Wolverhampton Wanderers can make Julen Lopetegui the only goalkeeper among the 20 Premier League managers. HITC Football looks at which position each boss once played in.
Wolves are speaking to Lopetegui over replacing Bruno Lage after firing the Portuguese in October. The Daily Mail reports the Molineux hierarchy hope to conclude their discussions for the Spaniard to take charge on November 13. He will not travel to England before then.
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Steve Davis will remain in interim charge for the West Midlands outfit’s fixtures before the World Cup. Wolves host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday in the top-flight before facing Leeds United in the EFL Cup. Arsenal’s visit to Molineux on November 12 is their last game.
Wolves could confirm Lopetegui as the newest Premier League manager who once played in goal before the World Cup starts. Chairman Jeff Shi scrapped his plans to leave Davis in interim charge into the New Year with the club currently sitting 19th in the top-flight table.
Lopetegui replacing Davis at Wolves will also make him the only Premier League manager who played in goal for their position. It is currently a nine-nine split between midfielders and defenders. Only one team employs a former forward as their head coach right now…
AFC Bournemouth: Interim Premier League manager O’Neil played in midfield
Interim AFC Bournemouth boss Gary O’Neil enjoyed a 19-year senior career before the 39-year-old became a coach. His career featured stints at Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham United, Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, Bristol City and lastly Bolton Wanderers.
The former midfielder hung up his boots in 2019 and joined Liverpool in 2020 as their U23 assistant manager. Jonathan Woodgate then hired O’Neil as his assistant at Bournemouth in 2021, before retaining the position under Scott Parker – whom he succeeded this August.
Arsenal: Arteta was a midfielder before becoming a Premier League manager
Mikel Arteta enjoyed a 16-year career as a midfielder before turning his hand to coaching in 2016. His playing career took the Barcelona product from Camp Nou to Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton and Arsenal. The 40-year-old won the FA Cup twice with the Gunners.
Following three years as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, Arteta returned to Arsenal in December 2019 to replace Unai Emery. He led the north Londoners to the FA Cup title in his first half-season in charge. He also won two Premier League titles while with City.
Aston Villa: Emery’s position was a midfielder before becoming a manager in 2004
Aston Villa have hired Emery as their new manager to replace Steven Gerrard. Both were midfielders by trade in their playing careers before turning to coaching in 2004 and 2017 respectively. Emery’s first job in the dugout was as Lorca Deportiva’s manager until 2006.
Emery has since gone on to manage UD Almeria (2006-08), Valencia (2008-2012), Spartak Moscow (2012), Sevilla (13-16), Paris Saint-Germain (16-18), Arsenal (18-19) and Villarreal (2020-22). He has also won the Europa League title four times and won Ligue 1 in 2017/18.
Brentford: Frank never played in any position but is now a Premier League manager
Thomas Frank never played professional football before the Dane became a coach in 2005 with Boldklubben af 1893’s B-team. He has since enjoyed stints managing Lyngby BK Youth (06-08), Denmark’s U16 (08-11), U17 (11-12) and U19 (12-13) sides and Brondby IF (13-16).
Dean Smith brought Frank to England in 2016 as his assistant manager before the current Norwich City boss took over Aston Villa. Frank replaced Smith in the Brentford hot seat in October 2018 and has remained in charge since, guiding them to promotion in 2020/21.
Brighton & Hove Albion: De Zerbi is a Premier League manager who played in midfield
Brighton hired Roberto de Zerbi on a four-year contract in September after losing Graham Potter to Chelsea. The Italian had been out of work since leaving Shakhtar Donetsk in July. The position marks the 43-year-old’s first spell in England as either a player or in coaching.
De Zerbi turned to coaching as Darfo Boario’s manager between 2013 and 2014 following a 16-year career as a midfielder. He has since managed Foggia (14-16), US Palermo (2016), Benevento (17-18) and Sassuolo (18-21) before taking charge of Shakhtar Donetsk in 2021.
Chelsea: Potter put a left-back in the Stamford Bridge hot seat by replacing Tuchel
Potter put a left-back in the Stamford Bridge hot seat in September when the 47-year-old replaced former centre-back Thomas Tuchel. He had a 13-year career at Birmingham City, Stoke City, Southampton, West Brom, York City, Boston United up until Macclesfield Town.
