Press review: The most feared football managers!!

Fear factor

The football section of The Independent online version published a featured article By Simon Rice  ”The Most Feared Football Managers” click here to read the original article which is supported with images guide.

The article talked about 10 feared managers as following (according to the article order):

• Alex Ferguson (Manchester United/Scotland)
• Brian Clough (former manager for Hartlepool United – Derby County –  Brighton & Hove Albion –  Leeds United –  Nottingham Forest/England)
• Walter Zenga (Palermo / Italy)
• Stuart Pearce (Capello assistant coach & England U-21 manager)
• Giovanni Trapattoni (The Republic Ireland national team / Italy)
• Fabio Capello (England national team / Italy)
• Roy Keane (Ipswich / The Republic of Ireland)
• Graeme Souness (former manager for Rangers – Liverpool – Galatasaray – Southampton – Torino – Benfica – Blackburn Rovers – Newcastle / Scotland)
• John Sitton (former manager for Leyton F.C – Enfield F.C / England)
• Hristo Stoichkov (Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa / Bulgaria)

Alex Ferguson’s week focus (1)

The Sir ready for post-Ronaldo era

Sir Alex Ferguson arguably the current best manager in the World is set to face one of the most trickiest seasons ever after losing Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid this summer, although Ronaldo departure was imminent and it is a huge gap to fill. But Alex Ferguson is for sure the man of mission impossible after all…. let us see the past week how was it with the Sir.

Manchester United ended up their preseason in East Asia with comfortable results and a good display from the new number Seven jersey holder Michael Owen. This summer Manchester not only sold Ronaldo they also let Tevez to join city rivals Manchester City, Ferguson though about Tevez case was clear and forward that the little Argentine simply don’t worth £25 million the sum Man City paid for the service of Carlos Tevez. Ferguson and Ronaldo relation still strong as before the opposite of Tevez who tried continuously to hit Ferguson with words criticizing the way Man United boss treated him.

English Premier League manager list for 2009-10 (Part 2)

below the latest list of English Premier League Managers for 2009-10 season Part two for the other ten Premier League teams:

Rafael Benitez: (Liverpool/ Spain / 49 years old)

Rafa still searching for his first Premier League title, this season (2008-09) is best Liverpool league position (second after Manchester United) under Rafa Benitez management. Last March Benitez signed a new contract with Liverpool keeps him until 2014.

The upcoming task for Benitez is to crack Manchester United dominance of the Premier League, with a medium budget he should plan smartly for his recruitment’s.

Congratulation for this season winners

So 2008-09 season is over today and I would like to congratulate and applaud this season winners……

 

England:

• English Premier League title: Alex Ferguson (Scotland) with Manchester United
• FA Cup title: Guus Hiddink (Holland) with Chelsea
• Carling Cup title: Alex Ferguson (Scotland) with Manchester United
• Community Shield title: Alex Ferguson (Scotland) with Manchester United

English Premier League Managers list (updated)

This is the latest list of EPL Managers:

Arsenal
Arsène Wenger (France), going to stay his contract until 2011

Aston Villa
Martin O’Neill (North Ireland), going to stay

Blackburn Rovers
Sam Allardyce (England), going to stay after saving the Rovers from relegation

Bolton Wanderers
Gary Megson (England), going to stay

Chelsea
Guus Hiddink (Holland), still have the cup final then he will leave his caretaker post back to Russia

Everton
David Moyes (Scotland), going to stay

Fulham
Roy Hodgson (England), going to stay

Hull City
Phil Brown (England), not sure yet but avoiding relegation was a plus

Liverpool
Rafa Benítez (Spain), going to stay

Man City
Mark Hughes (wales), according to Cook he will stay

Man United
Alex Ferguson (Scotland), for sure the best manager is ever-green

Middlesbrough
Gareth Southgate (England), not clear yet but he want to remain and put them back to the top flight Premier League

Newcastle United
Alan Shearer (England), demand an overhaul after relegation the situation is not clear as the owner Ashely may sell the team

Portsmouth
Paul Hart (England), ??

