This new English Premier League (EPL) season will see for the first time that the top 3 of the previous season start the campaign with a new gaffer at the helm. In keeping with that rare occurrence my preview will be about the 20 EPL managers of 2013/2014.
Arsenal FC
Suffice to say we start at the top. Top as in the longest serving manager in the EPL namely Arsenal's Arsène Wenger; joined them on the 1st October 1996 which makes his reign 16 years, 318 days.
Interesting facts he is nicknamed "Le Professeur" used by fans and the British press to reflect his studious demeanour. He has won 11 trophies since 1996 His most remembered for going through an entire season without a loss in 2003/2004 but last won a trophy for the gunners in 2004/2005 season (FA Cup).
West Ham United
Affectionately known as "Big Sam" joined West Ham United on the 1st June 2011 2 years, 74 days ago.
Interesting facts is Sam was a central defender in is his playing days honours include Bolton Wanderers as a centre-half in 1973 and he is best remembered as a player for being part of the side which won the Second Division title in 1977–78 to secure promotion to the First Division and captained Preston North End 1986–87 along with winning promotion made the Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year. Sam also has 4 Premier League Manager of the Month Awards.
Newcastle United
Alan Scott Pardew joined the Magpies on 9th December 2010 2 years, 248 days ago.
Interesting facts include reaching the FA Cup Final twice, as a player with Crystal Palace in 1990 and as a manager with West Ham United in 2006, though he ended up on the losing side both times. He has 501 appearances in the midfield for 9 different clubs in a career spanning 18 years. He has also achieved promotion three times in his career, as a player with Crystal Palace and as a manager with Reading and West Ham. As manager of Newcastle, he won both the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year awards for the 2011–12.
Fulham FC
Maarten Cornelis "Martin" Jol was appointed Fulham managers on 7th June 2011; 2 years, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts playing for ADO Den Haag in 1975 he won the Dutch Cup also played for Bayern Munich in 1978–79 before returning to the Dutch Eredivisie to play for Twente in 1979. In 1985, and won the 1985 Dutch Footballer of the Year award with ADO Den Haag, the same club he started his career with 6 years earlier. Jol also made 3 appearances for the Dutch National team. No stranger to the Premier League as he coached a Tottenham Hotspurs side for three years between 2004-2007. He was eventually sacked by the Tottenham board on 25 October 2007 during their 2–1 defeat to Getafe CF in the UEFA Cup. News of the sacking was widely known around the ground before the final whistle, before even Jol had become aware of his fate. His nephew told him of a text message he received saying "Jol was to leave the job".
Aston Villa
Paul Lambert joined Villa on 2 June 2012, 1 year, 73 day ago.
Interesting facts Lambert won numerous honours as a player, winning the Scottish Cup with St. Mirren as a 17-year-old, the UEFA Champions League with Borussia Dortmund, all the Scottish domestic honours with Celtic (4 Scottish Premier Leagues; 3 Scottish Cups; 2 Scottish League Cups) and 40 caps for Scotland. As a manager he guided Norwich City into English football's Premier League with successive promotions in 2009–10 and 2010–11 becoming the first team to achieve a second successive promotion at this level since Manchester City 11 years earlier. He was inducted into Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Norwhich City
Christopher William Gerard "Chris" Hughton joined Norwhich on 7th June 2012, 1 year, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts in 1979, he became the first mixed race player to represent the Republic of Ireland and subsequently went onto make 53 appearances for his national team. A product of Tottenham Hotspur's youth system, the left back made his debut in 1979 in the second round of the League Cup against Manchester United. He was a member of the Tottenham side which won both the 1981 and 1982 FA Cup, the 1984 UEFA Cup and was runner-up in the 1982 Football League Cup and the 1987 FA Cup. In 1992 he signed for Brentford, on a free transfer. Played one season before retiring aged 34 after winning Football League Division Three. Notably Hughton served as coach and then assistant manager for Tottenham from 1993 to 2007, redefining the saying "Doing the hard yards". He eventually became Newcastle United's head coach after a season as caretaker, before joining Norwich Chris was manager of Birmingham City for one season.
