Highlights

  • Being a great football player doesn't guarantee that a person will go on to become a world-class manager, and vice versa.
  • Pep Guardiola may be the exception to that rule as the Manchester City boss has endured a wonderful career both on the pitch and in the dugout.
  • Jurgen Klopp, Erik ten Hag and Ange Postecoglou are among the better bosses that failed to achieve much during their playing careers.

For every Pep Guardiola or Carlo Ancelotti, there's a Sir Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger. Whether they played the game to the highest level or not, some of the most successful managers in the history of football have made it there not purely on their actual on-pitch experience.

In some cases, the players that are less technically gifted are forced into thinking about the game in more detail and thus, become very good coaches and managers in their later years. The English top-flight does have a couple of bosses who lifted the Champions League trophy as players, and one former Premier League champion.

Here we rank the 20 Premier League managers this season based on just their playing careers, and there are a couple of surprises along the way.

20 Thomas Frank

Brentford

Brentford boss Thomas Frank watching on from the touchline

Out of all the managers in the Premier League, Thomas Frank arguably comes in with the least experience playing at any level, let alone a high one. The 49-year-old was a midfielder by trade but only had a short career playing amateur football at his local club, Frederiksvaerk BK, and never made it to the professional stage.

It was perhaps why Frank quickly moved onto his real dream of coaching, spending a good 18 years or so with youth teams. It was only in 2011 that the now Brentford boss caught the eye of his country, and he was named Denmark's U16 and U17 manager in 2008. For any of those people who wish to become a football manager but have never gotten further than a kick-about with mates, Frank is the ultimate inspiration.

Playing Career

Years

Frederiksvaerk BK

Unknown

19 Chris Wilder

Sheffield United

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder

Modern-day fans will be well aware of the solid relationship Chris Wilder shares with the Sheffield United fans. This doesn't just come from his impressive first stint as manager at Bramall Lane either. The Blades' boss had two different stints with the club as a player, making over 100 appearances for the Yorkshire-based outfit,

Wilder's career was nothing particularly special as he spent a lot of his time out on loan to the likes of Walsall and Leyton Orient in the lower leagues. The most settled period of his entire career came in a four-year spell with Rotherham United in the 1990s.

Playing Career

Years

Sheffield United

1986 - 1992

Walsall (loan)

1989

Charlton Athletic (loan)

1990 - 1991

Leyton Orient (loan)

1992

Rotherham United

1992 - 1996

Notts County

1996 - 1997

Bradford City

1997 - 1998

Sheffield United

1998 - 1999

Northampton Town (loan)

1998

Lincoln City (loan)

1999

Brighton

1999

Halifax Town

1999 - 2001

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18 Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner watching on from the dugout

Oliver Glasner is a new name to the majority of Premier League fans. The Austrian took over in the Selhurst Park dugout from Roy Hodgson, after the Palace favourite departed the club in the 2023/24 season. Glasner's appointment came after he caught the eye during his time with Eintracht Frankfurt, in which he lifted a Europa League trophy.

This surpasses any achievements he managed as a player, however. Playing as a defender, his entire playing career was spent with SV Reid in his native Austria. A season-long loan to LASK was the only interruption to his 19-year stint with the club where he won two Austrian Cups.

Playing Career

Years

SV Reid

1992 - 2011

LASK (loan)

2003 - 2004

17 Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou celebrating

To fans who live in the bubble of the Premier League and all things Europe, Ange Postecoglou's name probably would not have come on the radar until his move to Celtic as manager. The 58-year-old spent his entire playing career in his native Australia, predominantly featuring for South Melbourne. Despite the fact he was a defender by trade, the Australian bagged a pretty impressive 27 goals.

Postecoglou spent nine years at the club, winning the league title on two occasions, with the latter of them being done with him as captain. To add a little bit of extra trivia, the now Tottenham boss was actually coached by Hungarian icon Ferenc Puskas, while the 4-3-3 formation that was used by the former Real Madrid striker shaped Postecoglou's way of thinking for his managerial career later on.

Playing Career

Years

South Melbourne

1984-1993

16 Unai Emery

Aston Villa

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

A left-sided midfielder who came through the academy at Real Sociedad, Unai Emery's playing career was nothing to write home about. The Aston Villa boss ended up making just five appearances for the first-team at Sociedad, before embarking on a new adventure with Toledo, where he played the majority of his games.

Emery mostly featured in the second division of Spanish football and retired after one season with Lorca Deportiva CF at the age of 32. He did, however, sign for Burgos CF, but due to a lack of funds within the club, Emery was released without even making a single competitive appearance.

