Top 10 Great Footballers Who Made Awful Managers

By and large, the world of football has been blessed by some amazing and memorable talents over the years. That said, some of these talents remain in and around the sport even after their playing days are over, utilizing their vast knowledge and experience, and applying them in a variety of different positions, be it organizational or even analytical. However, there are some who feel more inclined to take up managerial roles and begin their coaching badges for the same. 

Whilst some former players have gone on to make some of the best football managers on the planet, there are other great footballers who made awful managers. Whilst the likes of Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, and others are successful examples, there are others, who in the more recent years have come into the field as well. Thus, we have seen young managers like Xabi Alonso, and Mikel Arteta, two former players do well in their limited time in management, some have had rather forgettable spells as head coaches.

In this one, we’ll be taking a look at renowned players who went on to become coaches and found little to no success in doing so. For this one, we will be analyzing great footballers who made awful managers while taking a look at the teams they managed, their win percentages, and their overall impact on the team. Lastly, since it is a subjective list, the names will be in no particular order or ranking. 

List of great footballers who made awful managers

#10. Wayne Rooney

For all his achievements and abilities as one of England’s greatest-ever players, Wayne Rooney has had a torrid run of form as a manager. Having burst onto the scene as a young wonderkid, his managerial ability pales in comparison. With failed stints at Derby County, DC United, and Birmingham City, it was clear that perhaps management was likely not the call for the star striker.

However, in his persistence, he managed to land yet another opportunity, this time with Championship side, Plymouth Argyle at the start of the 2024-25 season. A last chance at redemption, things once again went incredibly south and Rooney parted ways with the club by way of mutual consent with the team rock bottom of the league.

#9. Steven Gerrard

For the most part, Steven Gerrard’s managerial stint started off on a very positive note with a Scottish Premiership win in 2020-2021 to his name as well. As a result, he was even tipped to take over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when the time came.

However, Gerrard instead made an earlier-than-expected move to the Premier League when Aston Villa came knocking and struggled massively to get going and live up to the hype and expectations.

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As such, he was soon made to vacate his spot for Unai Emery, who has since made significant improvements to the squad. Now, Gerrard plies his trade in the Saudi League with Al-Ettifaq, where the team has mostly been reserved to midtable mediocrity.

#8. Diego Maradona

Unarguably one of the best players of all time, Diego Maradona was expected to have some level of magic when it came to management as well. That said, his failure to deliver the goods for Argentina at the 2010 FIFA World Cup was an early indication that perhaps his managerial stint would not be what many hoped and he too would end up as one of the great footballers who made awful managers.

With puzzling personnel decisions and a largely underwhelming campaign overall, Maradona soon had to find his feet on a different team. One of these teams was United Arab Emirates side Al Wasl, who he guided to an eight-place finish. That said, his adventure at the Mexican side Dorados was also something quite entertaining and despite no significant successes, made for one of the best football documentaries one could ask for. 

#7. Hristo Stoichkov

Hristo Stoichkov is known for his massive achievements which saw him win the 1994 Ballon d’Or, having finished as a joint-top scorer at the World Cup in America. However, for all his goal-scoring ability as a player, his managerial prowess left a lot to be desired. Put in charge of the Bulgarian national team and tasked to reach the 2006 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008, Stoichkov struggled massively.

That said, his stint at Celta Vigo was even more disastrous with the club getting relegated from La Liga under his spell. Further stints at Mamelodi Sundowns, Litex Lovech, and CSKA Sofia followed but to no real effect either, which possibly had something to do with his non-belief in tactics, made him another one of the great footballers who made awful managers.

#6. Gary Neville

One of the most diligent defenders of his time and a Manchester United legend, Gary Neville has been held in high regard by fans and players alike. Whilst some may be on the fence with his punditry at times, there are no doubts that his managerial stint was a complete and utter failure.

