Synopsis
The Premier League has never been won by an English manager, despite many efforts.
Three of the top ten English managers in the Premier League, with varying degrees of success, are Alan Pardew, Glenn Hoddle, and Joe Royle.
Despite his time at Middlesbrough, current England manager Gareth Southgate is not included in the top ten list again.
There aren’t many English managers who can regularly contend for the Premier League’s top spot. This is well known. Even though the competition has been in existence for more than thirty years, an English manager has yet to win the nation’s most coveted domestic award.
We have seen Spaniards, Frenchmen, Germans, and even Scots win the Premier League trophy in the thirty years since its founding in 1992, but England’s best managers have yet to achieve top-flight success. Though England’s four-tiered Football League system, which is only found in Germany, means that there are a lot of successful English managers working at different levels of the football pyramid, this does not imply that there is an abundance of general English managerial talent in the game.
GIVEMESPORT KEY STATISTIC: Before, English managers had an easier time taking home the main awards. Three European Cups and six first division titles were won by Sir Bob Paisley of Liverpool.
However, only European and international clubs have management in England’s largest and most successful title-winning clubs. If English managers haven’t been in charge of Premier League championship victories, then what have they been up to? The list of the top 10 best English managers in the Premier League by GIVEMESPORT will rank the strategists from tenth to first by analysing their respective performance and reputations within the country’s most prestigious sports league.
Ranking Elements for Over-Achievement
Life Expectancy
However, only clubs from Europe and abroad have management in England’s largest, most successful title-winning clubs. What have English managers been doing, then, if they haven’t been supervising Premier League title victories? As we rank the strategists from tenth to best, GIVEMESPORT’s list of the Premier League’s top ten finest English managers will examine each manager’s reputation and relative achievement within England’s most prestigious sporting division.
Factors that rank higher than achievement
Lifespan
10Alan Pardew
Great things were expected of the former Newcastle and Crystal Palace boss
Once, Newcastle United signed a record-breaking eight-year contract with Alan Pardew, who was expected to instill a winning culture at the St James’ Park club, something they had been unable to do for a long time.
Pardew left Tyneside following a lacklustre season in which Newcastle finished ninth, despite just being two years into his ambitious eight-year contract. Pardew was born in Wimbledon. Pardew’s spot in the top 10 was guaranteed during a later stint with Crystal Palace, where the manager narrowly lost to Manchester United in the FA Cup final in 2016. Regretfully, he is among the few well-known players in English football who have never taken home a prize.
The Premier League Career of Alan Pardew
Matches
318
PPG, or points per game
1.24
Premier League’s highest finish
Fifth (2011–2012)
9Glenn Hoddle
A great footballer that failed to succeed as a manager
With some of the best skills the country has ever produced, Glenn Hoddle is unquestionably more recognised for his playing career. Nevertheless, Hoddle began his management career as a player before moving on to the Premier League. In a way. Hoddle controversially accepted a full-time managerial position at Chelsea after serving as the player-manager of Swindon Town’s 1992–1993 Premier League promotion campaign.
Hoddle left his beloved Tottenham Hotspur in 18th position before being fired early in the 2003–04 season, after doing good during stints in the Premier League at Chelsea and Southampton (including a stint as England’s manager).
The Premier League career of Glenn Hoddle
Matches
258
PPG
1.31
Premier League’s highest finish
9th (2001–2002)
8Joe Royle
Royle pulled off one of the Premier League’s greatest underdog stories
Oldham Athletic became the first Premier League team to leave England’s Football League system when Royle managed their improbable elevation to the top division. Even more remarkable is the fact that he managed to keep the Greater Manchester team in the Premier League.
Royle defied the odds and gave the Latics a three-year stint in England’s top football division, even though the first season took place before the Premier division was rebranded in 1992. Due to his valiant efforts, Royle was eventually promoted to the Premier League twice, first to Everton, where he finished sixth and won the FA Cup, and then to Manchester City.
The Premier League career of Joe Royle
Matches
219
PPG
1.20
Premier League’s highest finish
Sixth (1995–1996)
Oldham Athletic became the first Premier League team to leave England’s Football League system when Royle managed their improbable elevation to the top division. Even more remarkable is the fact that he managed to keep the Greater Manchester team in the Premier League.
Royle defied the odds and gave the Latics a three-year stint in England’s top football division, even though the first season took place before the Premier division was rebranded in 1992. Due to his valiant efforts, Royle was eventually promoted to the Premier League twice, first to Everton, where he finished sixth and won the FA Cup, and then to Manchester City.
The Premier League career of Joe Royle
Matches
219
PPG
1.20
Premier League’s highest finish
Sixth (1995–1996)
7Alan Curbishley
Curbishley was essential to Charlton’s stay in the Premier League
In eight of his nine seasons with the South East London club, Alan Curbishley, another manager who is most remembered for his valiant efforts with one of the Premier League’s less popular teams, delivered Premier League football to Valley Parade. Curbishley helped Charlton reach their highest-ever Premier League position in the 2003–04 campaign, finishing an incredible 7th.
