Who is the greatest soccer coach of all time?

The goat


  • Total voters
    43
Ancelotti, Capello, Van gaal (ajax 95 is trumendous), hitzfeld, wenger, mourinho, deschamps, bielsa deserve some credit there...just to name a few.
And dont even talk about the old timers like lobanovsky and co
 
Bill Belicheck
 
In retriospect I think what marks Fergerson out as the greatest was the post Chelsea/Man City cash influx years. Man Utd have pushed up their spending post Fergerson but in that period he was at a pretty clear spending disadvantage yet still managed to finished in the top 2 for his last 8 seasons winning 5 titles. Since then no titles and only one top 2 finish.
 
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In retriospect I think what marks Fergerson out as the greatest was the post Chelsea/Man City cash influx years. Man Utd have pushed up their spending post Fergerson but in that period he was at a pretty clear spending disadvantage yet still managed to finished in the top 2 for his last 8 seasons winning 5 titles. Since then no titles and only one top 2 finish.

I think some of his greatest achievements are actually what he was able to do with Aberdeen, considering only one other club have taken a single league title off the old firm since the 1960s, winning a European trophy with them is pretty mad too.
 
I think some of his greatest achievements are actually what he was able to do with Aberdeen, considering only one other club have taken a single league title off the old firm since the 1960s, winning a European trophy with them is pretty mad too.

True, Scottish football maybe wasnt quite as dominated by the old firm at that point as Dundee did win a title as well but still nobody but the old firm has won since Fergerson.
 
Yeah, Fergie won a lot, but his teams didn't play particularly memorably nor did he really establish a "style."

On the other hand, Lord Pep won a lot AND he gave us the greatest show the game has ever seen with Barcelona. His style was so influential that every damn club has tried to play like them since. Everyone's trying to play it out the back, short passes only, lots of possession. Even English clubs are doing this!

And he's replicated (roughly) this at Bayern and City. Pep the GOAT, contest over.
 
Yeah, Fergie won a lot, but his teams didn't play particularly memorably nor did he really establish a "style."

On the other hand, Lord Pep won a lot AND he gave us the greatest show the game has ever seen with Barcelona. His style was so influential that every damn club has tried to play like them since. Everyone's trying to play it out the back, short passes only, lots of possession. Even English clubs are doing this!

And he's replicated (roughly) this at Bayern and City. Pep the GOAT, contest over.

Fergie had the ability of making mediocre players look good, signing young talent and making them into superstars.

Pep have been gifted world class teams soon as he starts his role as manager. Not denying pep is a good manager but he’s not fit to lace fergies boots
 
Fergie had the ability of making mediocre players look good, signing young talent and making them into superstars.

Pep have been gifted world class teams soon as he starts his role as manager. Not denying pep is a good manager but he’s not fit to lace fergies boots

I would say the difference is if Fergie manages Bolton Wanders he probably keep them mid table prem at least, Pep manages them and theres a good chance it goes horribly wrong. I think that really feeds into his great strength at Man Utd as well, he was very good at stopping the rot, when the club hit bad form making sure it only lasted 2-3 games and didnt cost them the title.

Added to that though I think what Ferguson has in his favour is that he was the last of the god king managers, the last manager who gave the impression he ran the club with an iron fist. Since then I think we've seen pretty much all elite managers shift to being more coaches who work with the squad they are given. Its almost like being asked to rate people doing two different jobs IMHO.
 
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Bob Paisley inherited a good foundation from Shankly but took Liverpool to unheralded levels of success only Pep has a higher success rate at winning trophies.

In nine years Paisley won 3 European Cups, 6 league titles, 3 league cups, the uefa cup and only finished less than second in the league once.

I don't think he gets the credit he is due because he seems like a humble man not as outspoken or quotable as some others but that is a really ridiculous record over nine years at a club as a manager.

He helped build Liverpool as an assistant to Shankly, was more successful than any other manager they had and then left them in a strong position when he retired.

Rinus Michels should also get a mention he was successful both at club and international level and Peps style is definitely heavily influenced by what Michels developed at Ajax, Barca and the Dutch national team. He was named FIFA coach of the 20th century.

Helenio Herrerra was as influential in Italian football as Sacchi and just if not more successful.

But the real answer is Brian Clough. Not because of what he won but who he won it with. He won a league title with Derby three years after getting them promoted and would have probably won the European cup with them if it wasn't for crooked officiating.

Then he got Forest promoted and won the league the next season and then won 2 European cups. They went 42 games unbeaten.

That is absolutely bonkers. I can't think of any other manager getting two clubs promoted and winning a top division title in such a short length of time and winning back to back European cups.

Madrid, Barca, Milan, Man U, Liverpool, Bayern, Juve managers are supposed to be successful.

Not Derby and Forest.

To put it in perspective why he is probably the best manager ever.

Derby have won the league title twice in their history. Once with Clough as manager and once just after with the team he built. Derby County have not won a trophy since.

Forest have won the league once and won 2 European cups, they also won 4 league cups all under Clough. They have not won a trophy since.

Both these clubs have spent their entire history mostly bouncing between the top 2 divisions. Both became Champions and one won 2 European cups. The only common denominator between both these unfashionable provincial teams and the success they had is they had the same manager.

Most other great managers managed great clubs and these great clubs have often had success under multiple managers. I'm not trying to disparage Forest and Derby but they are not seen as great clubs and almost all of the success they ever had was down to one man. Brian Clough.
 
What a stupid question

it’s Fergie

And it hurts to type that
 
The reason for fergusons success was the scouting network at man u. It was decades ahead of its time. As soon as the conveyor belt of free talent dried up, it was over. Sir Alex isn't a better manager, just had better support.
 
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