5 greatest player-manager relationships of all time
Football, for many, has predominantly been about winning. But the beautiful game is much more than that.
Football is a team game, and the relationships formed almost always last a lifetime. Managers these days don't last long at any job, but some managers are able to build an excellent rapport with their players.
Certain player-manager relationships have gone on to define the sport and transform the game of football.
5 greatest player-manager relationships of all time
#5 Johan Cruyff-Rinus Michels
Johan Cruyff was a revolutionary figure whose impact on the beautiful game will last forever.
Cruyff was one of the greatest players and one of the greatest managers football has ever seen. The Dutchman, alongside Rinus Michels, has been credited with developing and implementing "Total Football", a style of play that focuses on the versatility of the players.
Cruyff and Michels enjoyed an excellent partnership. Cruyff played under the management of Michels at Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team, and the duo were hugely successful as well. Football owes a lot to Cruyff and Michels.
#4 Thierry Henry- Arsene Wenger
Thierry Henry is regarded by many as the greatest Premier League player of all time. But one is left to wonder whether the forward would have achieved the success that he did without Arsene Wenger's guidance.
Henry's talent was unquestionable during his AS Monaco days, where he was coached by Wenger. The attacker moved to Juventus in 1999 but struggled in Italy. He subsequently joined Arsenal the same year and flourished under Wenger's management.
Wenger started utilizing Henry as a striker rather than on the wings, and the France international soon established himself as a world-class no.9. Henry was highly creative and a prolific goalscorer, and he has credited Wenger for his achievements in the game.
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