From Arsene Wenger to Jose Mourinho:
Look at some of the hair on show here (Picture: Panini)
Seeing Premier League managers in their suits dishing out orders most weekends – it’s easy to forget that they were once young footballers.
All the current managers in the Prem have enjoyed some sort of a career, from the great heights Roland Koeman and Mark Hughes achieved, to the lowly levels Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho played at.
So, told a series of Panini stickers, here’s what all the Prem bosses looked like in their playing days – warning – there’s some crackers in there.
1. Arsene Wenger – Arsenal
A defensive midfielder who could play centre back, Wenger played for French minnows AS Mutzig and Mulhouse before eventually playing for home town club RC Strasbourg in his peak.
2. Tim Sherwood – Aston Villa
A talented central midfielder who started at Watford but went on to Norwich and then Blackburn where he won the Premier League title, before an infamous stint with Tottenham.
3. Eddie Howe – Bournemouth
Howe was a diminutive defender who had two successful stints as a player with Bournemouth – either side of a disastrous spell with Portsmouth.
4. Jose Mourinho – Chelsea
An amazing manager but he had a lowly career as a central midfielder for clubs like Rio Ave, Belenenses, Sesimbra and Comercio e Industria (who?).
5. Alan Pardew – Crystal Palace
Another midfield man, handsome Pards played in the lower leagues for ages before graduating and playing for Charlton, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
6. Roberto Martinez – Everton
Despite his suave ways, Martinez was a battling holding midfielder who played in the lower leagues for Wigan and Swansea and Walsall after starting out with Real Zaragoza.
7. Claudio Ranieri – Leicester City
What a handsome devil. Ranieri was a defender for Roma, Catanzaro, Catania and then Palermo in a so-so playing career.
8. Brendan Rodgers – Liverpool
The Liverpool manager probably had the lowest profile career, playing as a defender for Ballymena United, Newport, Witney Town and Newbury Town before retiring and going into coaching.
9. Manuel Pellegrini – Manchester City
A one-club man, Pellegrini played out all his career for Universidad de Chile as a centre back, making 471 appearances. Legend.
10. Louis van Gaal – Manchester United
Van Gaal started out at Ajax but didn’t play any games, before moving to Antwerp in Belgium to start his career. He ended up returning to Holland and playing mostly for Sparta Rotterdam
11. Steve McClaren – Newcastle United
Steve McClaren began his career at Hull and enjoyed a successful spell there as a midfielder. He went on to have spells at Derby, Lincoln, Bristol City and Oxford but it was at Hull where he really thrived.
12. Alex Neil – Norwich City
Only 34 and fresh faced, Neil only retired in January after being a player-manager at Hamilton, where he played 211 times. Before that he played in England with Barnsley and Mansfield.
13. Ronald Koeman – Southampton
A centre back who played in midfield at times, Koeman had an incredible career after starting at Groningen, he went on to play for Ajax, PSV, Barcelona and Feyenoord – winning many trophies.
14. Mark Hughes – Stoke City
A class forward, Hughes began at Man United and earned moves to Barcelona and Bayern Munich before returning to United and ended up a legend. He finished his career with stints at Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn.
15. Dick Advocaat – Sunderland
A midfielder or defender, Advocaat started in Holland but had several spells in America in a journeyman career.
16. Garry Monk – Swansea City
A bruising centre back, Monk started at Torquay before moving to Southampton, where he then spent years on-loan before finally settling at Swansea and retiring in 2014 to become manager.
17. Mauricio Pochettino – Tottenham
Pochettino was a hard but committed central defender. He enjoyed three spells at Espanyol after leaving Argentina, while he also played for PSG (long before the big money arrived).
18. Quique Sanchez Flores – Watford
An all-action right-back, Flores played nearly 300 games for Valencia before two-year spell at Real Madrid at his peak. He finished up at Zaragoza.
19. Tony Pulis – West Brom
A powerful defender, Pulis came through the youth system at Bristol Rovers and had two spells at the club before moves to Newport, Bournemouth and Gillingham
20. Slaven Bilic – West Ham
A powerful defender, Bilic spent time in his homeland after coming through the Hajduk Split academy before a spell in Germany, and then moves to West Ham and Everton where he became a legendary figure.
Who’s your favourite?
