English Premier League Preview: Ranking the EPL Managers for 2012-13

Managers can be just as important to the success of a club as a star striker who scores 30 goals a season.

But unlike superstar strikers, managers don't always receive the attention and respect they deserve.

Today, that changes.

Here's a ranking of all 20 English Premier League managers ahead of the 2012-13 season.

Like the list? Hate it? Think we've lost it?

Tell us all about it in the comments section.

Now, onto the rankings.

20. Steve Clarke

Age: 48

Club: West Bromwich Albion

Previously managed: None

Major honors: None

First-year West Brom manager Steve Clarke has no previous experience as a full-time manager.

He has, however, served as an assistant under some pretty impressive names at Newcastle (Ruud Gullit), Chelsea (Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant), Liverpool (Kenny Dalglish) and West Ham (Gianfranco Zola).

But since he's never managed full time on his own before, Clarke must start at the bottom. Hey, even Jose Mourinho had to start somewhere.

19. Nigel Adkins

Age: 47

Club: Southampton

Previously managed: Bangor City, Scunthorpe United

Major honors: None (Does the League of Wales count? Adkins guided Bangor City to the title in 1993-94 and 1994-95. He also won League One with Scunthorpe in 2006-07.)

While Jose Mourinho is fresh on our minds, now is a good time to mention Adkins' connection to the Real Madrid manager.

No, it's not what you think.

18. Brian McDermott

Age: 51

Club: Reading

Previously managed: Slough Town, Woking

Major honors: None (won Championship with Reading in 2011-12)

This was a hard decision, but Brian McDermott had to go here.

McDermott is a solid manager, at least outside England's top flight. The job he did last season with Reading was superb (he was named Championship manager of the year), and his resume includes a couple thrilling FA Cup runs.

But this is the Premiership, and McDermott has no experience in the top flight.

Anyone reckon both he and the Royals will climb the table a bit this season?

17. Chris Hughton

Age: 53

Club: Norwich City

Previously managed: Newcastle United, Birmingham City

Major honors: None (won Championship with Newcastle United in 2009-10)

Chris Hughton guided Newcastle back to the Premiership after their most recent relegation, and he took Birmingham to the Championship playoffs.

But his experience in the top flight is limited.

At Norwich, Hughton will have a tough act to follow in Paul Lambert.

16. Sam Allardyce

Age: 57

Club: West Ham United

Previously managed: Limerick, Preston North End (caretaker), Blackpool, Notts County, Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Blackburn Rovers

Major honors: None (won League of Ireland First Division with Limerick in 1991-92; won Third Division with Notts County in 1997-98; won First Division playoffs with Bolton in 2001; won Championship playoffs with West Ham in 2012)

Sam Allardyce had a hand in Notts County's 1996-97 relegation team, and he was sacked by Blackburn in 2010. But he has built a reputation for managing tough, no-nonsense teams that employ decidedly less-than-pretty tactics.

Not that he cares about the criticism. Expect Big Sam to keep on doing what he does—that is, manage a hard-as-nails team to a lower-half finish—again this season.

15. Michael Laudrup

Age: 48

Club: Swansea City

Previously managed: Brøndby, Getafe, Spartak Moscow, Mallorca

Major honors: One league title (2004-05 with Brøndby), two domestic cups (2002-03, 2004-05 with Brøndby)

Michael Laudrup would be higher on this list—potentially much higher—if only he had any managerial experience in England. Laudrup was a great player, and he could become a great manager as well.

Make no mistake. Laudrup is already an experienced manager who has gleaned ideas and philosophies from locations far and wide. And that could fit in well with Swansea City, a team that played beautiful football at times last season.

First, though, Laudrup must show he can manage a team through the physical demands of the Premier League.

14. Tony Pulis

Age: 54

Club: Stoke City

Previously managed: Bournemouth, Gillingham, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Stoke City (2002-05), Plymouth Argyle

Major honors: None

Tony Pulis and his ever-present baseball cap have turned Stoke City into Premiership stalwarts. That deserves credit.

Stoke's style under Pulis, however, won't win many beauty contests.

No matter, though, as long as the Potters remain in the top flight.

13. Mark Hughes

Age: 48

Club: Queens Park Rangers

Previously managed: Wales, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham

Major honors: None

Mark Hughes led Manchester City before the Roberto Mancini revolution. Then he guided Fulham to eighth place in 2010-11.

Last season, Hughes and QPR barely escaped relegation. Not long afterward, he vowed it wouldn't happen again.

For the sake of his job security, he had better hope he can deliver on that promise.

12. Roberto Martinez

Age: 39

Club: Wigan Athletic

Previously managed: Swansea City

Major honors: None (won League One with Swansea City in 2007-08)

Roberto Martinez keeps producing magical escape acts with Wigan. His greatest trick, however, might be landing a bigger job in the future.

It will be interesting to see how Martinez's career progresses.

11. Paul Lambert

Age: 43

Club: Aston Villa

Previously managed: Livingston, Wycombe Wanderers, Colchester United, Norwich City

Major honors: None (won League One title with Norwich City in 2009-10)

Paul Lambert hasn't won any major titles as a manager, but he's seen as an up-and-coming star after leading Norwich City to back-to-back promotions in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Now with Aston Villa, he faces his biggest, most high-profile assignment yet. Will he deliver again?

