Sky Sports have released a report which calculated the greatest 20 managers in Premier League history.
They based the ‘ranking score’ on points per game, titles, top four finishes and matches played.
Interestingly, five Liverpool bosses make the grade.
Here’s the top 20 in its entirety.
20) George Graham, 1.38 points per game, 0 titles, 1 top four finishes, 287 games, 163pts
Graham’s painfully defensive style of football earned him one top four finish with Arsenal before he failed with Spurs.
19) Frank Clark, 1.51 points per game, 0 titles, 1 top four finish, 98 games, 166pts
Clark played for, managed and then acted as chairman of Nottingham Forest. He also spent two uninspiring years with Manchester City in the 1990s, but still makes the list ahead of Ruud Gullit, Mark Hughes and Martin O’Neill.
18) Andre Villas-Boas, 1.79 points per game, 0 titles, 0 top four finishes, 81 games, 179pts
Failed at Chelsea and failed at Spurs. We wonder if he’ll ever get another chance in English football?
17) David Moyes, 1.51 points per game, 0 titles, 1 top four finish, 461 games, 186pts
One measly top four finish in his decade with Everton earned him the United job. Their hilariously poor season in 2013/14 saw saw him sacked.
16) Brendan Rodgers, 1.67 points per game, 0 titles, 1 top four finish, 152 games, 187pts
It’s nice to see Rodgers ahead of Moyes in this list. He very almost collected a title in 2013/14 but was pipped to it by Manuel Pellegrini – who naturally appears a little later on. Our manager prides himself on trusting young players and playing a passing brand of football. He’s versatile with his tactical choices and expects his players to be too. His intelligence and passion cannot be questioned, and it’s only his record in the transfer market which has really held him back. We’re right behind him this term and hope the new acquisitions can fire us back into the Champions League.
15) Sir Bobby Robson, 0 titles, 2 top four finishes, 188 games, 194pts
The second of two knights on this list, Robson managed Barcelona and England in the 1980s, but was still doing an excellent job for Newcastle this century. A true footballing gent. Sadly passed away in 2009.
14) Kevin Keegan, 1.54 points per game, 0 titles, 2 top four finishes, 267 games, 197pts
Our former forward managed Newcastle’s swashbuckling team of the 1990s, but is most famous for his ‘Love it’ rant about Ferguson… It cost his team the title of course, and managerially, he’s never really been the same since.
13) Gianluca Vialli, 1.74 points per game, 0 titles, 2 top four finishes, 94 games, 204pts
The former Italian forward was Chelsea boss before Roman Abramovich’s billions transformed them from also-rans to contenders.
12) David O’Leary, 1.55 points per game, 0 titles, 3 top four finishes, 260 games, 210pts
O’Leary managed Leeds when they were one of the best teams in the land, and famously took them to the Champions League semi-finals in 2000/01. It feels strange to think the much mocked Irishman has finished in the top four on three occasions.
11) Claudio Ranieri, 1.82 points per game, 0 titles, 2 top four finishes, 146 games, 217pts
Ranieri got ditched by Abramovich in 2004 after he led Chelsea to a 2nd placed finish, but it was one of the best decisions the Russian ever made – as he appointed Jose Mourinho next.
10) Roy Evans, 1.69 points per game, 0 titles, 4 top four finishes, 184 games, 234pts
The second of four ex-Liverpool managers to make the cut. Evans led us to four top four finishes – only bettered by three other managers in Premier League history. Interestingly (which perhaps says much about the quality of English managers…) he’s the highest placed Englishman on this list.
9) Gerard Houllier, 1.68 points per game, 0 titles, 4 top four finishes, 249 games, 238pts
Houllier took over from Evans full-time in 1998 after a brief spell as joint manager with Roy. He installed discipline into our ranks, and brilliantly won five trophies in 2001 – including the FA Cup and UEFA Cup. The Frenchman’s defensive style eventually grew weary, and we decided to bring in Rafa Benitez in 2004 to replace him. Houllier will always be welcomed back at Anfield with open arms, of course.
8) Rafael Benitez, 1.91 points per game, 0 titles, 5 top four finishes, 254 games, 276pts
Would you take the Spaniard back now, Reds? Benitez is ninth in this list, although he did his most memorable work for us in Europe. After winning the Champions League in 2005, he got to another final in 2007, which saw us ranked as the top coefficient side in Europe temporarily. His best Premier League season in 2008/09, when we deployed Mascherano, Alonso and Gerrard in midfield behind Torres up top, saw us pipped to the post by United. His biggest mistake was arguably to unsettle the aforementioned Alonso by targeting Gareth Barry instead. Alonso asked to leave, was sold, we endured a torrid season and Benitez was sacked.
7) Carlo Ancelotti, 2.07 points per game, 1 title, 2 top four finishes, 76 games, 287pts
The legendary Italian only spent two years in England. He won a double the first time around, and was harshly fired by sack-happy Abramovich the next.
6) Kenny Dalglish, 1.70 points per game, 1 title, 4 top four finishes, 238 games, 290pts
Dalglish’s first stint as Liverpool manager saw him win three league titles, but he was at Blackburn upon the inception of the Premier League. Here, he collected the Ewood Park club’s only title. An unsuccessful season at Newcastle followed before he romantically returned to us in 2011. His results in the top flight were not great, but he did secure us a League Cup title and was runner up to Chelsea in the FA Cup final, too.
5) Manuel Pellegrini, 2.17 points per game, 1 title, 2 top finishes, 76 games, 297pts
The Chilean pipped us to the title in 2013/14, and backed it up with a top four finish last time out.
4) Roberto Mancini, 2.05 points per game, 1 title, 3 top four finishes, 133 games, 305pts
The outspoken Italian won City a title on the final day of the season as Sergio Aguero notched an amazing winner from a Mario Balotelli assist to leave United fans in shock. For that, we’re fond of him.
3) Jose Mourinho, 2.29 points per game, 3 titles, 5 top four finishes, 196 games, 459pts
In five full Premier League seasons, Mourinho’s secured three titles. Twice during his first stint, and once last season, where his rigid Chelsea side were head and shoulders above the rest of the league.
2) Arsene Wenger, 1.99 points per game, 3 titles, 19 top four finishes, 714 games, 669pts
Wenger’s been with Arsenal since 1996. That’s only two years after Raheem Sterling was born! The good mannered Frenchman has become more likeable with age, but his teams have become more easy to beat. He’s never failed to finish in the top four – but it seems strange to consider he hasn’t won a title since the Invincibles of 2013/14.
1) Sir Alex Ferguson, 2.16 points per game, 13 titles, 21 top four finishes, 810 games, 1221pts
No surprises for top spot. Ferguson’s titles set him apart from the rest.
