Greatest players-turned-managers

[NinjaZombie]

Don't think SAF ever got a proper fair shout at professional football. Was always out of favor despite scoring goals but eventually became a record fee signing in Scotland for the European Cup runners-up only to fall out of favor with Rangers for sentimental reasons.

I'm a bit unclear over this but wasn't it because his wife was Catholic or something and it all rubbed off the wrong way with the Rangers higher ups?

 

[Raees]

Clear the thread was asking for greatest players turned managers not just your average joe player who managed to play at a high level.

Del Bosque is hardly talked about as one of the greatest players of all time is he?

For me Cruyff and Beckenbauer come in at top.. two bona fide top 5-7 players of all time and both managed to win the biggest trophies in football.

Between the two I would argue Cruyff edges it because he not only built a club side pretty much from scratch ala Fergie by rebuilding the academy, his players went on to become great managers and he has revolutionised modern football.

So a legendary player, legendary manager who created a legendary footballing side and a legendary visionary to boot.

No wonder he thought a lot of himself.

 

[Globule]

Maradona

 

[ivaldo]

Kammy?

 

[Jim Beam]

Looking at both playing and managerial career Cruyff has to be the best.

Others: Beckenbauer, Clough, Capello, Simeone, Heynckes, Ancelotti, Guardiola.

As for Zidane, he has a great record but still, it's too soon for me to put him in that top tier and would like to see will he stay successful. This Madrid team is fantastic and it will be interesting if he starts rebuilding job or accepts some other challenge.

 

[Devil81]

With Zidane's continued success I wondered who was RedCafe's vote for the greatest player-turned-manager, considering only those who have a genuine claim to greatness in both roles.

(I searched for a similar thread but didn't find one with a cumbersome title like this one. Maybe someone found a more elegant way to ask the question. Apologies if I missed it).

Zidane is fortunate to have taken over a team at the right moment, very much like Pep at Barca.

I'd love to see these guys achieve what Jose did with Porto and Inter...

They haven't got it in them.

 

[ThomasEmil]

Almost every great manager ever was a player. Who is a great manager that never played at a decent level? Mourinho? I can't think of any others.

Hoffenheims coach never played.

 

[ThomasEmil]

Hoffenheims coach never played.

Then again define great. What he has achieved for them would be considered great in that scale.

 

[Snow]

I'm a bit unclear over this but wasn't it because his wife was Catholic or something and it all rubbed off the wrong way with the Rangers higher ups?

Not according to himself as it was known when he joined but it was because they blamed him for a goal they conceded in a cup final against Celtic.

 

[Acheron]

Cristiano Ronaldo playing and coaching Portugal in the euro.