After that, Curbishley managed West Ham United, another London team, to avoid relegation in his first season and finish in 10th place the following year. Curbishley resigned because of a disagreement with the board after winning two of the first three games in the 2008–2009 season. Although his accomplishments were not as noteworthy north of the Thames, he had a very strong Premier League management career overall.
The Premier League career of Alan Curbishley
Matches
330
PPG
1.24
highest level of completion
7th (2003-04)
6
Atkinson helped Aston Villa finish second in 1993
The second-place result Ron Atkinson achieved with Aston Villa in the 1992–1993 season is the second-highest of any English manager in Premier League history. Now that Atkinson has this under his belt, you may be asking why he is ranked so low.
Atkinson ended up playing in just 200 Premier League games, making it a one-hit wonder. With the Lions in 19th place in the Premier League standings, the manager was finally fired by Villa. Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday, and Nottingham Forest followed with similar dismissals.
The Premier League career of Ron Atkinson
Matches
200
PPG
1.26
Premier League’s highest finish
Second (1992–93)
5Sam Allardyce
The mastermind of several successful relegation battles
Sam Allardyce has a lengthy association with the Premier League and is most recognised for his record-breaking brief tenure as England manager. Building his Bolton Wanderers team was the first step in Allardyce’s Premier League career, which culminated in an unexpected four-year run in the top half of the league. Before failing to keep West Brom and Leeds United from relegation, Allardyce enjoyed successful Premier League stints with Blackburn Rovers, West Ham United, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, and Everton in his later career.
The Englishman is regarded as one of the most scary coaches in the history of the sport because of his bulk and self-assured demeanour.
The Premier League career of Sam Allardyce
Matches
541
PPG
1.26
Premier League’s highest finish
Fifth (2006-2007)
4Kevin Keegan
Englishman’s Newcastle side came desperately close to winning the league
No English manager has likely come as close to winning the Premier League as Kevin Keegan. Before a massive collapse that saw the Old Trafford club win the title, Keegan’s Newcastle United, a midfield powerhouse in his playing days, finished the 1995–96 season 12 points ahead of Manchester United. In response to Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarks during the title race, Keegan famously ranted on live television, saying he would “love it if we beat them [Manchester United]” to win the championship.
However, Keegan has had a rather good Premier League career overall. Before returning Manchester City to the Premier League and securing the team’s mid-table position, the former Liverpool hero led Newcastle to four top six finishes.
The Premier League career of Kevin Keegan
Matches
267
PPG
1.55
Premier League’s highest finish
Second (1995–1996)
3Roy Hodgson
The veteran has managed more than 400 Premier League games
If the 76-year-old is not hired in the upcoming months and years, Roy Hodgson’s management career will come to an end in 2023. It began in 1982. However, the Croydon-born manager would not start his lengthy Premier League career until 1999, by which time he had managed Inter Milan in Serie A.
After finishing in sixth place with Blackburn Rovers, Hodgson took a long break from the Premier League to play in Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and Italy. After settling back home, Hodgson guided Fulham to the Europa League final and was rewarded with one of the most important positions in the nation: manager of Liverpool. Despite his unsuccessful tenure at Anfield, he would go on to coach Watford, West Brom, Crystal Palace, and the national team.
The Premier League career of Roy Hodgson
Matches
418
PPG
1.22
Premier League’s highest finish
Sixth (1997–1998)
2Sir Bobby Robson
Robson’s Newcastle team was feared by Alex Ferguson
Although the late Sir Bobby Robson played for some of the biggest teams in Europe, such as Barcelona, Sporting CP, Porto, and PSV, his tenure in the Premier League was arguably the most remarkable. During the 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 seasons, Robson, who has the highest points per game (PPG) of any English manager in the Premier League (1.60), fought for the championship alongside Manchester United and Arsenal.
If it weren’t for his short tenure in the Premier League, he would be at the top of the list. Supporters, athletes, and managers all see Robson as a legend. Following his death in 2009, Sir Alex Ferguson stated:
“In terms of football, I believe I speak for practically everyone here. He had an impact on me, but what really stood out about him was that he had an impact on strangers. They respected his bravery, decency, and zeal.
The career of Sir Bobby Robson in the Premier League
Matches
255
PPG
1.6
highest level of completion
Third (2002–2003)
1Harry Redknapp
A true Premier League great
When you hear the name Harry Redknapp, which club comes to mind? The manager had multiple successful stints with various Premier League clubs, and only Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have beaten him in 647 Premier League games. Redknapp led West Ham United through a successful decade in the 1990s, during which the East London team would place as high as fifth in the Premier League and create a number of elite players.
Redknapp would win the 2008 FA Cup, move Portsmouth to the Premier League, finish seventh in the league, and secure a spot in the UEFA Cup. Redknapp would later become manager of Tottenham, where he would help the team earn their first Champions League berth. Redknapp will be remembered for his ability to create likeable teams and provide them with relative success over extended periods of time, as well as his charisma and transfer acumen.
The Premier League career of Harry Redknapp
Matches
642
PPG
1.37
Premier League’s highest finish
(2009-2010, 2011-2012) Fourth
