Top 5 managers in the English Premier League

As much of football is played on the pitch, a lot more is played off it. From Strategies to man-management to handling the media, the manager’s role has drastically changed over the last few decades in this era marked by the significant intrusion of the paparazzi.

The players live public lives and many of them become a lot more than footballers; style icons, brands and philanthropists! With the increased role of the owner in the affairs of the club and the crucial part played by the Transfer market in the clubs success, the manager has a lot to deal with. He has to balance the expectations of the fans to the money in the bag and create the best possible team.

The manager in the end becomes a man who has to keep the ends of the club in his mind and devise the best possible means to that end!

English Premier League boasts of some of the best managers and tacticians of the world. Long serving managers such as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have proved that inspite of the constantly rising pressure on the manager, success is not impossible.

Here is the list of my top five managers:

1. Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex retains all his enthusiasm, I wonder if he will ever stop

What does it take to be a manager most successful in the history of a club? To not manage it but to rule it like a loved tyrant? What does it take to be the boss and match the club itself in stature! It takes a Sir Alex Ferguson. A man who is held in higher respect at Manchester United than holy Jesus himself.

Sir Alex Ferguson has over the years (not to mention how many many they are!) become much more than a manager. He has passed all litmus tests and has even booted out many a legends from the club because at one point they all tried to cross him. But more than that, he has created many more of such legendary players. He is respected by all at the club and holds a special place in the hearts of the opponents. As is rightly said, he is one manager whom the players want to impress.

2. Arsene Wenger

Young Love: Arsene Wenger and Theo Walcott

Another heavyweight in all fairness, in many ways a better manager than Sir Alex. For one, his eye for young talent that sets him apart from any other manager. Arsene Wenger has earned a legendary status for himself at Arsenal in the last 14 years, credited for creating “the invincibles”, Arsene Wenger has little left to achieve at the club.

His belief in the style of football that is entertaining, aggressive and dominated by accurate passing and movement is one that is applauded by pundits. Arsenal along with Barcelona has become synonymous to brand beautiful football.

3. Carlo Ancelotti

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This Italian has quickly but surely set his foot on firm ground. Chelsea gave him a lot to start with: great squad, settled ownership, no lack of trophies. Yet Ancelotti had enough challenges to deal with. Firstly, healthy conditions at the club meant that he needed to deliver immediate success and continue the inflow of trophies. Since, Chelsea is the defending champion Roman Abramovic will not settle for anything less than the Champions League. Ancelotti is yet to achieve this goal but he is surely on his way.

Secondly, though his squad is full of experience but Chelsea has also lost some big players recently. Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Ricardo Carvalho’s absence has not deterred his team and they are still on top of the Premier League.

4. Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp: Up for Bigger Challenges?

The spurs manager will have his task cut-out this season with Tottenham in the Champions League, he needs to maintain the club’s place in Europe. With Manchester City in the fray, Tottenham might just be squeezed out of the top four.

However, going by this man’s efforts in the past Tottenham are likely to make the cut. Harry Redknapp has been instrumental in the team’s recent success and has worked well with the ample talent that his team possesses. Pavlyuchenko, Defoe, Crouch, Bale and Modric are deadly players under him.

Being an English is also to his favor in terms of popularity.

5. David Moyes

David Moyes: Time for for the Blues

After ending a successful career with Celtic as a mid-field player Moyes has achieved decent success as a manager and is a sound tactician. At the blue side of Merseyside, Moyes is now 8 years old! This says enough about the faith that the club has in him and his vision.

David Moyes can catapult himself to even greater heights and it is in this hope that he finds a place on this list. A little bit of ambition wont do this manager wrong. With players like Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta in the side he could have achieved a little more than he has in the past years.