3. Diego Simeone
One of the most popular and respected managers in the world right now, there’s a lot one can say to describe Simeone, but there’s little that fit in to explain what kind of a manager he actually. He made something out of almost nothing at Atletico Madrid and that holds the key.
Simeone is a manager who places extreme emphasis on playing fast, counter attacking football that involves pressing the opposition up front at the precise time, unlike Schmidt’s sides. His sides have a knack for taking the physical route to the game and defending in blocks and breaking rapidly on the counter is a trademark of Simeone’s sides. The wingers drift in to support the central midfielders, making the pitch narrow and making it easy for them break easily and smoothly at the break.
Simeone’s exploits at Atletico Madrid are well known, ranging from their La Liga winning season to their appearance in the Champions League finals against Real Madrid. They have been a tough nut to crack, even against the bigger clubs and have a reputation for defending doggedly and scoring goals by playing free flowing football.
It’s tough to imagine Atletico Madrid without Diego Simeone, but again, it’s tough to turn Manchester United down, when they’ve entered the last phase of rebuilding.