Choosing the best football manager in the world is like deciding who the best movie director is — there are metrics that support one’s disposition, but it’s ultimately subjective. Someone who enjoys the rapid transitions in Quentin Tarantino’s films may value Jürgen Klopp’s counter-pressing football. Stanley Kubrick fans might resonate with Pep Guardiola’s obsession with control. Or perhaps Carlo Ancelotti’s longevity and ability to direct world-class talent strikes a chord with the heartstrings of Martin Scorsese admirers. Six masters of their medium and six differing styles — but no definitive answer to the question: Who is the best in the world?
So how does one determine who the greatest football manager in the world is?
Well, Norweigan football scout and former AS Monaco sporting director Tor-Kristian Karlsen has chosen the six attributes that constitute a manager’s aptitude, and ranked the world’s top 30 managers accordingly.
Karlsen’s six key attributes are as follows:
• Coaching acumen: The ability to apply coaching principles to a match setting, physical preparation and in-game management.
• Style: The attractiveness of the footballing style. Entertainment value is paramount here, as is a manager’s capability to dictate the proceedings of a game in a proactive (as opposed to reactive, i.e., play on the break) manner. An attacking style will produce a higher score.
• People management: Motivational skills and the capacity to get maximum performance out of a squad. The degree to which players respond to and “play for” the manager.
• Communication: A manager’s ability to instill trust in their “project” internally, to club directors and players, and to the outside world (media, supporters). Their expertise of conveying a message clearly through well-chosen words and PR skills. This also extends to in-game and touchline behavior, including manager’s attitude toward officials, colleagues and players.
• History/achievements: Success and results. Though trophies are the main currency of achievement in football, other accomplishments such as winning promotion, getting teams out of relegation trouble, taking unlikely teams into Europe or overperforming despite minimal resources count, too.
• X factor: Ability to surprise and come up with new ideas. The likelihood of being considered for top jobs in the future. The resilience to bounce back from a poor run of results.
According to the Norweigan’s scoring, Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany earns himself a top ten finish, edging Cristian Chivu but falling just behind Arne Slot to claim ninth position.
Karlsen’s scoresheet for Vincent Kompany:
Coaching acumen: 13/20
Style: 15/20
People management: 15/20
Communication: 14/20
History/achievements: 4/10
X factor: 7/10
TOTAL: 68/100
Luis Enrique, Pep Guardiola, and Mikel Arteta make up the top three, while former Bayern manager Hansi Flick, Unai Emery, Gian Piero Gasperini, and Xabi Alonso all finish above Kompany.
What do you think about Karlsen’s rankings? Are there any other attributes you would add? And bonus question: If Vincent Kompany was a movie director, who would he be?
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