- Premier League has been home to some of football's greatest managers
- Foreign influence key in rise of English top flight
- Great managers had enthralling rivalries
The English game was for a long time derided for its primitivity. An emphasis on physicality and 4-4-2 drew a stark contrast to the complex tactical ideals that often manifested in more exotic lands.
Herbert Chapman and other revolutionaries of yesteryear had been caught up and usurped and, while England would produce European Cup winners at impressive regularity throughout the second half of the 20th century, the national team's underperformance on the grandest stages in the wake of 1966 depicted how far England had fallen behind. Hooliganism often overshadowed on-pitch failures.
The birth of the Premier League in 1992, for some, marks the beginning of 'modern football'. While nations once boasted distinct styles, this commercial utopia helped homogenise tactical thought and ensure some of the sport's brightest minds ended up on English shores.
As a result, the Premier League has been home to some of football's greatest-ever managers. Here are the best who have graced the Premier League.
10. Carlo Ancelotti
The Don. Carlo Ancelotti arrived in west London with quite the reputation having enjoyed a fruitful spell at Milan to kick off the millennium. Roman Abramovich primarily tasked Ancelotti to guide Chelsea to Champions League glory while adopting a grand style synonymous with his star-studded Rossoneri teams.
Ancelotti's Chelsea would ultimately fail in Europe but they dazzled domestically. The suave Italian got the very best out of an experienced Blues squad, utilising a unique diamond midfield, and while there were blips, Chelsea were destined for the 2009/10 title from the very outset.
By the time he was harshly sacked following a second-place finish in 2010/11, Ancelotti had the third-highest win rate in Premier League history. That number, however, would slide following a fairly underwhelming stint on the Goodison Park touchline.
9. Antonio Conte
Few managers have had a greater immediate impact in the Premier League than Antonio Conte. The combustible Italian steered Chelsea to the title during his debut 2016/17 campaign all while pioneering a three-at-the-back revolution.
An early-season 3-0 defeat to Arsenal convinced Conte to switch to a 3-4-3 and his Blues outfit subsequently rattled off 13 consecutive wins to ignite their title charge.
Conte's system was so dominant that Premier League managers merely resorted to copying the Italian's ways. 17 of the 20 teams deployed a back-three that season, including second-place Tottenham and Arsene Wenger's Arsenal.
He'd last just another season at Stamford Bridge off the back of a miserable title defence, but he briefly reminded everyone of his proficiency on the touchline when he returned to London to manage Tottenham in 2021, guiding the Lilywhites to an unlikely top-four berth.
8. Roberto Mancini
Backed by Abu Dhabi cash but struggling to catch fire with Mark Hughes at the helm, Manchester City turned to Roberto Mancini as the man to kick-start their project.
A stylish goalscorer in his playing days and perennial title winner at Inter as a manager, Mancini was another Italian to arrive in the Premier League with a lofty reputation.
There was pressure on Mancini to deliver, but deliver he most certainly did. Then a cautious defence-first coach, the City manager unleashed his supreme attacking talents in 2011/12, leading City to their first league title since 1968 thanks to Sergio Aguero's unforgettable goal at the last on the final day of the season.
Mancini departed in 2013 with the highest win percentage in Premier League history (61.9%) - a record that's since been usurped.
7. Rafael Benitez
Rafa Benitez often saved his best work for big European nights and the Premier League title did elude him during his successful stay at Anfield.
The Spaniard did push buttons, though, and was able to maximise the collective talent of Liverpool squads devoid of stars. He locked horns with Sir Alex Ferguson and was willing to go toe-to-toe with the Scot off the field.
Benitez was ever so meticulous and tactically supreme, with Liverpool's decline at the start of the 2010s coinciding with his exit following a dire start to the 2009/10 season.
While his later spell at Everton was forgettable, Benitez did some good work in ensuring Newcastle remained in the division before stepping down in 2019.
6. David Moyes
The Scotsman was handed the almighty task of succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson by the departing Manchester United boss himself.