Southampton FC
Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero joined Southhampton FC on 18 January 2013 208 days ago.
Interesting facts his name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Pochettino and the second or maternal family name is Trossero. Pochettino represented the country at the 2002 World Cup and the 1999 Copa América. As a player he won Argentine Primera División in 1990–1991 and Clausura 1992 with Newell's Old Boys and the Copa del Rey in 1999–2000 and 2005–2006 with Espanyol. On joining the Saints he became the second ever Argentine manager in English football. It is fair to say Pochettino's Southhampton was punching (well deserved I might add) above their weight in the league last season, so it will be interesting to see how things go them in his first full season as a EPL coach.
Liverpool FC
Brendan Rodgers joined Liverpool FC on 1 June 2012, 1 year, 74 days ago.
Interesting facts Rodgers began his career as a defender at Ballymena United, he was then signed by Reading at the age of 18, sadly at the age of 20 he was forced to retire due to injury. He remained at Reading as a coach before being invited by José Mourinho to join Chelsea as their youth team manager in 2004 later promoted to reserve team manager in 2006. He joined Watford and Reading before making his mark at Championship side Swansea by getting them promoted to the EPL through a play off final vs Reading meaning Swansea became the first Welsh team ever to gain promotion to the Premier League. In his first season in charge of Liverpool they finished in seventh position one position higher than the previous season but painfully one position behind fellow Merseysiders Everton FC.
Stoke City
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE joined Stoke City on 30th May 2013 now 77 days ago.
Interesting facts nicknamed "Sparky" he had a total of 606 career appearances for Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea, Southhampton, Everton and Blackburn Rovers notably two stints at Manchester United in 1980–1986 and 1988–1995. His first managerial post was Wales manager he was appointed in 1999 and remained in the role until 2004. As a player he won a host of medals during his playing career, including two Premier League title medals, four FA Cups, three League Cups and two European Cup Winners' Cups. He also collected an FA Cup runners-up medal and a League Cup runners-up medal. Hughes was the first player to win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award twice, in 1989 and 1991.
West Bromwhich Albion
Stephen "Steve" Clarke joined West Bromwich Albion on 8th June 2012, 1 year, 68 day ago.
Interesting facts he was transferred to Chelsea for £422,000 in February 1987. He stayed at Chelsea until 1998, making 421 appearances. Honours with Chelsea are 1997 FA Cup Final, 1998 Football League Cup Final and 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final. The latter game, against VfB Stuttgart in Stockholm, was Clarke's final appearance for the club. As a coach with Chelsea he won the FA Premier League in 2004–05 and 2005–06 as well as the FA Cup in 2007 and the League Cup in 2005 and 2007. He also won the League Cup with Liverpool 2012.
Everton FC
Roberto MartÃnez Montoliú joined Everton on 1st July 2013, 46 days ago.
Interesting facts he played for Real Zaragoza and won the Copa del Rey in 1993–94 he moved to Wigan Athletic and won Football League Third Division in 1996–97 the Football League Trophy 1998–99 and lastly with Swansea City he won Football League Trophy in 2005–06. During his time at Wigan he became a part of a small spanish contingent known as "the three amigos" alongside Jesús Seba and Isidro DÃaz, he was a regular first team player for six years. As a manager he joined Swansea City from 24 February 2007 - 15 June 2009 and won the Football League One in 2007–08 he then joined Wigan Athletic from 15 June 2009 - 5 June 2013 with whom he famously won the FA Cup in his last season at the club.
Swansea City FC
Michael Laudrup joined Swansea City 15 June 2012[40]1 year, 61 days
Interesting facts during his playing career, he won league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. At Barcelona, he won nine trophies, which includes 5 La Liga's in a row (4 with Barcelona and 1 Real Madrid). He made his debut for the Denmark national football team on his 18th birthday and captained Denmark on 28 occasions also won 1995 Confederations Cup as captain. In April 2000 he was knighted, receiving the Order of the Dannebrog. He was officially named the best Danish footballer of all time by the Danish Football Association (DBU) in November 2006.
