Premier League - Great players, rubbish managers

Eurosport - Thu, 04 Dec 19:26:00 2008

Cheer up Roy Keane, you are in good company - scores of world-class players have failed to make the grade in management and your departure from Sunderland puts you in good company.

1999 Manchester United Roy Keane - 0

Bryan Robson - The first of Fergie's Manchester United 'disciples' to establish himself in management, Captain Marvel set an unhappy precedent for the likes of Keane and Paul Ince. Lasted seven mediocre years at Middlesbrough, the most notable of which saw Boro reach two cup finals and go down. Subsequently failed at Bradford, West Brom and Sheffield United.

Ruud Gullit - Skippered the Dutch to their only major tournament success in 1988 but proved too intelligent to be much good at management. Became the first foreign boss to win the FA Cup while at Chelsea but then fell out with the board. Fell out with Alan Shearer at Newcastle, and recently fell out with the whole LA Galaxy squad during a nine-month stint.

Glenn Hoddle - Why it is a bad idea for national teams to take a flier on unproven managers. Hoddle's player-manager spells at Swindon and Chelsea offered little indication of the faith-healing madness he would bring to the England job. Insisted not only on taking part in training but showboating throughout and repeatedly nutmegging a bemused Martin Keown.

Ossie Ardiles - At least he had the guts to impose his own tactical blueprint at Tottenham. Pioneered the novel 5-0-5 formation at the start of the 1994/95 season, employing an attacking quintet of Juergen Klinsmann, Teddy Sheringham, Ilie Dumitrescu, Darren Anderton and Nicky Barmby. Tragically, it failed and Ardiles was out of a job by October.

Alan Ball - If a flat cap and disarming honesty were enough to be a top manager, 1966 World Cup-winner Ball would have been a dugout legend - but Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho prove that being a lovely man is not a pre-requisite for success. Was nice enough to gain employment at Blackpool, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Exeter City, Southampton, Manchester City and Portsmouth.

Bobby Charlton - Another England hero from 1966, Charlton's maturity, leadership and track record seemed tailor-made for management. Took Nobby Stiles with him to Preston North End where he became player-manager. It did not go well, and he was off at the end of the season.

John Barnes - 'Super Caley Go Ballistic Celtic Are Atrocious' is pretty much all that needs to be said about Barnes's disastrous tenure at Parkhead.

And two greats who succeeded:

Franz Beckenbauer - Der Kaiser won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany, then proceeded to manage in brief, successful bursts. Won the French title during a single season at Marseille, then snaffled a Bundesliga and a UEFA Cup in spells of six and two months at Bayern Munich in 1994 and 1996.

Johan Cruyff - Introduced a 3-1-2-3-1 tactical system (seriously) at Ajax, which the club used to win the Champions League some years after Cruyff's departure. Then created Barcelona's Dream Team, winning the 1992 European Cup and signing legendary players such as Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Michael Laudrup and Ronald Koeman.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 68 - 87 of 87

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Why do I get 'Invalid Comment' when I post a­ perfectly good answer without foul language or symbols?­ Anybody know?

    From quatt47, on Sat 6 Dec 12:30PM

  2. dont want big fat sam send him back along the road to­ the scum the fans must stand up and be counted they­ forget how far we came in two years its got to be the­ best squad of players we have had in the premiership­ look at the money mcmenamy reid wasted they should have­ been arrested paddy 1943

    From bartmonaghan, on Fri 5 Dec 7:52PM

  3. roy keane was a great player and has been a fairly good­ manager,its a shame that he legs it at the first sign­ of trouble,sunderland are probably the worst team to be­ in the premier league so he was always going to­ struggle,any manager would at sunderland

    From leigh, on Fri 5 Dec 12:40PM

  4. Agreed with Robbie H on his comment. I wonder where­ Sunderland would be now had they not appointed Keane in­ the first place. He's done a good job, all things­ considered.

    From Charlie G, on Fri 5 Dec 10:46AM

  5. no worries.. it happens

    From Nanda Linn Aung, on Fri 5 Dec 10:15AM

  6. Im not exactly a great admirer of the player Keane,­ being a Chelsea fan, but I too am a little bemused by­ this article.

    How exactly has he failed as a­ manager?

    He took a club languishing at the bototm of­ the championship right up to the very top.

    He kept­ them in the premier league, something the previous­ manager had failed to do with record low points.

