FourFourTwo 100 greatest managers of all-time.

[::sonny::]

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FourFourTwo have ranked the 100 greatest managers of all-time.

The popular football magazine have put together an in-depth list of football’s master tacticians, which features Marcelo Bielsa, Arsene Wenger, Jurgen Klopp and more.

Some big names miss out, including Massimiliano Allegri and Antonio Conte.

Meanwhile, Klopp finds himself outside of the top 20 and Jose Mourinho isn’t in the top 10.

The main criteria for FourFourTwo’s list were trophies won, tactical ideas and motivational skills.

100. Roy Hodgson

99. Fatih Terim

98. Vaclav Jezek

97. Roberto Mancini

96. Gerard Houllier

95. Hassan Shehata

94. Ferruccio Valcareggi

93. Antonio Conte


92. Juan Lopez Fontana

91. Raymond Goethals

90. Claudio Ranieri


89. Jupp Derwall

88. Stan Cullis

87. Mircea Lucescu

86. Vic Buckingham

85. Richard Moller Nielsen

84. Alberto Suppici

83. George Ramsay

82. Fulvio Bernardini

81. Silvia Neid

80. Sepp Herberger

79. Enzo Bearzot

78. Leo Beenhakker

77. Marcelo Bielsa


76. Guy Roux

75. Walter Smith

74. Tina Theune

73. Didier Deschamps

72. Dettmar Cramer

71. Howard Kendall

70. Carlos Bianchi

69. Hennes Weisweiler

68. Cesar Luis Menotti

67. Gavriil Kachalin

66. Joachim Low


65. Carlos Bilardo

64. Fernando Santos

63. Emerich Jenei

62. Stefan Kovacs

61. Nevio Scala

60. Tomislav Ivic

59. Vittoria Pozzo

58. Luis Carniglia

57. Frank Rijkaard

56. Don Revie

55. Carlos Alberto Parreira

54. Willie Maley

53. Franz Beckenbauer

52. Sven-Goran Eriksson

51. Jimmy Hogan

50. George Graham

49. Aime Jacquet

48. Luis Aragones

47. Otto Rehhagel

46. Bobby Robson

45. Bill Struth

44. Tele Santana

43. Diego Simeone


42. Albert Batteux

41. Rafa Benitez

40. Jill Ellis

39. Luiz Felipe Scolari

38. Udo Lattek

37. Guus Hiddink

36. Zinedine Zidane


35. Bill Nicholson

34. Viktor Maslov

33. Kenny Dalglish

32. Jupp Heynckes

31. Helmut Schon

30. Jock Stein

29. Jurgen Klopp


28. Jose Villalonga

27. Mario Zagallo

26. Alf Ramsey

25. Herbert Chapman

24. Fabio Capello

23. Arsene Wenger


22. Bob Paisley

21. Bela Guttmann

20. Louis van Gaal

19. Nereo Rocco

18. Carlo Ancelotti

17. Ottmar Hitzfeld

16. Miguel Munoz

15. Vicente del Bosque

14. Giovanni Trapattoni

13. Marcelo Lippi

12. Jose Mourinho


11. Brian Clough

10. Valeriy Lobanovskyi

9. Ernst Happel

8. Helenio Herrera

7. Matt Busby

6. Arrigo Sacchi

5. Pep Guardiola


4. Bill Shankly

3. Johan Cruyff

2. Rinus Michels

1. Alex Ferguson

 

[Karlos PFC]

Seems OK except for the position of some managers.

Also I'd add Javier Irureta. His Deportivo was a truly great side playing fantastic football

 

[Xaviesta]

I agree with the top 5. Pasiley's 3 European cups and 5 league titles across 9 years might warrant a spot in the top 20 although who in the top 20 would make way for him?

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Great to see Rinus Michels getting the recognition

 

[Chipper]

Ranieiri > Conte?

Bold shout. The romance of Ranieri at Leicester is and should be huge but I don't know.

 

[Dumbstar]

Scanned my eyes over it 4 times and didn't see Joe Fagan. But I saw Houllier and Hodgson.

 

[SilentWitness]

It still baffles me that we have the 18th best manager of all time and our best position in the last 5 years is 7th.

Ranieiri > Conte?

Bold shout. The romance of Ranieri at Leicester is and should be huge but I don't know.

Ranieri is an interesting one. I honestly thought he had won a lot more in his career as a manager but that year with Leicester is his only top league title. You can argue though that he played a very big part in building the side that went on to dominate under Mourinho.

 

[Tom Cato]

It still baffles me that we have the 18th best manager of all time and our best position in the last 5 years is 7th.



Ranieri is an interesting one. I honestly thought he had won a lot more in his career as a manager but that year with Leicester is his only top league title. You can argue though that he played a very big part in building the side that went on to dominate under Mourinho.