Tottemham Hotspurs
LuÃs André de Pina Cabral e Villas-Boas joined Tottenham Hotspurs, 3 July 2012, 1 year, 43 days ago
Interesting facts commonly referred to as AVB, unusually for a manager at the top level, he has no experience as a professional player but as a manager his first job as British Virgin Islands head coach when only 21 years of age in 1998. In 1999, he resigned as manager, he spent eight months as manager of Académica, one year as manager of Porto, and nine months as manager of Chelsea. He is the youngest manager ever to win a European title he was 33 years and 213 days old.
Cardiff City
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay joined Cardiff City 17 June 2011, 2 years, 59 days ago.
Interesting facts after beginning his playing career in Scotland for Queen's Park and Celtic he joined English side Norwich City in 1998. Malky also achieved consecutive promotions to the Premier League with Norwich, West Ham and finally Watford. During his sixth and final season at Norwich, at the age of 32, Mackay became the oldest man to make his debut for Scotland in 32 years. He has only ever managed two clubs Watford and Cardiff though after his first season at Cardiff he could have chosen to replace Paul Lambert at Norwhich but felt he wanted to stay with his current squad and he is reaping the rewards now as Cardiff find themselves in the EPL.
Hull City FC
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce joined Hull City 8 June 2012, 1 year, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts despite playing in defence for Gillingham (his first club) he scored 18 goals in his first season to finish the season as top scorer. In an April 1983 when playing for Gillingham in a match against Newport County Bruce attempted, in a moment of anger, to deliberately injure opposition player Tommy Tynan, but connected awkwardly and succeeded only in breaking his own leg, leaving him unable to play again for six months. In joining Norwich City in 1984–85 season in his debut he scored an own goal in the first minute for Norwich against Liverpool, but later that season put in a man of the match performance in winning the League Cup final. Its said that at Manchester United Bruce scored two late goals (86th min & 96th min) in a win over Sheffield Wednesday which could have saved Sir Alex his job, I can still see Sir Alex jumping on the touchline hands raised in the air and proved decisive in United winning the inaugural Premier League title, the first time the club had won the championship of English football since 1967. Bruce will forever be known though as the first English captain, to win "The Double" 1993-94 (with Manchester United) in the twentieth century and one of the best english defenders of his era never to be selected for the full England team.
This brings me to the five managers I'm most looking forward to seeing this season. Whether it be their antics in the media or on the touch line or their mind games with opposing managers or the different styles of play they will bring to the english game, gets me just that more excited for the kick off of the EPL. this weekend.
Sunderland FC
Paolo Di Canio joined Sunderland on 31st March 2013, 137 days ago.
Interesting facts as a young boy, he was addicted to cola and similar drinks and called Pallocca, a slang term meaning lard-ball. He was fat, and knock-kneed, and needed to wear orthopedic shoes – "But I never hid. My response was to exercise; to try to become the kind of person I am.". As a player he was an amazing talent and scored goals the best in the business would proud of. He scored the BBC Goal of the Season in March 2000 with a volley against Wimbledon in 2009 that goal was voted Premiership Goal of the Decade. He will also be remembered for receiving an eleven-match ban and £10 000 fine in 1998 for pushing referee Paul Alcock that sent him off. He is not just a bad boy cos he won the FIFA Fair Play Award for what FIFA described as "a special act of good sportsmanship" Di Canio shunned a goal scoring opportunity and caught the ball from a cross instead as the Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard was lying injured on the ground after he twisted his knee attempting a clearance on the edge of the box.
Crystal Palace
Ian Scott Holloway joined Crystal Palace on the 4th November 2012, 284 days ago.
Interesting facts he is known by the nickname "Ollie", which is also the title of his autobiography and before his current job as Crystal Palace manager, he had also previously managed Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City and Blackpool. As a player he made 598 career appearances for five different clubs also made 3 return stints to Bristol Rovers where he eventually became player-manager before ending his playing career in 1999.. Holloway has a reputation of being the life of the pre or post match interviews and besides his amusing answers to questions from the media one just never knows what he will say next. His comment on Christiano Ronaldo stands out for me but I'm sure everyone has their favourite sound bite from the Holloway repertoire.
