List of top 10 Manchester City Managers in the last 20 years

Manchester City has seen a fair share of remarkable managers over a period of time in the English Premier League. Particularly in the last few decades, the clubs have undergone a remarkable transformation. The rise of Manchester City as a dominant force not just in England but in Europe as well is all thanks to the players and managers who gave their everything to take the club to the next level. From Robert Mancini to Pellegrini and Pellegrini to Pep Guardiola, each manager came with a mindset to take the club towards greatness. Pep Guardiola is considered as one of the greatest Manchester City managers in their history.

Manchester City has seen quite experienced and notable managers play a part in making this club one of the elite and greatest. Some Manchester City managers were so good that they left a distinct mark on history and a legacy for their successors. In this article, we will discuss the top 10 best Manchester City managers in the last 20 years.

Detailed List of Manchester City Managers

Names of the Manchester City Managers	Years
John Benson	1983
Billy McNeill	1983-86
Jimmy Frizzell	1986-87
Mel Machin	1987-89
Howard Kendall	1989-90
Peter Reid	1990-93
Tony Book	1993
Brian Horton	1993-95
Alan Ball	1995-96
Steve Coppell	1996
Phil Neal	1996
Frank Clark	1996-98
Joe Royle	1998-01
Kevin Keegan	2001-05
Stuart Pearce	2005-07
Sven-Goran Eriksson	2007-08
Mark Hughes	2008-09
Roberto Mancini	2009-13
Brian Kidd	2013
Manuel Pellegrini	2013-16

List of Best Manchester City Managers (Last 10)

10. Phil Neal

Phil Neal was given the role of managing the club for a very brief time in 1996 and he could only manage the club for 10 games. He left the club as they were seen struggling even in the lowest tiers of English football and marked the struggle Manchester City was going through.

9. Frank Clark

Frank Clark took on the role of Manchester City manager in 1996 and managed the club for 59 games. During his tenure, the Club was struggling to maintain its status in the top-flight and he ultimately had to leave the club amid all the tension that was rising.  

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8. Joe Royle

Joe Royle managed Manchester City from 1998 to 2001 after the club sacked Frank Clark. During his tenure as a manager, he helped the club in getting back into the Premier League when they were going through a challenging phase. Under his charge, he managed 171 games with a win ratio of  43.02% with 74 wins and 51 defeats which was quite impressive considering the situation of Manchester City. He was committed to rebuilding the squad which is why supporters still remember him so fondly.

7. Kevin Keegan

Manchester City signed Kevin Keegan as a manager for the club in 2001 and he was instrumental in the club’s promotion from the Championship to Premier League. He was given a brief run and managed 176 games under his charge, he had a win ratio of 43.75% with 77 wins and 60 defeats during his tenure at the club as a manager. Manchester City finished in the upper half of the Premier League and managed to secure a place in European competition under his management.

6. Stuart Pearce

After the departure of Kevin Keegan in 2005, Stuart Pearce took charge of the club. He is known for his passionate leadership style which blended well with the players and fans but he struggled to produce consistent results for the club. Pearce managed 87 games as a manager and under his charge Manchester City won 34 wins and 43 defeats with a win ratio of 35.1% from 2005 to 2007. He wasn’t able to bring any silverware to the club but made sure to lay the foundation for his future successor.

5. Sven-Göran Eriksson

Sven-Goran Eriksson became the first manager under the new ownership of the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2007. He took charge after the sacking of Stuart Pearce. Under his charge, City played some attractive football and was looking for a new side. His tenure with Manchester City was brief as he only got to manage 45 games and was let go after a disappointing 9th-place finish in the Premier League. He is still remembered for bringing in some of the talented players needed to move ahead.  

4. Mark Hughes

Manchester City sacked Sven-Göran Eriksson after a poor season in June 2008. Mark Hughes took on the challenges and started working on things that needed a fix. During his tenure, Hughes managed Manchester City club for 76 games out of which he won 36 games, lost 25 games, and had a win ratio of 46.75%. He was let go in 2009 for not being able to be the result that was agreed on.

3. Roberto Mancini

Roberto Mancini’s tenure at Manchester City as a manager saw changes within the club, A huge sum of money was spent during transfer windows to acquire players necessary for the growth of the club. He led the club to its first Premier League title since 1968 to on the final day itself which was quite remarkable as they won 3-2 against Queens Park Rangers. Roberto Mancini managed Manchester City for 191 games and 1 Premier League, 1 FA Cup, and 1 FA Community Shield during his tenure at the club.

2. Brian Kidd

Brian Kidd was given the charge of managing the Manchester City club after Roberto Mancini was dismissed in 2013. Having served as an assistant manager and contributing to the club’s success under Mancini’s reign he was given a short stint as a manager. He had a deep-rooted connection within the club.

1. Manuel Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini is one of the best managers to have been a part of Manchester City in their history. Pellegrini took over his managerial duty after Brian Kidd was sacked. He has been instrumental in achieving some great feats during his time as a manager of Manchester City from 2013 to 2016. He won the Premier League and the League Cup in the very same year. He had a win percentage of 59% as a manager of Manchester City. Many players and fans admired his attacking style of play which changed the mentality of players as well. He is one of the most calm and respected figures in Manchester City.

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