Three post-Klopp candidates and a Liverpool legend picked in Johnny Nic’s ten favourite coaches

This excludes the obvious candidates of Lord Sir Ferg, Wenger, Klopp and Guardiola. They’d be too obvious. Too dominant. But those aside, these are the ten favourite managers of our man Johnny Nic.

Rob Edwards
Let’s get this right. Luton are not a top-flight side… and yet they are, while playing quality football and showing some guts with a classy 4-0 win this week. That they enjoy this status is largely down to the inspirational quality of Edwards, finishing third and winning the Championship play-offs last season.

A peripheral player, who had the obligatory short period in charge of Watford. Got the Hatters promoted in eight months on almost no money and survives on self belief and hope as well as good football. The Tom Lockyer business showed his attitude to player welfare is very caring and inspires loyalty. That matters more than staying up.

Mike Walker
Back in the first Premier League season, he led Norwich to third. An unbelievable achievement to consider today, they were also the first English club to beat Bayern Munich on their own patch. The Canaries were a fantastic team, ahead of their time, playing a quick and liquid passing game and Walker was hailed as one of the best around for it.

Walker fell out with his chairman over Robert Fleck’s sale to Chelsea, went to Everton, failed with a 17% win rate, went back for another stint at Norwich and fell from view in 1998, his moment in the sun over. Now lives in Greece, so we must assume he likes feta cheese and olives.

Emma Hayes
Not merely a great manager but a great business organiser. Has been boss of Chelsea since 2012 and six league titles has made her the preeminent manager in women’s football, soon to boss the USA. Did everything at the club from overseeing the food and the washing of the kit. A quick tactical mind impresses on co-comms and is a living contradiction to misogynists, who are scared of her and her knowledge.

READ MORE: Emma Hayes is setting standards on the Chelsea touchline and in the media

Ange Postecoglou
Much loved alpha male silver back with a long history of success abroad so some would believe it doesn’t count. Proves to anyone with an open mind that good things exist in Scotland. Arrived at Spurs as though an alien to the notoriously blinkered English press and royally took the pish out of their inane questions. Has remembered that football is supposed to be entertainment, so plays a risky, mad, aggressive form of attacking football. Can make the word ‘mate’ sound threatening. Wears a traditional long managerial wool coat without irony.

Jose Mourinho
Now looks like he belongs to a different era and is less relevant. I pondered on excusing him for being too successful but that era has all but passed and he’s forced to celebrate winning trophies that would once have been beneath him.

There was a time when he was the best. Could be adventurous on the pitch and got into the players’ heads off it. Cunning and rigorous at his best, for a couple of years he was almost too good and unbeatable. If you had money, he was the man to spend it and spend it on. His brilliance has now faded but it was great while lasted. Did better than most at Manchester United. Unafraid to get seriously arsy.

Sean Dyche
Kept Burnley up longer than anyone had expected. Has tied himself into a knot by claiming discrimination against him for being a gruff Englishman who is every bit as sophisticated as fancy foreigns and then playing up to the old 4-4-2 stereotype. Form at Everton shows he’s got talent in difficult circumstances. Is very good at his job even if it’s easy to suspect he is deeply insecure and cries himself to sleep, but never admits it.

Thomas Frank
Imagine a club like Brentford is established in the top flight. It’s still hard to believe. Against all the odds that is where they are, thanks to Frank. He has instilled a fast kind of direct counter-attacking model which just works when not hurt by injuries which have struck in a big way this season. His success suggests having a style of play which suits the players is axiomatic. Gets extra points for looking like the keyboard player in a prog metal band. Some think he’s Liverpool’s next manager.

Roberto De Zerbi
There are ups and downs as this week proved but De Zerbi retains support because fans can see classy football. Style matters. Has kept the club in the top half of the league, an incredible achievement and testimony to their use of stats as well as passing, progressive football. And all this while looking like someone called Magic Man of Mystery. Loves a black rollneck top and selective facial hair.

Gary O’Neil
The only O’Neil with one inexplicable l. If there is a case to be made for the unfashionable English coach it is Gary. He was thrown in at the deep end of management at Bournemouth. Kept a hopeless club up but was sacked which seemed unfair. Subsequently bossed a difficult but talented Wolves side. And has made them into a solid mid-table team. Not much, perhaps, but shouldn’t be overlooked again. Clearly has talent and knows how to get the players on his side. Doesn’t look like it but must be very good at man management.

Rafa Benitez
Somehow looks good in a jacket and jeans that are too small for him. There was always a feeling that we were all living in his world. Loved well organised, defensive, often boring football. Had the sort of face you could felt tip onto an egg. A much underrated aspect to any manager. Other positions at other clubs were less successful than his Liverpool reign but had the magic around 2005. Some in the press took against him because whether his side scored or conceded, he just made notes, rather than scream his eyes out, which for some reason infuriated the anti-intellectuals who think writing is for wusses and shouting pointlessly means you care.