Manchester City
Manuel Luis Pellegrini Ripamonti joined Mancesther City on 24 June 2013, 52 days ago.
Interesting facts Pellegrini made a name for himself by coaching River Plate, Villarreal, Real Madrid, Málaga. At Madrid he bought the most expensive player in football Cristiano Ronaldo for £80 million from Manchester United. He is a novice in the English League but he has coached teams in Spain, Argentina, and Chile and his European pedigree should put him in good stead if not in the EPL then in the Champions League.
Chelsea FC
José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix re joined Chelsea on 3 June 2013, 73 days ago.
Interesting facts he is the self proclaimed "Special One" after his first press conference as chelsea manager, later while at Madrid he changed his title to the "Only One" after a record points total in La Liga, upon returning to Chelsea he now would like to be known as the "Happy One". In ten seasons of club management, including an eight-month sabbatical in 2007–08, Mourinho has led his club to win its domestic league seven times, the UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup once. Since 2002, Mourinho has not gone a full calendar year without winning at least one trophy.
Manchester United
David William Moyes joined Manchester United on the 1st July 2013, 45 days ago.
Interesting facts Moyes enjoyed a career that encompassed playing at a number of different clubs, usually as a centre half, beginning at Celtic, where he won a championship medal and made 24 league appearances, and ending with Preston North End where he worked his way up to assistant manager before eventually taking over as manager in 1998. Moyes was in charge of Preston 243 times, of which his team won 113 games, lost 63 and drew 67. Moyes is well known as a disciplinarian as at Everton they received just 27 yellow cards all 2007/2008 season – the lowest in the league and 6 fewer than their nearest rival Liverpool. In January 2012, Moyes became the fourth manager, after Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger and Harry Redknapp, to record 150 wins in the Premier League. He also celebrated his 400th Premier League game in November 2012 with a 2–1 win against Sunderland. After ending the 2012/2013 season with Everton FC above Liverpool FC the two parted ways.
And he is the New Gaffer at Old Trafford, who knew?
Stats & facts sourced from various sources.
Jade Christopher Bentley Adams (@jcba)
Suffice to say we start at the top. Top as in the longest serving manager in the EPL namely Arsenal's Arsène Wenger; joined them on the 1st October 1996 which makes his reign 16 years, 318 days.
Interesting facts he is nicknamed "Le Professeur" used by fans and the British press to reflect his studious demeanour. He has won 11 trophies since 1996 His most remembered for going through an entire season without a loss in 2003/2004 but last won a trophy for the gunners in 2004/2005 season (FA Cup).
Affectionately known as "Big Sam" joined West Ham United on the 1st June 2011 2 years, 74 days ago.
Interesting facts is Sam was a central defender in is his playing days honours include Bolton Wanderers as a centre-half in 1973 and he is best remembered as a player for being part of the side which won the Second Division title in 1977–78 to secure promotion to the First Division and captained Preston North End 1986–87 along with winning promotion made the Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year. Sam also has 4 Premier League Manager of the Month Awards.
Alan Scott Pardew joined the Magpies on 9th December 2010 2 years, 248 days ago.
Interesting facts include reaching the FA Cup Final twice, as a player with Crystal Palace in 1990 and as a manager with West Ham United in 2006, though he ended up on the losing side both times. He has 501 appearances in the midfield for 9 different clubs in a career spanning 18 years. He has also achieved promotion three times in his career, as a player with Crystal Palace and as a manager with Reading and West Ham. As manager of Newcastle, he won both the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year awards for the 2011–12.
