Manager's Greatest XI

[hasanejaz88]

Was just thinking this some days earlier, we have had so many great managers in the past but it would be interesting to see which manager has had the luxury of coaching the greatest players. I'l list some managers down and who I think were some of the best players they managed, I would note that I'm counting on the ability of the players at the time they were managed by the respective coach. Therefore you can't add someone like Kaka to a team managed by Mourinho since Kaka was hardly at his best at the time he was under the coaching of Mourinho.

So, here go some XI's:

Sir Alex:

----------Schemeichel--------
Neville---Rio--Vidic---Irwin
------Scholes----Keane------
Ronaldo-------------------Giggs
--------Cantona---RVN--------

Pep:

------------------Neuer----------------
Alves--Puyol--Boateng--Alaba
--------------Busquests------------
---------Xavi-----Ineista-----------
Messi---------Aguero--------Villa

Klopp:

-------------------------Allison-----------------------------
Pizsceck---Hummels---Van Dijk---Robertson
---------------Fabinho---Gundogan----------------
----------------------Gotze-----------------------------
Salah----------Lewandowski----------------Reus

Anchelotti :

------------------------Neuer-------------------------
Cafu----------Nesta----Maldini---------Cole
----------------------Gattuso-----------------------
------------Pirlo------------Zidane-----------------
------------------------Kaka--------------------------
------------Del Piero----Shevchenko---------

Mourinho:

-------------------Cech------------------
Maicon---Terry----Lucio---Cole
-----------Makalele---Essien------
---------------Lampard---------------
Ronaldo------Milito---------Hazard


Capello :

---------------------Buffon------------------------
Cafu--------Baresi----Cannavaro-----Maldini
--------------Rijkaard----Redondo-------------
Savicevic-------------------------------Nedved
-------------Totti-----Van Basten-------------

Heynckes:

-------------------Neuer-----------------------
Lahm----Kohler----Boateng------R.Carlos
--------Schweinsteiger--Redondo-----
-------------------Matthaus----------------------
Ribery--------Lewandowski----------Robben

I'm sure there are a lot names I've missed from the XI's above and also plenty more, especially Italian managers like Lippi, Trappatonni who would have better teams.

 

[Champagne Football]

I'd have Mane over Reus in Klopp XI

 

[Maluco]

Pulis

Hennessey
Cameron
Shawcross
Huth
Brunt
Puncheon
Delap
Livermore
McClean
Kitson
Jerome

Subs

Gnabry

 

[hasanejaz88]

I'd have Mane over Reus in Klopp XI

I think Reus in the 2013-14 season was better than Mane, injuries did ruin him a bit but even then his record for Dortmund is fantastic. Mane does score more but Reus has many more assists.

 

[Champagne Football]

Pulis

Hennessey
Cameron
Shawcross
Huth
Brunt
Puncheon
Delap
Livermore
McClean
Kitson
Jerome

Subs

Gnabry

That XI would probably give any XI from the UFC a fair go

 

[Champagne Football]

Cristiano and Xabi Alonso in Ancelotti's XI for me ahead of Gattuso and Del Piero

 

[SilentStrike]

Van Gaal:

-------------------------Neuer------------------------
Lahm----F. de Boer----Rijkaard----Alaba
-------Schweinsteiger-----Seedorf----------
Figo-----------------------------------------Robben
----------Bergkamp-------Kluivert--------------

*I know Rijkaard in CB looks weird but in his old days at Ajax he played there.

Robben should be on the other side, and I rate Robben higher than Figo so should be on his natural position, but from my memory Robben always played really well from left wing for the Netherlands in his younger years, and as far as I remember Figo was pure RW. Also some of the Barcelona players that made their debut under LvG, like Xavi and Iniesta, were still young and quite unspectacular by the time he was fired.

 

[Righteous Steps]

I think Reus in the 2013-14 season was better than Mane, injuries did ruin him a bit but even then his record for Dortmund is fantastic. Mane does score more but Reus has many more assists.

Yes would agree the contentious choice is Pizscek over TAA, plus Milito over Drogba Mourinhos team, incidentally I’m sure Mourinho has done his best xi of all the teams he managed before.

