The Greatest Premier XI has been assembled – and it’s a side packed with skill and steel capable of winning all 38 Premiership games without conceding a goal, becoming the second from Scotland to be crowned European champions and lifting the FIFA Club World Cup therafter.
But who should manage the dream team? This country has produced dozens of exceptional managers over the years. Singling one out is more difficult than deciding whether Kenny Dalglish or Henrik Larsson should start up front.
Craig Brown, the former Scotland, Motherwell and Aberdeen manager, and Archie Knox, the ex-Aberdeen, Rangers and Scotland assistant, have been giving their expert opinions on players who have excelled since the Premier Division was formed in 1975 during the past fortnight?
But Brown and Knox were excused from this call due to their closeness to the individuals in contention for the vacancy.
As always, our decisions were based on three criteria – ability, longevity and success.
5
Name: Jock Wallace.
Clubs: Rangers (1972 to 1978 and 1983 to 1986).
Titles: Two (1976 and 1978).
Jock Wallace was responsible for Rangers’ most infamous defeat – his Berwick Rangers team knocked them out of the Scottish Cup in 1967.
But he had a hand in a few of their greatest achievements too. He succeeded Willie Waddell at Ibrox after the European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph in 1972, ended Celtic’s record-breaking run of nine consecutive Scottish title triumphs in 1975 and oversaw trebles in 1976 and 1978.
Brendan Rodgers and Jock Stein are the only other men to have managed a clean sweep of domestic trophies on more than one occasion.
The former King’s Own Scottish Borderer was a hard taskmaster whose pre-season workouts on Gullane Dunes were infamous with his players. But he was adored by his charges and they were shocked and devastated when he suddenly resigned, due to friction with the Rangers board over his budget and salary, in 1978.
Wallace returned to Ibrox in 1983 and won the League Cup twice in his second spell. But a lack of investment in the squad prevented him from landing a fourth league title. He was replaced by Graeme Souness after three years.
He remains, though, one of Rangers’ greatest and most successful modern day managers.
4
Name: Brendan Rodgers.
Clubs: Celtic (2016 to 2019).
Titles: Two (2017 and 2018).
Boo! Hiss! Judas! It’s over a year now since Brendan Rodgers sparked anger and outrage among a previously-adoring Celtic support by leaving for Leicester City. But mention of his name in the East End of Glasgow still provokes fury.
The Northern Irishman’s hugely contentious departure – he is the only Parkhead manager to leave before the end of a title-winning season in their 132 year history – shouldn’t overshadow his unprecedented achievements.
Celtic went undefeated in 47 domestic fixtures in his debut season in the dugout, completed only their fourth treble and were dubbed The Invincibles. The following season they became the first side to win the League Cup, Premiership and Scottish Cup two years running.
They did it all, too, playing pure, beautiful, inventive football.
3
Name: Jim McLean.
Clubs: Dundee United (1974 to 1993).
Titles: One (1983).
When the former Hamilton Academical, Clyde, Dundee and Kilmarnock inside forward Jim McLean was appointed Dundee United manager in 1974, he immediately embarked on a youth development programme that would transform the Tannadice side into one of the best in Europe not just Scotland.
He signed and brought through outstanding young talents like Davie Dodds, Richard Gough, Andy Gray, Paul Hegarty, Billy Kirkwood, Maurice Malpas, Ralph Milne, David Narey and Derek Stark. United won the League Cup in 1979 and 1980, the Premier Division for the first and to date only time in 1983, reached the semi-final of the European Cup in 1984 and got to the final of the UEFA Cup in 1987.
He was a notoriously hot-headed individual who was as feared and hated by his players as he was admired and respected, but Jim McLean was, nevertheless, a football genius.
2
Name: Walter Smith.
Clubs: Rangers (1991 to 1998 and 2007 to 2011).
Titles: Ten (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2009, 2010 and 2011).
Sir Walter. Rangers were able to comfortably outspend Celtic and their other Scottish rivals in the transfer market during the reigns of both Graeme Souness and his successor Walter Smith during the 1980s and 1990s and they were untouchable domestically as a result.
