Player-manager

Player-manager is a sports term used to described a manager of a team who is also registered to play for the team. In football (soccer), this situation usually arises when a manager leaves a team suddenly, and the chairman has to make a quick decision to appoint someone new as a caretaker manager. The chairman will usually either ask a coach to take temporary charge or turn to the club's most senior player. If this particular player gains good results for the team during his time in charge, he may be appointed full-time manager, which leaves him a player-manager.

However, there are instances when a free agent is signed by a new team as a manager and offers his playing abilities.

In the United States, player-managers and player-coaches were once common, especially in the early days of baseball. The last player-manager in Major League Baseball was Pete Rose, who began managing the Cincinnati Reds in 1985, the second-to-last season of his playing career. Cap Anson, Joe Cronin, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Tris Speaker, Frank Robinson, Joe Torre and Lou Boudreau all spent time as player-managers. In this capacity, Robinson became the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball. Major league rules are somewhat different for trips to the mound by the manager if he is a player-manager (this is with regard to being required to change pitchers), and a player-manager puts himself into or out of the lineup just like any other player.

Notable football player-managers

• John Bentley - Manchester (1912-1914)
• Craig Brewster - Inverness Caladonian Thistle (2004-2006, 2007 - Present), Dundee United (2006)
• Juan Ramón Carrasco - Rocha FC (2000 - 2001)
• Steve Claridge - Portsmouth (2000 - 2001), Millwall (Summer 2005)
• Alan Curbishley - Charlton Athletic (1991 - 1996, continued as manager until 2006)
• Kenny Dalglish - Liverpool (1985 - 1991)
• Trevor Francis - Queens Park Rangers (1988-1989), Sheffield Wednesday (1991-1995)
• John Giles - Republic of Ireland (1973-1979), West Bromwich Albion (1975-1977)
• Ruud Gullit - Chelsea F.C. (1996-1998)
• Paul Lambert - Livingston (2005-2006)
• Romário - Vasco da Gama (2007-2008)
• Gordon Strachan - Coventry City (1996-1997, continued as manager until 2001)
• Graeme Souness - Rangers (1986-1991)
• Gianluca Vialli - Chelsea F.C. (1998-2000)
• Marc Wilmots - Schalke 04 (2003, though eligible, did not play during his spell as manager)
• Dennis Wise - Millwall (2003 - 2005), Swindon Town (August-October 2006), Leeds (October 2006-2007)

Notable Major League Baseball player-managers

• Connie Mack (baseball) - Pittsburgh Pirates (1894-1896)
• John McGraw - Baltimore Orioles (NL) (1899), New York Giants (1902-1906, continued to manage the Giants until 1932)
• Nap Lajoie - Cleveland Naps (1905-1909)
• Honus Wagner - Pittsburgh Pirates (1917)
• Tris Speaker - Cleveland Indians (1919-1926)
• Bucky Harris - Washington Senators (1924-1928), Detroit Tigers (1929, 1931, continued to manage until 1933)
• Frankie Frisch - St. Louis Cardinals (1933-1937, continued to manage until 1938)
• Pie Traynor - Pittsburgh Pirates (1934-1937, continued to manage until 1939)
• Leo Durocher - Brooklyn Dodgers (1939-1941, 1943, 1945, manager for the whole period 1939-1946)
• Lou Boudreau - Cleveland Indians (1942-1950), Boston Red Sox (1952, continued to manage until 1954)
• Mel Ott - New York Giants (1942-1947, continued to manage until 1948)
• Frank Robinson - Cleveland Indians (1975-1976, continued to manage until 1977), first black manager in the major leagues, as well as the only black player-manager.
• Joe Torre - New York Mets (1977, continued to manage until 1981)
• Pete Rose - Cincinnati Reds (1985-1986, continued to manage until 1989), Broke MLB all-time hits record as player manager in 1986.

External links

• History of player-managers in baseball

See also

• Player-coach