 

[Righteous Steps]

Van Gaal:

-------------------------Neuer------------------------
Lahm----F. de Boer----Rijkaard----Alaba
-------Schweinsteiger-----Seedorf----------
Figo-----------------------------------------Robben
----------Bergkamp-------Kluivert--------------

*I know Rijkaard in CB looks weird but in his old days at Ajax he played there.

Robben should be on the other side, and I rate Robben higher than Figo so should be on his natural position, but from my memory Robben always played really well from left wing for the Netherlands in his younger years, and as far as I remember Figo was pure RW. Also some of the Barcelona players that made their debut under LvG, like Xavi and Iniesta, were still young and quite unspectacular by the time he was fired.

What a team!

 

[hasanejaz88]

Yes would agree the contentious choice is Pizscek over TAA, plus Milito over Drogba Mourinhos team, incidentally I’m sure Mourinho has done his best xi of all the teams he managed before.

I think Piszeck was a better all rounder RB. Many forget how good he was in the seasons when Dortmund won the BL and reached the UCL final after. He was consistently up against one of the best LWs in the world in Ribery and Ribery struggled against Dortmund.

He was great going forward as well and was solid defensively.

For Drogba, I honestly think his best season was under Anchelotti in 09-10 and didn't hit great heights under Mourinho. His best scoring season was 20 goals in 06-07. Milito in 09-10 was amazing, arguably the best striker in Europe that season.

 

[Righteous Steps]

I think Piszeck was a better all rounder RB. Many forget how good he was in the seasons when Dortmund won the BL and reached the UCL final after. He was consistently up against one of the best LWs in the world in Ribery and Ribery struggled against Dortmund.

He was great going forward as well and was solid defensively.

For Drogba, I honestly think his best season was under Anchelotti in 09-10 and didn't hit great heights under Mourinho. His best scoring season was 20 goals in 06-07. Milito in 09-10 was amazing, arguably the best striker in Europe that season.

He was good I just think if you ask Klopp he wouldn’t take Pisczek over TAA, one is a good rb and the other is arguably the most important component of his Liverpool team.

Yes I agree with you on that if im picking Drogba is based on his work after Mourinho left to be fair, saying that then I think Hazard would be ahead of Eto’o since he didn’t have his best season till Mourinho left also, and under Mourinho Hazard was the best player in the PL.

 

[Andersonson]

Cristiano and Xabi Alonso in Ancelotti's XI for me ahead of Gattuso and Del Piero

Cristiano in for Shevva. Not Del Piero.

 

[hasanejaz88]

Cristiano in for Shevva. Not Del Piero.

Have to admit I kinda forgot about Ronaldo thinking about all the Serie A stars who played with Anchelotti

Don't agree with Xabi though, I would still keep Gattuso with Pirlo there. Seedorf, Modric, Kroos and Lampard also couldn't make it into the team.

 

[Maluco]

Bobby Robson

Baia
Gerets - Blanc - Couto
Figo - Guardiola - Muhren -Stoichkov
Romário - Shearer - Ronaldo

Wouldn’t work as a formation but had to make a team for the nicest manager in football!

 

[Red Stone]

You know Pep's been blessed with immense midfielders when Silva and De Bruyne don't make the team.

 

[hasanejaz88]

He was good I just think if you ask Klopp he wouldn’t take Pisczek over TAA, one is a good rb and the other is arguably the most important component of his Liverpool team.

Yes I agree with you on that if im picking Drogba is based on his work after Mourinho left to be fair, saying that then I think Hazard would be ahead of Eto’o since he didn’t have his best season till Mourinho left also, and under Mourinho Hazard was the best player in the PL.

Ah yea Hazard over Eto'o would make sense.

For Piszeck v TAA. Both play different roles, TAA is given the license to go forward and isn't put under as much pressure defensively as another RB would because Klopp has really shores up his midfield defensively, that wasn't the case in Dortmund where he had Gotze as the CAM and would play a much more attacking style (therefore leaving his defense exposed more).

I just no Piszeck would trump TAA defensively and therefore would have him. His performances against Ribery from 2010 to 2013 were really good. And that was at a time Ribery was doing well against many other top European teams.