10. Brendan Rodgers

Age: 39

Club: Liverpool

Previously managed: Watford, Reading, Swansea City

Major honors: None (won 2010-11 Championship playoff final with Swansea)

Last season, Brendan Rodgers molded newly promoted Swansea City into a solid Premiership club that played attractive football.

That earned him a dream job with Liverpool, where he'll be expected to do even greater things.

9. Alan Pardew

Age: 51

Club: Newcastle United

Previously managed: Reading, West Ham United, Charlton Athletic, Southampton

Major honors: None (won Championship playoff with West Ham in 2005; won Football League Trophy with Southampton in 2010)

Let's get this out of the way first: Alan Pardew guided Charlton to relegation in 2006-07. In fairness, though, he took over midseason and had a gargantuan task set out for him.

More recently, Pardew's calling card is Newcastle's performance during the 2011-12 season. Only a few years removed from relegation, the Magpies contended for a Champions League spot all season and finally qualified for the Europa League.

For his work, Pardew was named manager of the year.

8. Martin Jol

Age: 56

Club: Fulham

Previously managed: Roda JC, RKC Waalwijk, Tottenham Hotspur, Hamburger SV, Ajax

Major honors: Two domestic cups (both in Holland—1996-97 with Roda JC; 2009-10 with Ajax)

Martin Jol is one of England's most underrated managers. Before being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur, he transformed the North London club from also-rans into contenders for European spots.

Now with Fulham, he's pulling off a similar transformation—though in fairness, Fulham had to start from much farther back in the pack.

7. Andre Villas-Boas

Age: 34

Club: Tottenham Hotspur

Previously managed: Academica, Porto, Chelsea

Major honors: One league title (2010-11 with Porto), one domestic cup (2010-11 with Porto), one UEFA Europa League title (2010-11 with Porto)

Andre Villas-Boas has built a sparkling resume on the back of one outstanding season with Porto. Fair enough. Not many managers can win a treble—including a major European trophy—at any club.

But the longer he goes without silverware, the more AVB will be viewed as a one-hit wonder.

6. Roberto Di Matteo

Age: 42

Club: Chelsea

Previously managed: Milton Keynes Dons, West Bromwich Albion

Major honors: One domestic cup (2011-12 with Chelsea), one Champions League title (2011-12 with Chelsea)

Speaking of potential one-hit wonders, Roberto Di Matteo finds himself in a strange position.

Last season, RDM guided Chelsea to unlikely triumphs in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League after the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas.

This season, he has the full-time job. But does anyone really think he has job security?

5. David Moyes

Age: 49

Club: Everton

Previously managed: Preston North End

Major honors: None

David Moyes has never won a major trophy, but that hardly begins to tell his story.

Ten years into his reign at Everton, Moyes has turned the Toffees into perennial top-half finishers despite working with a budget that makes Arsene Wenger look like Sheikh Mansour.

Moyes guided Everton to the FA Cup final in 2009, and before his current gig, he helped Preston achieve promotion from Division Two to Division One.

Moyes might not be the most glamorous manager in the league. But he is consistent—and consistently underrated.

4. Martin O'Neill

Age: 60

Club: Sunderland

Previously managed: Grantham Town, Shepshed Charterhouse, Wycombe Wanderers, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic, Aston Villa, Sunderland

Major honors: Three league titles (all in Scotland—2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04 with Celtic), three domestic cups (all in Scotland—2000-01, 2003-04, 2004-05)

The above honor roll doesn't include a Scottish League Cup with Celtic and two English League Cups with Leicester City. Nor could it mention the success Aston Villa enjoyed under O'Neill (three straight top-six finishes from 2008-10, compared to 16th last season).

O'Neill ranks among the Premier League's most experienced managers. He's also one of its best.

3. Roberto Mancini

Age: 47

Club: Manchester City

Previously managed: Fiorentina, Lazio, Inter Milan

Major honors: Four league titles (three in Italy—2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 with Inter Milan; one in England—2011-12 with Manchester City), five domestic cups (three in Italy—2000-01 with Fiorentina, 2003-04 with Lazio, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 with Inter Milan)

Roberto Mancini has won everywhere he's been. He's won so much, in fact, that it was hard to rank him only third in this list.

With a few more years of access to Sheikh Mansour's money, Mancini could climb another notch here.

2. Arsene Wenger

Age: 62

Club: Arsenal

Previously managed: Nancy, Monaco, Nagoya Grampus Eight

Major honors: Four league titles (one in France: 1987-88 with Monaco; three in England: 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04 with Arsenal), six domestic cups (one in France—1990-91 with Monaco; one in Japan—1995 with Nagoya Grampus Eight; four in England—1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05 with Arsenal)

Arsene Wenger revolutionized English football, and even though his and Arsenal's trophy drought now stretches the better part of a decade, he's still a legend.

Only one current manager surpasses Wenger in England...

1. Sir Alex Ferguson

Age: 70

Club: Manchester United

Previously managed: East Stirlingshire, St. Mirren, Aberdeen

Major honors: 15 league titles (three in Scotland—1979-80, 1983-84, 1984-85 with Aberdeen; 12 in England—1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11 with Manchester United)

Nine domestic cups (four in Scotland—1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85 with Aberdeen; five in England—1989-90, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1998-99, 2003-04 with Manchester United)

Two Champions League titles (1998-99, 2007-08 with Manchester United)

And that doesn't even include a lower-league title he won with St. Mirren in the 1970s.

Seriously, who else would be No. 1 in this list? Enough said.

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