IN SOUNESS’ DEFENCE, he had a difficult task on his hands replacing an ageing squad and trying to modernise Liverpool in a rapidly changing football era, but the Anfield legend made mistakes by his own admission, and didn’t help his cause by falling out with a number of current and former players. He oversaw the beginning of Liverpool’s decline and was effectively the David Moyes of his day, and for those reasons, deserves his low ranking on this list.
6. Roy Hodgson
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AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Didn’t have much time to make an impact (Hodgson left after less than one year in charge). Some poor signings (Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky) and bad results, coupled with his appointment as manager being a less than popular one in the first place, ensured an early exit for the current England boss.
5. Kenny Dalglish
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
By no means a total disaster — Dalglish was sacked just a year after he was appointed on a permanent basis despite overseeing a League Cup triumph as well as the signing of Luis Suarez. Some disappointing results sealed his fate, though his questionable handling of the Suarez-Evra controversy probably didn’t help matters.
4. Roy Evans
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
Often unfairly slated, Evans renewed life into a Liverpool side that had looked to be on a downward slope, placing faith in several promising young players in the process. The Reds did come close to winning the league during Evans’ tenure, but ultimately ended up with just a solitary League Cup win over the course of his regime. The subsequent appointment of Gerard Houllier as joint-manager was the beginning of the end for the Liverpool-born coach.
3. Brendan Rodgers
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Will be remembered primarily for the 2014 season when Liverpool came desperately close to winning the league, however a failure to live up to that incredible campaign thereafter ultimately cost the Antrim native his job.
2. Gerard Houllier
Neal Simpson
Neal Simpson
Another who is often unfairly maligned, Houllier had an impressive trophy haul in comparison to the other managers on this list, including one particularly impressive campaign that saw the Reds win the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup. With the help of caretaker boss Phil Thompson, who stepped in when the Frenchman needed emergency heart surgery, he also led them to a rare second-place finish in the 2001-02 campaign.
1. Rafa Benitez
AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Led Liverpool to four consecutive top-four finishes during his reign as well as the improbable feat of winning the Champions League in his first campaign in charge at the club. Consequently, he fully deserves his place at the top of this list.
Ranking all Liverpool's Premier League managers from worst to best
Updated at 23.48
7. Graeme Souness
IN SOUNESS’ DEFENCE, he had a difficult task on his hands replacing an ageing squad and trying to modernise Liverpool in a rapidly changing football era, but the Anfield legend made mistakes by his own admission, and didn’t help his cause by falling out with a number of current and former players. He oversaw the beginning of Liverpool’s decline and was effectively the David Moyes of his day, and for those reasons, deserves his low ranking on this list.
6. Roy Hodgson
Didn’t have much time to make an impact (Hodgson left after less than one year in charge). Some poor signings (Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky) and bad results, coupled with his appointment as manager being a less than popular one in the first place, ensured an early exit for the current England boss.
5. Kenny Dalglish
By no means a total disaster — Dalglish was sacked just a year after he was appointed on a permanent basis despite overseeing a League Cup triumph as well as the signing of Luis Suarez. Some disappointing results sealed his fate, though his questionable handling of the Suarez-Evra controversy probably didn’t help matters.
4. Roy Evans
Often unfairly slated, Evans renewed life into a Liverpool side that had looked to be on a downward slope, placing faith in several promising young players in the process. The Reds did come close to winning the league during Evans’ tenure, but ultimately ended up with just a solitary League Cup win over the course of his regime. The subsequent appointment of Gerard Houllier as joint-manager was the beginning of the end for the Liverpool-born coach.
3. Brendan Rodgers
Will be remembered primarily for the 2014 season when Liverpool came desperately close to winning the league, however a failure to live up to that incredible campaign thereafter ultimately cost the Antrim native his job.
2. Gerard Houllier
Another who is often unfairly maligned, Houllier had an impressive trophy haul in comparison to the other managers on this list, including one particularly impressive campaign that saw the Reds win the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup. With the help of caretaker boss Phil Thompson, who stepped in when the Frenchman needed emergency heart surgery, he also led them to a rare second-place finish in the 2001-02 campaign.
1. Rafa Benitez
Led Liverpool to four consecutive top-four finishes during his reign as well as the improbable feat of winning the Champions League in his first campaign in charge at the club. Consequently, he fully deserves his place at the top of this list.
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