Stoke City
Tony Pulis (Wales), this season performance is plus for him

Sunderland
Ricky Sbragia (Scotland), resigned after saving them from relegation

Tottenham Hotspurs
Harry Redknapp (England), going to stay

West Brom Albion
Tony Mowbray (England), ??

West Ham United
Gianfranco Zola (Italy), going to stay he and steve clark is a winning team

Wigan Athletic
Steve Bruce (England), going to stay

Press Review: Best Managers in UK football

The online Independent football website publish an interesting article “The Ten Best Managers in British Football”

 

Click Here to read the original article

 

The ten best managers are:

1. Sir Alex Ferguson (Scotland)
2. Bob Paisley (England)
3. Brian Clough (England)
4. Sir Matt Busby (Scotland)
5. Jock Stein (Scotland)
6. Sir Alf Ramsey (England)
7. Bill Shankly (Scotland)
8. Arsene Wenger (France)
9. Bill Nicholson (England)
10. Jose Mourinho (Portugal)

Football Coaches or Managers and Leadership

 

So I’m a management student (B.S in Business & Management) and I love this field so much, and can’t help it not relating it to football managers or coaches.

The rule of coach or manager in Football (Soccer) differentiate for example in England the coach is a football coach and manager they have more responsibilities and more influence like players contracts and transfers and the holistic view from a football perspective this privileges in Spain and Italy doesn’t exist only on few cases.

I always see the coach or manager as a leader, during college I took Leadership course in that course we learnt that there are types of leaders (some leaders are heroes or teachers or rulers).

Alex Ferguson is a Ruler leader he don’t hesitate to kick any one out of his team (Nistelrooy – Kean – Hienze – Beckham) what ever their stalwart status for the team or for the fans because he is the master of this team no one should undermine his authority while Arsene Wenger is a Teacher for sure when we look his influence on his students (players) you can tell his role to educate his players with football basics and install his football view and methodology (Cesc or Denilson for example admire Wenger or their teacher so much), the Special One Mourinho is a Hero leader, he protect his troops (players) from the media, always ready to take the blame on his shoulders if anything goes wrong.

Fabio Capello I thinks is a Ruler leader type he is fearless man take decision despite the huge potential risk underlining there and can confront any dilemma with solid nerves.

Josep Guardiola fill in Hero leader type category he restore Catalonia pride always support his players and literally protect his players like the incident that happen during the Clasico game against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou 2008 December, Real Madrid players deliberately tackling Leo Messi and the flamboyant Pep stood up and shout toward the referee telling him: “if you will not protect Messi I will take him out of the game” I like that attitude from Pep.

Or according to the Leadership Behavior Theory, there are leadership styles:

•  Autocratic
• Democratic
• Laissez-fair

This theory I’ll talk about later in another post. And try to apply it on Football managers.

Alex Ferguson interview with New Statesman

Frank interview by the Sir

 

 

In an exclusive interview with The New Statesman a British weekly political magazine published in London. Alastair Campbell (former Tony Blair’s head of communications) sit-down with Sir Alex Ferguson Manchester United’s manager.

 

Here are the major football-related points:

 

His biggest mistake:

Selling Jaap Stam

 

His biggest regret:

Failed in signing Paul Gascoigne

 

Greatest achievement:

The treble in 1999 (The Champions League, FA Cup, and The Premier League)

 

Ferguson’ best managers in the Premier League:

Arsene Wenger (Arsenal), David Moyes (Everton), and Martin O’Neill (Aston Villa)

 

Ferguson’s retirement:

Not for a while. I’m 67 now. My health’s good

 

Ferguson’s dream Man United team:

Roy Keane, Scholes, Giggs (never, ever leave him out), Ronaldo & Cantona (never leave out), Beckham & Rooney (knocking the door)

 

 

My foot notes:

 

Jaap Stam:

 

Dutch retired footballer, named twice as best defender in the Champions League (1999 & 2000). He joined Man United in 1998 for a fee of  £10.6 million from PSV (was consider most expensive Dutch football player in history and the most expensive defender in history, although this record broke later).

 

Then in 2001-2002 season Jaap Stam sold was sold to Lazio for £16.5 million, and replaced with the great French but aged defender Laurent Blanc.

