Over the years, many ex-professional English players have tried out management and failed. In light of Wayne Rooney recently being sacked by Birmingham City after just 83 days, let’s take a closer look at the players who were part of England’s ‘Golden Generation’ to see how they’ve faired in management and see who is the best based on their win percentage.
5 – Wayne Rooney
As a player, Wayne Rooney was one of the greatest strikers in England and Manchester United history. When he retired in 2021 at the age of 36, he went straight into management starting with Derby County, he didn’t do too bad with The Rams, he oversaw 73 matches, where his side won 22, drew 17 and lost 34. However, it was when he moved to DC United and then Birmingham City that it all started to go wrong. In the States, Rooney oversaw 53 games, his side won just 14 and drew 13 but lost 26. But after moving to the Midlands in October 2023 to replace John Eustace as Birmingham boss, he lasted just 83 days in charge as after 15 games his side won just 2, drew 4 and lost 9, leaving Blues in 20th position, when before Rooney came in they were 6th.
So overall Rooney has managed 152 games in charge at the three different clubs, he has a total of 41 wins and 73 losses. Giving him a total win percentage of just 27%.
4 – Gary Neville
Gary Neville, as a player was one of the greatest right-backs in England and Manchester United history. After retiring in 2011, Neville went on to manage just one club which is Valencia, he took charge of the Spanish side in December 2015. He lasted just 113 days which saw him oversee just 28 games, in that time his side won 10, drew 7, and lost 11.
This therefore gives him a total win percentage of 36%.
Neville instead of management is now a regular pundit on Sky Sports.
3 – Frank Lampard
Now we reach Frank Lampard, arguably one of the greatest-ever midfielders to grace the Premier League and England. He retired in 2017 and went into management. He first took the job as a youth coach at his beloved Chelsea for a year until taking his first proper job at Derby County in July 2018. While with The Rams, he oversaw 57 games in which his side won 26, drew 15, and lost 16. In that time he also took Derby to the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium, which they went on to lose to Aston Villa.
After leaving Derby, he took the job as manager at Chelsea, he oversaw 84 games, in which his side won 44, drew 15, and lost 25. This was amid a transfer embargo meaning Chelsea couldn’t sign any players, yet they still qualified for the Champions League.
However, after moving to Everton and then back to Chelsea, his managerial career stats took a beating. At Everton he was in charge for 44 games, in this time his side won 12 and drew 8, but lost 24.
Overall, in his managerial career, Lampard has overseen 196 games and has won just 83, giving him a win percentage of 42%.
2 – Phil Neville
Brother of Gary, Phil Neville began his career with Everton where he made just over 300 appearances before moving on to play for Manchester United.
He retired in July 2013 and has gone on to manage three clubs since, these are: England Women, Inter Miami, and Portland Timbers (where he has recently been appointed). He hasn’t taken charge of a Portland Timbers game yet, however with England and Inter Miami he has overseen 125 games, has won 55, drew 16, and lost 54. His most notable success was when he won the She Believes Cup with England in 2019.
He has a win percentage of 44% (currently).
1 – Steven Gerrard
Finally presenting the best Ex England professional who is now a manager, Steven Gerrard aka Stevie G, arguably the best midfielder to ever play for Liverpool FC.
He retired in 2017, he went into management at Liverpool by coaching some of the youth teams. However, his first big role was at Rangers where he was pretty impressive. He won the Scottish Premiership title in 2021. He oversaw 192 games with the Scottish giants, where they won 124, drew 41 and lost 27.
But after moving to Aston Villa and then to Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi league this season, his managerial record has dwindled in numbers but it’s still the best, by a huge margin. With Villa he oversaw 40 games, his side won 13, drew 8, and lost 19. So far with Al-Ettifaq he’s overseen 25 games, won 11, drew 7 and lost 7.
Overall as a manager so far Gerrard has overseen 257 matches and has won 148 of them, giving him a win percentage of 58%, therefore making him the best of the Ex ‘Golden Generation’ of English footballers.
Overall, the transition from playing professional football to then being a manager is incredibly difficult, just because these players above all had incredible playing careers doesn’t mean they would be successful as managers. Gary Neville realised this and has decided to stick to punditry ever since, while there is only Gerrard with a win percentage over 50% which is mental.
Andy Fisher who has had success in management for different women’s clubs since stopping playing added: “I think professional players going straight from playing to management, do it because they’ve played at such a high level, they’ve played under such high-level managers, so they’ve ultimately gained a lot of experience.
“What you don’t get from playing under the best managers though is a full-on experience of what managing is all about, there is a lot of stuff that happens behind the scenes that they aren’t used to or have seen on a day-to-day basis and I think that’s what makes it so difficult for these players to do well straight away in management.
“For me what they should be doing is as well as getting their coaching badges and experience etc… they should step in behind the scenes even more and do some assistant management and coaching first instead of just being thrown in at the deep end with Premier League clubs.”
Sporty AF 