Ranking the 10 Best Managers During the 2010-11 Season (so Far)
During the 2010-11 season, managers have had a difficult time, living under the whims of increasingly mercurial owners who possess minimal(if any) knowledge of the game. Naturally, there are some exceptions to this (John W Henry at Liverpool, for example is trying to gain insight into the football game). However, the majority of owners quickly reshuffle their pack after a bad run of results, displaying their qualities of impatience and yielding to the baying crowd of the tabloid presses.
However, what makes a good manager? Is it charisma? Motivation? Tactical Nous and Flexibility?Instilling of team spirit and Camaraderie?.In fact, it is all of these.
This list is a compilation of the managers who have been the most successful during the 2010-11 season.
10: Jose Mourinho (Real Madrid)
1 of 10
The Real Madrid gaffer is on this list for one sole reason: The Copa Del Rey Final.
That and the fact that he reached the semifinal of the Champions League (but that is expected from a team of Madrid's Caliber and that of their opponents).
The Copa Del Rey final was a tactical masterpiece. He managed to subdue Barcelona despite their periods of dominance. He also showed counter-attacking mastery of Madrid, with Di Maria and Marcelo.
9: Andre Villas Boas (Porto)
2 of 10
The Next Mourinho- as he has been dubbed, is Porto manager.
His selling point, and the cause of his media appeal, is that he has set four records at Porto:
- Most matches unbeaten (36)
- Most wins in Europe over one season(Portuguese clubs only)
- Highest Consecutive Wins in Portuguese league season.
- Biggest Margin of title victory (21)
He is notable in the fact that he has little footballing experience. Porto have also reached the Europa League final to face Braga after overturning a 2-1 defeat away to Villarreal(7-4 on aggregate).
8: Roy Hodgson (Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion)
3 of 10
Uncle Woy would have been further up this list had it not been for his unfortunate stint as Liverpool boss.
He managed to guide Liverpool to the relegation places and he left them when they were at an unsatisfactory ninth. He played defensive, counterattacking football and even managed to insult the famous Kop. After doing that, he was sacked and replaced by Kop idol Kenny Dalglish.
However, the reason why he is on this list at all is his subsequent tenure at West Bromwich Albion. He has remained unbeaten at West Bromwich Albion this season, save a 1-3 loss to Chelsea, after being a goal up.
Until then he has defeated Liverpool (2-1), Birmingham City(3-1), Aston Villa(2-1) and Sunderland (2-3) as well drawing with Tottenham Hotspur (2-2)
7: Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool)
4 of 10
The Messiah returns. Kop idol Kenny Dalglish proves to have the Magic Touch yet again. Guiding a team, who was ninth, low on morale, leaders and goalscoring finesse, into fifth, after selling their star striker, has to be an achievement of grandiose proportions.
He has had to cope with many things after returning to Liverpool, not least of which were, the departure of Torres, Gerrard's injuries, under performing players, and the arrivals of Suarez and Carroll. He took everything in his stride, making the absence of the teams previously perceived backbone null and void.
He transformed Liverpool back into the force that they were perceived to have been at the beginning of the season. He is playing good, pass and move football and has instilled the team with a sense of spirit. Finally, he has also blooded youngsters Spearing, Flanagan and Robinson into the team with some impressive performances.
6: Josep Guardiola (Barcelona)
5 of 10
The Barcelona boss has achieved many things this season with,(arguably) one of the best teams of the last two decades. He has all but won the Primera Liga and he has reached the Champions league.
He has also defeated Real Madrid 5-0 at the Nou Camp, in one of the most critically acclaimed performances of all time.
However, the reason that Guardiola is not higher on this list is due to expectations. Before the season began, Barcelona was expected to win everything this season.
The only competition they have not succeeded in, is the Copa Del Rey final, which they lost (1-0) to Real Madrid. Therefore, though it seems hard to believe, they have been underpar.
5: Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
6 of 10
Ah, how the mighty have fallen. From scaling the (heights!?) of defeating Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona this season, to the depths of a laughable title run in, Arsenal have seen it all this season.
However, Arsene must still be commended for finishing in the top four with such a young team, and so he here on the list.
4: Mircaea Lucucescu (Shakhtar Donetsk)
7 of 10
The Shakthar Donetsk boss has exceeded all expectations this season. He finished top of a group with Arsenal, Braga and Partizan Belgrade.
They also defeated Roma in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. It took Barcelona to drag them out of the Champions League. He has been beaten once and drawn once, defeating the once- best club in the country, Dynamo Kyiv.
He used freewheeling Brazilian flair from Luiz Adriano, Willan and Douglas Costa, as well as reliability from Croatian legend Darijo Srna and Eduardo.
3: Domingos Paciencia (Braga)
8 of 10
The Braga boss has achieved some extraordinary results this season. Braga S.C defeated Arsenal 2-0 at home and defeated Partizan Belgrade over both legs, in the UEFA Champions League.
They were sadly eliminated after finishing third in their group. Braga then qualified for the UEFA Europa League, where they beat Andriy Shevchenko's Dynamo Kyiv and Dalglish's Liverpool as well as Benfica to reach the Europa League final.
Domestically, they have finished fourth before Villas- Boas's Porto and Benfica , as well as Sporting CP.
2: Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund)
9 of 10
Borussia Dortmund have underwent a revolution under Klopp, who is wanted by Bayern Munich. Domestically, they have completely dominated the Bundesliga this season.
The German Cup has been less successful for them, being eliminated by Kickers Offenbach. The Europa League , likewise(knocked out in the group stage).
However, their performance domestically against Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkeusen, teams which has better players than Dortmund.
1: Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
10 of 10
SAF has been triumphant this season. He could have possibly won the double with the worst United team since 1992. He has all but won the Premier League (if they beat Chelsea), and he has reached the Champions League final.
He has shown that United are bigger and better than any individual, by putting Rooney in his place during transfer talks(possible), as well as showing that United do not miss the loss of Ronaldo (they have Nani, he is not Ronaldo, but is a good replacement) and Tevez (Berbatov).
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