Managerial Journeymen

We’ve all heard of journeyman footballers.

There are two ways of becoming known as a journeyman.

Steve Claridge, for example, played over 850 times for a combined 19 teams, scoring more than 300 goals in a long, well travelled 24 year career. Claridge only ever earned 4 winners medals and played for, in the majority, teams in the lower leagues of English football.

The other way, I’d call it the ‘Anelka Way’. Moody Frenchman Nicolas Anelka has so far played for 10 clubs, some of the World’s biggest, picking up a Premier League title and FA Cup winners medal with Arsenal, the Champions League with Real Madrid, another Premier League and 2 more FA Cups with Chelsea. Amongst Anelka’s domestic success he also won the Euro 2000 Championships with France.

It’s not often, or ever, though we hear the term ‘journeyman manager’. I was wondering is there even such a thing?

Of course it does, much like players there are two ways to become a journeyman-ager.

Current Leeds United manager Neil Warnock has, up to now, managed 13 clubs in 32 years. The outspoken Yorkshireman may be famous for winning 7 promotions in his managerial career but he could be equally as well known for not sticking around to see the next season through.

Warnock’s highest managerial honour has come with Queens Park Rangers at the end of the 2010/11 season as he led The R’s to the Championship title before being shown the exit with QPR struggling in the Premiership.

One manager with a few trophies to his name is Luiz Felipe Scorali, who in 30 years has taken charge of 23 teams. This Brazilian journeyman has picked up 19 titles including a World Cup with the Brazilian national team in 2002 amongst various club successes in The Middle East and native Brazil.

Through all his success in other parts of the world Scolari may well be remembered in England as another casualty of Roman Abramovich.

Sam Jewell

Follow @sw_jewell