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#3 Brian Clough
Brian Clough is widely acknowledged as 'the greatest manager England never had' and one of football's revolutionary geniuses. He first made his name as a terrific goalscorer during his playing career, netting over 250 goals with Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
Clough's methods as manager were unorthodox at the time, but were undeniably effective. His unbelievable achievements were straight out of a video game. Clough took Derby County on a fairy-tale rise from the Second Division to the top-flight title. He then repeated the trick with Nottingham Forest, and went one step further by leading them to successive European Cup triumphs in 1979 and 1980.
Clough's remarkable success was punctuated by unpredictable failures, though. For instance, his time at Nottingham Forest ended in relegation. He was also sacked by Leeds United after just 44 days. However, the maverick manager's greatness will live forever in the hearts of Rams and Forest fans.
#2 Bob Paisley
The greatest manager in Liverpool history, Bob Paisley had a stint at Merseyside that saw the Reds establish themselves as the biggest and best club in English football. Quiet and dignified, Paisley introduced an elegant brand of football that led Liverpool to three European Cup triumphs in five years (1977-1981).
His time with the club also saw the Reds win six league titles in ten years, between 1975-85, along with three successive League Cups. By the end of Paisley's nine-year spell as Liverpool head coach, he had won an incredible tally of 20 trophies.
Paisley set a high bar at the Reds, and once jokingly remarked:
"Mind you, I wasn't here for the good times! I've been here during the bad times too - one year we came second."
#1 Sir Alex Ferguson
With 49 trophies in a coaching career that spanned nearly four decades, Sir Alex Ferguson is arguably the greatest manager in football history. With clubs changing managers more frequently than ever before, Ferguson's 26-year spell at Manchester United appears even more impressive.
Despite being best known as a Red Devils legend, Ferguson was a successful manager even before his arrival in Manchester. He made his name at Aberdeen, where he won three league titles in Scotland, breaking the 15-year duopoly of Rangers and Celtic in the process. He also led Aberdeen to success in Europe, winning the European Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
At Old Trafford, Ferguson helped Manchester United end Liverpool's stranglehold on English football. The Red Devils' won an astonishing 13 league titles under the Scot, and two Champions League titles.
A strict disciplinarian, Ferguson was responsible for United becoming the most popular football club in the world. It is telling that the Red Devils have failed to win the Premier League or the Champions League since the retirement of their legendary manager in 2013.
