5 players who could become great managers

#3 Andrea Pirlo

Pirlo’s knowledge of the game is second to none

When it comes to knowledge of the game, few are better equipped than Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo. The diminutive midfielder is at the fag end of his career and currently plays for Major League Soccer side New York City FC and reports have suggested that he could be taking up the role of a manager post retirement.

Pirlo was an integral part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup winning squad. The bearded central-midfielder is a real tactician, his game reading being second to none. During the entirety of the 90 minutes on the pitch, he dictates the game, controlling the flow of his team’s gameplay with consummate ease.

Pirlo himself had once mentioned how he likes to be in control when he said, “I like to think of myself as a director, on the pitch, and in life.” Every successful manager has to take responsibility for how his team fares on the pitch, something that we can expect from the Italian genius.

And what more, he is a philosopher in the true sense of the term and has been quoted as being a 'father-figure' around the club which would rub off on his players. There can be little doubt that Pirlo, as a coach, would showcase his knowledge and be successful. Add to that his intuitive understanding and ingenuity that has been on the show so many times on the pitch.