    Hes­ had a bad run, but everyone does, hes decided to quit. ­ Hes anything but a failure.

    Brainless article.

    From Robbie H, on Fri 5 Dec 9:46AM

  7. For Keane read Keegan, both the same mentality in my­ opinion. Both always at the point of walking away when­ things go wrong.
    Roy Keane was a great player but he­ was a very volatile person - ask Mick Mcarthy who­ suffered from Keane's angst over a trivial­ matter.
    I can't see Keane returning to a top job,­ no club would want his temperment, certainly not ManU.­ Keane loves a challenge and he was at his best when­ taking Sunderland up to the PL, so I think he will opt­ for another potential Championship winning club.
    He is­ a very private man, obviously a very sensitive guy, and­ cannot tolerate under performers, but maybe he lacks­ the motivational qualities that were needed to­ stabilise Sunderland?

    From Ray S, on Fri 5 Dec 9:42AM

  8. declan.gallivan, Alex Ferguson started the game in­ another era when money was not foremost in players'­ minds.....so where is the comparison here?

    From sappercommando25, on Fri 5 Dec 9:39AM

  9. What is world class about Roy Keane? More like Mr­ Average really.....like the rest of them

    From sappercommando25, on Fri 5 Dec 9:37AM

  10. heres the problems, keane has standards and expects­ those standards to be met simply the Sunderland­ players are not up to his standard.. its difficult to­ work with people who are inferior!

    From mb, on Fri 5 Dec 9:30AM

  11. keane to be a man unt manager never never would want­ that................

    From sidatmo, on Fri 5 Dec 9:28AM

  12. Roy Keane wasn't let down by his management skills­ - he was stabbed in the back by players who­ couldn't give a @#$% about the gane or the club (as­ long as their money's safe). I thought when we got­ rid of own goal expert McShane the defence would­ improve, but woeful isn't a strong enough word to­ describe their schoolboy howlers!
    A good manager is­ needed to take his place - a big man to fill his shoes.­ Almost anyone except Fat Sam Allardyce!
    We'd be­ better off stayinh managerless than taking him on!

    From Paperboy, on Fri 5 Dec 9:21AM

  13. i think everyone is shocked, such high expectations of­ Keane and he turns out to be a pretty mediocre­ manager!
    Fair play he KEPT sunderland in the­ premiership which nobody else seems to be able to­ do.
    Dont let alladyce anywhere near your club Nial, you­ may be up @#$% creak right now but allardyce will loose­ your paddles for ya!!!!

    From snoozyrobbie, on Fri 5 Dec 7:11AM

  14. i think its @#$% that he quited so soon......
    being an­ ex Forest player playing for one of the greatest­ managers in the premier league and also ferguson shows­ that he has lots of experience......
    ferguson did not­ make Roy Keane......Brian Clough did.....
    bad­ results????? i don't think so.... just unlucky ones­ only.

    From bryanisin69, on Fri 5 Dec 6:17AM

  15. @70... when did Keano meet Don Fabio ???

    From Constantinescu, on Fri 5 Dec 1:30AM

  16. I don't agree with your headline Great players­ rubbish managers. It should read average managers,­ overpaid, couldn't care less players. How many­ average or less than average players are in the­ premiership on huge wages doing nothing week in week­ out. Keiran Richardson at Sunderland for one. Too­ many Big Time Charlies. However, Paul Inc is the­ exception, in how to turn a team like Blackburn into­ relegation material. Manmmanagement skills were never­ Ince's strong point or is intellect!

    From Allen H, on Fri 5 Dec 12:09AM

  17. roy keene will be the next manchester united­ manager.good luck roy.

    From powermouse, on Fri 5 Dec 12:04AM

  18. Within four months Kean will be manager of­ Newcastle,
    But please keep that to yourself.

    From Nicholas, on Thu 4 Dec 10:27PM

  19. Roy Keane learned from the best.. How is he not a good­ manager?

    From CJ, on Thu 4 Dec 10:27PM

  20. How is Roy Keane a bad manager ?
    The answer is he is­ not. He helped sunderland to the premiership and has­ impressively strengthened the sunderland squad (Cisse,­ Craig Gordon, Malbraque etc.)
    Keane has proved he has­ the skills to one day become a great manager, like Alex­ Ferguson he needs time

    From , on Thu 4 Dec 10:00PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account