Master Tacticians: World Soccer Top 8 Coaches of the Last Decade

Kiran WhiteDec 10, 2010

When we look at a football game, we always pay attention to that striker who scored that spectacular goal or the goalkeeper that made a daring save and we sing their names in glory.

Praise is never given to the one who stands in the background inspiring players, implementing tactics on the field and just generally making the decisions that no one else wants to make.

Some may call them "The Gaffer", "The Boss", or "The Chief", but we universally know them as the coach.

This slide show is a dedication to the greatest coaches over the last decade. It will outline eight of the best football coaches, who have tirelessly trained and yelled at their teams, pushing them to the limits to become champions and in some cases, living football legends. In the end, choosing the winner was a hard task. If this exercise proved anything, it is that the world is filled with superb tacticians.

8. Frank Rijkaard

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - APRIL 06: Coach Frank Rijkaard gestures to his players during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Getafe at the Camp Nou Stadium on April 6, 2008 in Barcelona, Spain. The match ended in a 0-0 draw. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Im

Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a former Barcelona and Galatasaray coach. He brought Barca's second Champions League Trophy in 2006. Responsible for leading Blaugrana's out of their darker days, he lead them to La Liga glory in 2004–05 and 2005–06.

Along the way, he picked up many coaching awards, including IFFHS World's Best Club Coach: 2006.

The tactics used during his tenure as manager of Barcelona best exemplify Frank's commitment to playing stylish attacking football. He had a quick temper in his playing days but is now a portrait of calm and stability in training and along the touchline.

7. Carlo Ancelotti

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MOSCOW - OCTOBER 19: Chelsea Manager Carlo Ancelotti gestures during the UEFA Champions League Group F match between Spartak Moscow and Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium on October 19, 2010 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Carlo Ancelotti was appointed manager of the Rosseneri in 2001. He had spells with Juventus and Parma before and only won his first Scudetto in 2004.

Alex Ferguson's Manchester United trampled over Ancelotti's Juventus en route to Champions League success in 1999, but the Italian now holds two European Cup medals from his time at AC Milan. He took the Champions League Crown in 2003 and 2007 and the Coppa Italia in 2003.

He is one of six men to have won the European Cup as player and manager, the other being Pep Guardiola. In May 2009 he was appointed Chelsea manager and in his first season, he led them to a historic Premier League and FA Cup Double. He became only the second non-British manager to win the double, the other being Arsène Wenger.

6. Arsène Wenger

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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Arsene Wenger manager of Arsenal looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League Group H match between Arsenal and FK Partizan Belgrade at the Emirates Stadium on December 8, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/

Arsène Wenger is the most successful manager in the history of Arsenal in terms of trophies and is also the club's longest serving manager.

A champion of style and sporting beauty, Wenger was the first non-British manager to win the Double in England, having done so in 1998 and 2002. In 2004, he became the only manager in FA Premier League history to go through the entire season without defeat (this team was called "The Invincibles").

Widely regarded as one of the world's best managers after the success he has enjoyed at AS Monaco and Arsenal, he is still in the hunt for that first Champions League Gold, which he so nearly clinched in 2006. Arsenal was defeated by Barcelona in the finals 2-1.

5. Marcello Lippi

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 24: Marcello Lippi head coach of Italy looks on dejected as Italy are knocked out of the competition, during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24,

Marcello Lippi, known as "The Tuscan Tactician", has won five Serie A titles, four Italian Supercups, one Champions League, one UEFA Supercup, one Intercontinental Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He was named the world's best football manager by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics both in 1996 and 1998, and world's best National coach in 2006. He has been the first coach in the world to have ever won the most prestigious international competitions both for clubs and for National teams, a record now shared by his Spanish compatriot Vicente Del Bosque.

4.Vicente Del Bosque

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 11: Vicente del Bosque head coach of Spain directs his players during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Final match between Netherlands and Spain at Soccer City Stadium on July 11, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Vicente del Bosque González, currently the manager of the Spanish national football team, took over after their Euro 2008 success.

He is known for coaching Real Madrid from 1999 to 2003, a very successful period in the club's modern history. Winning two UEFA Champions League trophies in 1999-2000 and 2001-2002, Madrid showed their gratitude for two European Cups by sacking him. He got the last laugh by winning Spain's first World Cup, his greatest achievement yet. With his wins, he follows Marcello Lippi in being an UEFA Champions League and World Cup winning coach.

3. Pep Guardiola

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BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 20: Head coach Josep Guardiola of Barcelona reacts during the UEFA Champions League group D match between Barcelona and FC Copenhagen at the Camp nou stadium on October 20, 2010 in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona won the match 2-0.

Josep "Pep" Guardiola i Sala is the youngest coach in the lot at the age of 39. The majority of his playing career was with FC Barcelona, whom he currently manages. He was part of Johan Cruyff's dream team that won Barcelona's first European Cup.

He succeeded Rijkaard as the first team manager and did the impossible: he won the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the 2009 Champions League and in doing so became the youngest UEFA Champions League winning manager ever.

The following season, Guardiola and Barcelona won the Supercopa de España, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup, bringing the manager's tally to the maximum of six trophies in six competitions in one year, thus completing the first ever sextuple. If Pep continues his winning ways, he could probably go down as one of the greatest of all time.

2. José Mourinho

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MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 07: Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho watches his side play Atletico Madrid in the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on November 7, 2010 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Get

José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho, self proclaimed the "Special One", is as arrogant as he is talented. He was named the world's best football manager by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics for both the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons.

He won the league in three different countries and the Champions League twice, most recently with Inter Milan in the 2009-10 season. At Inter he helped the club win a rare treble. He is now head coach of Real Madrid, hunting for his third European Championship.

Regarded as the best coach in world football today, this truly exceptional tactician arguably deserves to be in the number one position. All he has to do is prove that he loves the beautiful game half as much as he enjoys advancing his own career.

Fact: Mourihno has not lost a home game in any domestic league since 2002.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Sir Alex Ferguson manager of Manchester United waves to the crowd as he walks to the bench prior to the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Manchester United and Bursaspor Kulubu at Old Trafford on October 20, 2

Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, or Sir Alex as he is affectionately known, took over the reigns at Manchester United in 1986.

Considered to be one of the greatest tacticians ever, his CV is one of the most impressive in world football today. Winner of two Champions League trophies, the last one coming in 2008, and reaching another final a year later, Sir Alex has turned United into a well oiled winning machine.

During his tenure, the Red Devils have won the English League on numerous occasions, equaling Liverpool's record of 18 trophies in the competition. Fergie, now 68, has been involved in numerous controversial incidents during his United career, but this has not affected his winning ways and he probably won't be retiring anytime soon.