Football, the beautiful game, is not at all about a few skilful players but strategy and team effort. This is where a manager’s calibre comes into the equation as he is responsible for devising the strategies for matches and forging a formidable unit. So, it does not matter whether a team has supremely gifted footballers for if a manager is not able to get the best out of the talents at his disposal then all the skills would count for nothing. Over the years, we have witnessed several managers like Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho etc leaving legacies of their own to the game. Hence, today we will focus on some highly successful managers in recent times.
Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool/2015– Present)
The German is undoubtedly one of the best managers in the present times. His achievements with Liverpool would attest to the same as well. After struggling for several years to earn a berth in the UEFA Champions League, Liverpool finally made an entry into the same when Klopp took over the managerial reins in 2015. Later on, the club emerged as the winner of the UEFA CL in 2018-19 and UEFA Super Cup 2019. Also, the club came within striking distance of grabbing a historic quadruple in the 2020-21 season but it was denied the historic feat by the Manchester City on the basis of a single point. Hence, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that the Merseysiders have become a force to reckon with in Europe under his tenure.
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City/2016—Present)
The Spaniard happens to be another high-profile manager in the Premier League currently. Guardiola has also won successive league games in La Liga, Bundesliga and the Premier League. The Man City is known to play a unique brand of football these days and credit for the same should be attributed to the Spaniard. Under him, the City won four Premier League titles in the last five seasons, and in the previous season, the club reached the semifinals as well. Looking at the new signings this season it won’t be a surprise if the City springs another surprise going forward.
Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid/ 2021—Present)
After coaching several top-notch clubs like PSG, Juventus, Chelsea, Real Madrid etc, the Italian rejoined the Reals in 2021. In his present stint, Ancelotti has guided the team through a critical time without compromising on its performance. As a manager, he helped the Reals pocket La Liga and Champions League titles in the 2021-22 season. He has not only extracted the best out of the present ageing gang but also brought in some fresh legs through new signings to sustain the winning momentum of the club. His uncanny ability to script success stories without tampering with the principal characters makes him stand out from the rest at present.
Antonio Conte (Tottenham Hotspur/ 2021—Present)
The Spurs were going through some testing times and finding it tough to make most of the talents at their disposal before the Italian took over as the club’s manager. After joining the TH, he was able to give a sense of purpose and direction to the club, which was merely going through the motion previously. When he took over the affairs of the TH in 2021, they were struggling to stay afloat in the League but Conte’s dynamism and proactivity played a huge part in their Champion’s League qualification, which looked impossible at the outset. Things look promising for the Spurs next season as well, looking at some of the new signings managed by Conte. So, with Italian at the helm, the Spurs’ fans can expect some good outcomes in the long run.
