ImagesPA; Getty Images2 9
JURGEN KLOPP
Klopp’s charismatic front doesn’t do
justice to the tactical mind behind
that trademark grin. The German boss has
proved his prowess as a master motivator
balancing chaos with control, having
progressed both Dortmund and Liverpool
beyond recognition. Consecutive titles with
the former established him as one of
football’s brightest minds, while steady but
spectacular upgrades have taken the Reds to
two Champions League finals and a first
league crown since 1989-90.28
JOSE VILLALONGA
Few have succeeded in
crossing a city’s divide and
winning on both sides. Villalonga
did, though, capturing two La Liga titles, two
Copas Latina and the first two European
Cups with Real Madrid – his first, aged just 36
years. Later he lifted two domestic cups and
a Cup Winners’ Cup with Atletico, and to cap
it all led Spain to Euros glory in 1964 – their
first trophy. Not too shabby for someone who
never played professionally and only
managed for 11 years.2 7
MARIO ZAGALLO
Twice a world champion as a player,
Zagallo also coached the greatest
team of all time as Brazil won their third
World Cup in 1970. But doing so wasn’t easy;
the Selecao had been kicked off the park
during the 1966 World Cup and “the scars
were still there”, as Pele revealed. But
Zagallo also managed to fit in the likes of
Jairzinho, Rivelino, Tostao and Gerson,
leading to Peru, Uruguay and Italy all being
torn apart as Brazil scored 19 times en route
to victory at Estadio Azteca. “It was all down
to Zagallo’s work,” said Carlos Alberto.Arguably, winning the 1966 World Cup
with England wasn’t even Alf Ramsey’s
greatest achievement as a manager.
The Dagenham native was only 35 and
fresh off retiring from an esteemed playing
career at Tottenham when he took over
Third Division South side Ipswich Town,
newly relegated back to the doldrums
after 18 years of service from ex-manager
Scott Duncan.
Immediately, though, Ramsey knew he
had problems. After he’d pitted attackers
against defenders during a rain-soaked
public practice match, his wife Victoria was
so aghast at the low quality on display that
she had urged her other half to throw in the
towel... at half-time. However, the national
hero-in-waiting enjoyed a challenge – and
Town supporters were very glad he chose to
take it on.
In just six seasons between 1956 and
1962, Ramsey transformed the Tractor
Boys from third-tier nobodies to First
Division champions on a shoestring
budget, finishing four points above Bill
Nicholson’s legendary Spurs Double winners
of 1961 to scoop the title in their first top-
flight campaign.
“He was already far ahead of other bosses
at that time,” said Ray Wilson, an opponent
then, but future ’66 winner under Sir Alf.
Ramsey was nicknamed ‘The General’ from
his playing days – indeed, Town’s success
was built on a bedrock of impeccable
defensive organisation – but Ramsey’s
former players all remember a gent who
ruled in the right way.“He was so immaculate, spoke so nicely
and quietly,” Ray Crawford, Ipswich’s top
scorer in that 1961-62 campaign, told FFT
back in 2012. “He’d never try to make you
look small in front of other people,” added
team-mate Jimmy Leadbetter. “If he had
anything to say to you, he had a quiet word.
There was nothing nasty, and he got
tremendous respect for that.”
Little wonder, then, that Ramsey was able
to lead his country to the finest triumph in
their history; England’s only World Cup win
to date, hoisted aloft on home soil in 1966.
Out of duty, he’d taken the gig – described
by The Times as “a vulnerable position” – in
1962, four months after a quarter-final
defeat to Brazil in Chile. Only in 1963 did he
officially accept the reins, however, as
Ipswich struggled to stay afloat following
their shock success.
Ramsey hadn’t exactly been knocked by
the ordeal. “We will win the World Cup,” he
said – and under his guidance, the Three
Lions did.
After taking charge full-time in May 1963,
England lost only two matches in a year –
but the second of those defeats was a
humbling 5-1 loss to Brazil in 1964’s
chastening tour to South America, where
they also toiled against Argentina. Ramsey
conceded a “tremendous gap” between
England and their rivals, so set about
tinkering his wingless wonders system that
would conquer all two years later.
Jack Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Alan Ball and,
later, a 24-year-old striker called Geoff Hurst
all came in. Home came the World Cup.26 ALF RAMSEY
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