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#3 Thomas Tuchel | Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel is an outstanding manager, and Chelsea’s growth over the past year is a testament to the value of an experienced manager. A comparison between Tuchel and Lampard is quite unfair, but the situation does make you wonder how Frank Lampard and other British managers can get the kind of experience Thomas Tuchel already has under his belt.
Thomas Tuchel is fearless in his approach to the game, and his “I’ll do it my way” attitude seems to have brought the best out of his squad. Some of Chelsea’s results against the Premier League’s big boys have been phenomenal, and that’s what managerial experience can bring to the table.
Chelsea’s brilliant Champions League triumph was largely down to Tuchel’s experience and tactical knowledge. The Blues also secured a top-four finish in the Premier League last season but were not as impressive against the league’s lesser teams. These matches are not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but you can count on Tuchel to learn from the battles he has witnessed last season. Chelsea have some work to do with their consistency and can be a real Premier League threat this year.
#2 Jurgen Klopp | Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp is one of those managers that every player wants to play for. The modern game is all about man-management, and a club’s results largely depend on the performances of its big names. You can’t buy players and solely focus on their training. You need to get the best out of them on the pitch, and there is arguably none better than Jurgen Klopp in this regard.
Klopp has already forged several careers at Liverpool and has made both Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold household names. He hasn’t spent much on his full-backs but has honed the resources available to him into world-class players in their own right.
I like the way Klopp formulates his transfer plans. When Philippe Coutinho left, Jurgen Klopp broke the bank for Virgil van Dijk and Alisson. At the time, most of us said, “Wow, you’re going to spend that much money on a goalkeeper?” It’s now safe to say that both Alisson and Van Dijk have been game changers – some of Jurgen Klopp’s transfer decisions have been extraordinary.
#1 Pep Guardiola | Manchester City
Pep Guardiola cannot seem to stop winning. He does tend to complicate things in the UEFA Champions League on a few occasions, but he’s always up there in the Premier League. Manchester City have the uncanny ability to overcome all odds and remain in contention for the Premier League title every year, and Guardiola’s role in his team’s success has been nothing short of pivotal.
Pep Guardiola is known for his success with some of the biggest clubs in the world. He’s never going to join Dartford and take them to the Premier League, but I can’t see Guardiola having a season like Klopp did last year. Liverpool weren’t in the title race last year, and it’s unlikely that Manchester City will face similar difficulties under Guardiola.
Pep Guardiola usually gets the players he wants and while that does have its advantages, it also presents challenges of its own. Guardiola makes all the players in his squad better footballers, and Manchester City have reaped the rewards of his efforts in recent years.
Honorable Mentions
Marcelo Bielsa has done an exceptional job with Leeds United, but it has to be acknowledged that there are not many teams in the world suited to his management style. Bielsa takes his time to build teams and he still has some work to do on his results in the Premier League. Leeds United is a great watch for us neutrals but I’m not too sure if traveling Leeds fans would be particularly thrilled with their club’s massive defeats against Manchester United and Leicester City.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has also won his fair share of fans with his work at Manchester United. Second place is no good at Manchester United, however, and Solskjaer will need to win the Premier League sooner rather than later. David Moyes lost his job at Manchester United because of his failure to win silverware and Solskjaer needs to be doing much more at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Manchester United have done well in the transfer market, but I still feel they need another forward to compete with their Premier League rivals. The Red Devils crashed out of the Champions League last year and their Europa League final defeat will not have helped Solskjaer’s cause. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has done a decent job so far but will need to take it up a notch to be considered one of the Premier League’s best managers.
Also Read: Jim Beglim column - 5 best left-backs in Europe right now
