Top 5 managers who have managed 4 or more top flight clubs

All football enthusiasts think they have what it takes to be a manager of a top flight club, but being a top flight manager and winning a treble in career mode of FIFA are two very different things.

From handling the first team training to running the financial aspects of the club and getting the right players in transfer and promoting youth through academies, being a manager is not all fun. Being the boss is not easy in football. Yet some make it big, they possess the know-how of football and brains to run not just one successful club but in some cases four or even more. So on this countdown we have the top 5 managers who have successfully managed 4 or more top flight clubs.

1. Louis van Gaal

Louis van Gaal has managed a host of superpower clubs in europe. From winning the Eredivisie 4 times , once with AZ(2009) and thrice with Ajax (94 , 95 , 96). He won the spanish La Liga twice as the boss of Barcelona (98 , 99) and even won the Copa Del Rey in 1998. But arguably the highpoint of his career was winning the Champions League with Ajax in 1995. His stint at Bayern Munich too was a successful one, winning the DFB Pokal and Bundesliga in 2010. More than trophies, Van Gaal gave the footballing world the next set of superstars. He gave a chance to Thomas Muller, Patrick Kluivert, Mark Overmars, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mats Hummels and many more young players who became legends of the game. His first season at Manchester United was also a successful one as he saw the Reds return back to the Champions League, yet Manchester United fans are expecting more from the Dutchman this season.

2. Jose Mourinho

Mourinho may not be having the best of seasons (2015-16) yet there’s no denying he is one of the best football managers in the world right now. His journey from being a school coach to winning the Champions League twice, once with Porto (2004) and second time with Internazional (2010) is nothing short of inspirational. He has won the Premiera Liga twice and has also won the Premier League thrice with Chelsea. He also bagged two Serie A titles with Inter and a La Liga with Real Madrid. At just 51 years old, he has over 18 top flight titles. His knowledge of transfer market is impeccable and his defensive strategies are nothing short of superb. He is a manager who is not afraid to make big decisions or decisions which the fans are not very happy about, be it selling Mata a season after he was chosen as the Player Of The Year by Chelsea fans or the controversial signing of rival club legend Fabregas. But can he save Chelsea from this slump and regain the title is something which fans at Stamford Bridge are eagerly waiting to see.

3. Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most respected football thinkers and managers of our time. Having managed clubs like Ac Milan, PSG, Real Madrid, Chelsea, he has an array of titles. He won two Champions Leagues with Milan and helped Real bag their ‘La decima’ Champions League trophy. He won the Serie A in 2004 with Milan and the coveted Premier League with Chelsea in 2010. He also has Copa del Rey and FA cup to his name. He was the manager to identify the talents of Buffon and Cannavaro. He instills in his team great defensive discipline and a great passing rhythm.

4. Helenio Herrera

Helenio Herrera was the manager of Internazionale during what is considered to be their golden period. His Inter team was called the ‘Grande Inter’. During his stay at Inter he created the ‘Catenaccio’ 5-3-2 formation. This formation emphasised on strong defence and a wider field for a fast counter attack. He managed clubs like Atletico Madrid and helped them bag two La Liga titles and two Copa Del Rey in consecutive seasons and then repeated the same feat with Barcelona. He helped Internazionale win three Serie A titles and two European cups. His last managerial job at Roma was another successful one where he lead the Roma team to a Coppa Italia title. His team formations and tactics are still being used by the Italian clubs and the national team.

5. Giovanni Trapattoni

Giovanni Trapattoni was a club legend at Juventus. He won 6 Serie A titles in 10 years along with two European Cups and two Coppa Italia with Juventus. He also won a Serie A with Inter and a European cup. His time at Bayern Munich was not a very smooth one, yet he lead his team to a Bundesliga and Pokal. His time at Benfica saw him win a Premiera Liga. He was always a fan favourite with his humour and wits. His famous quote ” Don’t say cat until you’ve got it in the bag ” and his whistling with his fingers to get the attention of players is what everyone still remembers.