10 most difficult footballers to manage

All the world’s a rage to these 10 players. Be it their spitting, hitting or jail-visiting, they make their managers contemplate sending them away to Shutter Island. Their conduct breaches and culinary fetishes earn them the distinction of being part of this list. Without further ado, here are the 10 most difficult players to manage in world football.

#10 William Gallas

Chelsea may not have had a cranky, spoilt pre-adolescent in their ranks between 2001 and 2006, but at least they had William Gallas. For a world-famous pro-level footballer playing in one of the biggest leagues, threatening to score own goals unless benched and sold sounds too petty even for a 12-year-old trying to blackmail his parents into buying him that new action-figure in the market, lest he won’t eat his broccoli.

The Frenchman secured the transfer he had wanted and made a horrendous switch to fierce rivals Arsenal. Ironically, Gallas perpetrated another act of betrayal when he moved from Arsenal to fiercer rivals Tottenham Hotspur a few seasons later. And for an Arsenal captain to switch over to Tottenham is worse than committing a Cardinal Sin.

Gallas, who once scandalously plonked his bottom on the turf against Birmingham City – whether in disbelief or protest – gained the reputation for being a real prima donna. And prima donnas are the worst kind to manage.