Playing Career

Years

Real Sociedad B

1990-1995

Real Sociedad

1995-1996

Toledo

1996-2000

Racing Ferrol

2000-2002

Leganes

2002-2003

Lorca Deportiva

2003-2004

15 Marco Silva

Fulham

Fulham manager Marco Silva

A right-back during his playing days, Marco Silva's career was more of a journeyman than anything. The Portuguese man spent 15 years playing across his home country, rarely settling down for more than a season until he eventually landed at Estoril, where he spent six campaigns.

Silva's time at the club was all spent in the second tier of Portuguese football, and after going into early retirement at the age of just 34, he would be appointed immediately as Estoril's director of football. That was then followed up by his appointment as the club's manager, where he carved out his name and had some of the big teams of Portugal like Sporting come calling.

Playing Career

Years

Belenenses

1996-1997

Atletico

1997-1998

Trofense

1998-2001

Campomaiorense

1999-2000

Rio Ave

2001

Braga B

2002-2003

Salgueiros

2003-2004

Odivelas

2004-2005

Estoril

2005-2011

14 Eddie Howe

Newcastle

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe watches on during a training session

Injuries robbed Eddie Howe from going on to enjoy a long and successful career, and for the current Newcastle boss, his playing days will surely be thought of as a "massive what if?". Having started at Bournemouth - where of course he enjoyed a superb spell as manager - the Englishman moved to Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth back in 2002.

However, a serious knee injury suffered shortly afterwards curtailed his time, before he made a return on the opening day of the 2002/2003 season. Such was his luck though, Howe ended up getting another major knee injury just nine minutes into the game, and it cost him the entire year. Whilst he may look back on his playing career with a bit of regret, he has made the most out of being a young and upcoming manager.

Playing Career

Years

Bournemouth

1994-2002

Portsmouth

2002-2004

Swindon Town

2004

Bournemouth

2004-2007

13 Sean Dyche

Everton

Everton manager Sean Dyche on the touchline

Sean Dyche, the manager, comes across as hard-nosed, takes no prisoners and willing to leave it all on the line. Sean Dyche the player? Along the same lines. The current Everton boss started off his career with Nottingham Forest, but a broken leg set him back some way and forced him to work harder than ever to come back.

The rest of his career saw him play for several Football League clubs, while arguably the biggest match he played in was the FA Cup semi-final with Chesterfield, where his side sadly lost in a replay against Middlesbrough. Dyche did forge a pretty successful time of it by leading teams to promotion, with the likes of Bristol City, Millwall and Northampton Town all going up with him in the team.

Playing Career

Years

Nottingham Forest

1989-1990

Chesterfield

1990-1997

Bristol City

1997-1999

Millwall

1999-2002

Watford

2002-2005

Northampton Town

2005-2007

12 Erik ten Hag

Manchester United

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag shouting instructions from the touchline

Another ex-defender on this list, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag perhaps didn't enjoy the most illustrious of playing careers, but certainly seemed to soak up enough knowledge to become an elite head coach. The Dutchman had three separate stints at Twente, including his longest one starting in 1996, when he spent a good six years at the club.

Despite being listed as 5 foot 11, Ten Hag made a long career out of operating in central defence, and perhaps one of the reasons why he seems to have no problems with giving the likes of Lisandro Martinez at United and Jurrien Timber at Ajax a crucial role in his back-line. The Dutchman's biggest success as a player came when he won the KNVB Cup, before retiring from professional football at the age of 32 in 2002.

Playing Career

Years

Twente

1989-1990

De Graafschap

1990-1992

Twente

1992-1994

RKC Waalwijk

1994-1995

Utrecht

1995-1996

Twente

1996-2002

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11 David Moyes

West Ham

West Ham United boss David Moyes smiling

Such has been David Moyes' long and tenured career, it's easy to forget that he played at a good level for a couple of decades between the 1980s and the 1990s. Playing over 20 times for Celtic in his first foray into professional football, the Scottish-born manager then moved south to England to pursue greater first-team opportunities, starting with Cambridge United.

Moyes would eventually end his career with a five-year stint at Preston North End, where he featured over 140 times for the club, scoring 15 goals. A centre-back by trade, the now West Ham boss hung up his boots at Preston and rose through the ranks as a coach initially, before taking on the full-time job in January 1998.

