Managing The Game

Jurgen Klinsmann's dismissal by South Korea is the latest in a long line of failures by top players to be top managers. Why is that so? Firstly; much as it seems otherwise; the skills required are completely different. A top player requires different skills from a top coach. Otherwise no one can coach Tiger Woods lol.

So we've seen a long like of failures: from Bryan Robson's failed escapades at Middlesbrough; to Roy Keane's tumultuous showings at Sunderland; and the less said about Paul Ince's travails at MK Dons & Notts County the better. Even world greats such as Andrea Pirlo have failed miserably at Juventus; while Ruud Gullit could not being Sexy Back at Newcastle United.

So why lidat? It could be to do with ex-players expecting too much of their players to reach their own glorious heights; with them not willing to put in that extra bit that they used to do; a failure to be shaken of their own convictions; or just a failure of the skill-sets required such as man-management. It is worth noting that some of the best managers in the world were only average players; such as Arsene Wenger; Jurgen Klopp & Jose Mourinho.

Of course there are exceptions to the rule; perhaps the most notable being Josep Guardiola; formerly the best defensive midfielder in the world for Barcelona and now the best manager in the world. But he; like Xabi Alonso; were so smart as players you just knew they would be good managers. Is it a coincidence that they both play in the same position of defensive midfielder? Others worth mentioning are also Franz Beckenbauer; the legendary Kaiser & manager of West Germany; and Roberto Mancini; the former Sampdoria star; and perhaps Zinedine Zidane; the Champions League-winning legend of Real Madrid. But these are few and far between.