Can a manager succeed having never played pro football?

[Not_a_Cheat]

Are

Fergie and wenger didn’t have standout playing careers

Rooney and Gerrard did

Brains and brawn

Lampard was the one I thought would come good as seems intelligent enough, maybe will

Anyway, could have had a career as a fluffer on a midget porn set - if it helps getting us up

Are you not very tall?

 

[Ned the Donkey]

There are a few according to ChatGPT

Managers Who Never Played Professionally

1. Arrigo Sacchi

• Notable for: Transforming AC Milan in the late 1980s.
• Clubs Managed: AC Milan, Italy national team.
• Playing Career: Never played professional football; worked as a shoe salesman before becoming a coach.
• Famous Quote:
  “I never realized that to become a jockey you have to have been a horse.”

2. José Mourinho

• Notable for: Winning the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan.
• Playing Career: Played semi-professionally; shifted focus to coaching early on.

3. André Villas-Boas

• Notable for: Winning a treble with FC Porto in 2011.
• Playing Career: Never played professionally; started coaching in his early 20s under Bobby Robson.

4. Maurizio Sarri

• Notable for: Coaching Napoli, Chelsea, Juventus.
• Playing Career: Played amateur football while working as a banker; never played professionally.

5. Julian Nagelsmann

• Notable for: Young, highly tactical manager (RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Germany).
• Playing Career: Promising youth player, but retired early due to injury and never played at the top level.

6. René Girard

• Notable for: Winning Ligue 1 with Montpellier in 2012.
• Playing Career: Played, but not at a high level; better known for coaching.

7. Vítor Pereira

• Notable for: Managing FC Porto, Olympiacos, and other top clubs.
• Playing Career: Played in lower leagues only.

These managers show that deep tactical understanding, leadership, and communication skills can often matter more than playing experience at the highest level

Like getting one of the Stepford Wives to answer your question.


"Why that's a perfect answer dear."

 

[itsinyerblood]

All that matters is this - just be good, repeat, just be fucking good!

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

It's hard to determine what makes a good manager. Roberto Di Matteo won the FA Cup and Champions League at Chelsea but seldom gets mentioned as many dismiss it as "I could've won them with that squad of players."

On the flip side I thought Harry Redknapp was a great manager, as was Steve Coppell at Reading and George Burley at Ipswich.

 

[Striker]

Horses don't make good jockeys.

Playing and management are totally different skills

 

[Not_a_Cheat]

Horses don't make good jockeys.

Playing and management are totally different skills

I don't really bet on horse racing but thanks for the insight of an imbecile. Or you treating other people as?

 

[Matlock Blade]

Would you seriously prefer Rooney to manage us?
I for one am looking forward to a season for the first time since Wilder left the first time around. I don't care whether or not Selles was a top player so long as he makes the team enjoyable to watch again.

 

[Striker]

I don't really bet on horse racing but thanks for the insight of an imbecile. Or you treating other people as?

It was a way of trying to answer the question posted with an example.

Your response clearly shows who the imbecile is if you can't accept the sentiment.

 

[Silent Blade]

It's hard to determine what makes a good manager. Roberto Di Matteo won the FA Cup and Champions League at Chelsea but seldom gets mentioned as many dismiss it as "I could've won them with that squad of players."

On the flip side I thought Harry Redknapp was a great manager, as was Steve Coppell at Reading and George Burley at Ipswich.

Redknapp wasnt really a great player, half his playing career was in the 3rd division.

 

[Willie Carlin]

Maybe i'm the last to know but i just read an article that Selles never played football of any note. He was coaching an amateur team in Valencia called Parreta FC at the age of 16.
Question is, if you were a Blades player knowing he had never played, would you be taking him seriously?

There’s quite a lot on here think they could

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

Redknapp wasnt really a great player, half his playing career was in the 3rd division.

I was more referring to managers who didn't receive the full credit that they perhaps deserved.

 

[luffenhamblade]

It was a way of trying to answer the question posted with an example.

Your response clearly shows who the imbecile is if you can't accept the sentiment.

Although I suspect the fact they are different species doesn't help... I don't think either of you are imbeciles by the way, you're both blades.

 

[blade67]

There are a few according to ChatGPT

Managers Who Never Played Professionally

1. Arrigo Sacchi

• Notable for: Transforming AC Milan in the late 1980s.
• Clubs Managed: AC Milan, Italy national team.
• Playing Career: Never played professional football; worked as a shoe salesman before becoming a coach.
• Famous Quote:
  “I never realized that to become a jockey you have to have been a horse.”

2. José Mourinho

• Notable for: Winning the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan.
• Playing Career: Played semi-professionally; shifted focus to coaching early on.

3. André Villas-Boas

• Notable for: Winning a treble with FC Porto in 2011.
• Playing Career: Never played professionally; started coaching in his early 20s under Bobby Robson.

4. Maurizio Sarri

• Notable for: Coaching Napoli, Chelsea, Juventus.
• Playing Career: Played amateur football while working as a banker; never played professionally.

5. Julian Nagelsmann

• Notable for: Young, highly tactical manager (RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Germany).
• Playing Career: Promising youth player, but retired early due to injury and never played at the top level.

6. René Girard

• Notable for: Winning Ligue 1 with Montpellier in 2012.
• Playing Career: Played, but not at a high level; better known for coaching.

7. Vítor Pereira

• Notable for: Managing FC Porto, Olympiacos, and other top clubs.
• Playing Career: Played in lower leagues only.

These managers show that deep tactical understanding, leadership, and communication skills can often matter more than playing experience at the highest level

A bit of a close the thread post at #3.

I was aware of the special one, but not some of the others. There are also plenty who did little in their careers like Fergie and Wenger I think.