The greatest English managers of all-time
Often described as ‘the home of football’, England has inevitably had some hugely talented managers leave a lasting legacy in the sport.
While acknowledging that picking the greatest English managers of all time is purely subjective, we think the following bosses stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Brian Clough
Liverpool fans will probably think we have taken leave of our senses by choosing Brian Clough ahead of Bob Paisley, but we undoubtedly haven’t.
Clough’s exploits with Derby County and Nottingham Forest defied expectations, with neither club expected to challenge for major silverware.
He enjoyed his greatest successes with Forest, winning promotion to the top flight in 1977 before guiding them to the league title at the end of the following season.
The Middlesbrough-born boss then took things to another level by leading Forest to back-to-back successes in the European Cup in 1979 and 1980.
Although Clough’s abrasive style did not find favour with everyone, it unquestionably makes him ideal fodder for the many books which have been written about him.
Bob Paisley
While Bob Paisley won a ton of silverware with Liverpool, it is worth noting that he was left with solid foundations to work with by former manager Bill Shankly.
That factor alone makes Clough’s achievements with Derby and Forest more noteworthy, regardless of what Liverpool supporters think about the matter.
Paisley’s trophy haul was hugely impressive – six league titles, three League Cups, three European Cups and one UEFA Cup are not to be sniffed at.
His insistence on keeping things simple bore many similarities to Clough and unquestionably paid dividends with Liverpool players during that era.
Paisley is clearly an English managerial great, but Clough edges him as he achieved his impressive feats with much smaller clubs.
Sir Bobby Robson
Although Sir Bobby Robson is one of the most beloved managers ever to grace English football, his legacy extends far beyond the shores of his host nation.
He initially made his name with Ipswich Town, guiding them to success in the FA Cup and UEFA Cup before the England national team came calling.
Robson was unfortunate not to lead the Three Lions to the final of a major tournament, but he did manage to restore the nation’s pride in the team.
He subsequently returned to club football, winning numerous trophies with PSV Eindhoven, Porto and Barcelona to cement his status as a top-class manager.
Robson went back to his roots when Newcastle United came calling in 1999, and he enhanced his reputation despite failing to win silverware with them.
Sir Alf Ramsey
After guiding Ipswich into the First Division in 1961, Sir Alf Ramsay defied expectations the following season by leading the club to their only league title.
He was selected to manage England in May 1963 and subsequently assembled a team which lifted the prestigious World Cup trophy three years later.
Ramsey is viewed as ‘England’s first proper manager’, as previous squads had been chosen by Football Association board committees.
He was bullish about his team’s chances of winning the World Cup ahead of the tournament and his confidence proved to be extremely well-founded.
While England suffered several disappointments under Ramsey in subsequent years, his legacy remains firmly intact.
Herbert Chapman
For fans who think professional football started when the Premier League was launched in 1992, Herbert Chapman will likely be completely unknown to them.
However, Chapman was a managerial giant during the early part of the 20th century, winning two First Division titles with Huddersfield Town and three with Arsenal.
The Yorkshireman was ahead of his time with many of his tactical innovations, while many of the innovations he championed remain part of the sport today.
He instituted weekly team meetings at his clubs and encouraged players to socialise in extra-curricular activities such as golf.
Chapman was also a fan of continental football, a stance which flew in the face of many of his contemporaries who worked in the sport at the time.
Howard Kendall
After establishing himself as a club legend while playing for Everton, Howard Kendall subsequently forged a successful career as a manager.
He started as a player/manager at Blackburn Rovers, guiding them up to the Second Division in 1979/80 before narrowly missing out on promotion to the top flight the following season.
Kendall could not resist the lure of returning to Everton in 1981 and set about building one of the finest teams ever to grace English football.
He won two league titles and an FA Cup with the Toffees but moved to Athletic Bilbao due to frustrations over the ban on English clubs from participating in Europe.
But for the despicable behaviour of Liverpool hooligans at Heysel, Kendall may well have added a European title to the trophy cabinet at Goodison Park.
