The Legendary Brian Clough
The Greatest Manager the England Football Team Never Had
If asked to name the best ever manager of the English game, many people would say Sir Alex Ferguson. In his 23 years at Manchester United, the Scot has led them to 11 Premier League titles, five FA Cup wins, three League Cup wins, two Champions League titles and the FIFA Club World Cup, but failure to win last week's Champions League final against Barcelona, means he has still yet to achieve what another legendary manager achieved, and that is win back-to-back European Cups.
Brian Clough: 'Ol' Big 'Ead'
"For all his horses, knighthoods and championships, he hasn't got two of what I've got, and I don't mean balls," was what the late Brian Clough had to say about Ferguson's failure to win two successive European Cups, a feat that Clough had managed with the far less glamourous Nottingham Forest in 1979 and 1980.
Brian Clough, or 'Ol' Big 'Ead' as he was often referred, was one of the great characters of English football, known as much for his outrageous comments and larger-than-life personality as he was for his unorthodox managing style. "I wouldn't say I was the best manager in the business," he once said, "but I was in the top one."
Brian Clough: The Player
Brian Clough was born in Middlesbrough, England in 1935. After leaving school with no qualifications, he became a formidable striker for his hometown club, Middlesbrough, scoring 197 goals in 213 league matches. He then moved to local rivals, Sunderland, where he scored 54 goals in 61 league games, before a cruciate ligament injury ended his career. He only played twice for England, with both caps coming in 1959.
Brian Clough: First Taste of Success as a Manager
After a two-year spell at Hartlepools (now Hartlepool) United from 1965 to 1967, Clough and his assistant Peter Taylor joined Derby County, a team rooted in the old Second Division. In the space of four years, Clough took this unfashionable side from bottom of this division to English champions. Derby County won the First Division title for the first time in their history in the 1971-72 season. Following frequent clashes with the Derby Board of Directors, Clough and Taylor resigned from Derby County, much to the anger of the fans, in 1973.
Brian Clough: A New Level of Success
In 1975, after two unsuccessful years managing first Brighton & Hove Albion and then Leeds United, where he was famously sacked after 44 days, Brian Clough became manager of Nottingham Forest, who were then 13th in Division Two. After he was joined by his former assistant, Peter Taylor in 1976, Forest won promotion to the First Division and in their first season finished as champions. Clough became only the second manager to win the league with two different clubs. After this, unimaginable success followed with the back-to-back European Cup wins.
Brian Clough and Alex Ferguson
While there is no denying that Alex Ferguson has been a fantastic manager, would he have had the same level of success with a poorer, less-famous club? Would he have been able to win trophies without his highly-paid superstars? Brian Clough took ordinary players in 'ordinary' teams and moulded them into great players, whereas Ferguson, coach of the richest club in the world, is able to buy the finished article.
Brian Clough as England Manager
So why was Brian Clough never appointed England manager? It is widely believed that the 'suits' at the Football Association were terriefied that Clough would take over the whole organisation, lock , stock and barrel. "They were shrewd because that's exactly what I would have done," he said.
Brian Clough's Legacy
Although he frequently ruffled feathers with his brash, outspoken comments, his achievement in bringing unimaginable success to two provincial clubs has yet to be equalled, and perhaps never will be again. In this day and age, it's very difficult to imagine an English club outside of the Premier League top four winning Europe's biggest prize. For this, Brian Clough can proudly take his place in footballing history.
Brian Clough
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