The 47-year-old retired as a player in 2005 before joining Ostersunds FK for his first role in management in 2011. Seven years later, Potter moved to Swansea City before taking over Brighton in 2019. He lifted the 2016/17 Svenska Cupen with Ostersunds for his only title.
Crystal Palace: Vieira played in midfield before becoming a Premier League boss
Crystal Palace brought Patrick Vieira back to England in 2021 as another former midfielder to manage a Premier League team. The former Manchester City academy manager (11-13) and U21 (13-15) boss had been out of work since leaving OGC Nice in 2020 after two years.
The ex-New York City FC (16-18) head coach dominated the Premier League as a midfielder with Arsenal. He played for the Gunners between 1996 and 2005, won three titles and four FA Cups. The 1998 World Cup winner with France also lifted an FA Cup at Manchester City.
Everton: Lampard played in midfield before becoming a Premier League manager
Everton manager Frank Lampard is one of the Premier League’s all-time great midfielders from his career as a player. The 44-year-old is the sixth-best goalscorer in the division with 177 between spells at West Ham (1996-01), Chelsea (01-14) and Manchester City (14-15).
Lampard lifted three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, a Champions League and Europa League whilst at Stamford Bridge. He later returned to west London to manage the Blues from 2019 to 2021 between spells at Derby County (2018-19) and Everton (since January).
Fulham: Silva put a right-back in the Craven Cottage hot seat in 2021
Fulham put a right-back in the hot seat at Craven Cottage in 2021 when they hired former Estoril Praia (11-14), Sporting Lisbon (14-15), Olympiacos (15-16), Hull City (2017), Watford (17-18) and Everton (18-19) manager, Marco Silva. He is under contract through until 2024.
Leeds United: Marsch made the transition from right midfield to management
Jesse Marsch made the transition from right midfield to management in 2010 after the 48-year-old retired as a player. His first role was as Bob Bradley’s assistant in the USA set-up from 2010 to 2011. He then became Montreal Impact’s head coach from 2011 until 2012.
The American went on to manage New York Red Bulls (15-18), RB Salzburg (19-21) and RB Leipzig (2021). He left the Red Bull franchise of teams to replace Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road in January. Marsch is under contract in West Yorkshire through until June 30, 2025.
Leicester City: Rodgers ran from right-back to coaching in 1994
Brendan Rodgers ran from right-back to coaching in 1994 after he hung up his boots with Newport FC. The former Reading defender then re-joined the Royals as an assistant coach until 2004. He ended a decade as a number two to take over Chelsea’s U18 side until 2006.
Chelsea promoted the Northern Irishman to reserve team boss in 2006 until he took over Watford from 2008 to 2009. Rodgers later became Reading head coach (2009), Swansea boss (10-12), Liverpool coach (12-15) and a two-time Premiership winner at Celtic (16-19).
Liverpool: Klopp went from being Mainz’s right-back to their manager in 2001
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is another Premier League manager who played at right-back. He transitioned from the pitch to the dugout at FSV Mainz in 2001 following 11 years there as a player. Seven years at the helm would then precede taking over Borussia Dortmund.
Klopp led Mainz to promotion into the Bundesliga in 2003/04 and later won two German top-flight titles with BVB. The one-time DFB-Pokal winner has since added one Champions League, one Premier League and one FA Cup winners’ medal to his cabinet with the Reds.
Manchester City: Guardiola made the move from midfield to being a manager
Guardiola made the move from midfield into management in 2007 when he became the B-team boss for Barcelona. The Blaugrana product then became first-team manager in 2008 to 2012, Bayern Munich head coach in 2013 to 2016 and Manchester City boss since 2016.
The 51-year-old has lifted titles with each senior squad he has coached. Guardiola won two Champions League crowns at Barcelona with three La Liga titles and two Copa del Reys. He also put three Bundesligas to his name at Bayern before four Premier League titles yet.
Manchester United: Ten Hag turned a centre-half career into coaching
Erik ten Hag turned his calling as a centre-half into a career in coaching in 2002. FC Twente hired the 52-year-old as their U17 boss after his retirement at the club before spells as the U19 boss (03-06), as a first-team assistant (06-09) and as an assistant with PSV Eindhoven.
