👔 Never go back? 10 ex-players who returned to manage a former club | OneFootball

The ink is dry, the news is official. Mikel Arteta is the new head coach of Arsenal.

They say never go back but the ex-Gunners captain has done exactly that, leaving Manchester City to kickstart his managerial career at his former club.

So here’s how that particular path has treated others down the years …

Good 👍

Pep Guardiola (Barcelona)

The obvious example and the man Arteta has spent three years alongside.

Pep Guardiola has done a great job at Manchester City but he did an even better one at Barcelona, where he spent the majority of his playing career and embarked on his managerial career.

The titles speak for themselves.

Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)

Real Madrid found their very own Guardiola-like appointment with a legendary player who had come to symbolise the club. And it went pretty well there, too.

In under three years during his first Real Madrid spell as head coach, Zinedine Zidane won three Champions League titles and LaLiga. You can’t argue with that.

George Graham (Arsenal)

Graham was part of the Arsenal side that won the double in 1970/71.

After starting his managerial career at Millwall, he returned to Highbury in 1986. Three years later, he led the club to their first league title in 18 years.

He’d win another in 1991, a European trophy in 1994, and three domestic cups too.

Johan Cruyff (Ajax and Barcelona)

The man who inspired Guardiola.

Johan Cruyff was a legendary player for Ajax, then took the team over and led them to a Cup Winners’ Cup and two domestic cups.

He also returned to Barcelona, where he was also a legendary player, and led the side to four consecutive LaLiga wins and their first ever Champions League success.

The model for all to follow.

Antonio Conte (Juventus)

A hard-working midfielder in the brilliant Juventus teams of the 1990s, Antonio Conte was hardly a hero. That changed once he got in the dugout, however.

After modest spells with the likes of Bari and Siena, the Italian returned to Turin in 2011 and proceeded to lead the club to their first legitimate Serie A title in nine years … immediately followed by two more.

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Things have started quite nicely for Frank Lampard at Stamford Bridge.

After leading Derby to the play-off final last season, he was entrusted with the big job at his old home. For now, at least, there are few complaints.

Bad 👎

But it doesn’t always go well, just ask …

Thierry Henry (Monaco)

Thierry Henry started his playing career at Monaco, then returned there for his first managerial post last season.

Just 20 games and four wins later, he was gone again. Now at Montreal Impact ahead of the 2020 MLS campaign, the Frenchman has a lot to prove.

Roberto Di Matteo (Chelsea)

So Roberto Di Matteo won the Champions League with Chelsea, sure, but the ex-midfielder was more than a little lucky on the way to that success.

It earned him the Stamford Bridge job permanently but he only kept it until November the following season, leaving Chelsea after a run of two wins in eight matches and failure to qualify from the Champions League group stages.

Graeme Souness (Liverpool)

Souness won it all at Anfield as a player. An incredible five league titles, three European Cups and three League Cups in just seven seasons.

So when he returned as manager in 1991, you’d have forgiven Reds for getting excited.

With an ageing squad and a fiery temperament, Souness oversaw 45 defeats in 157 games before he was sacked after less than three years in the job.

Half the mid-2000s Milan team

Filippo Inzaghi, Clarence Seedorf, Gennaro Gattuso.

All three won the Champions League twice with Milan, playing for ex-Milan midfielder Carlo Ancelotti.

But they all failed miserably at San Siro.