This whole thread is ridiculous simply because managers are good at different things - and are a better fit at one club rather than another.
Simply being Zinedine Zidane doesn't make him a good manager - but it makes it a hell of a lot easier to attract superstars, which certainly counts for something. It was the same with Bryan Robson, he was so well respected that he could attract fairly big names to Boro, he just wasn't a good manager.
In the Premier League, that is perhaps Guardiolas biggest advantage. He is loved and respected by everyone (apart from Zlatan) - and he can attract a lot of stars simply by being Guardiola. Something maybe Lampard and Ole can't.
But OGS and Lampard have been playing at the highest level under the best managers (Guardiola of course as well) - and probably have learned a lot both from listening to these managers, and from knowing what works when you are a player. Something a lot of other managers can't - because they havent played at the highest level.
Klopp is tactically very smart, and has signed a lot of good players. But would he be equally good at Burnley where he couldn't get the players good enough to work in his system ? Who knows ? Same with Guardiola - if he took charge of Stoke in the Rory Delap-age, and tried to make them play like Barcelona, would that have worked ? Or would he adapt his style to what he had available (and succeed?) Or - would he even bother to try ? Who knows.
Some manager are exceptionally good at lifting the spirit - Sam Allardyce comes to mind. Maybe not a tactical genious but always seemed to improve the teams he took over. Some managers have done something special in the past (like Mourinho) but have failed in a couple of jobs afterwards. Have they lost it as managers, or have they simply been unlucky with their latest managerial jobs ?
And a lot of people claim Scott Parker is a poor manager - one of the worst in the P.L - and Marcelo Bielsa is one of the best. Scott Parker took over a horrible Fulham-side with 17 points in 26 matches as they crashed out of the P.L - and got them promoted the season after, only 12 points behind Leeds. I am of course not saying he is a better manager than Bielsa, but to take that horrible team back into the P.L indicates that Parker does have some quality.
Or how about Wilder and Dean Smith. One was brilliant last year, the other lucky. And a few months later - the roles have been completely reversed. If the Blades get relegated, was Wilder a genious for taking them so high, or incompetent for getting them relegated ? And vice versa for Smith if Villa finishes 7-8-9 in the table.
Then you have some managers who are exceptionally good at avoiding relegation - they know exactly what is required to keep a poor side up. Or to turn it around, managers who are good at getting teams promoted, but maybe lack that little bit extra to do well at the highest level.
It's impossible!
