Features

Maradona follows well-worn path

Author: John Harris
Date: 12/10/2009
Football betting

Football history is littered with examples of great players who have failed to make the grade as managers.

Argentina remain in danger of missing out on next summer's World Cup Finals with their legendary former captain Diego Maradona at the helm despite Saturday's last-gasp win against Peru.

A World Cup without the two-time winners and online betting fifth favourites is virtually unthinkable, but that's precisely the scenario that could unfold with Maradona unable to take his on-pitch magic into life in the dugout.

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But Maradona is not alone when it comes to 'great player, bad manager' syndrome as these examples from English football prove.

John Barnes - Eyebrows were raised when League One side Tranmere Rovers parted company with the experienced Ronnie Moore and turned to Barnes during the summer.

They finally axed the former Watford, Liverpool and England wing wizard on Friday after winning just two of their opening 11 games under Barnes.

Barnes' first taste of management was an ill-fated six months in charge of Celtic when they became a laughing stock after losing to the minnows of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Bryan Robson - Former England captain Robson went through four club management jobs before taking the reins of the Thailand national team last month.

The 'Captain Marvel' of both Manchester United and England has hardly taken to management like a duck to water despite his brief success at first club Middlesbrough in the 1990s which quickly turned sour.

Tony Adams - Adams' reign at Portsmouth garnered just ten points and lasted 16 games last season.

The former Arsenal and England captain hardly pulled up trees during two seasons in the lower leagues with Wycombe Wanderers after deciding to learn the ropes out of the glare of the Premier League spotlight.

Peter Shilton - England's most capped player guided Plymouth Argyle to relegation from the second tier of the Football League during the 1992-93 season - his first as a manager.

He left Home Park towards the end of the 1994-95 season with relegation to the old Division Three all but confirmed.

Bobby Charlton - Charlton became the player-manager of Preston North End in 1973 but their first season under England's all-time leading goalscorer ended in relegation.

The Manchester United legend hung up his boots the following season to concentrate on management but left after failing to lead them back to the top-flight.

Charlton never returned to management despite his glittering playing career.

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