Appointed by La Liga side Valencia in 2015, the decision rightfully turned many heads. With Neville not having a single ounce of Spanish blood or bone in his body, it was a puzzling equation as to how the board thought it would work out. As such, a humiliating 7-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey remains the highlight of his career and subsequent losses sealed his fate as well. Naturally, Neville never recovered from it and instead chose to pursue punditry at Sky Sports instead, something he has taken to quite well over the past few years. 

#5. Alan Shearer

A Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer got the perfect, god-gifted opportunity of being the man tasked with saving his club from relegation. With the club on the brink of being banished from the Premier League with eight games to go, Shearer was tasked with being the hero and savior for the club, as he had been on many occasions during his playing days.

However, things went far from ideal with the English record goalscorer only managing to eke out a single win in that time. As a result, the Magpies were relegated from the English top flight for the first time since 1993. Since then, Shearer has not taken up management and instead makes fleeting appearances on Match of the Day. 

#4. Lothar Matthaus

Lothar Matthaus was one of Germany’s record cap holders and midfield general during his playing days for club and country. The former Bayern Munich legend and Inter Milan player had garnered a reputation due to his tough-as-nails personality as well. Thus, many felt that he would be able to get strong results from his players if he was ever to venture into management.

Unfortunately, like the list goes on, it was not to be for the German as he struggled with a number of different clubs, including Partizan Belgrade, Atletico Paranaense, and Red Bull Salzburg, and with national sides Hungary and Bulgaria before finally walking away from management. Since then the former midfielder has turned to punditry as well. 

#3. Andrea Pirlo

Andrea Pirlo was one of the finest midfielders during his playing days and became renowned for his legendary ball-striking ability. A much-reserved figure, Pirlo was often viewed as one of those players who had a deeper understanding of the game and could make a go of it in management. Thus, when he took charge of Juventus, it was felt that he would be the man to revolutionize the team for years to come.

However, the reality was much more underwhelming, and despite a Coppa Italia win, Pirlo’s failure to win Serie A and dismal Champions League campaign was enough for him to get the axe. Following stints at Fatih Karagumruk and Sampdoria did not help either with reports of a very lax team atmosphere behind closed doors. 

#2. Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard was an exceptional midfielder during his playing days, much like a few other names on this list. However, his managerial career despite starting off well, has yet to show similar promise. While his time at Derby showed some positive results, his time as Chelsea boss was anything but, with two stints at his old club a stark reminder of floundering form as a manager.

Notably, his second stint was particularly embarrassing as a caretaker remains one of the worst runs in Chelsea history. A run with Everton to help keep them from relegation restored some parity but eventually, that too turned sour the following year. Now, Lamps has one last dance at Coventry and a chance to set things right. 

#1. John Barnes

John Barnes was one of England’s top attacking talents in his time and a joy to watch for fans. With high praise and expectation, Barnes was another player turned manager whose career went quickly downhill. Having been brought in charge at Celtic alongside Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish in 1999, Barnes’ poor run of form had fans quickly turn against him.

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However, the turning point was when the Scottish giants were humbled by Inverness, a second-division team in the Scottish Cup. An unacceptable loss by Celtic’s mighty standards, it was clear that Barnes was not the man for the job. Thereafter, stints at Tranmere Rovers and the Jamaican national team did not bring any reprieve either, sealing his place on this list as one of the great footballers who made awful managers.

Honorable Mentions

Here are some more great footballers who made awful managers that almost made our Top 10 list.

Bryan Robson ( Middlesbrough, Bradford City, West Bromwich Albion, Sheffield United, Thailand National Team)

Sir Bobby Charlton ( Preston North End, Wigan Athletic)

Tony Adams ( Wycombe Wanderers, Portsmouth, FC Gabala, Granada CF)

Paul Scholes (Oldham Athletic, Salford City)

Paul Ince (Macclesfield Town, MK Dons, Blackburn Rovers, Notts County, Blackpool, Reading)

Teddy Sheringham ( Stevenage, Atletico de Kolkata)