David Moyes had worked wonders at Everton and was among the most respected coaches in the country, but it'd take years for the Scot to restore his reputation having crashed and burned at Old Trafford.
After succumbing to the second tier with Sunderland and failing overseas, Moyes found his calling at West Ham. During his second spell with the Hammers, Moyes steered the club away from relegation, got them back in Europe and won the Conference League.
Only two managers have taken charge of more Premier League games than Moyes, who will be remembered as West Ham's greatest manager of modern times.
5. Jurgen Klopp
This may seem low for a manager of Jurgen Klopp's standing, but the competition is fierce and the German ultimately only led Liverpool to one Premier League title.
However, Klopp's impact on Merseyside transcends his trophy haul. He inherited a slumping squad from Brendan Rodgers, built it in his own heavy-metal image and evolved Liverpool into the country's most destructive force for a little while.
Who knows how many league titles he would've ended up with if it wasn't for a certain Spaniard and an all-time great Manchester City side?
An immense personality with infectious charisma, Klopp was the beating heart of a Reds outfit that roared for almost a decade under his tenure.
4. Arsene Wenger
Toxicity may have clouded the end of his lengthy reign and Arsene Wenger certainly saw himself become the villain at Arsenal. However, his 22-year spell in north London was littered with highs.
After arriving as an unknown commodity in 1996, the Frenchman went about revolutionising the club's off-field performance. Wenger backed science over tradition, prohibiting booze and promoting acupunctures.
His Arsenal teams were initially direct and physical, but they toppled the all-conquering Manchester United on multiple occasions. Later iterations of his teams were ever so stylish and joyous to watch, but the last of his three Premier League titles arrived in 2004.
Still, only one man has managed more games in the division while seven have superior win rates. Longevity matters.
3. Jose Mourinho
Wenger outdoes Jose Mourinho for longevity and the off-field revolution the Frenchman pioneered can't be overlooked, but a manager like the Portuguese won't come around again.
He rocked up on British shores as a European champion, boasting full confidence in his abilities. He, too, was a revolutionary with Mourinho's tactical periodisation quickly becoming commonplace at the elite level.
The Portuguese led Chelsea to back-to-back league titles having arrived in 2004. The Blues possessed the most formidable backline in the competition's history and were utterly ruthless in transition.
A grey-haired Mourinho would later return to Stamford Bridge carrying a more humble swagger and his third Premier League title would arrive in 2014/15.
A failure to evolve saw him dwindle in significance, although he continued to flash his irresistible vintage apex at both Manchester United and Tottenham.
2. Pep Guardiola
While the likes of Conte, Ancelotti and Mourinho had remarkable immediate impacts, Pep Guardiola's dominance of the Premier League took a little time to marinade.
His debut season at Manchester City was littered with peaks and troughs before the Cityzens became the Premier League's first-ever 'Centurions' in year two.
Since 2017/18, City have failed to win the Premier League just once (2019/20). Despite the efforts of a fierce Liverpool side and impressive Arsenal outfit, Guardiola's City have simply been inevitable at the division's summit.
The Spaniard is ultimately responsible for the club's Premier League monopoly and many will regard Guardiola as the greatest to ever do it once he steps aside and allows somebody else to win. His 73.9% Premier League win rate (before the 2024/25 season gets underway) is far and away the best in the competition's history.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Guardiola may end up at the top of this ranking when it's all said and done, but displacing the GOAT will be no easy feat.
No manager has lifted more Premier League titles than Sir Alex Ferguson (13), with the Scotsman enjoying a hugely successful 27-year stay at Man Utd.
Fergie perhaps didn't have the brains of Guardiola nor the cult personality of Mourinho, but his brilliance is undeniable. His ability to oversee squad evolution ensured United were able to compete at the Premier League's summit year-on-year.
Adored but also feared by his players, Fergie had total command of the United dressing room for almost three decades.
For longevity and achievements, Ferguson has to be regarded as the Premier League's greatest manager.
