Most managers have always been drawn from the ranks of ex-players. This is logical, as years spent playing the game are bound create a tactical knowledge of training and tactics that goes beyond anything learnt either playing with your mates or sitting in an armchair watching the game once a week. Plus it is the next logical step for a player after the retirement of what is a very short career. Thus I have decided to create a little ranking of current Premier League Managers (as of 7th May) with respect to the success of their playing careers.

1.Kevin Keegan, Newcastle United – Won fucking everything and is a legend at almost every club he played for.
Honours: 3 League titles, 1 Bundersliga, 2 UEFA Cups, 1 European Cup, 1 FA Cup, 1 Writers Footballer of the Year, 1 PFA Player of The Year, 2 European Footballer of the Year, 1 1st Division golden boot, 63 England Caps, Inaugural inductee of English Football Hall of Fame, England Captain for 6 Years, No. 8 in “players who shook the kop”.

2.Roy Keane, Sunderland – Manchester United’s captain for eight years, he also skippered his country for five. Won 66 Caps for Ireland but it could have been many more had it not been for his self-imposed hiatus from international football following a bust-up with coach Mick McCarthy.
Honours: The Champions League, 7 Premier Leagues, 1 Scottish title, 4 FA Cups, 1 Scottish League Cup. PFA and Writers Player of the Year in 2000.

3.Mark Hughes, Blackburn Rovers – Mark played for major teams in three different european leagues, a top level striker who managed to still be playing in the Premier League age 38 - a remarkable acheivement for a striker
 clubs: Man U, Barca, Bayern, Chelsea, Everton, Saints, and Blackburn.
Honours: 72 Wales Caps, 2 Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups, 2 Euro cups, 3 League Cups, 2 PFA Player of the Year Trophies, 1 Young Player of the Year Trophy, 1 BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year 

4.Steve Bruce, Wigan Athletic- Captained Manchester United in the mid 1990s, yet somehow never played for England.
Honours: 3 League Titles, 3 FA Cups, 1 League Cup, 1 European Cup-Winners Cup.

5.Martin O Neil, Aston Villa – Key player in glory days of Forest and Northern Ireland. Somewhat stereotypically for an Irishman though he started off his career at a club called “Distillery F.C”

6.Alex McLeish, Birmingham City – won loads with Aberdeen during their glory days, including 3 Leagues, 7 Cups and a European trophy. Played in 3 World Cups and is Scotland’s 3rd most capped player. He was also crowned Scottish Player of the Year in 1990

7.Steve Coppell, Reading – 42 England Caps, 322 Man U App, FA Cup Winner

8.Gareth Southgate, Middlesro' – missed a fucking penalty. Also Won League Cup and 57 England Caps. But, really, who cares. The man could save the world from nuclear destruction twice, but he'd still be known the Euro 96 penalty chocker.

9.Alex Ferguson, Manchester United – Was a good goal-scorer, but never played for Scotland

10.Gary Megson, Bolton – Played in a Norwich Team that finished 3rd In the first Premier League season- meaning qualification for the UEFA Cup

11.Alan Curbishley, West Ham – Played regularly for West Ham, Birmingham and Villa. Once won an England U21 Cap, but never made the leap to the full national side.

12.Harry Redknapp, Portsmouth – a respectable career saw the Metropolitan Police's least favourite manager play 150 times for West Ham, and 24 for Seattle Sounders

13.David Moyes, Everton – Journeyman centre half, who’s career highlight was a Scottish championship medal with Celtic

14.Paul Jewell, Wigan Athletic – Had a long career, but mostly in the lower divisions of the Football League. Some, who've seen certain internet-circulated videos of Jewell would say he's still a bit of a "player" now, only not in the footballing sense.

15.Arsene Wenger, Arsenal – Arsene won a French League title with Strasbourg by just about playing enough games in his one season with the team to qualify for a medal. The playing career of this great manager is best summed up by the man himself "I was the best...in my village...it was a very small village"

16.Juande Ramos, Tottenham Hotspurs – Played in La Liga….3 times.

17.Roy Hodgson, Fulham – Played a bit-part for Palace when they were even worse than they are now

18.Rafael Benitez, Liverpool – Played In Spanish equivalent of Ryman League, and for Real Madrid Reserves, and had 5 caps for Spain universities

19. Sven Goran Erikson - Manchester city – The allegedly outgoing city boss only reached the heights of the Swedish Division 2…and even then at bloody right back. Retired age 27, allegedly due to a knee injury and not just because he was shit.

20. Avram Grant, Chelsea – (allegedly) played football in the school playground when he was a kid

Feel free to comment if you have any opnions on this. Obviously I have no copyright control but I kindly request that this blog is kept right here and not copied and pasted elsewhere. No nicking my ideas!