Maarten Cornelis "Martin" Jol was appointed Fulham managers on 7th June 2011; 2 years, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts playing for ADO Den Haag in 1975 he won the Dutch Cup also played for Bayern Munich in 1978–79 before returning to the Dutch Eredivisie to play for Twente in 1979. In 1985, and won the 1985 Dutch Footballer of the Year award with ADO Den Haag, the same club he started his career with 6 years earlier. Jol also made 3 appearances for the Dutch National team. No stranger to the Premier League as he coached a Tottenham Hotspurs side for three years between 2004-2007. He was eventually sacked by the Tottenham board on 25 October 2007 during their 2–1 defeat to Getafe CF in the UEFA Cup. News of the sacking was widely known around the ground before the final whistle, before even Jol had become aware of his fate. His nephew told him of a text message he received saying "Jol was to leave the job".
Paul Lambert joined Villa on 2 June 2012, 1 year, 73 day ago.
Interesting facts Lambert won numerous honours as a player, winning the Scottish Cup with St. Mirren as a 17-year-old, the UEFA Champions League with Borussia Dortmund, all the Scottish domestic honours with Celtic (4 Scottish Premier Leagues; 3 Scottish Cups; 2 Scottish League Cups) and 40 caps for Scotland. As a manager he guided Norwich City into English football's Premier League with successive promotions in 2009–10 and 2010–11 becoming the first team to achieve a second successive promotion at this level since Manchester City 11 years earlier. He was inducted into Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
Christopher William Gerard "Chris" Hughton joined Norwhich on 7th June 2012, 1 year, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts in 1979, he became the first mixed race player to represent the Republic of Ireland and subsequently went onto make 53 appearances for his national team. A product of Tottenham Hotspur's youth system, the left back made his debut in 1979 in the second round of the League Cup against Manchester United. He was a member of the Tottenham side which won both the 1981 and 1982 FA Cup, the 1984 UEFA Cup and was runner-up in the 1982 Football League Cup and the 1987 FA Cup. In 1992 he signed for Brentford, on a free transfer. Played one season before retiring aged 34 after winning Football League Division Three. Notably Hughton served as coach and then assistant manager for Tottenham from 1993 to 2007, redefining the saying "Doing the hard yards". He eventually became Newcastle United's head coach after a season as caretaker, before joining Norwich Chris was manager of Birmingham City for one season.
Mauricio Roberto Pochettino Trossero joined Southhampton FC on 18 January 2013 208 days ago.
Interesting facts his name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Pochettino and the second or maternal family name is Trossero. Pochettino represented the country at the 2002 World Cup and the 1999 Copa América. As a player he won Argentine Primera División in 1990–1991 and Clausura 1992 with Newell's Old Boys and the Copa del Rey in 1999–2000 and 2005–2006 with Espanyol. On joining the Saints he became the second ever Argentine manager in English football. It is fair to say Pochettino's Southhampton was punching (well deserved I might add) above their weight in the league last season, so it will be interesting to see how things go them in his first full season as a EPL coach.
Brendan Rodgers joined Liverpool FC on 1 June 2012, 1 year, 74 days ago.
Interesting facts Rodgers began his career as a defender at Ballymena United, he was then signed by Reading at the age of 18, sadly at the age of 20 he was forced to retire due to injury. He remained at Reading as a coach before being invited by José Mourinho to join Chelsea as their youth team manager in 2004 later promoted to reserve team manager in 2006. He joined Watford and Reading before making his mark at Championship side Swansea by getting them promoted to the EPL through a play off final vs Reading meaning Swansea became the first Welsh team ever to gain promotion to the Premier League. In his first season in charge of Liverpool they finished in seventh position one position higher than the previous season but painfully one position behind fellow Merseysiders Everton FC.
Leslie Mark Hughes, OBE joined Stoke City on 30th May 2013 now 77 days ago.
Interesting facts nicknamed "Sparky" he had a total of 606 career appearances for Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Chelsea, Southhampton, Everton and Blackburn Rovers notably two stints at Manchester United in 1980–1986 and 1988–1995. His first managerial post was Wales manager he was appointed in 1999 and remained in the role until 2004. As a player he won a host of medals during his playing career, including two Premier League title medals, four FA Cups, three League Cups and two European Cup Winners' Cups. He also collected an FA Cup runners-up medal and a League Cup runners-up medal. Hughes was the first player to win the PFA Players' Player of the Year award twice, in 1989 and 1991.
