5 underrated managers who could make it big in the near future

"Being a football manager is no fun at all. You have to put up with all the hassle. It is not surprising that so many turn grey or have heart attacks." – Ruud Gullit.

Managing a club can at times be a debilitating process. At the same time, it could be all over in the blink of an eye. The impact created by managers on clubs can hardly be understated. The man on the touchline is arguably the most important person at a football club.

This season, managerial battles have received much of the spotlight. Several managers have already been sacked and have taken up duties elsewhere. Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson, Johan Cruyff and Arsene Wenger are a few managers that come to light in discussion on the greatest managers of all time. At some point in their careers, they would have been considered underrated.

This is a situation that a number of coaches face today. While Pep and Co. have received and continue to receive the credit they deserve, a few managers are still in the process of earning their reputation. Here we look at five underrated managers who could make it big in the near future.

#5 Lucien Favre

Dortmund failed in their attempts to sign the current OGC Nice boss

Exceeding expectations as always has been Lucian Favre. The 60-year-old Swiss Manager has the record of winning the Swiss League and Cup twice. Borussia Monchengladbach have no one but Favre to thank for taking them to Champions League from having survived an almost certain relegation in the 2011 season.

Currently at Nice, Favre in his debut season for the Eagles led the club to the Champions League playoffs despite the loss of their star player Hatem Ben Arfa. It comes as no surprise that Dortmund tried to make advances after firing Thomas Tuchel.

Besides being a tactical genius, Lucien is known to be a player’s favourite. The fact that Mario Balotelli fit perfectly into his coaching system and rewarded him with fine performances is a testament to his man-management skills. The likes of Dante, Marco Reus, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Granit Xhaka have all flourished under his philosophy.

The two-time Swiss Manager of the year is arguably one of the best managers when it comes to spotting and developing talent. He deserves the sole credit for spotting the talents of Gokhan Inler, Steve von Bergen and a few other Swiss regulars who made their debuts under him for the country before signing for foreign clubs. It won't be long before the big clubs come calling for Lucien Favre.

4# Marco Silva

Watford are currently placed 10th in the Premier League table under Marco Silva

Talking to players at length, taking coaching sessions himself and spending hours planning for games is what Marco Silva does. Like any other modern manager, his obsession for detail and ambitious plans have had some top clubs fawning over his achievements.

It is hardly surprising that his Watford side have gone from utterly stale under Walter Mazzarri to buzzing with vibrant energy. Turning down Crystal Palace and FC Porto back home, Silva has his men play some aggressive football which involves winning the ball high up the pitch and breaking at pace.

While fans across Europe are beginning to realise his ambitious and tactical superiority at Watford, they aren’t aware of the miracles he’s performed before arriving at Vicarage Road. As soon as he finished a rather ordinary career as a player, he took up the role of a manager at Estoril when they finished 10th in the second division of the Portuguese league that particular season.

In just one year, he helped the team make their way back to the top flight after seven long years. On returning, Silva guided his ‘fearless’ team that managed to come away with 8 points in four games against heavyweights Sporting and Benfica to an astonishing 5th place and subsequently, the Europa League.

Before departing for Sporting, he bettered his previous season with a fourth place finish which involved inflicting a defeat to Porto at their home, their first in six years.

At Sporting he won the Taca de Portugal, the club’s first piece of silverware since 2008. After being sacked for not wearing the club suit at a cup fixture, he departed for Olympiacos where he helped the club win its 43rd title with six games to spare.

It's only a matter of time before some big club snaps up Marco Silva.

#3 Giovanni van Bronckhorst

Arsene Wenger wants Giovanni van Bronckhorst to succeed him at Arsenal

A class professional, a player who could play as a full-back or as a centre-back, an upbringing which laid emphasis on educating young footballers, Giovanni van Bronckhorst is one that has played for the biggest of clubs and under the best of managers.

Van Bronckhorst’s footballing education is more than impressive and his ongoing stint at Feyenoord is a clear reflection. Arsene Wenger, Dick Advocaat, and Frank Rijkaard are top-quality coaches he has played under.

The former Arsenal, Rangers and Barcelona man took up the post of an assistant manager at Feyenoord in 2011 before taking up the manager's job at the end of the 2014-15 season. That particular season Feyenoord finished third in the league and Giovanni’s men lifted the KNVB Cup. A year later, the former Oranje captain led Feyenoord to their first league title win since 1999.

At the age of 42, van Bronckhorst's managerial career is off to a bright start. While not many football fans have cared to rate his progress as a manager, Arsene Wenger seems to be taking note. Wenger, whose contract at the Emirates runs out at the end of the 2018-19 season, has been so impressed that he has tipped his former pupil to take the reins.

#2 Sean Dyche

Repaying the faith of his employers is Sean Dyche

There is little flashiness about Sean Dyche like his Burnley team that enjoyed a Champions League spot for a while. Sean Dyche is a specialist in getting sides to punch above their weight in his career till date.

The seventh longest serving manager in England started off at Watford where he led the Hornets to their highest 11th place finish in four seasons in the Championship despite having two of his top scorers sold off. In 2012, he left for Burnley thereby replacing Eddie Howe.

After two seasons under his tutelage, he had the Clarets Premier League-bound. However, their spell in the top flight lasted only a single season as they were relegated with two games to spare in 2015. Sean Dyche wasn’t one to leave a sinking ship as he guided them back to the Premier League the very next year.

Despite relying on what is now considered an outdated 4-4-2 formation, Sean Dyche has delivered the goods this season as they look to cement their spot in the Europa League.

#1 Domenico Tedesco

Domenico Tedesco has led a struggling Schalke side to a second-place Christmas finish in the Bundesliga

While Julian Nagelsmann is being tipped to be the next big thing, the new golden boy in town, Domenico Tedesco, is sure to give him a run for his money. Leading the coaching revolution, the duo were schooled at DFB's Cologne-based coaching academy.

Last season Sead Kolasinac, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Benedikt Howedes and manager Markus Weinzier all left Schalke who seemed to be spiralling down the table after finishing fifth in the Bundesliga. Enter a 28-year-old second-tier striker Guido Burgstaller, an unknown Bastian Oczipka and a 32-year-old manager.

Most of the personnel remained the same but the club was obviously weakened after the departure of three big names. However, the Royal Blues that came back from being 4-0 down in the Revierderby at the Signal Iduna Park to salvage a point with a 4-4 draw, now sit second in the Bundesliga. If not for the arrival of individual talents, something must have changed. This something is Domenico Tedesco.

Speaking of his abilities, Ralf Fahrmann, the Schalke keeper remarked: “He has a God-given gift. Sometimes you find people who can convince you of something when they tell or explain something to you. He’s got that gene from God.”

Tedesco with his complex style of play has managed to build a team founded on passion, woven with an eye for intricate details and accuracy. The recipe for his success is simple –excellent man-management skills coupled with tactical knowledge.