Van Gaal is ranked 20th. Mourinho is ranked 12th

 

[Samid]

Scanned my eyes over it 4 times and didn't see Joe Fagan. But I saw Houllier and Hodgson.

Wouldn't expect a deluded fanbase like the dippers to understand this but there is actually a footballing world beyond Liverpool. Hodgson has had a far bigger impact on football management in his 45 years as a manager than some bloke who was a reserve team coach all his life apart from two years as an actual manager.

 

[SilentWitness]

Van Gaal is ranked 20th. Mourinho is ranked 12th

I support Everton.

 

[do.ob]

I think Klopp should be higher on that list. He has a positive head 2 head score against Wenger, Mourinho and Pep and Heynckes, he's made three CL finals without coaching one of the super teams and his last two PL seasons have been as dominant as anyone's. I think Wenger especially is waaay too high.

 

[Dumbstar]

Wouldn't expect a deluded fanbase like the dippers to understand this but there is actually a footballing world beyond Liverpool. Hodgson has had a far bigger impact on football management in his 45 years as a manager than some bloke who was a reserve team coach all his life apart from two years as an actual manager.

Serious question, do you even actually know who Joe Fagan is?

 

[KirkDuyt]

Frank Rijkaard is way too high. He's the one to give Messi his debut, big fecking deal. Imagine not giving 16 year old Messi a chance. Before and after Barca he did feck all.

Id swap him for Dick Advocaat.

 

[Samid]

Serious question, do you even actually know who Joe Fagan is?

Serious question, do you even actually know about Hodgson's achievements outside of Liverpool?

 

[Tel074]

I think Klopp should be higher on that list. He has a positive head 2 head score against Wenger, Mourinho and Pep and Heynckes, he's made three CL finals without coaching one of the super teams and his last two PL seasons have been as dominant as anyone's.

I hate Liverpool as much as the next man but I would argue they are a "super team" . United and Pool are by far the 2 biggest clubs in England . Klopp might well be higher on that list in a few years time.

 

[do.ob]

I hate Liverpool as much as the next man but I would argue they are a "super team" . United and Pool are by far the 2 biggest clubs in England . Klopp might well be higher on that list in a few years time.

They certainly weren't anything of the kind (in terms of their squad) when he took over.

 

[11101]

I dont see how they can exclude Allegri and Conte with their multiple big titles and trophies, but let the God awful Roy Hodgson sneak in.

 

[paulscholes18]

Conte didn’t miss out he’s 93.
Simeone and Paisley seem a bit on the low side too me, but then I don’t know enough about some of the managers a head of them

 

[padzilla]

I think it's inevitable Klopp will rank higher in years to come.

 

[Sandikan]

I think Klopp should be higher on that list. He has a positive head 2 head score against Wenger, Mourinho and Pep and Heynckes, he's made three CL finals without coaching one of the super teams and his last two PL seasons have been as dominant as anyone's. I think Wenger especially is waaay too high.

You remind me of a mid 20s pal of mine who insists him supporting Liverpool (from 200miles away and having never seen a game live) isn't "glory hunting" because they hadn't won the league in his life time til now. But he just happened to support the most successful English team.

Liverpool aren't some little minnow.

Wenger needs to be remembered for the way he swept in and had revolutionary ideas that helped change our game. His talent spotting early to mid career was incredible.
He was massively hamstrung by the stadium move and the lack of funds, but shouldn't have his rep ruined too much by that.

Mourinho looks to have been punished for his United and latter end Chelsea meltdowns too.
Before that he'd surely have been well in the top 10.

 

[JPRouve]

Among French managers I don't see how Wenger ends up above Batteux.

 

[rotherham_red]

Cruyff shouldn't be in the top 3. As awesome a collection of players he had at Barca at the time, one European Cup was a damp squib of a return.

Stein should be a lot higher than 30th as well. 67 alone was bigger an achievement than anything the vast majority of those above him ever did.

 

[Sandikan]

Scanned my eyes over it 4 times and didn't see Joe Fagan. But I saw Houllier and Hodgson.

He picked up an already superb team and only managed for 2 years.

Obviously as Moyes showed it's not a given to achieve, but that's the reason.

 

[Lay]

Pep seems high at 5.

 

[Samid]

Pep seems high at 5.

Judging by his weird antics in interviews he seems high all the time.

 

[tenpoless]

Klopp isn't even as good as Wenger. It's true by the way.
No Brendan??

 

[RooneyLegend]

I've got Sir Matt and Michel's battling it out for first spot with Sir Alex in 3rd.

 

[marukomu]

Frank Rijkaard is way too high. He's the one to give Messi his debut, big fecking deal. Imagine not giving 16 year old Messi a chance. Before and after Barca he did feck all.

Id swap him for Dick Advocaat.

That's Dutch spunk, isn't it?

 

[Dumbstar]

He picked up an already superb team and only managed for 2 years.

Obviously as Moyes showed it's not a given to achieve, but that's the reason.

