Ranking the 20 current Premier League Managers

20 - Paul Heckingbottom - 30% PL Win Rate

A man aptly named for this position on the list, Sheffield United’s Paul Heckingbottom sits 20th. Whilst the Barnsley native managed to get the Blades promoted this season, having only previously managed ten Premier League matches. Definitely an excellent manager at Championship level, but in the Premier League we’re not so sure.

19 - Rob Edwards - N/A 

Despite being just 40 years old, Rob Edwards has been around the block in recent years, having been in three jobs in less than a year. This could paint a bad picture for Edwards until one considers that at two of those positions he got his club promoted and the other was Watford. Nevertheless, despite his very impressive record in the lower leagues and knack for quickly embedding his philosophy into his players. The Premier League is such an enormous step up in quality and one which Edwards has never been tested in. 

18 - Vincent Kompany - N/A

The youngest currently serving Premier League manager at just 37 years old, ex-Manchester City star Vincent Kompany has certainly had an impressive managerial career so far. Coming off the back of absolutely dominating the Championship and revolutionising how Burnley play, Kompany has showed his talents in both England and Belgium now. He has had a very impressive start to his career in the dugout but is untested at this level. The signs are good though.

17 - Andoni Iraola - N/A

The biggest unknown quantity on this list, Spanish born Iraola comes to Bournemouth fresh off an impressive spell at Rayo Vallecano in his homeland where he took them from the second division and turned them into a solid mid-table La Liga side. Whilst he may be an unknown to much of the English media, Iraola’s ability to take a group of players above the level many might expect certainly bodes well for his time at Bournemouth.

16 - Marco Silva - 35% PL Win Rate

Fulham’s Marco Silva is up next with the Portuguese manager taking number 16 on our list. Whilst he has lead Fulham to a very impressive and deserved tenth place finish in the Premier League this season, it is important to note the previous inconsistencies in his managerial career. He has managed 133 Premier League matches in his career, winning 47 of those. Whilst Silva has showed his quality this season, we need to see more.

15 - Sean Dyche - 27% PL Win Rate

The man who eats gravel (these rumours are yet to be confirmed) is up next, with current Everton manager Sean Dyche. The most experienced coach so far on this list, leading his sides into 276 Premier League matches across eight seasons in the top flight. Serving as Kompany’s predecessor for much of that time, the 52 year old constantly defied expectations to keep the Lancashire outfit afloat in the Premier League. Whilst he has never truly been given the talent to push on to a consistently higher level, this does stand against him. A manager who is brilliant at what he does but could he be more?

14 - Steve Cooper - 23% PL Win Rate

Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper takes the next spot on our list after successfully guiding his side to Premier League survival last term. Cooper has worked very well with a completely revamped squad and managed to succeed despite unprecedented levels of squad turnover. Nevertheless, he is yet to be tested further up the field and so his capacity to achieve more is yet to be tested. Hence, he ranks 14th.

13 - Roy Hodgson - 33% PL Win Rate

The most experienced man on our list is up next with 75 year-old Roy Hodgson. With 884 matches managed across his astounding 57 year managerial career. The London native has become an expert at keeping sides in the division in recent years (barring his ill-fated spell at Watford of course) and has an impressive CV with the likes of Liverpool and Inter Milan amongst teams he has managed. Nevertheless, he has failed to win major trophies outside of Scandinavia, last tasting victory with FC Copenhagen in the 2000/2001 season. A legend of the game? Undoubtedly. But one of the ten best managers currently in the Premier League? We don’t think so. 

12 - David Moyes - 38% PL Win Rate

David Moyes is up next. Now you might think this is low considering the Scottish manager has just won European silverware. However, for a large portion of this season it appeared as if West Ham could get relegated just one season after finishing seventh. Moyes has always been a good performer as the underdog (just look at his impressive stint at Everton) but when the pressure is applied and more is expected with more expansive players, he tends to crack and try to return to what he knows. An impressive career yes, but has he shown his credentials to be a top manager. We wouldn’t say so.

11 - Ange Postecoglu - N/A

In 11th position it’s Aussie-born Ange Postecoglu who joins Tottenham after restoring Celtic to a position of dominance in Scottish football. A man who has won trophies everywhere he’s been (even winning the Asia Cup with Australia) Postecoglu may well be the man to bring trophies back to Spurs. Nevertheless, due to his lack of experience in the upper echelons of the game, he narrowly misses out on our top ten.

10 - Thomas Frank - 36% PL Win Rate

 Danish born Thomas Frank kicks off our top ten. The Brentford manager has been with his current employers since 2016 and took the lead job almost five years ago. Since then, he has lead the London outfit from a mid table Championship side to just that in the Premier League and has them pushing for Europe after just one season in the top flight. Frank has displayed that he has what it takes to be a top manager and to achieve results even when facing a much larger opponent. He deservedly squeezes into tenth.

