5 Best Players Who Returned to Coach Their Former Clubs
June 18, 2019
The attachment between players and their clubs can be very strong. While playing for their club, a player will learn the club’s values, ideals and system.
This can sometimes lead to a strong bond or attachment between the club and the player. Even after retiring, many players have returned to coach their former clubs. There’s a long history of players who returned to manage their old club.
Well, today we bring you five best players who returned to coach their former clubs.
5. Zinedine Zidane
There is no doubt that Zinedine Zidane was a legendary player at Real Madrid. He won six major trophies as a Madrid player. However, after he retired from football, he was called upon to manage the Los Blancos.
In Zidane’s first coaching stint at Real Madrid, he won nine trophies, including three consecutive Champions League triumphs. He stepped down in 2018 as Madrid coach, but later rejoined as their coach in mid-2019.
4. Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe spent most of his career at Bournemouth as a defender. He joined the Cherries in 1994 and went to make over 270 appearances for them. He retired in 2007 and became the caretaker manager of the then “League Two team” Bournemouth.
In 2015, Howe guided Bournemouth to promotion to the Premier League for the first time after winning the Championship with 90 points. Eddie Howe is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in the history of Bournemouth.
3. Kenny Dalglish
Dalglish spent 13 years as a player for Liverpool, and won a few trophies there. However, the former Scottish defender is not remembered at Liverpool for his playing career, but his managerial career. Kenny Dalglish became player-manager at Liverpool in 1985, and in his first season in charge, he led the club to win two major trophies. The Scotsman had a successful coaching spell at Liverpool.
2. Luis Enrique
During his playing days, Luis Enrique was a versatile player with great technique and was capable of playing in different positions. He joined Barcelona from Real Madrid in 1996 and spent eight years at the Catalan club. After a stellar career at Barcelona, he retired in 2004.
On May 2014, Luis Enrique returned to Barcelona as a manager. He spent three years at the club and won a historic treble in his first season in charge.
1. Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola’s coaching tenure brought unparalleled success to Camp Nou. The former Spanish and Barcelona midfielder left Barcelona and began his coaching career with the Barcelona B team. In 2008, he was named as head coach 0f the senior team and won a treble in his first season.
As coach of Barcelona, Guardiola won two European titles and won most trophies collected by any Barça manager.
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This article is brought to us by our Sports Writers Club resident columnist – Cyril Dason.
