Ranking the top 5 managers since the turn of the century

Managers are the most important members at any football club, as they're held responsible for the success and the failure of the club. Several great managers in the past have surprised us with their way of running the club, and have inspired the modern day managers. Managers like Bill Shankly, Brian Clough, Johan Cruyff, Bob Paisley, Matt Busby, Alex Ferguson, and Rinus Michels have tasted huge success in the past. We take a look at the top 5 managers since the turn of the century, who have tasted similar success.

#1 Jose Mourinho

The ‘special one’ is undoubtedly the most successful manager of the century. Jose Mourinho began his managerial career at Benfica, but left for Uniao de Leira in three months. At Uniao de Leira, Mourinho surprised everyone as his team finished 5th in Primeira Liga. He started to make a name for himself, and then came an offer from Portuguese giants Porto, with whom Mourinho won every possible trophy. At Porto, Mourinho made his team play high pressing football, as they won the league, Taça de Portugal and the UEFA Cup in his first year itself. That was just the beginning for Mourinho. Next season not only did he win the league again, but his team also won the Champions League, which without a doubt is the biggest achievement in his career till now.

After winning all he could at Porto, Mourinho joined Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich at Chelsea, this time to conquer the biggest league in the world. In his first spell at Chelsea, Mourinho won the Premier League twice, League Cup twice, and the FA Cup. In 2008, Mourinho left Chelsea to join Inter Milan, and once again won the league in the first season at Inter. It didn’t take him long to write history at Inter, as he won the Champions League once again in his second season.

After just two seasons at Inter, Mourinho was again looking for a new adventure, and just then Europe’s biggest club Real Madrid came calling, and he couldn’t resist. He spent three seasons at Real Madrid, but this time he wasn’t as successful. Mourinho won the La Liga once and the Copa del Rey, and he left the Spanish giants in 2013 to rejoin Chelsea. This time, the pressure was huge on Mourinho, and he did deliver. In his second season, Mourinho won the Premier League and the Capital One Cup, before getting sacked midway in the third season. All in all, Mourinho has won 22 major titles, which is more than any other manager in Europe’s top 5 leagues since 2000. He is indeed “The Special One.”

#2 Pep Guardiola

Born in Barcelona, Pep Guardiola went on to become one of the most successful players and managers at his boyhood club. Guardiola came through La Masia, where he was spotted by Johan Cruyff, and then he went on to win numerous trophies as a player at the club. But who knew he’d return to the club as a manager to become a greater success! After retiring as a player in 2006, Guardiola was appointed as a manager of Barcelona B, a year later.

After leading the Barcelona B team to promotion in the very first year, it was announced Guardiola would replace Frank Rijkaard, as the first team manager. In his first year in charge of the Catalan giants, Barcelona went on to win every trophy that was there for the taking including the La Liga, Champions League, Cope del Rey, and the Fifa Club World Cup. Guardiola was an instant success at Barcelona, in his four seasons in charge at Barcelona, they won every trophy, and not just once. He won 14 trophies at Barcelona, including the La Liga thrice, and the Champions League twice.

After the end of 2011-12 season, Guardiola announced he’d be taking time off football, as he planned a one-year sabbatical, before taking the job at German giants Bayern Munich. At Bayern, Guardiola was an instant success again as he won back to back Bundesliga titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15. He also won the DFB-Pokal in 2013-14, and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2013. Guardiola, known for his possession based football, brought a similar style at Bayern but modified his methods a bit to suit the German champions.

Guardiola has already announced he is set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, with several clubs already knocking his door, it seems he is ready for a challenge in the Premier League after winning 19 trophies at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

#3 Alex Ferguson

The most successful manager in Britain, is also the third most successful manager since the turn of the century, despite retiring three years ago. Words are not enough to describe the achievements of this man, who has won it all in football. Alex Ferguson played for several Scottish clubs, but started his managerial club just at the age of 32, when he took up the part-time manager job at East Stirlingshire, as he spent a year there before being appointed as the manager of St.Mirren. In no time, Ferguson took the team from the bottom of the second division to crown them as the champions of the first division in 1976-77.

Ferguson then joined Scottish side Aberdeen, where he started to make a name for himself. The legendary manager won numerous league titles and Scottish Cup, before getting appointed as the new Manchester United boss in 1986. It took him some time at Manchester United to get going, as there was a lot of work going behind the scenes, but Ferguson won his first trophy as the Manchester United boss in 1989-90 when he won the FA Cup. Ferguson was just getting started at Man United, but who thought the Scottish manager would go on to win 13 league titles, as the Red Devils knocked Liverpool off their perch. He also won the prestigious FA Cup five times, League Cup four times, and the UEFA Champions League twice.

