Four legendary managers who became outdated
FT Desk
- Updated: 17 Sept 2022 14:38 BST
- 3 min read
Max Allegri is on the brink of being sacked by Juventus after a dire start to the 2022-23 campaign.
Allegri has been hammered by Juventus fans and neutrals for playing outdated football, so we take a look at some of the managers past and present who have been accused of the same.
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Max Allegri
We will start with the most recent example; Max Allegri.
Allegri enjoyed outstanding success during his first spell at Juventus from 2014 to 2019, winning five straight Scudetti and reaching two Champions League finals.
However, he was sacked by Juve in 2019 after there was a clear decline in performances and style of play in his final two seasons.
He returned two years later after 24 months out of the game, only to deploy exactly the same type of dour, defensive, counter-attacking and disjointed football which was already out of date years ago.
The results have been disastrous. Juventus scraped fourth place last season and went trophyless for the first time in 11 years. They’ve started the current season with two wins in eight games, leaving Allegri on the brink.
Jose Mourinho
For over a decade, Jose Mourinho was one of – if not the – best coach in the world.
He enjoyed incredible success with Porto, Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid playing a brand of largely defensive football.
But just like Allegri, Mourinho failed to adapt to the way modern football has evolved and how it demands more attacking, expansive and high-press tactics.
This led to Mourinho getting sacked by Chelsea in his second spell there and struggling at Man Utd and Tottenham.
He has shown some signs of modernising at Roma, winning the UEFA Conference League last season.
Arsene Wenger
Arsene Wenger revolutionised English football when he arrived at Arsenal in 1996 and helped create one of the greatest teams Britain has ever seen.
His Invincibles side won the 2003-04 Premier League title without losing a game and he unearthed and developed a host of world-class players.
However, during the second half of his 21-year reign in north London, Wenger’s methods became stale and somewhat outdated.
He stuck by his principles too much in refusing to spend big on the transfer market like Chelsea and Man City, while just like Allegri and Mourinho he also failed to adapt his tactics as football changed.
By the time Wenger left Arsenal, they had gone 13 years without winning the league title.
Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish will be remembered as not only arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever forward but also one of their greatest ever managers.
In his first spell at the club as manager from 1985 to 1991 he won three league titles and a host of other trophies.
After over a decade out of the game, Dalglish returned for an 18-month spell as Liverpool manager in 2011.
Despite winning a League Cup, it was clear Dalglish was completely out of touch with the modern game and Liverpool finished eighth in his second campaign. He was sacked and has never managed again since.