That's crazy, he spent decades of his life coaching and being assistant manager during that legendary phase. I know it's not an assistant manager poll but seems the criteria used has its flaws as any criteria would. He also won an unprecedented treble as manager, just not involving the FA cup. Obviously counts for very little.

 

[Dumbstar]

Frank Rijkaard is way too high. He's the one to give Messi his debut, big fecking deal. Imagine not giving 16 year old Messi a chance. Before and after Barca he did feck all.

Id swap him for Dick Advocaat.

Exactly I had to rub my eyes seeing Frank's name there and so high. Surely with Hodgson's 45 years and variable successes he should be way above him.

 

[RooneyLegend]

Udo Lattek can't be that low. Where's allegri? Mou is top 10 for sure. Lippi is also probably top 10. Dodgy list at best. Capello below Wenger? This list seems to be style over substance.

 

[Sandikan]

That's crazy, he spent decades of his life coaching and being assistant manager during that legendary phase. I know it's not an assistant manager poll but seems the criteria used has its flaws as any criteria would. He also won an unprecedented treble as manager, just not involving the FA cup. Obviously counts for very little.

If it had been an overall background staff thing maybe, but unfortunately long careers will outrank one off glories.

Would you have had Avram Grant in the top 100 for instance if fate had turned out differently and he'd won the double that year of the Terry pen slip?
Would you have Roberto Di Matteo in there for winning the Euro cup?
Doubtful on both.

If Moyes had won a double or treble the year after Fergie, would he have got in?

 

[RooneyLegend]

Klopp isn't even as good as Wenger. It's true by the way.
No Brendan??

Klopp has 3 titles and a CL with 2 runners ups. Wenger only has 3 titles. Klopp has done more.

 

[JPRouve]

Frank Rijkaard is way too high. He's the one to give Messi his debut, big fecking deal. Imagine not giving 16 year old Messi a chance. Before and after Barca he did feck all.

Id swap him for Dick Advocaat.

Yeah, it's actually the first time that I see anyone suggest that he is better than Beenhakker.

 

[JPRouve]

Klopp has 3 titles and a CL with 2 runners ups. Wenger only has 3 titles. Klopp has done more.

Wenger has 4 league titles. It doesn't make him better than Klopp though.

 

[Andeva]

Nils Arne Eggen no mention?

 

[matherto]

Mourinho looks to have been punished for his United and latter end Chelsea meltdowns too.
Before that he'd surely have been well in the top 10.

Or for the fact that he works well for 1 out of 3 seasons and it ends in acrimony every time now.

Or for Madrid where he completely lost his way with players and doomed every managerial stint afterwards to ruin.

Or for the fact that his tactics haven't changed or really worked since Inter when he was at the top of his/the game. He's a 2000's manager being shown up for being completely outdated in the 2010's. Pep and Klopp for two killed his approach and robbed him of his special one title.

It always feels like Mourinho features high on people's lists for who he is rather than what he is. A mouthpiece with a reputation.

 

[njred]

How is Paisley not in the top 5-10? One of only 3 MGRS to win 3 Cups. These lists do my head in.

 

[Invictus]

Quite a few glaring absentees from the South American pool of managers...

• Lula Pérez: masterminded one of the greatest club teams of all time and introduced Pelé to first team football.
• Luis Cubilla: 17 major titles as manager, including 2 Copa Libertadores titles and an Intercontinental Cup.
• Guillermo Stábile: led Argentina to a record 6 Campeonato Sudamericano / Copa América titles.
• Toto Lorenzo: 2 Copa Libertadores titles and an Intercontinental Cup with Boca, and only manager to reach Copa Liberatores + European Cup final.
• Osvaldo Zubeldía: 3 Copa Libertadores titles with Estudiantes, and mentored Carlos Bilardo.

For the European pool you have Gusztáv Sebes, Jack Reynolds, Karl Rappan, Albert Batteux, Emerich Jenei, Hugo Meisl — some of the managers who made the cut have nothing on them.

 

[JPRouve]

Quite a few glaring absentees from the South American pool of managers...

• Lula Pérez: masterminded one of the greatest club teams of all time and introduced Pelé to first team football.
• Luis Cubilla: 17 major titles as manager, including 2 Copa Libertadores titles and an Intercontinental Cup.
• Guillermo Stábile: led Argentina to a record 6 Campeonato Sudamericano / Copa América titles.
• Toto Lorenzo: 2 Copa Libertadores titles and an Intercontinental Cup with Boca, and only manager to reach Copa Liberatores + European Cup final.
• Osvaldo Zubeldía: 3 Copa Libertadores titles with Estudiantes, and mentored Carlos Bilardo.

For the European pool you have Gusztáv Sebes, Jack Reynolds, Karl Rappan, Albert Batteux, Emerich Jenei, Hugo Meisl — some of the managers who made the cut have nothing on them.

Batteux is 42nd but the absence of Reynolds is a bit shocking.