 

Now Stam is works as a scout for Manchester United, in South America.

 

His playing career includes playing for: Man United, Lazio, AC Milan, PSV, and Ajax.

 

Paul Gascoigne:

 

Gifted British football talent, but was remembered too with his wild behavior, he was the star of the beginning of 90’s, many remembered his tears during Italy World Cup 1990 after England elimination from the semi finals by Germany.

 

His playing career includes playing for: Tottenham, Everton, Middlesbrough, Lazio, and Burnley.

 

read part of Alex Ferguson’s interview

 

Best

 

The Rafa-lution will continue

Happy new contract for U

 

I will start with Rafael Benitez own words about his contract renewal:

 

My heart is with Liverpool Football Club, so I’m delighted to sign this new deal

 

Rafael Benitez finally signed his contract extension keeping him until 2014, so we can say that Rafa won the Power Struggle at Liverpool, as we know Rick Parry will leave by the end of this season, so Benitez will have more control on transfers and youth academy.

 

Now Rafa Benitez have the time to plan a long term view for Liverpool, last weekend he won his 100^th league game (the win 4-1 against Man United) surpassing the legendary Reds Manager Bill Shankly.

 

Benitez mission for sure is to make an impact locally in the English Premier League and be a true title challenger, in his 5 seasons (the 5^th season not done yet), only this season Liverpool are really a title challenger. While his European record with Liverpool is absolutely magnificent.

 

Rafa Benitez Champions League Record:

 

Games	Win	Lose	Draw	Goals For	Goals Against
82	49	14	19	138	57

 

• Champions League trophy (Liverpool 2004-05)
• Two finals (Liverpool 2004-05, 2006-07)
• One semi finals (Liverpool 2007-08),
• One last 16 round (Liverpool 2005-06)

 

 

Rafa Benitez English Premier League Record:

 

Season	Game  Played	Win	Lost	Draw	Pts	Goal Difference	Position
2008/2009	29	17	2	10	61	28	3
2007/2008	38	21	4	13	76	39	4
2006/2007	38	20	10	8	68	30	3
2005/2006	38	25	6	7	82	32	3
2004/2005	38	17	14	7	58	11	5

 

Conclusion:

 

Liverpool owners done the right thing, stability is the key for success alongside money and the human resources you have in hand.

Also I’m so impressed with the way Rafael Benitez handle the whole situation (power struggle at the club, English media questioning his decision to sell Robby Keane, his rant with Ferguson, and how he won tactically the game against Man United and Real Madrid.

 

Benitez should have more respect from the English media of what he achieve and worked, he build a solid team that will produce titles and wonderful displays like what we saw against Real Madrid and Man United.

 

Finally in my opinion tactically speaking Benitez is the best manager in the world competing with Jose Mourinho and Fabio Capello.

 

Best  

Ferguson vs. Benitez (previous games record)

 

 

This is the track record between the two great managers, as you will see below Ferguson have the upper hand with 7 wins out of 10. Benitez never won a league game against Ferguson until this season (2-1) last September 2008 so Ferguson has a big psychological advantage against Benitez but Rafa genius and great tactical abilities give him a big chance to enjoy his first win at the Old Trafford Stadium.

 

Season 2004-05

 

Manchester United 2 – 1 Liverpool in the English Premier League

 

Liverpool 0 – 1 Manchester United in the English Premier League

 

Season 2005-06:

 

Liverpool 0 – 0 Manchester United in the English Premier League

 

Manchester United 1 – 0 Liverpool in the English Premier League

 

Liverpool 1 – 0 Manchester United in the English FA Cup (quarter finals)

 

Season 2006-07

 

Manchester United 2 – 0 Liverpool in the English Premier League

 

Liverpool 0 – 1 Manchester United in the English Premier League

 

Season 2007-08

 

Liverpool 0 – 1 Manchester United in the English Premier League

 

Manchester United 3 – 0 Liverpool in the English Premier League

 

Season 2008-09

 

Liverpool 2 – 1 Manchester United in the English Premier League

 

 

	Total Games	Win	Lose	Draw
Benitez	10	2	7	1
Ferguson	10	7	2	1

 

 Best