Playing Career

Years

Celtic

1980-1983

Cambridge United

1983-1985

Bristol City

1985-1987

Shrewsbury Town

1987-1990

Dunfermline Athletic

1990-1992

Hamilton Academical

1992-1993

Preston North End

1993-1998

10 Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp at the end of the 2022-23 Premier League season

One of the greatest managers of the modern era, even Jurgen Klopp would admit his playing career was largely forgettable, saying: "I had fourth-division talent and a first-division head." In fact, after a trial at Eintracht Frankfurt where he played alongside Andreas Moller, the Bundesliga legend, Klopp remarked jokingly: "If that's football, I'm playing a completely different game. He was world-class. I was not even class."

Predominantly a defender during his time on the pitch, the now Liverpool boss spent virtually his entire professional career with Mainz 05, a team that he would later manage. Given everything that Klopp has won as a manager since his retirement, it's fair to say the German won't be losing any sleep over his playing career. The 56-year-old has already cemented his legacy in history as one of the best to do it.

Playing Career

Years

1. FC Pforzheim

1987

Eintracht Frankfurt II

1987-1988

Viktoria Sindlingen

1988-1989

Rot-Weiss Frankfurt

1989-1990

Mainz 05

1990-2001

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9 Rob Edwards

Luton Town

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards

Having earned 15 caps for Wales, Rob Edwards enjoyed a rather underrated playing career, spanning across three decades in English football. Having come up through the ranks at Aston Villa, the ex-defender made eight first-team appearances for the Villans, with a couple of loan spells sprinkled in too.

However, it was his time at Wolves during the mid-2000s where perhaps most fans will remember him, and while he did play 100 times at Molineux, a couple of knee ligament issues prevented him from racking up more appearances. In the end, Edwards would finish his playing career under contract at Barnsley, before taking a break from football for a few years.

Playing Career

Years

Aston Villa

1999-2004

Wolves

2004-2008

Blackpool

2008-2011

Barnsley

2011-2013

8 Roberto De Zerbi

Brighton

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi looks on

One of the hottest managerial names around, Roberto De Zerbi's spell at Brighton has earned him rave reviews, and understandably so, given they even finished in the Europa League places last time around. His playing days, however? Far less exciting. Having started his professional career with Serie A giants Milan, the now 44-year-old spent the next 15 years or so up and down his native Italy, with a brief stint out in Romania with CFR Cluj.

All in all, De Zerbi represented 14 different teams across his professional career, with several of them coming on loan. His most successful spell came at Foggia, where the former attacking midfielder would net 17 goals in 56 appearances, while his highest-profile move came when he donned the famous light blue of Napoli for 33 games.

Playing Career

Years

Milan

1998-2001

Salernitana

2001-2002

Foggia

2002-2004

Arezzo

2004-2005

Catania

2005-2006

Napoli

2006-2010

CFR Cluj

2010-2012

Trento

2013

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7 Gary O'Neil

Wolves

Gary O'Neil

A familiar face to those who watched Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth side in the 2000s, Gary O'Neil came through the youth ranks at the club before going on to feature 174 times, scoring 16 goals in the process. After a total of seven years on the south coast, O'Neil moved on to Middlesbrough, where he became a regular fixture in the middle of the park.

Those four years at the Riverside followed a series of spells across the Premier League and lower divisions, with appearances for the likes of West Ham, QPR, Norwich City, Bristol City and Bolton Wanderers. Perhaps an under-rated player, O'Neil certainly isn't the worst manager on this list in terms of ability, and that's why he finds himself near the middle of the pack.

Playing Career

Years

Portsmouth

2000-2007

Middlesbrough

2007-2011

West Ham

2011-2013

QPR

2013-2014

Norwich City

2014-2016

Bristol City

2016-2018

Bolton Wanderers

2018-2019

6 Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo

Many may be unaware that Nuno Espirito Santo was part of the Porto squad that famously lifted the Champions League under Jose Mourinho in 2004. He was an unused substitute for the final, but this is an honour that very few others on this list can boast.

Santo spent the majority of his career moving around different clubs in Portugal and Spain, as well as a brief spell in Russian football with Dynamo Moscow. The former Portugal youth international was a goalkeeper who made just over 200 career appearances. His playing days came to an end in 2010 after he returned to Estadio do Dragao. Four Portuguese league titles were the biggest accomplishments of the 50-year-old's career, alongside the Champions League.

