da pinup bet： When a former player gets a chance to manage the club they once represented, it excites both the fans and themselves – if it works, there is nothing better for both parties.
da realsbet： Football has developed into a heavily-orientated business setting and taking gambles on former players to take charge is rare.
However, there have been fascinating examples of former players relighting the spark when returning as manager – some, though, failed to impress.
Here are 15 of the most notable examples of former players returning as managers…
Ryan Giggs – Manchester United
Giggs spent his entire playing career at Old Trafford and was thoroughly successful. Racking up 919 appearances, the former Wales international scored 160 goals and registered 225 assists.
The left midfielder accumulated an outstanding set of accolades – 13 league titles, four FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League titles were just a small portion of what he achieved as a player.
In 2014, Giggs was appointed as interim manager to conclude the season after David Moyes’ tenure came to an abrupt halt; a win percentage of 50% from four games was not enough to earn a contract as permanent boss and is now in charge of the Wales national team.
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Pep Guardiola – Barcelona
The current Manchester City manager is considered as one of the best tacticians of all time – but he wasn’t half bad with his feet, either. Guardiola won six Spanish league titles with Barca and played a crucial part in Johan Cruyff’s dream team – lifting the European Cup in 1992. The Spain midfielder later went on to captain the club
His managerial career has been outstanding thus far and has endured success wherever he has taken charge. Guardiola’s win percentage as a manager stands at 75% – a stupendous statistic – and he took charge of one of the best Barcelona teams in history.
During his four-year tenure in charge at Camp Nou, he achieved three La Liga titles, three Spanish Super Cups, two Copa del Reys and won the Champions League twice.
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Zinedine Zidane – Real Madrid
Zidane achieved three FIFA Ballon d’Or trophies in his playing days and one of those was in a Real Madrid shirt. The France midfielder was full of wizardry and trickery – winning the Champions League, La Liga and was crowned UEFA Best Player in Europe in 1998.
The former France international returned as Real Madrid manager in 2015 and, astonishingly, won the Champions League thrice in a row and immediately earned his status in the legendary book of managers. He also claimed a La Liga title during his brief spell as manager, operating one of the most formidable European outfits of all time.
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Alan Shearer – Newcastle United
Shearer played for his boyhood club for nine seasons after winning the Premier League at Blackburn Rovers. Despite not winning any silverware at the Magpies, the centre-forward scored goals for fun and currently holds the record as Premier League’s highest goalscorer of all time (260).
The former England international was appointed as Newcastle manager with eight games to play of the 2008/09 season but faced an impossible task of saving his beloved side from the drop. Unfortunately, the Magpies were relegated and Shearer has never returned as a manager since.
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Slaven Bilic – West Ham United
Bilic was a no-nonsense centre-back and spent two seasons at Upton Park. He made 43 Premier League appearances for the Hammers but was unable to accomplish any form of silverware.
The Croatian returned as manager in the 2015/16 season and provided the Irons with their highest ever points tally in the Premier League (62), achieving a seventh-place finish and European football.
The switch to London Stadium seemingly rubbed off his magic touch and was consequently sacked in November 2017. Bilic has returned to England as West Bromwich Albion manager for the forthcoming 2019/20 campaign.
Copyright: Mirrorpix
Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid
Simeone encountered two spells at Atletico Madrid as a player – winning the Copa del Rey and La Liga back in 1996 – but has inherited a greater deal of success as the boss.
The Argentine manager has guided Atletico to two Europa League trophies and has come close to winning the Champions League, finishing runners-up in both the 2013/14 and 2015/16 season.
However, the pinnacle of his career in charge was lifting the La Liga trophy in 2013/14; a season where Atletico amassed 90 points and topped the pile above fierce rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid.
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Graeme Souness – Liverpool
Souness’ time at Anfield was better spent as a player than it was in charge. He won five league titles in seven seasons as a Liverpool Player – also lifting three European Cups and four League Cups.
He then returned as manager in 1990 and spent three seasons as boss; his only achievement winning the FA Cup in 1992. Two sixth-place finishes during his tenure made it difficult for the Reds fans to warm to the Scot and his reign was rather unsuccessful.
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Johan Cruyff – Barcelona
Cruyff is a Dutch icon and managed Ajax and Barcelona after previous stints as a player at both respective clubs; most notably recognised for his accolades he accumulated in charge in Spain. As a player, Cruyff was crowned UEFA Best Player in Europe three times – an indication of how talented he was with the ball at his feet.
He transferred into the managerial realm and after his brief tenure at Ajax, he went on to Barca and won four league titles in a row. He also won three Spanish Super Cups, one Spanish Cup and one UEFA Supercup in Catalonia.
Cruyff started ‘La Masia’ which was the academy for Barcelona which has included graduates like Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta, leaving behind an outstanding legacy.
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Antonio Conte – Juventus
The Italian is something of a legend in Turin – or at least was before he was appointed as Inter Milan manager for the 2019/20 season. Conte operated as a central midfielder throughout his career and endured a successful time at Juventus; five league titles, one Champions League and five Italian Super Cups were some of the 15 trophies he accomplished.
As a manager, Conte was equally as successful. His Italian side dominated the league, winning it three times in a row from 2011-2014. He also won the Italian Super cup in 2014 and will go down as a legend, despite his recent switch to Inter Milan.
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Kevin Keegan – Newcastle United
The iconic phrase of “I would love it if we beat them, love it!” when Keegan was manager was an example of his passion for the club. Keegan spent two seasons with Newcastle as a player, netting 48 times throughout that period to help steer the club into the top-flight.
Keegan returned as boss just eight years later at a time where the Magpies were flirting with relegation in the Second Division. However, he guided them away from the possibility of relegation into the Premier League one season later.
He led his side to third, sixth and second-place in his three seasons in the top-flight but resigned to everyone’s shock. Keegan returned in 2008 but his relationship with Mike Ashley prevented him from working his magic touch.
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