The old saying “when the student becomes the master” is a case we often see in sports, with none more prevalent than managers in football. An assistant manager moving elsewhere to start their managerial journey often leads to a meeting with their previous superior, but who typically comes out on top?
Many great managers have either started as assistant managers, or have brought an assistant in who has then gone elsewhere to start a successful career. The dynamic is interesting as no one will know a managers strengths and weaknesses better than someone who previously deputised for them. We’re seeing it unfold right before our eyes, with Mikel Arteta being 4/5 favourite, according to UK betting sites, to take the Premier League title away from his previous boss, Pep Guardiola.
There are many more cases of this in football, with some of the sports biggest managerial names coming up against previous colleagues.
1. Jurgen Klopp vs David Wagner
Before Jurgen Klopp began his historic reign at Liverpool, he was wildly successful at Borussia Dortmund. The German won back-to-back league titles from 2010-12 and also picked up a German Cup. His assistant at Dortmund was none other than, current Norwich City Manager, David Wagner.
The duo played together for Mainz 05 and built up a close friendship outside of football, so when Klopp took the job at Dortmund, Wagner was the first man he called for his assistant role. Once Klopp left, Wagner began his venture into becoming a manager, managing Borussia Dortmund II and then travelling to England to manage Huddersfield Town.
"No cards. No presents." 😂
Ruthless from Jurgen Klopp on the day after his pal David Wagner's birthday!
Two opposing managers doing a joint post-match interview 🙌 pic.twitter.com/T7iDV0DgMd
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 20, 2018
Wagner won promotion in his first season, taking Huddersfield from the Championship to the Premier League, where he would face his close friend Klopp for the first time. The odds were stacked in Klopp’s favour as he had now created a Merseyside super team who were aiming for Champions League glory.
The pair went to battle three times during Wagner’s time in the Premier League, with Klopp coming out victorious on every occasion. Earning 3-0 victories both home and away during the 2017/18 season and then a 1-0 victory at the the John Smith’s Stadium in the following season, which was also Wagner’s last season in the Premier League.
2. Jose Mourinho vs Andre Villas-Boas
Jose Mourinho is one of the biggest names in football, even after recent years where the former Chelsea manager has faced some difficult times. Mourinho has won 26 trophies including, eight league titles in four different countries, 13 domestic trophies and is a two-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
His most impressive achievement is often debated, but it is hard to ignore his time at Porto. Mourinho won the league twice in Portugal and led one of the biggest underdog stories of all time by winning the Champions League in 2004. Who was by his side during this successful period? Andre Villas-Boas.
Villas-Boas followed Mourinho to Chelsea in 2004, after their tenure in Portugal and was made Assistant scout, which lasted until 2007 when Mourinho left for Inter Milan. Villas-Boas followed Mourinho to Inter, where he continued the same role before they went their separate ways in 2009, Mourinho to Madrid and Villas-Boas to Portuguese side, Academica.
Pretty mad that Chelsea 2004-2007 (won two consecutive Premier League titles) had Mourinho, André Villas Boas, Brendan Rodgers, current Scotland manager Steve Clarke and Mourinho’s long-time assistant Rui Faria, all in one coaching staff.
Quality level of coaching talent. pic.twitter.com/kcL4M3YSce
— Premier League Panel (@PremLeaguePanel) April 26, 2020
The two only faced each other once, with Mourinho returning to Chelsea and Villas-Boas taking the reigns at Tottenham Hotspur following an unfortunate stint at Chelsea. Honours were even at White Hart Lane as the London Derby finished 1-1 and a few months later Villas-Boas was sacked.
3. Sir Alex Ferguson vs Steve McCLaren
One of football’s greats, Sir Alex Ferguson revolutionised football and was in charge of Manchester United during the club’s most successful era. Winning 13 Premier League trophies, two Champions League’s and the FA Cup five times. His most memorable victory came in 1999, where he managed his team to a treble which had never been done by an English side before.
His assistant during this momentous victory was Steve McCLaren, who was Ferguson’s right-hand man from 1999 to 2001. McCLaren is best known for his short stint as England Manager and also his five-year spell at Middlesborough.
Ferguson and McClaren faced each other 11 times during McClaren’s time at Middlesborough, with results being very even. Both managers managed five victories, with their last match against each other finishing as a draw. The most even contest between former colleagues.
4. Louis Van Gaal vs Jose Mourinho
Many think that the only similarity these two managerial giants share is their time at Manchester United. However, their relationship started back in 1997, when Van Gaal made Mourinho his assistant for FC Barcelona. Winning back-to-back La Liga titles and one Copa Del Rey, the duo were extremely successful.
Van Gaal was relieved of his duties in 2000 and went on to manage his national team, the Netherlands. Mourinho started his managerial run at Benfica and began to establish himself as a real manager.
The pair met again over a decade later, between 2013-2015, as Van Gaal had now taken over as Manchester United manager, whilst Mourinho began his second spell at Chelsea. Over the four matches Mourinho remained undefeated, with only the one victory, the majority of matches ended in a draw.
Throwback to Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho at Barcelona in 1997 pic.twitter.com/iV1hPoGlik
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 14, 2020
5. Mikel Arteta vs Pep Guardiola
Without doubt, the most interesting example of an assistant paving his own path as a manager, at the expense of his former boss. Mikel Arteta is flying high in the Premier League, with Arsenal taking the league by storm and creating a five-point gap between them and Guardiola’s Manchester City side.
The Blue side of Manchester has dominated the Premier League over the last five seasons, winning four out of a possible five titles. This is largely down to Guardiola and the style of play he has implemented, which has changed the way England views football.
All of Pep Guardiola’s former students, Mikel Arteta, Vincent Kompany and Xavi, are on top of their respective leagues 📈👨🏫 pic.twitter.com/y9uS5GtzwK
— 433 (@433) January 19, 2023
Arteta was assistant manager during this time, and observed one of the best managers of all time. Once Arsenal sacked Unai Emery in 2019, Arteta was the perfect replacement. The Spaniard had a difficult start, with fans questioning if they had hired the right man.
However, this season The Gunners have steamrolled every team they have come up against, losing only one Premier League match. Could Arteta finally take the Premier League away from Guardiola, and prove that the student can become the master.
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