Managers are an interesting bunch, aren’t they? Sometimes we forget our favourite tacticians and touchline heroes were once players.
While it doesn’t seem too long ago since the likes of current managers like Scott Parker and Mikel Arteta were strutting their stuff as Premier League players, fans may know less about the careers of Oliver Glasner Daniel Farke or Regis le Bris – and it’s interesting to image what they were like as footballers.
Of course, not every manager reached the most illustrious heights during their playing days. For every Pep Guardiola lifting the European Cup, there’s a Vitor Pereira struggling to make it as a professional in the Portuguese lower leagues.
But, whether it’s the glittering nights of elite European football, or the mud-laden turf of grassroots football, this is where managers are forged. Behind the scenes, knowledge is acquired, ideas are exchanged and leadership qualities are refined.
In fact, some of today’s leading coaches and modern technocrats have shared a dressing room at one time or another. Mikel Arteta and Mauricio Pochettino were on the books at PSG in 2001/02, for example, while Slaven Bilic and Frank Lampard played together at West Ham in the mid-90s.
And that got us thinking. What are some of the most manager-spangled dressing rooms of old? Football teams of a bygone era that contained not just a couple, but three, four, or even five modern-day greats all in one dressing room racking brains and sharing philosophies?
Let’s take a look…
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Barcelona 1998/99
- Pep Guardiola (Man City)
- Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Phillip Cocu (most recently managed Vitesse)
- Xavi (most recently managed Barcelona)
- Frank de Boer (most recently managed Al Jazira)
- Michael Reiziger (Netherlands U21)
- Abelardo Fernandez (most recently with Cartagena, formerly Alaves and Espanyol)
- Mauricio Pellegrino (Lanus, formerly of Southampton, Valencia and Liverpool assistant manager)
- Jose Mourinho (Fenerbahce)*
Of course our journey begins at the hallowed Camp Nou turf, a sacred breeding ground for fine footballers, and even finer managers. Conceptualised in the Netherlands, but accentuated in Catalonia, this is where Total Football really began to dominate the sport at club level.
First though Rinus Michels, then later Johan Cruyff and eventually Pep Guardiola with his offshoot tiki-taka doctrine. But, between those periods of success, there was a man who shunned the improvisation and fluidity of the concept, instead preferring a more pragmatic and structured approach. That man was Louis van Gaal.
During his first Barca stint Van Gaal became something of a polarising coach for what he expressed as a clash of cultures, but his managerial stardust obviously rubbed off on some of his former pupils, as many of them have gone on to thrive in the dugout.
Pep Guardiola is, of course, the standout name, winning three Champions League titles and producing some of the most dominant club teams of the modern era at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City . Luis Enrique, likewise, went on to manage Barca, and he too lifted ‘ol ‘Big Ears’ in 2015 and again in 2025 with PSG as well as a host of domestic titles with those two clubs either side of his spell in charge of Spain.
Xavi Hernandez is another who has gone on to manage Blaugrana although he appears to have taken a step back from managment since leaving Camp Nou in the summer of 2024.
Frank de Boer’s ill-fated spells at Inter Milan and Crystal Palace, in which he lasted a combined 19 matches, were compounded by his mutual goodbye with Atlanta in Major League Soccer and he was unable to rebuild his reputation during his spell in charge of the Netherlands as they were knocked out of Euro 2020 in the Round of 16 by the Czech Republic.
Reiziger meanwhile is now part of the Dutch national set-up as the U21s manager after spending time on the staff at Ajax and Mauricio Pellegrino, once of Southampton in the Premier League, is back in Argentina with Lanus.
We’ve also thrown Mourinho in there for good measure, as well. Although he wasn’t technically a player, he was a prominent figure in the dressing room. Abelardo Fernandez has struggled as a coach in recent years but once managed Espanyol, Alaves and Sporting Gijon and Albert Cellades managed Valencia in 2019-20 after coaching several of Spain’s national youth teams.
Unfortunately, Van Gaal never deployed all these greats together, but there was a Copa del Rey game, against Benidorm of all teams, in which seven of the nine started. In a 1-0 win at the Estadio Municipal Guillermo Amor in mid-January 1999, this is how they lined up…
Juventus 1996/97
- Antonio Conte (Napoli)
- Attilio Lombardo (Most recently with Italy U20)
- Ciro Ferrara (most recently with Wuhan Zall)
- Didier Deschamps (France)
- Paolo Montero (most recently with Juventus Next Gen)
- Zinedine Zidane (Most recently with Real Madrid)
The 90s were a magical time to be a Serie A fan. Calcio was the hub of elite football and “Golaccio” was on the tip of every commentator’s tongue with players like Diego Maradona, Paul Gascoigne and Faustino Asprilla producing the spectacular on a weekly basis.
It wasn’t quite the one-horse race we know these days, but back then it was a pretty special time for the Old Lady. That golden decade saw Giovanni Trapattoni, Marcello Lippi and Carlo Ancelotti all occupy the dugout, while players like Roberto Baggio, Alessandro Del Piero and Filippo Inzaghi graced the Turin turf.
