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An adept manager has the ability to carry a team of misfits to glory, making the best of what he has using tactical brilliance and man-management skills. The said personality has the potential to transform a tedious group of individuals into a single high-functioning unit. Ergo, a simple switch in the dugout can work wonders for struggling teams that possess a certain level of pedigree.
Multiple sides have witnessed a complete 360-degree turnaround to their fate after trading managers. Chelsea ditched club-legend Frank Lampard mid-season last year and replaced him with former PSG boss Thomas Tuchel. In a matter of months, they went from competing in a top four dogfight to winning last season's Champions League. They defeated Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City on their way to the illustrious title, while remaining unbeaten against every big team they went up against.
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Keeping tabs on recent managerial changes
The 2021 transfer window has seen a lot of changes in personnel, with numerous managers signing up for a fresh challenge. Carlo Ancelotti returned to Real Madrid for a second time, refreshing the memories of Los Blancos' elusive La Decima under the esteemed manager. Julian Nagelsmann has finally taken charge of Bayern Munich in their first friendly against FC Köln, narrowly losing the match by one goal.
Following a chaotic few weeks, Daniel Levy was able to land Nuno Espírito Santo as the new Tottenham coach. The former Wolves manager will have the arduous job of steadying the ship at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after two turbulent seasons under the enigmatic José Mourinho. Even Rafael Benitez's appointment at Everton, having managed their Merseyside rivals Liverpool in the past, has baffled many.
Bearing that in mind, let's take a look at some managers whose appointments took their clubs to new heights:
#10 Tim Sherwood to Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham)
Hired in 2014, Mauricio Pochettino replaced the outgoing Tim Sherwood after a lackluster season. Spurs finished sixth in the league under their former player in the 2013-14 campaign. Even if the result wasn't substandard in hindsight, the following seasons under Pochettino would turn Sherwood's sacking into a masterstroke.
The Argentine manager transformed the Lilywhites into regular top four contenders, even fighting for the title on two separate occasions. His high-pressing football and resourcefulness brought the best out of dogged players like Eric Dier. Under Pochettino, Spurs enjoyed a historic run to the Champions League final, dumping the likes of Manchester City and Ajax out in emphatic fashion.
However, a poor start to the 2019-20 campaign ended his career at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The English club have struggled to find a suitable replacement ever since.
#9 Paul Groves to Eddie Howe (AFC Bournemouth)
The story of Eddie Howe and AFC Bournemouth is football's romance at its finest. A graduate of the Cherries' academy, Howe took over the club's reins in 2008, when they were languishing in the fourth tier of English football. A brief stint with Burnley followed before the former defender returned to his boyhood club.
Howe worked wonders with Bournemouth, taking them from their struggles in League One, straight to the Premier League in a matter of four seasons. His tenure saw the Cherries finish as high as 9th in the English top division while regularly challenging the big guns. It was a feat that few would've thought of a decade earlier when the club was etched in lower-league mediocrity.
#8 Paul Heckingbottom to Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United)
One of the most influential managers in modern football, Marcelo Bielsa has been touted as the "best manager in the world" by none other than Josep Guardiola. The 66-year-old Argentine earned his coaching badges in 1990 and has been a manager ever since.
Bielsa has chosen difficult and interesting projects throughout his career. While some campaigns have underwhelmed, his tenure at Elland Road has been nothing short of a miracle. Inheriting a shoddy squad, Bielsa nearly led the Peacocks to promotion in his first season, only to falter in the final stages.
Nevertheless, his second season saw Leeds top the Championship with a whopping 93 points. They were finally promoted to the top flight after 16 years in the wilderness. In their first season back, Bielsa guided Leeds to a fantastic 9th place finish while playing some fantastic, high-voltage football. The Argentine is a master tactician indeed.
#7 Luigi Delneri to Antonio Conte (Juventus)
In the 15 years of his managerial career, Antonio Conte has managed to amass a total of nine trophies with multiple clubs. However, his most impressive spell came during his three-year stay in Turin. Conte managed Juventus to three consecutive Scudetto wins and kick-started an era of unparalleled dominance in the Italian game.
Prior to Conte's commissioning as manager, the Bianconeri had last won a league title in the 2002-03 season. He revolutionized the 3-5-2 formation, building his team on the base of three sturdy defenders and two offensive wingbacks. The Italian manager's unique approach to the game helped reinstate Juventus' former glory. This was then expanded upon by his successor, Massimiliano Allegri.