Stephen "Steve" Clarke joined West Bromwich Albion on 8th June 2012, 1 year, 68 day ago.
Interesting facts he was transferred to Chelsea for £422,000 in February 1987. He stayed at Chelsea until 1998, making 421 appearances. Honours with Chelsea are 1997 FA Cup Final, 1998 Football League Cup Final and 1998 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Final. The latter game, against VfB Stuttgart in Stockholm, was Clarke's final appearance for the club. As a coach with Chelsea he won the FA Premier League in 2004–05 and 2005–06 as well as the FA Cup in 2007 and the League Cup in 2005 and 2007. He also won the League Cup with Liverpool 2012.
Roberto MartÃnez Montoliú joined Everton on 1st July 2013, 46 days ago.
Interesting facts he played for Real Zaragoza and won the Copa del Rey in 1993–94 he moved to Wigan Athletic and won Football League Third Division in 1996–97 the Football League Trophy 1998–99 and lastly with Swansea City he won Football League Trophy in 2005–06. During his time at Wigan he became a part of a small spanish contingent known as "the three amigos" alongside Jesús Seba and Isidro DÃaz, he was a regular first team player for six years. As a manager he joined Swansea City from 24 February 2007 - 15 June 2009 and won the Football League One in 2007–08 he then joined Wigan Athletic from 15 June 2009 - 5 June 2013 with whom he famously won the FA Cup in his last season at the club.
Michael Laudrup joined Swansea City 15 June 2012[40]1 year, 61 days
Interesting facts during his playing career, he won league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus. At Barcelona, he won nine trophies, which includes 5 La Liga's in a row (4 with Barcelona and 1 Real Madrid). He made his debut for the Denmark national football team on his 18th birthday and captained Denmark on 28 occasions also won 1995 Confederations Cup as captain. In April 2000 he was knighted, receiving the Order of the Dannebrog. He was officially named the best Danish footballer of all time by the Danish Football Association (DBU) in November 2006.
LuÃs André de Pina Cabral e Villas-Boas joined Tottenham Hotspurs, 3 July 2012, 1 year, 43 days ago
Interesting facts commonly referred to as AVB, unusually for a manager at the top level, he has no experience as a professional player but as a manager his first job as British Virgin Islands head coach when only 21 years of age in 1998. In 1999, he resigned as manager, he spent eight months as manager of Académica, one year as manager of Porto, and nine months as manager of Chelsea. He is the youngest manager ever to win a European title he was 33 years and 213 days old.
Malcolm George "Malky" Mackay joined Cardiff City 17 June 2011, 2 years, 59 days ago.
Interesting facts after beginning his playing career in Scotland for Queen's Park and Celtic he joined English side Norwich City in 1998. Malky also achieved consecutive promotions to the Premier League with Norwich, West Ham and finally Watford. During his sixth and final season at Norwich, at the age of 32, Mackay became the oldest man to make his debut for Scotland in 32 years. He has only ever managed two clubs Watford and Cardiff though after his first season at Cardiff he could have chosen to replace Paul Lambert at Norwhich but felt he wanted to stay with his current squad and he is reaping the rewards now as Cardiff find themselves in the EPL.
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce joined Hull City 8 June 2012, 1 year, 68 days ago.
Interesting facts despite playing in defence for Gillingham (his first club) he scored 18 goals in his first season to finish the season as top scorer. In an April 1983 when playing for Gillingham in a match against Newport County Bruce attempted, in a moment of anger, to deliberately injure opposition player Tommy Tynan, but connected awkwardly and succeeded only in breaking his own leg, leaving him unable to play again for six months. In joining Norwich City in 1984–85 season in his debut he scored an own goal in the first minute for Norwich against Liverpool, but later that season put in a man of the match performance in winning the League Cup final. Its said that at Manchester United Bruce scored two late goals (86th min & 96th min) in a win over Sheffield Wednesday which could have saved Sir Alex his job, I can still see Sir Alex jumping on the touchline hands raised in the air and proved decisive in United winning the inaugural Premier League title, the first time the club had won the championship of English football since 1967. Bruce will forever be known though as the first English captain, to win "The Double" 1993-94 (with Manchester United) in the twentieth century and one of the best english defenders of his era never to be selected for the full England team.