But, there can be no denying that amid all that star quality, their 1996/97 squad was the most esteemed. They famously reached the Champions League final that season, having lifted the title the year prior, but lost out to a Paul Lambert-inspired Borussia Dortmund with that famous Lars Ricken chip.
It was one of the great European nights, and we all doff our caps to Ottmar Hitzfeld, because Lippi’s XI was simply ridiculous. Under the Italian’s tutelage was Conte, Zidane and Deschamps, three coaches who have gone on to define the modern era and entered the managerial Hall of Fame.
Collectively they have lifted three Champions Leagues, one World Cup, one Premier League title, five Serie A Scudettos, two La Ligas, a Ligue 1 medal, as well as a handful of other domestic titles such as the FA Cup and a Coupe de la Ligue. Not a shabby trophy cabinet.
Alongside those three bigger names, this Juventus squad also boasted Attilio Lombardo who would become a decorated assistant coach with the likes of Manchester City and most recently Sampdoria, Ciro Ferrara who would manage the Bianconeri in 2009-10 and Paolo Montero, who managed in Argentina before a spell as Juve caretaker and Next Gen manager.
Lazio 1999/00
- Alessandro Nesta (most recently at Monza)
- Dejan Stankovic (Spartak Moscow)
- Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
- Matias Almeyda (Sevilla)
- Roberto Mancini (most recently at Saudi Arabia)
- Sergio Conceicao (most recently at AC Milan)
- Simone Inzaghi (Al-Hilal)
We’ve had Van Gaal managing Barca, Lippi at the Juve helm, and now, Sven-Goran Eriksson. The ex-England manager was forming quite the burgeoning reputation in Italian football during the 80s and 90s, winning titles at Roma and Fiorentina before eventually pitching up at Lazio.
Despite previously managing in the Eternal City, it was at Roma’s arch-rivals that he really cemented his status as one of world football’s leading tacticians. His 1999/00 side was quite breathtaking, a who’s who of international stars and household names. But, it was the diversity of his squad that really greased the machine.
For every rampaging hatchet-man in Diego Simeone, there was an elegant playmaker in Juan Sebastian Veron. Throw the likes of Alessandro Nesta, Pavel Nedved and Dejan Stankovic into the mix and you can probably see why they won Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Super Cup that season.
It’s quite the postcard, picturing Eriksson, Simeone and Mancini all in one dressing room together — oh, to be a fly on the wall — but perhaps explains why the latter duo went on to build successful careers. There was a broad spectrum of ideas, playing styles and cultures there.
Simeone’s pragmatism has revolutionised Atletico Madrid and established the club in the elite circle, while Mancini will always be remembered for that ‘Agueroooo’ goal and winning Man City a first-ever Premier League title. He was also able to add an international title to his cabinet, leading his native Italy to victory in Euro 2020.
And, of course, Simone Inzaghi has enjoyed success at Inter Milan, winning two Coppa Italias, one Serie A and reaching two Champions League finals before leaving the club for Al-Hilal in 2025.
Nesta has also managed in Serie A with Monza, Sergio Conceicao was at AC Milan in the 2023-24 season and Matias Almeyda’s long path to the elite level of management has seen him wind up at Sevilla via AEK Athens and San Jose Earthquakes.
Argentina 2001
- Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
- Mauricio Pochettino (USA)
- Marcelo Gallardo (River Plate)
Close your eyes and imagine this: it’s 2001 and Argentina are playing Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier, no biggie.
Now, imagine Hernan Crespo, Javier Zanetti and Veron all gracefully tearing up the turf. Next, Simeone, like a bull to a red rag, is spotted marauding across the pitch; Pochettino then enters your peripheral vision; and so too does former PSG forward Gallardo.
Now, look to the dugout. This crescendo of talent mixed with madness is being led by none other than Marcelo Bielsa.
Described as “one of the world’s best managers” by Pochettino, and heralded as the coach who “taught me the most” by Simeone, ‘El Loco’ certainly leaves a lasting impression wherever he steps. So, it’s no surprise to see three of his former pupils all go on to prosper in the dugout.
Simeone, as mentioned, has transformed Atleti into a European powerhouse, Pochettino produced something similar at Spurs, reaching the Champions League final in 2018/19, and Gallardo also exceeded expectations at River Plate in Argentina, winning the Copa Libertadores twice, in 2015 and 2018. To put that in context, the club (one of the ‘Big Five’ in Argentina) had only won the competition twice in their entire history before ‘El Muneco’ took charge.
Gallardo is now one of the most sought-after managers in world football, which is a rarity coming direct from an Argentine dugout, but with three South America Coach of the Year awards to his name, he is hot property for a reason.
Two years later, Bielsa would give a debut to yet another future managerial great. Lionel Scaloni made his Albiceleste debut in 2003 and would play just seven times for his nation but represent them with great distinction in his coaching career by managing Argentina to the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
Chelsea 1996/97
- Roberto Di Matteo
- Gianfranco Zola
- Jody Morris
- Steve Clarke
- Mark Hughes
- Ruud Gullit
- Gianluca Vialli
- Eddie Newton
Six on the above list either went on to manage Chelsea or worked as a coach for the club in some capacity. In fact, that 1996/97 season was a real boom of foreign imports for the Blues, with Ruud Gullit stepping into the dugout as a player-manager after Glenn Hoddle left to become England manager.