#6 Manuel Pellegrini to Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Manchester City had already won the Premier League twice by the time Pep Guardiola set his eye on the managerial job at the Etihad. However, his arrival transmuted the Cityzens into European powerhouses. The Spaniard's "Positional Play," coupled with City's resources, formed a deadly combination.
Guardiola's accolades for the Sky Blues include making them the first-ever domestic quadruple winners in English football. He also led his team to become the first-ever centurions (100-point season) in Premier League history, while winning three league titles as well. Guardiola has successfully assembled one of the finest squads in England, ever.
However, the former Barcelona manager's failure to win the Champions League has been the only taint of his City career. Guardiola's own high standards are the only reason that devoids him of his right to finish higher on this list.
#5 Edoardo Reja to Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Atalanta have experienced a meteoric rise in form ever since hiring former Inter manager Gian Piero Gasperini. The club were promoted to Serie A at the beginning of this decade and went through five consecutive bottom-half finishes before announcing the arrival of the 63-year-old in 2016.
Under his tutelage, Atalanta have played some of the most attractive football in all of Europe. Gasperini took La Dea from the foot of the table to a fourth-place finish in his debut season. This helped them qualify for a European tournament after 27 long years. In the four years since his initiation, Atalanta have finished seventh once and third on three occasions.
#4 Fernando Da Cruz to Christophe Galtier (Lille OSC)
A tale similar to Gasperini's, Christophe Galtier was appointed Lille manager in December 2017. The French outfit were moldering in a relegation scrap at the time. A 17th place finish in his first season proved to be a far cry from their title-winning season of 10/11.
Since then, Lille has consistently finished inside the top four under the French manager's watchful eye. In the modern Ligue 1 era dominated by the cash-laden Paris Saint Germain, Galtier managed to do the impossible in the 2020-21 season. His inspired Lille side pipped the reigning champions to first place, securing their first league title in 10 years.
Galtier recently departed the Stade Pierre-Mauroy to join OGC Nice.
#3 Brendan Rogers to Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp has played two brilliant managerial roles in his career. After revitalizing Borussia Dortmund, he headed to Liverpool at a time when the Reds were branded the 'has-beens' of the English game.
The German took his time rebuilding the squad from scratch, working under a tight budget. As a result, almost all of his signings have proven to be value for money. Klopp's fortification of Anfield by reinvesting the money received for Philippe Coutinho to buy Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker has proved to be a masterstroke.
Klopp has led Liverpool to the Champions League title and two exceptional Premier League campaigns, one of which saw them win the competition after 30 fateful years. Following these achievements, it is safe to say that Klopp has triumphantly restored the once fallen giants to the pinnacle of both English and continental football.
#2 Rafael Benitez to Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Zinedine Zidane was announced as Real Madrid's manager in January 2016, after the club endured a rather disappointing spell under Rafa Benitez. Los Blancos experienced somewhat of a slump after the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti. However, Zidane's arrival re-wrote the 119-year-old club's history.
In his first six months as manager, the former Ballon d'Or winner guided his old club to Champions League glory. He followed it up with another UCL title in his first full season at the helm. Zidane unbelievably upped it even further by completing the '3-peat,' winning his third successive Champions League title in his final year.
Zidane's impact at the club was so monumental that Real Madrid had to hire him for a second time in 2019, after failing to competently replace him. It is a true testament to his legacy at the club.
#1 Gregorio Manzano to Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico Madrid's appointment of Diego Simeone as their coach in 2011 is arguably the highest managerial upgrade of the century, let alone a decade. The sheer consistency and longevity of his spell with Los Rojiblancos has been unrivaled in recent times.
The 51-year-old Argentine manager broke the Barca-Real supremacy in La Liga when his Atletico side romped to the title in 2014. It was their first Spanish championship in 18 years. He also spearheaded the Madrid-based club's re-entry into Europe, establishing them as regular participators.
Simeone's sensibility in the transfer market has been tremendous, especially considering the flashy amounts splashed by his rivals in each transfer window. His defensive masterclass has set a precedent for teams that are looking to deploy a conservative, yet effective approach to the game. Simeone's arrival at Atletico as their manager has truly changed the course of the club. He won his second La Liga title with the club last season and will be gunning to go for it once again.
