Great Player who became a Great Manager?

JerryYatesShirt

Well-known member
Notice Rooney is in the running for the Derby job - so today's challenge, a great player who went on to become a great manager - and it has to be an English player managing an English club (just to eliminate a few obvious ones!).
 
Was going to say Dalgleish until I read that the player must be English. Time will tell but Lampard is doing Ok bringing in young players for the future
 
Clough had a tremendous record as a player and maybe would have achieved a lot more than two England caps if he hadn't had to retire young.
 
Cruyff is a Legend at Barcelona and the father of their current philosophy.
He was not a bad player with a nice “spin” as Chizzy said
 
Notice Rooney is in the running for the Derby job - so today's challenge, a great player who went on to become a great manager - and it has to be an English player managing an English club (just to eliminate a few obvious ones!).

I'd love to know what qualifications he has for the job of managing Struggling Derby**. It would be a tough job for someone with experience.

** Not to be confused with Frank Lampard's Derby. Completely different.
 
Not too many if you did a list of the best English Managers and English players of all time can't think of that many who have done well.
Gerrard and Lampard are two current who seem to be breaking the mould as we move over to employing ex players than coaches who done it for years.
Big Sam had a half decent career as a footballer.
 
Not too many if you did a list of the best English Managers and English players of all time can't think of that many who have done well.
Gerrard and Lampard are two current who seem to be breaking the mould as we move over to employing ex players than coaches who done it for years.
Big Sam had a half decent career as a footballer.
Give me Gerrard and Lampard's transfer budget and even I'd be successful.
 
Depends on what qualifies as a great manager. For me Chris Waddle was a great player who did an outstanding job @ Burnley.
 
Or maybe scored his goals in the second division.
One of the most prolific strikers (goals per game) in English football history. His career was over by 27. (He actually retired at 29 but only after attempting a failed comeback)

Yes, he scored a lot of goals outside top flight but had he added more goals at the same rate till he was say 33 or 34, his record would be unbelievable.
 
Not too many if you did a list of the best English Managers and English players of all time can't think of that many who have done well.
Gerrard and Lampard are two current who seem to be breaking the mould as we move over to employing ex players than coaches who done it for years.
Big Sam had a half decent career as a footballer.
Sam doesn't count as a great footballer.

Clough for me fits the bill, then Jimmy Armfield, Howard Kendall, in terms of success as a player and a manager.

It's easy to forget how well Jimmy did as a relatively new manager taking a club on turmoil through to the European Cup Final when it's since been proven that the ref took a bung.
 
He doesn't count cos he's Scottish but George Graham was really successful as player in England (double winner) and also as a manager.
 
Matt Busby, Bill Shankly and Don Revie. Kenny Dalglish too who showed tremendous compassion and support after Hillsborough.
 
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