Playing Career

Years

Vitoria Guimaraes

1992 - 1996

Vila Real (loan)

1993 - 1994

Deportivo La Coruna

1997 - 2001

Merida (loan)

1998 - 2000

Osasuna

2000 - 2001

Porto

2002 - 2004

Dynamo Moscow

2005 - 2006

Aves

2007

Porto

2007 - 2010

5 Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino smiling on the touchline

It's easy to forget Mauricio Pochettino actually enjoyed a rather high-profile career as a player - England fans will remember him from his time playing for Argentina, and giving away a penalty against the Three Lions back in the 2002 World Cup. Aside from representing his country 20 times, the current Chelsea boss made his mark on European football with two teams.

After enjoying a long spell in his native Argentina with Newell's Old Boys, Pochettino arrived in Spain to play for Barcelona's local rivals, Espanyol. Seven years with the club saw him eventually make the move to French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who he returned to manage just a couple of years ago. The centre-back would then go through a stint at Bordeaux before returning to Espanyol to finish off his playing career.

Playing Career

Years

Newell's Old Boys

1989-1994

Espanyol

1994-2001

PSG

2001-2003

Bordeaux

2003-2004

Espanyol

2004-2006

3:16
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4 Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

Bournemouth-Andoni-Iraola

A product of Athletic Bilbao's academy, Andoni Iraola was virtually a one-club man, staying loyal to his Basque roots. The right-back made his first-team debut for the club in the 2003/04 season, appearing in his first La Liga game against Barcelona. Iraola's ability to take penalties and free-kicks meant he scored more goals than most defenders did, netting 33 times in his 406 appearances for the club.

Despite being part of a couple of exciting Bilbao sides - Manchester United fans will certainly remember the one led by Marcelo Bielsa, for example - Iraola never managed to lift a trophy with his club, finishing runner-up on three occasions in the Copa del Rey, and losing out on the Europa League final back in the 2011/2012 campaign. Nevertheless, Iraola features quite highly on this list for his exploits with Bilbao.

Playing Career

Years

Basconia

2000-2001

Athletic Bilbao B

2001-2003

Athletic Bilbao

2003-2015

New York City

2015-2016

3 Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta applauding

Given his quick rise as manager of Arsenal, it seems crazy to think of Mikel Arteta as a player not so long ago. The Spaniard, of course, came to prominence when he made the move from Rangers to Everton. After several successful years with the Toffees, the midfielder earned a high-profile move to the Gunners.

Arteta arrived at the Emirates in a period of turbulence under Arsene Wenger, with the summer of 2011 living long in the memory of Arsenal fans who had witnessed the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri depart in search of trophies. The maestro helped steady the ship with his leadership and poise in the middle of the park, and clearly, was building the knowledge and experience to one day return as manager.

Playing Career

Years

Barcelona B

1999-2002

PSG (loan)

2001-2002

Rangers

2002-2004

Real Sociedad

2004-2005

Everton

2005-2011

Arsenal

2011-2016

2 Vincent Kompany

Burnley

Vincent Kompany

A Manchester City legend, it's fair to say Vincent Kompany built himself into one of the best centre-backs the Premier League has seen. The former Belgium star came through the ranks in his homeland with Anderlecht, and after German side Hamburg saw his potential early on, they brought him to the Bundesliga. His impressive performances there eventually saw City come calling, and boy did they get an absolute gem on their hands.

265 games over 11 years saw Kompany win every domestic honour possible at the Etihad, with only the Champions League eluding him. The retired defender won four league titles, two FA Cups, four EFL cups and a couple of Community Shields too. After injuries continued to plague him at City, Kompany made the emotional decision to return home to Anderlecht, following which he took over as player-manager and then as the club's full-time boss.

Playing Career

Years

Anderlecht

2003-2006

Hamburger SV

2006-2008

Manchester City

2008-2019

Anderlecht

2019-2020

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1 Pep Guardiola

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola

A man with not just an incredible record as a manager, but one as a player too, Pep Guardiola's time as a footballer was an illustrious one, to say the least. Coming through Barcelona's academy system, La Masia, the Spaniard won six La Liga titles, including four on the bounce from the start of the 1990s. Add to that two Copa del Rey's and a European Cup, and Guardiola's trophy-winning as a player is unmatched.

It perhaps explains just how brilliant a manager he has also become. Having been the heartbeat of a Barcelona side under Johan Cruyff, Guardiola couldn't help but be a thinker in the middle of the pitch and see the game differently to anybody else. It's no surprise that he features right at the top of this list, and unless we see a Premier League return from the likes of Steven Gerrard or Frank Lampard, then that's where he will stay.

Playing Career

Years

Barcelona

1990-2001

Brescia

2001-2002

Roma

2002-2003

Brescia

2003

Al-Ahli

2003-2005

Dorados

2005-2006