He did not become a first-team head coach until Go Ahead Eagles hired Ten Hag in 2012 to 2013. Spells as Bayern Munich’s B-team boss (13-15), FC Utrecht coach (15-17) and Ajax manager (17-22) followed before Ten Hag took charge of Manchester United this summer.
Newcastle United: Howe hoped from centre-back to coach in 2008
Eddie Howe had a 13-year career as a centre-half before becoming a coach in 2008 at AFC Bournemouth. The Cherries hired their former player as manager whilst in League Two. He spent two periods in charge from 2008 to 2011 and 2012 to 2020 with Burnley in between.
The 44-year-old resigned from his position on the south coast after failing to prevent their relegation to the Championship. Howe remained out of work until November 2021 when he replaced Steve Bruce at Newcastle United with the team just 19th in the table and winless.
Nottingham Forest: Cooper had a brief career as a defender from 1998-2003
Steve Cooper only enjoyed a brief playing career before the Premier League manager with Nottingham Forest turned to coaching. He played just five years as a defender and become one of the youngest coaches to get a UEFA Pro licence at just 27 years old, per BBC Sport.
The Football Association later hired Cooper as the Young Lions’ U16 (14-15) and U17 coach (15-19). He then turned to club management with Swansea until 2021 and joined the Reds. He took the City Ground side back to the top-flight for the first time since 1999 last season.
Southampton: Hasenhuttl is the only Premier League manager who played in attack
A striker stands in the Southampton dugout in Ralph Hasenhuttl. The Austrian took charge at St Mary’s in 2018 following spells as the head coach of Unterhaching (07-10), VfR Aalen (11-13), FC Ingolstadt (13-16) and RB Leipzig (16-18). He is under contract through to 2024.
Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs hired a Champions League-winning midfielder in Conte
Tottenham Hotspur hired a Champions League-winning midfielder in Antonio Conte when the manager returned to the Premier League in 2021. He won the UEFA title at Juventus in 1995/96, alongside five Serie A crowns and the 1992/93 UEFA Cup whilst playing in Turin.
The 53-year-old turned his successes on the pitch into a trophy-laden career in coaching in 2006 at Arezzo. Conte has lifted four Serie A titles (three at Juventus, one with Inter Milan) as well as the 2016/17 Premier League crown and the FA Cup in 2017/18 whilst at Chelsea.
West Ham United: Moyes enjoyed a 16-year career as a centre-half before coaching
David Moyes enjoyed a 16-year career as a centre-half before coaching for the first time at Preston North End in 1998. He had played at Deepdale for five years before and remained in charge until 2002. The Scot then enjoyed 11 years and 518 games as Everton’s manager.
Manchester United hired the Celtic product in 2013 to replace Alex Ferguson but fired him after only nine months. Moyes has since managed Real Sociedad (14-15), Sunderland (16-17) and enjoyed two spells at West Ham from 2017 to 2018 and from 2019 to present day.
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Davis is the current interim head coach at Molineux
Davis currently occupies the hot seat at Molineux after stepping up from his role as their U18s coach in October. Wolves had hired the 57-year-old for the youth-level role back in 2019. The West Midlands side have given him control of the first-team after sacking Lage.
Before moving to Molineux, Davis had enjoyed a 16-year career in coaching already. He has served as Northwich Victoria (2003), Nantwich Town (04-09), Crewe Alexandra (11-17) and Leyton Orient (2017) manager. Davis oversaw 272 matches while in charge of Crewe.
Northwich Victoria hired Davis as their manager in 2003 after he retired from a career as a defender there. His playing days also included spells with Stoke, Crewe, Burnley, Barnsley, Oxford United and Macclesfield. He was out of the game for just one year before coaching.
Lopetegui now accepting Wolves’ offer to become a Premier League manager would make the 56-year-old the only coach who played in goal as their position. The Spaniard played at Real Sociedad, Real Madrid, UD Las Palmas, CD Logrones, Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano.
The positions each of the current 20 Premier League managers played in
Goalkeeper (0): None
Defender (9): Potter, Silva, Rodgers, Klopp, Ten Hag, Howe, Cooper, Moyes, Davis
Midfield (9): O’Neil, Arteta, Emery, De Zerbi, Vieira, Lampard, Marsch, Guardiola, Conte
Forward (1): Hasenhuttl
Not a player (1): Frank
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