Seeing Premier League managers in their suits dishing out orders most weekends – it’s easy to forget that they were once young footballers.
All the current managers in the Prem have enjoyed some sort of a career, from the great heights Roland Koeman and Mark Hughes achieved, to the lowly levels Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho played at.
So, told a series of Panini stickers, here’s what all the Prem bosses looked like in their playing days – warning – there’s some crackers in there.
1. Arsene Wenger – Arsenal
A defensive midfielder who could play centre back, Wenger played for French minnows AS Mutzig and Mulhouse before eventually playing for home town club RC Strasbourg in his peak.
2. Tim Sherwood – Aston Villa
A talented central midfielder who started at Watford but went on to Norwich and then Blackburn where he won the Premier League title, before an infamous stint with Tottenham.
3. Eddie Howe – Bournemouth
Howe was a diminutive defender who had two successful stints as a player with Bournemouth – either side of a disastrous spell with Portsmouth.
4. Jose Mourinho – Chelsea
An amazing manager but he had a lowly career as a central midfielder for clubs like Rio Ave, Belenenses, Sesimbra and Comercio e Industria (who?).
5. Alan Pardew – Crystal Palace
Another midfield man, handsome Pards played in the lower leagues for ages before graduating and playing for Charlton, Tottenham and Crystal Palace.
6. Roberto Martinez – Everton
Despite his suave ways, Martinez was a battling holding midfielder who played in the lower leagues for Wigan and Swansea and Walsall after starting out with Real Zaragoza.
7. Claudio Ranieri – Leicester City
What a handsome devil. Ranieri was a defender for Roma, Catanzaro, Catania and then Palermo in a so-so playing career.
8. Brendan Rodgers – Liverpool
The Liverpool manager probably had the lowest profile career, playing as a defender for Ballymena United, Newport, Witney Town and Newbury Town before retiring and going into coaching.
9. Manuel Pellegrini – Manchester City
A one-club man, Pellegrini played out all his career for Universidad de Chile as a centre back, making 471 appearances. Legend.
10. Louis van Gaal – Manchester United
Van Gaal started out at Ajax but didn’t play any games, before moving to Antwerp in Belgium to start his career. He ended up returning to Holland and playing mostly for Sparta Rotterdam
11. Steve McClaren – Newcastle United
Steve McClaren began his career at Hull and enjoyed a successful spell there as a midfielder. He went on to have spells at Derby, Lincoln, Bristol City and Oxford but it was at Hull where he really thrived.
12. Alex Neil – Norwich City
Only 34 and fresh faced, Neil only retired in January after being a player-manager at Hamilton, where he played 211 times. Before that he played in England with Barnsley and Mansfield.
13. Ronald Koeman – Southampton
A centre back who played in midfield at times, Koeman had an incredible career after starting at Groningen, he went on to play for Ajax, PSV, Barcelona and Feyenoord – winning many trophies.
14. Mark Hughes – Stoke City
A class forward, Hughes began at Man United and earned moves to Barcelona and Bayern Munich before returning to United and ended up a legend. He finished his career with stints at Chelsea, Southampton, Everton and Blackburn.
15. Dick Advocaat – Sunderland
A midfielder or defender, Advocaat started in Holland but had several spells in America in a journeyman career.
16. Garry Monk – Swansea City
A bruising centre back, Monk started at Torquay before moving to Southampton, where he then spent years on-loan before finally settling at Swansea and retiring in 2014 to become manager.
17. Mauricio Pochettino – Tottenham
Pochettino was a hard but committed central defender. He enjoyed three spells at Espanyol after leaving Argentina, while he also played for PSG (long before the big money arrived).
18. Quique Sanchez Flores – Watford
An all-action right-back, Flores played nearly 300 games for Valencia before two-year spell at Real Madrid at his peak. He finished up at Zaragoza.
19. Tony Pulis – West Brom
A powerful defender, Pulis came through the youth system at Bristol Rovers and had two spells at the club before moves to Newport, Bournemouth and Gillingham
20. Slaven Bilic – West Ham
A powerful defender, Bilic spent time in his homeland after coming through the Hajduk Split academy before a spell in Germany, and then moves to West Ham and Everton where he became a legendary figure.
Who’s your favourite?
Metro
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