Top five managers in the Premier League era

It is roughly more than a quarter of a century since the formation of the English Premier League in 1992, and that prompts us to go down the memory lane and talk about managerial triumphs. We list the five best managers in the Premier League since its inception

5. Claudio Ranieri

The Italian manager took down the blemish of having won no domestic title in any league he has served in, by overseeing the most improbable and impressive of title wins that footballing history- let alone the Premier League- has ever witnessed. He was at the helm of Leicester City’s historic title win, as the Foxes shook the world with their brilliant camaraderie and collective team spirit that got them beyond the line. Ranieri’s smart tactics were lauded by critics, which should not come as a surprise, given his solid job during his previous stint with Chelsea.

4. Josep Guardiola

One of the most accomplished managers in the modern day, Pep Guardiola came to Manchester City with a near-perfect CV, in a bid to raise the Cityzens to a new level altogether. Although the plan did not come to fruition in his debut season in England, he had the backing of the board to invest heavily in new players, and give a fresh lease of life to an exciting squad. Being an advocate of religiously following a pattern of play designed to eliminate mistakes and positional errors, since his Barcelona days, Guardiola steered City to a record-breaking title triumph in 2017-18 (They had 100 points, scored 106 goals, conceded 27 and had a 19-point lead over second-placed Manchester United).

3. Jose Mourinho

The Portuguese man, who has won the UEFA Champions League with two different teams (FC Porto and Inter Milan), was the beneficiary of the first mega takeover at Chelsea when billionaire Roman Abramovich acquired the Blues. The Russia got full value for money for the trust he placed on the ‘Special One’, as Jose shrewdly designed a team that would defend extraordinarily well and attack effectively, in what was a tactical masterclass for the opposition week in, week out. He won the league twice with Chelsea in the mid-2000s, before coming back and crowning them Champions again. His stint with Manchester United was not quite up to the lofty standards he sets for himself.

2. Arsene Wenger

The brain behind the fabled ‘Invincibles’ side that went unbeaten the entire season, Arsene Wenger was everything for Arsenal. The former Gunners boss was truly the league’s first modern international manager, and dramatically changed how others managers and clubs used to run their affairs. Inspired by the Professor’s strategies and game awareness, Arsenal were a joy to behold, even though consistent success did not always arrive. It is time to forget Wenger’s forgetful last years with the North London outfit, and to remember what the Frenchman had to offer to the club in terms of tactics and style of play.

1. Sir Alex Ferguson

Arguably the greatest ever manager in the Premier League, Sir Alex Ferguson did quite extraordinary things for Manchester United as the Red Devils rose from the ashes to bring back the glory years to Old Trafford under the Scot’s masterful tutelage. There is literally no man could ever be ahead of Fergie in the list, as he won a staggering 13 Premier League titles with United, which was more than half of the campaigns he had competed for. Having won the Treble in 1999, Sir Alex did not take his foot off the gas after fittingly winning the league’s first ever edition and went on to dominate English football. The EPL, like Manchester United, is still recovering from the vacuum that his absence has created.