Best manager in English football

[davo80]

Sir Alex, he proved what a good manager he was in his last season, winning the league by 11 points with an ageing team. The ability to promote youth and next spend stupid money on short term fixes. Brian Clough takes second place for me, the bloke was just immense with his achievements with Derby and Forest, the best Englishman never to manage England!!!

[arthurdog]

Brian Clough.

2 teams from Div 2 to Div 1 champions. 2 European cups (Possibly a 3rd if Juventus hadn't bought the ref in 73 semi.final)

[Spunk Trumpet]

What form did that joy take (careful)..what specifically..the trophies, the quality of the football, the giant killings, thet getting one over Stoke several times..all of that?

 

If I was to pick one thing seriously it would be the sheer quality of the football..even if we'd won nothing, if we hadn't beaten Everton and Spurs etc, if we hadn't won at Wembley..the football we played at times was just a joy to behold. We didn't beat Leeds and we didn't beat Arsenal but my greatest memories (possibly the greatest) are of the quality we showed at Elland Road and Highbury and in the replays. To see a vale team compete and play that well....

 

So if one is choosing the best manager based solely on the criteria 'the joy he gave me' then it's fairynufff to exclude everything else about that manager? Not that I am saying that there is anything else about Mr Rudge,,anything 'untoward'..I'm not aware of anything. I wonder what fans of other clubs would say if they applied that sole criteria..Leeds, Forest, Chelsea..where their (arguable in some cases) most successful managers gave them a lot of joy but there was another 'side' to them? What if Rudgey had been a bit of a git but still did what he did on the pitch? What if that had enabled him to be more successful, won more?

 

I suppose I'm asking would fans accept their manager being a bit dodgy if he still brought great football and/or success? ideally you get both but what if that 'niceness' meant less success?

 

I loved Rudgey. The greatest manager we will ever have. But lets not make out that it was cracking football week in week out.

Rudgey was very regimental in division 1 as it was back then, where if we went one up he would very rarely go for the kill.

Guppy, Mccarthy and Ainsworth after him made the Vale exciting to watch.

Before and after we were a well disciplined, organised outfit.

And im not knocking that. It was our greatest period. Rudgeys main attribute was knowing how to get the best out of a game with the players he had.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Success against odds?? How about winning a European trophy with Aberdeen. Alex is the best manger England and probably the world has seen IMO. It also showed with his last season winning the league with the dross which was in Uniteds squad then totally shown up the next season with Moyes in charge.

 

Really good point re Aberdeen..hadn't thought of that. Might have a rethink

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I loved Rudgey. The greatest manager we will ever have. But lets not make out that it was cracking football week in week out.

Rudgey was very regimental in division 1 as it was back then, where if we went one up he would very rarely go for the kill.

Guppy, Mccarthy and Ainsworth after him made the Vale exciting to watch.

Before and after we were a well disciplined, organised outfit.

And im not knocking that. It was our greatest period. Rudgeys main attribute was knowing how to get the best out of a game with the players he had.

 

Fairynuff but I still stand by the quality we showed when going up against Leeds, Arsenal, Everton...I still swell with emotion when I think of that just as I did at the time..I don't think I've ever been as emotional regarding football as when we got that draw at Goodison and to be there to witness it was immense..meant even more than the win in the replay for some reason

[For Us All]

Fairynuff but I still stand by the quality we showed when going up against Leeds, Arsenal, Everton...I still swell with emotion when I think of that just as I did at the time..I don't think I've ever been as emotional regarding football as when we got that draw at Goodison and to be there to witness it was immense..meant even more than the win in the replay for some reason

 

Not forgetting those tremendous performances at Derby and Liverpool of course but I do agree with that game at Goodison.To come back so late in the game after that goal from Duncan Ferguson is unforgettable.Still got the programme and match-ticket.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I think I still have the bruise from the bloke next to me who didn't like me picking him up and twirling him around when we equalised....never did know his name :)

[Fosse69]

Not forgetting those tremendous performances at Derby and Liverpool of course but I do agree with that game at Goodison.To come back so late in the game after that goal from Duncan Ferguson is unforgettable.Still got the programme and match-ticket.

Unfortunately still got the unused match ticket as snow in East Midlands in the morning kept me at home, but memories of 3 draws at Anfield in League, FA Cup and League Cup are still with me.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Those were the days..for the replay train up from London, waiting for ages for a taxi in Bradwell then it got stuck in traffic and so walked to Burslem, bag of hot gravel at half time.

 

Tel the kids of today about that and they won't believe you :)

[Jacko51]

On the night of the Everton replay I had a parents' evening. I managed to disuade a fair few parents from making appointments by agreeing to phone them instead (they knew why of course). I spoke really quickly to the others and managed to get to the game about 2 minutes after kick off!

[Essex Vale]

I will put a new name in the frame, one that none of us would have seen, Herbert Chapman. I recently read a biography written fairly recently. This man's record, for the era is superb. He won three championships with Huddersfield, then did it again with Arsenal. Arsenal were not the iconic team and club they are now. Herbert Chapman forged the modern Arsenal.

 

It is worth looking at his record.

[Essex Vale]

I forgot to add, Herbert Chapman is very closely associated with Vale's election back to the football league in 1919 to replace Leeds City. You could argue that without Herbert, Vale would still be a non league club :) If you want to know the full story have a look at Herbert's wiki page.

[Fosse69]

I will put a new name in the frame, one that none of us would have seen, Herbert Chapman. I recently read a biography written fairly recently. This man's record, for the era is superb. He won three championships with Huddersfield, then did it again with Arsenal. Arsenal were not the iconic team and club they are now. Herbert Chapman forged the modern Arsenal.

 

It is worth looking at his record.

Very interesting, but going back a bit, he even played for Spurs as a non-league club, the only non-league club to ever win the FA Cup (Can`t see them losing that record.