Using his influence on the global market, Gullit brought in a number of international names, including Vialli, Di Matteo, Zola and Frank Leboeuf. And what a maiden campaign it was for the Dutchman, ending Chelsea’s 26-year trophy drought with an FA Cup win over Middlesbrough, in which Di Matteo scored within 43 seconds (the second-fastest ever goal in FA Cup Final history).
Zola also clinched the FWA Footballer of the Year award while there was a double over Tottenham and a win over Man Utd along the way. Things eventually turned sour for Gullit at Stamford Bridge, but the 96/97 season was certainly one to cherish for those of a Blue persuasion.
And that side has gone on to achieve some pretty incredible feats in managerial football, particularly for Chelsea. Di Matteo famously lifted the Champions League in 2012 after stepping in for Andre Villas-Boas. Eddie Newton, his assistant at the time, became Trabzonspor’s head coach in 2020, but left shortly after. They won the Turkish cup final in his second game in charge, originally as caretaker boss.
Meanwhile, Zola was second-in-command to Maurizio Sarri as the club scooped the Europa League in 2019. Jody Morris was assistant to Frank Lampard in his first stint at the Bridge, while Steve Clarke, now manager of Scotland, held a similar position during the glory days under Jose Mourinho in the early 2000s. Vialli, who succeeded Gullit, also shone in west London, lifting the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, as well as the FA Cup and the League Cup.
Mark Hughes has never coached Chelsea in any form, but he didn’t fare too badly at Blackburn and had the task of heralding the new Sheikh Mansour era at Man City. He also managed Fulham, QPR, Stoke and Southampton, and is now in the National League with Carlisle United.
Crystal Palace 1991/92
- Gareth Southgate (most recently at England)
- Alan Pardew
- Chris Coleman
Let’s move away from the Lippi disciples and Champions League winners to the hustle and bustle of Selhurst Park. Steve Coppell’s first of four spells at Crystal Palace saw him preside over a dressing room fraught with managerial potential, with Southgate, Pardew and Coleman all sharing the half-time oranges in south London.
That season they finished 10th in the old First Division (now our holy Premier League), reached the League Cup quarter finals and the semi-finals of the Full Members Cup, whatever that is. Along with that trident of future dugout-occupants, Coppell also had a young Ian Wright doing the business up-top and Stan Collymore.
Southgate has, of course, gone on to reach great heights in the managerial sphere, but it was quite the baptism of fire he received at Palace. During his formative years, former Eagles manager Alan Smith told Southgate to become a “travel agent” instead of a footballer because he shook hands and thanked the opposition after a match. He was also bestowed the nickname “Nord” in reference to TV presenter Denis Norden because of “the precise way that he spoke”.
That gentlemanly aura was certainly still prominent during Southgate’s reign as England manager. Pardew, of course, went on to lead Palace and will always be remembered for that dance in the FA Cup final (apologies for the reminder) and Coleman made a pretty good go of Euro 2016 with Wales.
Man Utd 1991/92
- Steve Bruce (Blackpool)
- Mark Hughes (Carlisle United)
- Mike Phelan
Sir Alex Ferguson has imparted much of his wisdom on his players over the years. Starting from Aberdeen with Alex McLeish to the late 90s with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. But, at the start of that decade he had a shrewd quartet of future dugout dancers.
Bruce, a free-scoring but strangely uncapped centre-back, soaked up Fergie’s wisdom like a sponge and enjoyed successful stints at Birmingham and Wigan, before going on to coach Newcastle and West Brom.
Hughes, meanwhile, is back in the dugout at Valley Parade after last appearing in the Premier League with Southampton in 2018. He is attempting to help Bradford climb back up the footballing ladder, and they currently lead Carlisle 1-0 in their play-off semi-final.
Meanwhile Phelan has made more of a name for himself as a coach rather than a player for the Red Devils. He served his old manager Ferguson for many years, before embarking on his own managerial journey, and when that came to a halt, he returned to Old Trafford, where he recently helped out Solskjaer.
England 2006
- David James
- Frank Lampard (Coventry City)
- Gary Neville
- Michael Carrick
- Sol Campbell
- Steven Gerrard
- Wayne Rooney
Another Sven squad that led to several managerial appointments!
Although only one of these is currently in a job, no fewer than five members of the 2006 England World Cup squad have coached at Championship level or above, while Sol Campbell has also coached in the lower reaches of the Football League and David James in India with Kerala Blasters.
Frank Lampard has enjoyed the most consistency as a coach so far and is currently at Coventry City after spells with Derby County, Chelsea and Everton. Gary Neville’s entire short-lived career as a head coach was played out in an ill-fated spell at Valencia.
A handful of others are still working as coaches, with John Terry at Chelsea’s academy and Ashley Cole at the FA working on the England men’s player pathway.
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