 

[Andersonson]

Have to admit I kinda forgot about Ronaldo thinking about all the Serie A stars who played with Anchelotti

Don't agree with Xabi though, I would still keep Gattuso with Pirlo there. Seedorf, Modric, Kroos and Lampard also couldn't make it into the team.

Its a luxury problem, for sure!

 

[harms]

Udo Lattek:

Müller - Rummenigge
Maradona
Matthäus - Breitner
Stielike
Brehme - Kohler - Beckenbauer - Vogts
Maier​

Bench: Jean-Marie Pfaff, Klaus Augenthaler, Søren Lerby, Rainer Bonhof, Jupp Heynckes, Pierre Littbarski, Allan Simonsen

 

[FrankDrebin]

Sven Goran Eriksson

-----------------------Peruzzi-------
------------Neville---Rio---Nesta--Cole
Beckham---Scholes---Gerrard---Nedved
-----------------Rooney---Salas

 

[harms]

Trapattoni is just insane though. I can continue making those:

Boniek - Batistuta
Brady - Platini
Matthäus - Tardelli
Cabrini - Kohler - Scirea - Gentile
Zoff

Baggio - Klinsmann
M. Laudrup
Conte - Pirlo - Gattuso
Brehme - Maldini - Nesta - Bergomi
Buffon


Del Piero - Vieri - Rummenigge
Rivera
Benetti - Furino
Lizarazu - Passarella - Schnellinger - Zambrotta
Kahn​

Bench: Papin, Rossi, Totti, Scifo, Rui Costa, Toldo, Peruzzi, O’Shea, Basler

 

[Andi Latte]

Yes would agree the contentious choice is Pizscek over TAA, plus Milito over Drogba Mourinhos team, incidentally I’m sure Mourinho has done his best xi of all the teams he managed before.

For Drogba, I honestly think his best season was under Anchelotti in 09-10 and didn't hit great heights under Mourinho. His best scoring season was 20 goals in 06-07. Milito in 09-10 was amazing, arguably the best striker in Europe that season.

Honestly, how you can debate Drogba over Milito when Mourinho had Ibrahimovic in 08/09 is beyond me. 25 league goals that season already, plus overall career means there shouldn't even be a discussion who Mourinho's best striker was (if you don't count Ronaldo ofc)

 

[FrankDrebin]

'Big Phil' Scolari

--------------Cech----------
Cafu---Lucio---Terry---Carlos
---------------Silva------------------
------Essien----Lampard---
--Ronaldinho---------------
---------------------------Rivaldo
--------------Ronaldo-------------

 

[harms]

Rinus Michels:

Rensenbrink - van Basten - Gullit
Cruyff
van Hanegem - Neeskens
Rijkaard
Krol - Koeman - Bonhof
Schumacher​

Cruyff's one is horribly unbalanced

Romario - van Basten
Stoichkov - Laudrup - Figo
Guardiola - Rijkaard
Sergi - Koeman - Blind
Zubizarreta​

 

[NYAS]

@hasanejaz88 Why is Villa over Sterling in Pep’s team?

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Van Gaal:

-------------------------Neuer------------------------
Lahm----F. de Boer----Rijkaard----Alaba
-------Schweinsteiger-----Seedorf----------
Figo-----------------------------------------Robben
----------Bergkamp-------Kluivert--------------

*I know Rijkaard in CB looks weird but in his old days at Ajax he played there.

Robben should be on the other side, and I rate Robben higher than Figo so should be on his natural position, but from my memory Robben always played really well from left wing for the Netherlands in his younger years, and as far as I remember Figo was pure RW. Also some of the Barcelona players that made their debut under LvG, like Xavi and Iniesta, were still young and quite unspectacular by the time he was fired.

Figo played on the left just as much as he played on the right. And if you put Robben on the left it takes away his signature move. I'd definitely switch them around.

