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Over the years, we have come to learn that being a good footballer is one thing while coaching and managing a team and being successful is an entirely different one.
Modern-day football has shown us that being a great manager doesn't have a lot to do with being a great player. The job has much more to do with understanding the game and some individuals who may not have been the most eye-catching or technically proficient players during their heydays as a footballer have gone on to become great managers.
Jose Mourinho is a great example of this. Even Pep Guardiola wasn't expected to enjoy this level of success in his managerial career when he initially took the reins at Barcelona in 2008. Of late, we have seen several former players assume the manager's role at different clubs and enjoy varying degrees of success.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five modern footballers who could be amazing managers.
#5 Jordan Henderson
Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson was viewed by undiscerning football fans as a jobber. He went on to prove just how reductive that criticism was as he led from the front in Liverpool's UEFA Champions League and Premier League triumphs.
Henderson has captained Liverpool since Steven Gerrard's departure. What they say he lacks in flair, he makes up for with his hard work, passion and determination to win. He has also improved his game and in a holding role, Hendo has been quite brilliant for Jurgen Klopp and co.
Henderson is a player who has made it to the top after traversing the rough seas and he is a leader of men. He has been able to rally his troops and go to war whenever the team has required him to. The midfielder is great at man-management and there is no doubt he'd do great in a coaching role in the future.
#4 Sergio Busquets
Xavi and Andres Iniesta are arguably the greatest central midfield partnership in modern football. However, part of the credit for that should flow to the man who used to provide the platform for them from a holding role with incredible poise and intelligence. Sergio Busquets, at the peak of his powers, was the best holding midfielder in the game.
A brilliant footballer whose awareness at the centre of the park was otherworldly, Busquets was part of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side that absolutely dominated Europe almost a decade back. The Spaniard has won the lot and has played with some of the very best players in the history of the game.
Pep Guardiola once said:
"Sooner or later he will become a manager. We will see Busquets on the bench."
Busquets' career path has been quite similar to that of Pep Guardiola's and there is no reason why he shouldn't give it a shot.
#3 Toni Kroos
Toni Kroos is one of the finest modern-day midfielders. He has enjoyed an illustrious career and has earned high praise for his tactical intelligence and incredible passing range. The German international is one of the most technically proficient footballers in the world.
He combines well with his forwards and is also great at dispensing his defensive duties. In fact, there's hardly anything that Kroos can't do on a football pitch. Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane lavished praise on his midfielder in September last year. He said:
"He is so good that he could play as a six or even as a 10. He's not nervous and loves reaching out to shoot from distance as much as making a back pass. The ease with which he plays with both feet is fascinating to me. You could come to think that he's a natural left-footed player."
Kroos' experience at the highest level, his understanding of the game and tactical adeptness will enable him to become a great manager when he decides to call it a day on his playing career.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Typically, forwards do not make great managers. However, there are anomalies. For example, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been doing a great job at Manchester United. Just like his former teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo could also go on to become a great manager.
Ronaldo has already proven multiple times that he is a leader both on and off the pitch. He is someone who has always risen to the occasion and has been able to inspire his teammates to do the same.
Ronaldo has also played for some of the greatest managers of the modern era like Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane, Max Allegri, Rafa Benitez and even Maurizio Sarri. He has learned from the best and it's common knowledge that Ronaldo works harder than anyone around him.
As such, there is no doubt that he could go on to become a great manager in the future.
#1 Andres Iniesta
With his flawless technique and game intelligence, Andres Iniesta was always a cut above the rest when he was operating at the peak of his powers at Barcelona. One of the best playmakers in the history of the game, Iniesta could weave his way through entire teams with his dribbling ability and also upend defenses with a single pass.
The Spaniard, who scored Spain's World Cup winning goal in the 2010 edition's final, has never had any trouble rising to the occasion and has let his game do the talking for him. He currently plays for Japanese side Vissel Kobe.
Iniesta has already expressed his desire to become a manager in the future. His experience, knowledge, intelligence and understanding of the game will undoubtedly enable him to become a great manager one day.
