Shock, anger, confusion, sadness. Just a few of the emotions coursing through the veins of Liverpool fans right now in the wake of Jurgen Klopp’s announcement to leave the Reds at the end of this season. Klopp was the man who taught Liverpool how to win again after a drought of major trophies at Anfield. The Kop made him one of their own and turned him into an icon, a central cog in a spectacular machinery that worked beautifully for more than eight years. Naturally, Klopp’s decision to leave means that Anfield will be an even more emotional place than usual across the remaining months of the season.
While it remains to be seen if Klopp can end his Liverpool tenure on a high, the next few months can in no way take away from the legacy he has forged through blood, sweat and tears. Regardless of whoever succeeds him at Liverpool, Klopp will endure as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the club. Having said that, where does the German rank among the greatest of all time in the Premier League (since the English top flight received a makeover in 1992-93)? Find out as My Kolkata ranks the five greatest managers in the history of the Premier League in decreasing order of greatness.
Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United never finished outside the top three in the Premier League Getty Images
Thirteen Premier League titles. Four more than Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool combined. Six more than “noisy neighbours” Manchester City. Across his 21 years of managing in the Premier League, Ferguson was the gold standard of passion, persistence and the ability to find a way to win. Since his retirement in 2013, United have run through six managers without winning a single Premier League title. Manchester has gone from red to blue and Old Trafford has lost its aura as a fortress. Numbers aside, Ferguson’s time at United involved building and rebuilding multiple teams, each with their distinct style of play, all of which went on to taste glory. In terms of longevity and consistency, SAF is in a league of his own.
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola is attempting to win four consecutive Premier League titles this season, something no manager has done before Getty Images
“I can sleep better,” said Guradiola while reacting to his closest competitor leaving Liverpool. The Klopp era at Liverpool ensured that Guardiola and Man City never felt that winning the league was a foregone conclusion. But with five titles to his name, including three in the last three seasons, Guardiola’s City have well and truly been the team to beat in the present era of English football. A baptism of fire in his first season in Manchester had many debating whether Guardiola’s possession play would work in the physicality of the Premier League. With characteristic meticulousness, Guardiola has not just put those debates to rest, but pioneered a style of football that the English game had never seen before. While his 100 points campaign in 2017-18 remains the zenith (the only time a Premier League club has reached three figures), Klopp’s exit may just pave the way for even more domination by Guardiola and City.
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
Arsene Wenger led Arsenal to Champions League football in 20 out of his 22 Premier League campaigns Getty Images
Nobody has managed more Premier League games than the 828 matches Arsene Wenger spent in charge of Arsenal in the world’s most competitive league. Nobody has spent an entire Premier League season undefeated other than Wenger, whose Invincibles did the unthinkable in 2003-04. Out of his 22 seasons at Arsenal, Wenger guided the Gunners to UEFA Champions League football 20 times, all the while running a tight ship, more so since the team shifted to the Emirates Stadium in 2006. Aside from revolutionising the Premier League in terms of food and fitness, Wenger will be best remembered for mentoring raw talent and converting them into some of the world’s finest, including the likes of Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie.
Jose Mourinho (Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur)
Jose Mourinho’s defensive record with Chelsea from 2004-05 still remains the best in Premier League history Getty Images
“Just pay and don’t speak,” was Mourinho’s suggestion to Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch who brought “The Special One” to England in 2004. Mourinho made an instant impact by breaking the Arsenal-United duopoly and leading Chelsea to back-to-back Premier League crowns. Never shy of splashing the cash or making headlines, Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013 and became a Premier League champion once more in 2014-15. Thereafter, a bitter end at Chelsea and topsy-turvy spells at United and Tottenham Hotspur have damaged his standing somewhat. It is true that in his pomp few could guarantee success quite like Mourinho. However, in recent times, Mourinho’s antics have meant that few can guarantee controversy quite like him.
Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team scored a staggering 99 points to claim the Premier League title in 2019-20 Getty Images
On the surface, just one Premier League title in eight seasons (with another on the cards this term) does not make for stupendous reading. And yet, those who have watched the exhilarating football played by Klopp’s Liverpool know just how special his teams have been. Ending a three-decade wait to win the Premier League in 2019-20 cemented Klopp’s status among the Liverpool faithful. Were it not for a rampant Man City, Klopp could have had at least two more winner’s medals. But more than the silverware what Klopp brought to Anfield was self-belief, the feeling that Liverpool were back in the big time and could take on any opponent anywhere. Visits to Anfield once again became the daunting prospect they used to be in the ’70s and ’80s. In Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Klopp harnessed arguably the most fearsome trident in Premier League history, all the while pushing the likes of Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold to world-class levels of performance. The fact that only Guardiola has managed less Premier League matches than Klopp on this list speaks volumes of the impact Klopp has had on Premier League football, which sees him finish above stellar names such as Antonio Conte, Carlo Ancelotti, Kenny Dalglish and Claudio Rainieri and wrap up our list of the five greatest Premier League managers of all time.