Smith lavished over £50m on players in the first spell that he spent in charge at Ibrox – more than any other club in Britain never mind Scotland during that time.
But that should in no way detract from his accomplishments. The boyhood Rangers fan from Carmyle was something of a surprise choice to take over from Souness, who he had been assistant to for five years, in 1991. Many supporters wanted a more glamorous appointment. He proved to be a shrewd choice.
He elevated the Glasgow club to a new level. He signed brilliantly, brought in superstars like Paul Gascoigne and Brian Laudrup and then got the very best out of his expensively-assembled side with a mixture of his masterful man management and tactical knowhow.
His team did the treble and went undefeated in 10 games in the inaugural Champions League in the 1992/93 season, completed Nine-In-A-Row in 1997 and had lifted a total of 13 trophies when, after his only league defeat, he stood down in 1998.
Smith was, following stints with Everton and Scotland, lured back in 2007 after the brief and ill-fated Paul Le Guen experiment and quickly resurrected Rangers’ fortunes. They reached the UEFA Cup final in 2008 and, despite their city rivals being far stronger, secured the Premier League in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
In total, Walter Smith won 10 Scottish titles which is twice as many as any other manager – Neil Lennon, with five, is the next best – and is one of the most important figures in the game in this country in the last 30 years.
1
Name: Sir Alex Ferguson.
Clubs: Aberdeen (1978 to 1986).
Titles: Three (1980, 1984 and 1985).
Scotland’s greatest ever manager.
Before Alex Ferguson succeeded Billy McNeill as manager at Aberdeen in 1978 they had only won five trophies – Division One once, the League Cup twice and the Scottish Cup twice – in their 75 year history.
Since he departed to take over at Manchester United some 34 years ago in 1986 the Pittodrie club have lifted just four pieces of silverware – the League Cup three times and the Scottish Cup once.
But in the eight glorious years that “Fergie” was in the north-east the Dons claimed no fewer than 10 major honours – more than they managed in the period prior to his arrival and the time after he left combined.
Can Walter Smith say he is responsible for the majority of the success that Rangers have enjoyed since they were formed in his two spells at Ibrox? Did Brendan Rodgers land three quarters of Celtic’s titles during his time at Parkhead?
Those are, of course, flippant questions. All the same, they put in perspective just how successful Sir Alex was at Aberdeen. After a difficult debut season, he made them the dominant team in Scotland and a major force in the European game.
He certainly inherited an outstanding squad from McNeill when he took over. Stuart Kennedy, Jim Leighton, Alex McLeish, John McMaster, Willie Miller, Doug Rougvie and Gordon Strachan were already there. They would all be involved in their European Cup Winners’ Cup run in the 1982/83 season.
But Ferguson signed well and brought through gifted youngsters and, with his relentless drive, burning ambition, strict discipline, motivational skills and tactical excellence, moulded them all into a formidable unit that performed with fire and flair.
The 2-1 triumph over Real Madrid in Gothenburg in 1983 was the highlight of his tenure. That was followed up with a Super Cup victory over European Cup winners Hamburg. Aberdeen are the only Scottish club to claim two European trophies.
The Glaswegian is the most successful British manager of all-time and was the automatic choice to take charge of the Greatest Premier XI.
UNLUCKY TO MISS OUT: Dick Advocaat, Neil Lennon, Alex McLeish, Billy McNeill, Martin O’Neill, Graeme Souness and Jock Stein.
GREATEST PREMIER XI LINE-UP
1 - Andy Goram (goalkeeper).
2 - Danny McGrain (right back).
3 - Maurice Malpas (left back).
4 - Alex McLeish (centre back).
5 - Willie Miller (centre back).
6 - Scott Brown (defensive midfielder).
7 - Paul Gascoigne (attacking midfielder).
8 - Brian Laudrup (right winger).
9 - Henrik Larsson (striker).
10 - Ally McCoist (striker).
11- Davie Cooper (left winger).
Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson.
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