P.S. And how didn't Jones and Young make LVD's team? ;-)

 

[FrankDrebin]

Alberto 'The Meme Manager' Malesani

---------------------Buffon----------
Thuram--Sensini--Cannavaro--Benarrivo
------------Dino Baggio---Veron-----------------
Chiesa---------Rui Costa-------Conceicao
--------------------Batistuta--------------------

 

[FrankDrebin]

Vicente del Bosque


-----------------Casillas-----------
Puyol----Hierro--Sanchez----Carlos
-----------------Makelele-----------------
-------Xavi---------------------------------
Figo----------Zidane-------Iniesta
----------------Ronaldo------------

 

[SilentStrike]

Udo Lattek:

Müller - Rummenigge
Maradona
Matthäus - Breitner
Stielike
Brehme - Kohler - Beckenbauer - Vogts
Maier​

Bench: Jean-Marie Pfaff, Klaus Augenthaler, Søren Lerby, Rainer Bonhof, Jupp Heynckes, Pierre Littbarski, Allan Simonsen

Wow! Can this be beaten?

An actual truly balanced team of absolute worldbeaters.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Someone do Harry Redknapp.

 

[Righteous Steps]

Honestly, how you can debate Drogba over Milito when Mourinho had Ibrahimovic in 08/09 is beyond me. 25 league goals that season already, plus overall career means there shouldn't even be a discussion who Mourinho's best striker was (if you don't count Ronaldo ofc)

I forgot about him but you’re right

 

[Righteous Steps]

Someone do Harry Redknapp.

James
Lauren—-Sol Campbell—Ferdinand-Pearce

Carrick
Lampard. Diarra
Cole

Kanu. Di Canio

 

[hasanejaz88]

@hasanejaz88 Why is Villa over Sterling in Pep’s team?

I was debating the two but I guess 1) a romantic memory of Barca 10-11 took over, when Villa was great and 2) anti-City bias

But definitely for the left these were the two players I was considering. Sterling can be there easily rather than Villa.

 

[Stobzilla]

Someone do Harry Redknapp.

GK: Shaka Hislop

RB: Lauren
CB: Rio Ferdinand
CB: Sol Campbell
LB: Stuart Pearce

CM: Michael Carrick
CM: Frank Lampard

RW: Robert Prosinecki
AM: Joe Cole
LW: Gareth Bale

CF: Paolo Di Canio

 

[Maluco]

Someone do Harry Redknapp.

It’s actually really good!

James
Walker - Rio - Campbell - Pearce
King
Lampard - Modric
VDV
di Canio Bale

Subs

Defoe
Crouchy
Krancjar
Merson
Wright
Shilton (40 +)
Johnson

 

[Blackwidow]

Van Gaal:

-------------------------Neuer------------------------
Lahm----F. de Boer----Rijkaard----Alaba
-------Schweinsteiger-----Seedorf----------
Figo-----------------------------------------Robben
----------Bergkamp-------Kluivert--------------

*I know Rijkaard in CB looks weird but in his old days at Ajax he played there.

Robben should be on the other side, and I rate Robben higher than Figo so should be on his natural position, but from my memory Robben always played really well from left wing for the Netherlands in his younger years, and as far as I remember Figo was pure RW. Also some of the Barcelona players that made their debut under LvG, like Xavi and Iniesta, were still young and quite unspectacular by the time he was fired.

No van Gaal eleven without shadow striker - Litmanen or Müller
Neuer never played under van Gaal - not wanting Neuer even was a big topic before his sacking.
What about Xavi, Iniesta...

And the Heynckes 11 without Matthäus? - Matthäus played 232 matches with coach Heynckes!
I would not put Robben in Heynckes team. Jupp had a deep connection with Ribery but less to Robben - it was the opposite before with van Gaal!
When it is about strikers... You can question who is better, but I guess the relationship between Heynckes and Mandzu was a lot more intensive than it was to Lewy!

Lattek...
The strikerpartnership should be Gerd Müller with Hoeneß (in the 70s Uli, in the 80s Dieter!)
Breitner played fullback with him.