Paolo Di Canio joined Sunderland on 31st March 2013, 137 days ago.
Interesting facts as a young boy, he was addicted to cola and similar drinks and called Pallocca, a slang term meaning lard-ball. He was fat, and knock-kneed, and needed to wear orthopedic shoes – "But I never hid. My response was to exercise; to try to become the kind of person I am.". As a player he was an amazing talent and scored goals the best in the business would proud of. He scored the BBC Goal of the Season in March 2000 with a volley against Wimbledon in 2009 that goal was voted Premiership Goal of the Decade. He will also be remembered for receiving an eleven-match ban and £10 000 fine in 1998 for pushing referee Paul Alcock that sent him off. He is not just a bad boy cos he won the FIFA Fair Play Award for what FIFA described as "a special act of good sportsmanship" Di Canio shunned a goal scoring opportunity and caught the ball from a cross instead as the Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard was lying injured on the ground after he twisted his knee attempting a clearance on the edge of the box.
Ian Scott Holloway joined Crystal Palace on the 4th November 2012, 284 days ago.
Interesting facts he is known by the nickname "Ollie", which is also the title of his autobiography and before his current job as Crystal Palace manager, he had also previously managed Queens Park Rangers, Plymouth Argyle, Leicester City and Blackpool. As a player he made 598 career appearances for five different clubs also made 3 return stints to Bristol Rovers where he eventually became player-manager before ending his playing career in 1999.. Holloway has a reputation of being the life of the pre or post match interviews and besides his amusing answers to questions from the media one just never knows what he will say next. His comment on Christiano Ronaldo stands out for me but I'm sure everyone has their favourite sound bite from the Holloway repertoire.
Manuel Luis Pellegrini Ripamonti joined Mancesther City on 24 June 2013, 52 days ago.
Interesting facts Pellegrini made a name for himself by coaching River Plate, Villarreal, Real Madrid, Málaga. At Madrid he bought the most expensive player in football Cristiano Ronaldo for £80 million from Manchester United. He is a novice in the English League but he has coached teams in Spain, Argentina, and Chile and his European pedigree should put him in good stead if not in the EPL then in the Champions League.
José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix re joined Chelsea on 3 June 2013, 73 days ago.
Interesting facts he is the self proclaimed "Special One" after his first press conference as chelsea manager, later while at Madrid he changed his title to the "Only One" after a record points total in La Liga, upon returning to Chelsea he now would like to be known as the "Happy One". In ten seasons of club management, including an eight-month sabbatical in 2007–08, Mourinho has led his club to win its domestic league seven times, the UEFA Champions League twice and the UEFA Cup once. Since 2002, Mourinho has not gone a full calendar year without winning at least one trophy.
David William Moyes joined Manchester United on the 1st July 2013, 45 days ago.
Interesting facts Moyes enjoyed a career that encompassed playing at a number of different clubs, usually as a centre half, beginning at Celtic, where he won a championship medal and made 24 league appearances, and ending with Preston North End where he worked his way up to assistant manager before eventually taking over as manager in 1998. Moyes was in charge of Preston 243 times, of which his team won 113 games, lost 63 and drew 67. Moyes is well known as a disciplinarian as at Everton they received just 27 yellow cards all 2007/2008 season – the lowest in the league and 6 fewer than their nearest rival Liverpool. In January 2012, Moyes became the fourth manager, after Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger and Harry Redknapp, to record 150 wins in the Premier League. He also celebrated his 400th Premier League game in November 2012 with a 2–1 win against Sunderland. After ending the 2012/2013 season with Everton FC above Liverpool FC the two parted ways.
And he is the New Gaffer at Old Trafford, who knew?
Stats & facts sourced from various sources.
Jade Christopher Bentley Adams (@jcba)
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