9 - Julen Lopetegui - 39% PL Win Rate

The first of several Spanish managers on this list is Wolves’ Julen Lopetegui who came in last season to halt their downward spiral towards the Championship. Lopetegui has enjoyed impressive spells at both Porto and Sevilla, the latter of which he pushed to an unlikely title challenge with Real Madrid. Winner of the Europa League in 2019/20 with Sevilla, Lopetegui has shown his quality at a high level, however his failings at Real Madrid and in his final season at Sevilla damage his reputation. Nevertheless, the Spaniard deserves a spot in our top ten.

8 - Eddie Howe - 34% PL Win Rate

In seventh place is Newcastle’s Eddie Howe, fresh of a season where he defied all expectations to return his club to the Champions League for next season. Howe previously impressed in the Premier League with Bournemouth, taking the southern minnows from the lower reaches of League Two all the way up to a solid mid-table Premier League side during his tenure. Now at Newcastle he has defied expectations again and charged them into the top four ahead of schedule. A deserved place in our top ten.

7 - Roberto De Zerbi - 43% PL Win Rate

Now, whilst we have been trying to ignore recency bias thus far, De Zerbi’s achievements last season with Brighton (on top of his impressive spells with Shaktar Donetsk and Sassuolo) cannot be ignored. The 44 year old took over from Graham Potter (who was regarded by many as one of the best managers in the league) and blew the Englishman out of the water.  Now leading the Seagulls as they soar into Europe for the first time in their history, De Zerbi is redefining the expectations for a fairly small club on the south coast of England. A well deserved place in our top ten for sure.

6 - Unai Emery - 52% PL Win Rate

In sixth position we have Spanish born, current Aston Villa manager Unai Emery who guided the midlands side to a shock seventh position this season. Taking over from the failing Steven Gerard, Emery surpassed all expectations to send Villa to Europe (something fans will be looking at with much anticipation considering their manager is a four time Europa League winner). Emery is another who seems to feed on being the underdog after failing to impress consistently at Arsenal and PSG, however both of those clubs were extremely troubled at those times. Emery has excelled at Villa this season, and with his record in Europe as strong as almost anyone’s could well push them even further. He has been brilliant and deservedly ranks sixth.

5 - Mikel Arteta - 55% PL Win Rate

 Next up is a man who could certainly top this list in the years to come, it’s Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard has completely changed the fortunes of Arsenal across his three and a half years there taking them from perennial  underachievers to unlikely title challengers. Now, with a track record for improving players and good talent ID, Arteta could very well earn a spot on the podium soon enough. A brilliant coach, but as of now he lacks the top level experience to usurp those above him.

4 - Erik Ten Hag - 60% PL Win Rate

Narrowly missing out on our top three is Manchester United’s Erik Ten Hag. Ten Hag has proven to be an excellent coach across his managerial career with successful stints at FC Utrecht and more noticeably Ajax (where his side were minutes away from reaching their first Champions League final since 1996). Now on English shores, the Dutchman has shown his quality by putting Manchester United firmly back in the top four and giving fans the hope that the glory days may well return. Ten Hag has proven to be a brilliant manager, and is perhaps unlucky to miss out on a spot in our top three.

3 - Mauricio Pochettino - 51% PL Win Rate

Ex-Tottenham and current Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is the first man into our top three despite his recent stumble at PSG. When considering this it is important to remove the recency bias and remember the excellent spells Pochettino had at both Spurs and Southampton, taking the former to a Champions League final they had no right to be in. Across his career he could be seen as a nearly man, but to be near to that level of success you have to be a damn good coach. Poch sits at number three.

2 - Jürgen Klopp - 62% PL Win Rate

In at number two is the only other currently serving Premier League manager to have lead his club to said competition, Jürgen Klopp. Coming off a down year in which his side missed out on the top four it may be easy for some to forget the previous brilliance of the German. However, it is important to remember the state Liverpool were in when Klopp arrived, having only made it into the top four once in the previous six seasons. Since then the Merseyside outfit have been the only stumbling block in Manchester City’s era of dominance until this season. Yes it’s been a bad year, but Jürgen Klopp is firmly amongst the best coaches in world football.

1 - Pep Guardiola - 74% PL Win Rate

And so of course, to absolutely no one’s surprise, in at number one is Pep Guardiola. What more is there to say about Guardiola? The Spaniard is now entering his eight year at the helm of Manchester City following on from his most successful yet in which he won the treble. Across 821 matches as a head coach, the 52 year old has managed an astounding 2.36 points per match and has won an incredible 36 major honours across his 15 year career. He is undoubtedly the greatest manager of all time.