 

[hasanejaz88]

Udo Lattek:

Müller - Rummenigge
Maradona
Matthäus - Breitner
Stielike
Brehme - Kohler - Beckenbauer - Vogts
Maier​

Bench: Jean-Marie Pfaff, Klaus Augenthaler, Søren Lerby, Rainer Bonhof, Jupp Heynckes, Pierre Littbarski, Allan Simonsen

This certainly seems one of the strongest given thus far. Some of the greatest players in their positions all throughout the pitch. Although I'm not sure when Lattek manages Kohler, I think Kohler arrived at Bayern after Lattek left. Although as you mentioned you cab easily have Augenthaler in his position or even Schwazenbeck.

Honestly, how you can debate Drogba over Milito when Mourinho had Ibrahimovic in 08/09 is beyond me. 25 league goals that season already, plus overall career means there shouldn't even be a discussion who Mourinho's best striker was (if you don't count Ronaldo ofc)

I'm don't think it's a sure shot that Ibra is better. Milito scored more than Ibra in 08-09 and Milito had more success with important goals in a treble winning campaign. Again I'm not looking careers but rather their performances under those respective managers.

No van Gaal eleven without shadow striker - Litmanen or Müller
Neuer never played under van Gaal - not wanting Neuer even was a big topic before his sacking.
What about Xavi, Iniesta...

And the Heynckes 11 without Matthäus? - Matthäus played 232 matches with coach Heynckes!
I would not put Robben in Heynckes team. Jupp had a deep connection with Ribery but less to Robben - it was the opposite before with van Gaal!
When it is about strikers... You can question who is better, but I guess the relationship between Heynckes and Mandzu was a lot more intensive than it was to Lewy!

Lattek...
The strikerpartnership should be Müller with Hoeneß (in the 70s Uli, in the 80s Dieter!)

Can't believe I forgot Matthaus

Regarding Mandzukic/Lewa/Gomez. I agree that Lewandowski is a bit controversial given Heynkes was only managing him for just over half a season, but Lewa did do well under him in goalscoring terms and therefore added him (he also looks a bit better to have on an XI than Mandzukic ).

It was a toss up between Muller and Robben for the right sided role but Robben was great in that end of the 12-13 season so I couldn't take him out.

 

[FrankDrebin]

James
Lauren—-Sol Campbell—Ferdinand-Pearce

Carrick
Lampard. Diarra
Cole

Kanu. Di Canio

GK: Shaka Hislop

RB: Lauren
CB: Rio Ferdinand
CB: Sol Campbell
LB: Stuart Pearce

CM: Michael Carrick
CM: Frank Lampard

RW: Robert Prosinecki
AM: Joe Cole
LW: Gareth Bale

CF: Paolo Di Canio

It’s actually really good!

James
Walker - Rio - Campbell - Pearce
King
Lampard - Modric
VDV
di Canio Bale

Subs

Defoe
Crouchy
Krancjar
Merson
Wright
Shilton (40 +)
Johnson

Cheers,guys.
I knew Harry worked with some good players in his time.

 

[Pink Moon]

I was debating the two but I guess 1) a romantic memory of Barca 10-11 took over, when Villa was great and 2) anti-City bias

But definitely for the left these were the two players I was considering. Sterling can be there easily rather than Villa.

3) Villa was better than Sterling.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Trapattoni is just insane though. I can continue making those:

Boniek - Batistuta
Platini
Matthäus - Tardelli
Cabrini - Kohler - Scirea - Gentile
Zoff

Baggio - Klinsmann
M. Laudrup
Pirlo - Gattuso
Brehme - Maldini - Nesta - Bergomi
Buffon


Del Piero - Rummenigge
Rivera
Benetti - Furino
Lizarazu - Passarella - Schnellinger - Zambrotta
Kahn​

Bench: Papin, Rossi, Totti, Scifo, Viero, Rui Costa, Brady, Toldo, Peruzzi, O’Shea, Basler

That's an incredible selection of players he's managed. An unorthodox decision by you to only include 10 players in each team though

 

[Pink Moon]

You could make a brilliant team from Zagallo's players given he managed Brazil in 1970 and also 1998. Pele, Ronaldo, Romario, Rivaldo, Jairzinho, Cafu, Carlos Alberto, Roberto Carlos, Dunga, Rivellino, Aldair, Tostao, Gerson... insane.