I suggested that great players do NOT make good managers in willie's Argentina topic:
http://www.this11.com/topics/show/2452

I don't want to hijack Willie's that one, hence the new topic. Can you name some great players that made good managers? The last one I can remember of is Rijkaard at Barcelona, even then he had a very strong staff of assistant managers and trainers. Anyone you remember?

It depends on what kind of player that manager used to be; what role he performed, and to an extent his temperament. by no means the only, but certainly a major component.

The more cerebral, pensive players tend to become good strategists. Hence, Guardiola, Zagallo (who caused a tactical revolution in Brazil even when he was still a player at Botafogo!)..players who play and think collectively; Ancelotti was an organising midfielder for Roma and Milan.

By contrast, the explosive, impulsive, individualist players tend not to be..as they exist almost an appendage to the team's collective workings. Hence Bryan Robson...him and his hot-blooded surges (box-to-box midfielders tend to be more impulsive and not 'thinkers'). Stuart Pearce? You've got to be kidding me (typical English worship of 'passion').

Sir Alf Ramsey was an eccentric even in his playing days; as a full back he would push up to join the attack...even before the back four had been invented! He later would put his ideas into practice as Ipswich and England manager.

Oh, and Pirlo re-invented that role for himself at Milan..not Ancelotti.

Thanks for pointing out Guardiola and Zola. I guess these two were humble enough to start with lower ranks in management. I guess that tells a lot about their personalities.

Laurent Blanc perhaps? Although whether you'd consider French football as a high enough standard to judge, I don't know.
:-)

Oh, please...Blanc was never a great player. He was just a good defender who happened to be a part of teams winning silverware. There are better defenders than him who won nothing.

i think its easy to win cups with great players but hard point of being manager of great players is managing their arrogance.

But the point remains; Laurent Blanc was a 'cerebral' player; his game was built around reading the play- this in itself is conducive to a coach's mentality. On the other hand, had he been a stopper like John Terry,,, his would be a much more shouty management style.

Not sure the French would agree with the assessment of Blanc as merely 'good'. He was, after all, voted by the French footballing fraternity as their 4th best ever player (behind Platini, Zidane and Kopa). But maybe Blanc can only be considered a great within the framework of the French game.
:-)

4th best ever player? Are French footballing fraternity racist or something? Thuram and Desailly are far better than Blanc and they were of the same generation.

Then again, maybe French do not know too much about defending: cheese, surrender....

Quite literally laughed out loud, nvr.
:-)

I can only agree about Thuram, maybe Desailly.

But Blanc was still an incredible defender (for his type).
:-)