Jamie Carragher has named his choice of football’s greatest-ever manager and snubbed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp for the top accolade.
The Reds legend was naming football’s best dugout chiefs and reserved top spot for one of European football’s most successful bosses.
Carragher is an avid supporter of Klopp’s Liverpool and would love to see the German win a second Premier League title with the club before exiting at the end of the season.
However, even if Liverpool edge out Manchester City and Arsenal in the end-of-season title race then it’s unlikely to boost Klopp further up Carragher’s rankings.
The 46-year-old went through a host of managers combined of some who are still working and those who have retired alongside Arsenal legend and France World Cup winner Thierry Henry.
A game of ‘Winner stays on’ was hosted by the duo for Sky Sports with Carragher first naming Fabio Capello as a better coach than former Liverpool Champions League winning boss Rafa Benitez.
Carragher won Europe’s top club prize under Benitez in 2005 and offered little explanation as to why ex-England boss Capello ranked above the Spaniard.
The Italian then lost his place to former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque who guided the nation to World Cup and European Championship triumphs in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
Jose Mourinho was picked by Carragher above Del Bosque next and was even picked by Carragher above Arsenal icon Arsene Wenger who the Portuguese shared a sensational rivalry with during his previous two stints at Chelsea.
It was a more difficult choice for Carragher to make next after being asked by Henry to pick between Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti and Mourinho, eventually picking the latter due to his European success with both Porto and Inter Milan.
The recent Roma chief eventually lost his place to Johan Cruyff with Carragher explaining his decision by stating: ‘I’m going to go with Cruyff.
“I don’t necessarily think he’s had more success in his career, but I think Cruyff is that unique in what he built at Barcelona is still getting spoke about now a philosophy put into the club and for me Johan Cruyff is the most important person ever in football.”
His glowing review of the Dutchman was enough to keep him in the running with Carragher quickly naming Guardiola as a better manager and also picked him above Klopp.
The final top spot decision came down to a choice between Guardiola and Manchester United’s heroic leader Sir Alex Ferguson who guided the club to 13 Premier League titles alongside other major accolades during his career.
Carragher hailed Ferguson’s success at both United and previously in Scotland, adding: ‘Go with Sir Alex Ferguson over Pep just because he did it with Aberdeen, Pep is never going to do that.’
