The news about Klopp's resignation got me thinking about where I would rank him compared to other top coaches. This is always a tough thing for me to get my head wrapped around, and I honestly don't watch enough soccer outside the PL and CL to have an informed opinion. How would you all rate the top coaches? If every single coach in the world was a free agent this summer, who would you want to hire?
With my disclaimer about my own ignorance in mind, here's a stab at a rough hierarchy which I'm sure is terrible but hopefully will start discussion:
Top tier
I thought about putting Roberto Martinez on this list but his second-year blues at Everton is stopping me. Always has impressed me as a commentator, though. Pochettino also might deserve to be on the list, but given that Southampton have not regressed without him and Tottenham have not progressed with him, the jury is still out.
With my disclaimer about my own ignorance in mind, here's a stab at a rough hierarchy which I'm sure is terrible but hopefully will start discussion:
Top tier
- Pep Guardiola | Bayern Munich (Barcelona) - He practically reinvented possession-style football. Won everything there is to be won at Barca, in the process of doing it all with his second big team. Almost as strong a resume as anyone else on this list despite only coaching for 7 years. Best coach in the world imho.
- Diego Simeone | Atletico Madrid - Continues to rebuild Atletico to challenge for everything despite losing some of their best players, and he does it despite facing the toughest environment possible w/r/t winning trophies (La Liga, non-oligarchy division)
Carlo Ancelotti | Real Madrid (PSG, Chelsea, Milan, Juventus) - He's won the CL three times and won each of the PL, Serie A, Ligue 1. Hard to argue with that resume, but for some reason doesn't seem quite as exciting as the above two names and for whatever reason, some Real people want him out.
Jose Mourinho | Chelsea (Real Madrid, Inter, Chelsea, Porto) - Two CL titles with two different teams, two Serie A titles, two (soon to be three) PL titles. Unbelievably hateable and utterly entertaining at the same time. Only real (haha) critique is that he under performed in Spain, though in his defense he was competing with maybe the best team in recent history.
Arsene Wenger | Arsenal - Started his career by shaping Arsenal into one of the strongest clubs in the world, has maintained CL participation for 17 years (soon to be 18). Long trophy drought and inconsistency against top teams (particularly Mourinho teams) are his fatal flaws.
Jurgen Klopp | Borussia Dortmund - 2-time Bundesliga winner, almost beat rival Bayern Munich in the CL. Helped shape modern tactics with his "heavy metal" style of gegenpressing. Fatal flaw is that he saw one team relegated (Mainz 05 in 2006-7, though he was responsible for their promotion in the first place) and was in danger of relegation for a long stretch of this year.
- Luis Enrique | Barcelona (Roma) - Doing really well at Barcelona (though in fairness most forum members could coach that team and still qualify for the CL) after a successful year with mid-table La Liga side Celta and three mediocre-ish years at Roma.
- Brendan Rodgers | Liverpool (Swansea) - Guided Swansea to the PL and helped them maintain that position before joining Liverpool summer 2012. Nearly won the PL in his second year. He's always impressed me with his tactical acumen.
- Laurent Blanc | PSG (France, Bordeaux) - Two Ligue 1 championships sandwiching a short stint as France manager, where they were knocked out of Euro 2012 by eventual winners Spain. Extremely small sample size, but I was very impressed with PSG's short-handed draw/advance against Chelsea.
Louis van Gaal | Manchester United (Netherlands, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Ajax) - Bounces around a lot. Very successful in the Eredivisie and two La Liga championships ('98, '99) but spotty resume otherwise. His one WC success (Netherlands last summer) is balanced out by a pretty massive failure (DNQ in 2002, only time they've missed since 1986). Was kicked out of Barca in 2003 after only 5 months with them only 3 points above relegation. Led Bayern to a BL title only to under-perform the next two years.
- Rafa Benetiz | Napoli (Chelsea, Inter, Liverpool) - Won the CL with Liverpool and several other trophies along the way, but not as strong as others on the list.
- Manuel Pellegrini | Manchester City (Real Madrid, Villareal) - Won the PL last year, replaced by Mourinho after only one year at Madrid. Not sure that he's as tactically astute as some of the others.
I thought about putting Roberto Martinez on this list but his second-year blues at Everton is stopping me. Always has impressed me as a commentator, though. Pochettino also might deserve to be on the list, but given that Southampton have not regressed without him and Tottenham have not progressed with him, the jury is still out.