Quality managers in the EPL

[rurikbird]

Premier League might not be quite the best league in the world in some aspects, but I think this season it has possibly the strongest managerial crop I've ever seen – in EPL or in any league. There are quality, smart, respected managers from top to bottom. Quique Sanchez Flores (UEFA Cup winner with Athletico Madrid) in coaching Watford, Ranieri is taking Leicester to third, Bilic has revived West Ham, former Lyon coach Remi Garde has just been appointed at Villa. Then you have Koeman at Saints, Pochettino at Spurs, Monk at Swansea, Martinez at Everton – all young, fearless, progressive managers. And at the biggest 5 clubs we (still for now) have Mourinho, Wenger, Van Gaal, Klopp and Pellegrini – not too shabby! Finally, British managers generally don't have such a good rap, but the likes of Pulis, Pardew and yes, Big Sam Allardyce, are effective at what they do and have deservedly found their niches in the Premier League.

After Sherwood's sacking I don't think there is single manager left in the EPL who is clearly under-qualified for their job or has gotten the job only because of their name as a player, which used to be so commonplace in English football. I grew up watching Italian football and tactically EPL always seemed to be so inferior by comparison. But now EPL has the deepest managerial talent pool of any league in the world and for me that makes even mid and lower table games a lot more interesting to watch.

 

[ibromurph]

I was thinking similar the other day. It's why the league is the way it is and you're getting so called "shock" results.

I think the downside to this, is that the EPL is now a lot more boring. It's no longer end to end, who can score more than the opposition (Fergie's heydays). It's all become very tactical and disciplined with managers now setting up their teams effectively and primarily to play on the counter. Nothing is given for free and whilst the players will become more tactically aware (which help the EPL teams in Europe), the mental and physical fatigue factor of breaking down stubborn teams will have the reverse effect on the EPL's success in Europe.

 

[Judge Jules]

Premier League might not be quite the best league in the world in some aspects, but I think this season it has possibly the strongest managerial crop I've ever seen – in EPL or in any league. There are quality, smart, respected managers from top to bottom. Quique Sanchez Flores (UEFA Cup winner with Athletico Madrid) in coaching Watford, Ranieri is taking Leicester to third, Bilic has revived West Ham, former Lyon coach Remi Garde has just been appointed at Villa. Then you have Koeman at Saints, Pochettino at Spurs, Monk at Swansea, Martinez at Everton – all young, fearless, progressive managers. And at the biggest 5 clubs we (still for now) have Mourinho, Wenger, Van Gaal, Klopp and Pellegrini – not too shabby! Finally, British managers generally don't have such a good rap, but the likes of Pulis, Pardew and yes, Big Sam Allardyce, are effective at what they do and have deservedly found their niches in the Premier League.

After Sherwood's sacking I don't think there is single manager left in the EPL who is clearly under-qualified for their job or has gotten the job only because of their name as a player, which used to be so commonplace in English football. I grew up watching Italian football and tactically EPL always seemed to be so inferior by comparison. But now EPL has the deepest managerial talent pool of any league in the world and for me that makes even mid and lower table games a lot more interesting to watch.

For a minute there I thought the guy in the middle of the bottom row was Hugh Laurie.

 

[manwithnoname]

Most managers are mediocre. Quite a few are actually poor.

There's a select few exceptional ones. A handful of good. The vast majority are just ordinary and make no real material difference at all, which is why they keep getting sacked and then finding another job, and getting sacked again. They're irrelevant. The biggest factors in football success is player recruitment and money.

Brendan Rodgers could match Pellegrini's achievements if he was manager of City, because Pellegrini isn't anything special; almost anyone could win the title at City, as Pellegrini and Mancini have proven.

As for the likes of Martinez and Monk being "fearless, progressive talents"......what? Ranieri isn't a good manager, either. He's won fuck all in a career that's amazingly lasted about four decades.

Pardew's a perfect example. He's managed West Ham, Southampton, Charlton, Reading, Newcastle, Palace etc etc

His previous stints have been eerily similar; periods of success ("best young British coach; deserves a top club; England manager") followed by a sustained period of awful results in which his job is now under threat ("lost the dressing room; fans turned on him; results not happening") followed by a period of success again, in which he is applauded for "turning it around" and the owners given credit for "giving him time". And the cycle continues.

There is no great secret or mystery here. The fact is, Pardew's managerial abilities have no discernible effect on the team's performances or results WHATSOEVER. The cycle of form, fitness, good results/ bad results has nothing to do with him. It's just the players, and who they play, and how they play.

Yeah, maybe a bit of extra motivation sometimes helps. A bit. But in general, you could put a sackful of meat in a suit and call him Palace manager and it would make fuck all difference in the long run.