Ferguson took Manchester United from nothing and made them one of the biggest clubs in England and Europe. Manchester United won 38 trophies under him, and 18 trophies since the turn of the century. Ferguson also won numerous individual accolades during his 17-year stay at the club.

#4 Carlo Ancelotti

Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti enjoyed a very successful playing career before getting into management. He won several trophies as a player at Roma and Milan, including the Serie A, Coppa Italia, and the European Cup. After retiring as a player, Ancelotti was appointed as an Assitant Coach of Italy national team, as they reached the finals of World Cup in 1994 under Arrigo Sacchi. Ancelotti had bigger targets though, and he didn’t want to remain an assistant manager, as he took up the difficult job at Reggiana in 1995, and in the first year itself, led them to promotion.

Just after a year, he joined Parma, as he finished second with them in the Serie A in the first season itself. Though he didn’t win any trophies at Parma, but he earned himself a job at Serie A giants Juventus. Ancelotti arrived at Juventus to replace Marcello Lippi, and a lot was expected from him, but he failed to deliver and was sacked after two years.

He was then appointed by AC Milan, who were going through a rough patch. In his eight years at AC Milan, he won the league just once but enjoyed a lot of success in club competitions. The Serie A giants won the Champions League twice under him, UEFA Cup twice, and also the Coppa Italia.

In 2009, Ancelotti resigned from AC Milan and was appointed the new coach of Chelsea. He lived up to his reputation at Chelsea, as he won the league and the FA Cup in his short two years stay at the club. After getting sacked by Chelsea in 2011, he went to France to manage Paris-Saint Germain. He joined them mid-season in 2011-12, as Paris-Saint Germain narrowly missed out on the league title that season, but he won the league in his first full season, and then he decided to quit the French giants to join Real Madrid.

Wherever Ancelotti went, he was a huge success, and it was no different at Real Madrid. In his first season at Real Madrid, Ancelotti won the Champions League again, the third time in his career. He also won the Copa del Rey but was sacked at the end of the following season, as Real Madrid failed to win any trophies.

Ancelotti all together has won 16 trophies, since the turn of the century. He was also announced as the new Bayern Munich boss, and will lead them from next season.

#5 Rafael Benitez

Rafa Benitez — Benitez’s Liverpool won a magnificent Champions League final against Inter Milan.

One of the most successful managers of this century, Rafael Benitez has managed some of the biggest clubs in world football and has tasted success wherever he went. The Spanish manager started his career as the manager of Real Madrid Castilla in 1993, before managing numerous clubs in Spain. His first big job was at La Liga club Valencia, where he made a name for himself and proved himself as one of the best managers in the world. Rafael Benitez’s Valencia won the La Liga in his first season in charge at the club, as they surprised everyone, but it was no fluke, as he repeated the heroics in 2003-04. Benitez also won the UEFA Cup in 2003-04, and at the end of the 2003-04 season, some of the biggest clubs in the world wanted to sign him.

In 2004, Rafael Benitez became the manager of Premier League giants Liverpool and went on to achieve huge success at the club. His influence at Liverpool was very easy to see, as he changed the fortunes of several players at the club, but who’d have thought that Spaniard would go on to win the Champions League in the first season itself. Rafael Benitez’s Liverpool side won the Champions League in Istanbul in one of the greatest finals ever, as they came down from 3-0 to win on penalties against a strong AC Milan side. The very next season he won the FA Cup, and also came close to winning the league in 2008-09. He left the club by mutual consent the very next season, as Liverpool finished 7th in the league.

Rafael Benitez then enjoyed spells at Inter, Chelsea, and Napoli, as he won trophies at every club he went. The most notable ones being the UEFA Europa League at Chelsea, and the Coppa Italia at Napoli. In 2015, Rafael Benitez left Napoli, as a deal was agreed for him to manage one of the biggest clubs in the world Real Madrid, but his career at Real Madrid didn’t last long, as he was sacked just after six months in charge, despite his team being just four points off the top of the league. All together Rafael Benitez has won 13 trophies since the turn of the century, and there is little doubt about his abilities as a manager.

Edited by Staff Editor