talented players from across the world and nurturing average players to become great. While the Red side of Manchester is considered to be the club that has achieved the most in the Premier League, to date, their success was extravagant under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Comfortably sitting at the top of the Premier League’s greatest ever manager, it’s tough to imagine Sir Alex Ferguson ever being dethroned, but only time will tell.
