Several managers, including Nuno Espirito Santos, Ronald Koeman, and Dean Smith, have been fired in recent weeks. Because of the demands of modern football, the job of a head coach/manager is inherently dangerous, as they bear the brunt of poor results.
While players are criticized for their performances, the manager is held accountable to the owners and the press. Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been trusted by the same club for decades, are extremely rare in modern football. Ferguson, on the other hand, was fired by Scottish club St. Mirren.
On that note, here are the five current managers who have never been fired.
Number 5: Didier Deschamps
Didier Deschamps is one of only three people in history to have won the FIFA World Cup as both a player and as a manager. In his 20-year managerial career, he is also one of the few current managers who has never been fired.
The Frenchman began his second career in football with AS Monaco in Ligue 1. In 2004, he led Monaco to their first UEFA Champions League final, as well as the French League Cup.
Deschamps stepped down in the summer of 2005. He was appointed manager of Juventus, then in Serie B, less than a year later. Deschamps resigned after guiding them back to the top flight of Italy.
Following his return to Ligue 1 with Olympique Marseille, the 53-year-old came perilously close to being fired. In three seasons at the club, Deschamps won six titles, including the coveted Ligue 1 title. Following a tenth-place finish in the 2011-12 season, Deschamps agreed to leave the club.
Deschamps is the current manager of the French national team and is expected to stay in that position until the end of next year.
Number 4: Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has established himself as Real Madrid’s most successful manager in his brief managerial career.
Zidane averages a trophy win every 23 games as Real Madrid manager, having won 11 titles in two stints. The Frenchman was named World’s Best Club Coach three years in a row after becoming the only manager to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.
Furthermore, in 263 matches in charge of Los Blancos’ senior team, Zidane has an incredible 66 percent win record. The 49-year-old has also previously managed Real Madrid Castilla, the club’s junior team.
The Real Madrid legend is currently taking a break from the game, almost like a sabbatical. However, if reports are to be believed, he could be back at work very soon, with Manchester United eager to reunite him with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Number 3: Diego Simeone
Diego Simeone is a rare managerial specimen in modern football, having held the high-profile Atletico Madrid job for the past ten years.
The Argentine will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest managers in Atletico Madrid and Spanish football history. Simeone defied the Real Madrid-Barcelona hegemony in Spanish football, winning two La Liga titles during his time at Atletico. He also led Atletico Madrid to the UEFA Champions League finals in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
Simeone has 324 wins, 127 draws, and 93 losses in 544 matches as manager of Atletico Madrid. The Argentine has a win-loss record of just under 60% and averages 2.02 points per match. Simeone has overseen 749 games in three different leagues, but he has never been sacked.
At San Lorenzo, he came the closest to being booted. Simeone faced harsh criticism after a poor run of form, and the Argentine chose to resign and step down from the position.
Number 2: Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp is undoubtedly one of the most excellent managers in modern football history.
In recent years, the Germans’ innovative approach and system have significantly revolutionized football. During his time at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp joined the Bayern Munich bandwagon. He became the only manager in 11 years to dethrone Bayern Munich as German champions. During his seven-year stay at Signal Iduna Park, he won the Bundesliga title in consecutive seasons.
Before taking over at Dortmund, Klopp was the manager of FSV Mainz in Germany’s second division. With the club, he achieved incredible results, guiding them back to the Bundesliga in just three years.
Klopp’s most challenging task was arguably taking over as manager of Liverpool in 2015. The Reds did not have the same level of talent back then that they do now. It was a difficult task, but the German outperformed everyone’s expectations.
During his six-year tenure at the club, Klopp led Liverpool to their first Premier League title and their first Champions League in 14 years.
Number 1: Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola is the most successful manager of the twenty-first century, with over 30 titles to his name.
The Spaniard took over as coach of Barcelona B for the 2007-08 season. Guardiola landed his first big job in 2008, competing against Jose Mourinho for the manager role in Barcelona’s senior set-up.
Guardiola led Barcelona to a historic sextuple in 2009 during his four-year tenure as manager. With Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta among his players, he assembled arguably one of the greatest sides in club football history.
Guardiola returned to Bayern Munich as a manager in the summer of 2013 after a brief absence. The Spaniard voluntarily left the German champions after winning seven titles during his three-year tenure.
The 50-year-old is currently the manager of Manchester City, a club he joined in 2016. Guardiola is now one of the Premier League’s most successful managers, having won three league titles in the last four seasons. He has also led the Cityzens to four consecutive League Cup victories.
