2 players who proved their managers wrong and regained their place in the starting XI

Sergio Kun Aguero
Sergio Kun Aguero

Whenever a new manager comes in, he analyses all the players in the first season and sees whether they are capable of playing his style. After the first season, he offloads those who can't adapt to his philosophy and often brings in players who he has worked with before.

Player vs Manager sagas are not new to football, including the recent Ozil & Emery example. There have been many bust-ups in the past like Balotelli & Mancini, David Beckham & Alex Ferguson, Roy Keane & McCarthy.

These type of feuds never end well and often result in players quitting on the club. Even during this season, we have seen players getting dropped because of not adapting to the new manager's philosophy, a prime example of that is Isco at Real Madrid.

Do the likes of Mesut Ozil and Isco still have a chance to prove their worth? There have been instances where players have proven their managers wrong by working hard and finally regaining their places in the starting eleven. Let's have a look at 2 of them.


#2 Sergio Aguero & Pep Guardiola

Sergio Kun Aguero (l) and Pep Guardiola (r)
Sergio Kun Aguero (l) and Pep Guardiola (r)

If you look now, you wouldn't believe how close Sergio Aguero was from leaving Manchester City after Pep joined them.

For City fans, it was quite a shock. They had spent much of the previous five years desperately hoping Aguero would be fit enough to play in the big games, and here was a manager who left him out even though he was fully fit.

The message was clear. Guardiola only picked ten outfield players who were hard workers and would harry other teams. To drive it home, Guardiola spent millions on a livewire Brazilian teenager named Gabriel Jesus – and pushed him straight into the team at Aguero’s expense. Aguero was a goalscoring legend at City, but Guardiola wanted much more than that.

For the first time, Aguero’s previously untouchable position at City was vulnerable. But Aguero’s response, whether through stung pride or revitalised ambition, was stunning, and he was soon back to being number one choice.

#1 David Beckham & Fabio Capello

David Beckham (r) and Fabio Capello(l)
David Beckham (r) and Fabio Capello(l)

As Real Madrid boss, Fabio Capello sensationally vowed that David Beckham would never play for the club again in January 2007, after the midfielder agreed on a deal to join LA Galaxy the following summer.

Back then, Capello explained he was unhappy with the former Manchester United midfielder, claiming that his conduct in not informing him first on his decision 'did not feel right'. It looked to be the end of Becks' career, but in typical Beckham fashion, he bounced back to win back his place.

His continued efforts in training and professional attitude forced Capello to change tack as he recalled Beckham within a month - and the dead-ball specialist transformed Madrid, sending them on a late-season surge to dramatically win LaLiga on the final day of the season.

Quick Links