Friday 3 May 2013

PHOTOS: Prem bosses in their playing days

NOW AND THEN ... Alex Ferguson enjoyed a 17-year playing career in Scotland
NOW AND THEN ... Alex Ferguson enjoyed a 17-year playing career in Scotland

AFTER 13 Premier League titles and a host of cup triumphs, you could easily forget Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson was once getting his boots muddy on a Saturday afternoon.
A former Scotland international, the 71-year-old scored 170 goals during a 17-year spell from 1957 to 1974 — including a spell at the club he supported as a boy, Rangers.
But not all of this top-flight counterparts can claim to have had top-flight playing careers...

 See photos after cut...
Arsenal — Arsene Wenger

THE Gunners boss played three matches in the French Ligue 1 for Strasbourg in their 1978-79 title win.

WATER BOY ... Arsene Wenger in action for Strasbourg

Aston Villa — Paul Lambert
A SCOTLAND international from 1995 to 2003, Lambert's playing career highlight was a Champions League-winners medal at Borussia Dortmund in 1997.

EUROPEAN WINNER ... Paul Lambert at Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea – Rafa Benitez
THE former Liverpool boss was part of Real Madrid's set-up from 1974 to 1981, turning out 247 times for their Castilla side.

KNEESY DOES IT ... Rafa Benitez at Real Madrid, left

Everton — David Moyes
TOFFEES boss Moyes ended a 19-year playing career in 1999, having turned out for Celtic, Cambridge United, Bristol City, Shrewsbury, Dunfermline, Hamilton Academical and Preston.

BACK IN THE DAY ... David Moyes at Dunfermline Athletic

Fulham – Martin Jol
WHILE Bayern Munich are the most iconic side the Dutch midfielder played for, Jol enjoyed three seasons in English football with West Brom and Coventry from 1982 to 1985.

BEARDED BAGGIE ... Martin Jol at West Brom

Liverpool - Brendan Rodgers
A KNEE injury cut short Rodgers' playing career aged 20, but the former Reading reserve did feature against Brazil in a schoolboys match in 1988.

YOUTH CAREER ... Brendan Rodgers with the Ballymena United team who played in the 1988 Milk Cup (front row, third from left)

Manchester City – Roberto Mancini
A GLITTERING 20-year playing career with Bologna, Sampdoria and Lazio — including a loan spell at Leicester City — saw Mancini pick up one Serie A title in 1990-91, four Coppa Italias and a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup medal.

CHAMP WITH SAMP ... Roberto Mancini

Newcastle United – Alan Pardew
THE FORMER midfielder won the old second divison play-offs with Crystal Palace in 1989 before bagging an FA Cup runners-up medal the following season.

GOLDEN EAGLE ... Alan Pardew at Crystal Palace

Norwich City – Chris Hughton
THE Republic of Ireland international is a club legend at Tottenham Hotspur, having played 297 games at full-back for the White Hart Lane outfit from 1977 to 1990.

FLYING FULL-BACK ... Chris Hughton at Tottenham

QPR – Harry Redknapp
A member of the West Ham midfield from 1965–1972, Redknapp chalked up 149 appearances for the club before returning as manager in 1994.

HAPPY HAMMER ... Harry Redknapp

Reading – Nigel Adkins
TRANMERE, Wigan Athletic and Bangor City had former Southampton boss Nigel Adkins between the posts during his 13 years as a professional goalkeeper.

GLOVE AFFAIR ... Nigel Adkins is the only goalkeeper-turned-boss in the Premier League

Southampton – Mauricio Pochettino
THIS former centre-back enjoyed a club career in Europe at Espanyol and Paris St Germain — with his foul on Michael Owen in the 2002 allowing David Beckham's penalty to seal a 1-0 win for England over Argentina.

FRENCH SPELL ... Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint Germain

Stoke City – Tony Pulis
BRISTOL ROVERS legend Pulis turned out 130 times for the club in two seperate spells during a career that spanned from 1975 to 1992 and ended at Bournemouth.

CHERRY OLD PICTURE ... Tony Pulis at Bournemouth

Swansea City – Michael Laudrup
DANISH attacking midfielder Laudrup turned out for Lazio, Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Ajax during his glittering 17 years as a footballer.

GREAT DANE ... Michael Laudrup played for a string of top clubs

Sunderland – Paulo Di Canio
NEVER far from controversy, tricky forward Di Canio played for Lazio, Juventus, Napoli, Milan, Celtic, Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham, Charlton and Italian minnows Cisco Roma between 1985 and 2008.

CELTIC SPELL ... Paolo Di Canio

Tottenham Hotspur – Andre Villas-Boas
WITH no playing career to look back on, Villas-Boas can thank former England boss Bobby Robson for giving him his first break in football with a scouting role at Porto. His first managerial post was in charge of the British Virgin Islands — aged just 21.

YOU'RE KIDDIN? ... Andre Villas-Boas was the coach of British Virgin Islands aged 21

West Bromwich Albion – Steve Clarke
ST MIRREN and Chelsea were home to defender Clarke when he played from 1982 to 1998, picking up the FA Cup in 1997 and a League Cup UEFA Cup Winners' Cup double in his last season.

BLUES ... Steve Clarke at Chelsea

West Ham United – Sam Allardyce
DEFENDER Allardyce pulled on the shirts of 11 different clubs between 1973 and 1992, including Bolton, Millwall and Preston.

BIG MOVER ... Sam Allardyce during his Bolton days

Wigan Athletic – Roberto Martinez
THE Spaniard made English football his home with spells at Wigan, Swansea and Chester City in a playing career that ran from 1993 to 2007.

LATIC ... Roberto Martinez during his Wigan playing days
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