When it comes to football betting, more often than not there are Premier League odds relating to which manager is about to be sacked or, alternatively, appointed. Sports betting has always been part of the weekend’s action, and football odds can certainly fluctuate wildly when the rumour mill turns apace.
Since its inception, some underrated managers in the Premier League perhaps never really got the credit their work deserved. Let’s take a look at some of those in question below.
Harry Redknapp
Often known as a bit of a ‘wheeler dealer,’ Harry Redknapp was so much more than being the butt of people’s jokes. It’s true that at most of the clubs he managed, finances were tight, but he operated best when under pressure to find value for money in the transfer market. His West Ham side saw Paolo di Canio in the form of his career, turned John Hartson into one of the best Premier League strikers of his era and witnessed the birth of Joe Cole, Frank Lampard, Michael Carrick and Rio Ferdinand.
Though he was relegated with Southampton, that was a blot on a copybook that also saw an FA Cup win with Portsmouth and a Champions League berth for Tottenham Hotspur, for whom Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar starred.
David O’Leary
Leeds United being in the Champions League seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s only been 20 years since David O’Leary, fresh from his assistant manager’s job at Arsenal alongside George Graham, took the Yorkshire-based side all the way to the semi-finals of the competition. The dream eventually turned into a nightmare but that was more to do with the financial mismanagement of chairman, Peter Ridsdale, rather than O’Leary’s managerial acumen. Four finishes in the Premier League’s top five evidences just how underrated O’Leary was, with perhaps a less successful period at Aston Villa tarnishing those memories.
Sam Allardyce
What a shame that Sam Allardyce’s one game spent as England manager will also sit alongside a managerial CV that stands up to real scrutiny. It’s often forgotten that his Bolton Wanderers side, that included the incredibly skillful Jay-Jay Okocha amongst others, were not only difficult to beat, but were absolutely incredible to watch. Allardyce was one of the early adopters of technology to enhance his team’s offering, and the due diligence showed in their play.
Crystal Palace and Sunderland were saved from relegation by Big Sam, who had gained a reputation as something of a ‘firefighter,’ though he was never really accepted at Sunderland’s near neighbours, Newcastle, where he stayed only briefly. Everton were another fan base that never really took to him, though he saved them from the drop too, whilst his tenure at West Ham saw his reputation largely restored.
Steve Bruce
Most people will look at Steve Bruce’s recent record with Newcastle United as proof that he doesn’t belong on a list of underrated managers, however, one must remember that his hands were tied because of a lack of investment from owner Mike Ashley. Against that backdrop, it’s a miracle that he managed to keep the Magpies in the English top-flight, which is more than some of his predecessors managed. He cut his Premier League teeth at Birmingham City, and whilst they never finished higher than mid-table, that’s as good as they’ve managed in the modern era. Wigan and Sunderland played well above themselves under Bruce, and he kept Hull up, again with limited funds. He is a manager who has overseen 1000 games, many of them in the Premier League, and that speaks for itself.
Ron Atkinson
Big Ron paved the way for the Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United before the advent of the Premier League, however, he had more than enough work post-1992 when the football landscape in England changed forever. Taking Aston Villa to a second-placed finish would surely rate as one of the highlights of his managerial career, with League Cup success following in 1994. Stints at both Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday saw Atkinson keep both in the division against the odds, but his final stop on the managerial circuit ultimately ended in disappointment as he couldn’t repeat the trick at Nottingham Forest before retirement in 1999.
Kevin Keegan
Until the likes of Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel and Jurgen Klopp came to the Premier League, most followers of the division would say that Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle side in the mid 1990s were the benchmark alongside Sir Alex’s Man United. Blowing a 12-point lead to lose the title to the Red Devils shouldn’t be held against him because for the time that he was in charge at St. James’ Park, the Toon Army were allowed to dream again.
He had taken over the club when it was on its knees and in danger of being relegated to the third tier of English football. To get the Magpies so close to a maiden Premier League title was nothing short of astonishing. Bringing Alan Shearer home for a then world record £15m was a major highlight, as was the demolition of Man United in a 5-0 epic. Memories to last a lifetime, more of which he gave supporters of Manchester City after a spell as manager of the national team.
Alan Curbishley
Who can forget the way in which Alan Curbishley guided West Ham out of a seemingly impossible position at the end of the 2006/07 season. Seven wins from the final nine matches will surely never be beaten as the ultimate great escape. Leaving his boyhood club a year later because of board meddling clearly left a scar for he’s not worked in football management since.
Before his two-year sojourn in east London, Curbishley built his reputation over 15 years at Charlton Athletic. A couple of relegations notwithstanding, ‘Curbs’ had the Addicks playing so well that they almost claimed a Champions League spot in 2003/04, and he was even being touted for the Liverpool job around the same sort of time.
Claudio Ranieri
Tony Pulis
Another manager like Allardyce and Bruce who has suffered from a largely unfair reputation being perpetuated. Pulis’ sides may not have played the most attractive football that the Premier League has ever seen, but with what he had to work with in terms of finances and talent, the Welshman did wonders. A UEFA ‘A’ Licence holder at 21 – one of the youngest ever to get the badge – Pulis certainly deserved more credit than he was given at times. Stoke City were an established top-flight side thanks to him, whilst West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace were also indebted to him for keeping them up.
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