ARSENAL’S TOP 10 GREATEST MANAGERS
Arsenal’s All-time Top 10 Greatest Managers
Arsenal have won over 45 major trophies in their long-standing history, including a record 14 FA Cups and 13 league titles and one undefeated season. They are firmly established as one of England’s greatest soccer clubs, but how did they get there?
Every great team has an abundance of great players, but the forgotten man is often the manager. Always in the hotseat, they face all the pressure to get the club to where it needs to be.
Arsenal are lucky enough to have some of the best managers in history at their helm, let’s take a look at some of their greatest ever managers.
Who is the current Arsenal manager?
The current Arsenal manager is Mikel Arteta. Appointed in 2019, the former Arsenal player was given the task of replacing the era of mediocrity that had followed the departure of long-standing manager, Arsene Wenger.
Prior to Arteta’s arrival, Arsenal were struggling and on a downward spiral. Under Wenger the club never finished below 6th, always in a European spot. The lack of European football meant that they were unable to bring in big players to play for the club. The following seasons after his departure, the club finished 5th, 8th, 8th 5th and finally last year they finished 2nd. The 2nd place finish was not a surprise to the Aresnal fans who believed in Arteta. Arteta is considered a younger version of Pep Guardiola, a tactical genius who’s the current manager of Manchester City.
The fans knew that if the club gave Arteta enough time to bring in the players he wanted and implement the style of football that he wanted to play, the results would come. They patiently waited and are now reaping the awards with Arsenal competing with the best of the best in World football.
Arsenal Managers History
Former Arsenal players are littered throughout Arsenal’s managerial history. The old Arsenal players often progressed to become great Arsenal coaches and managerial legends. There have been 29 professional managers since 1898, many of them serving at the club for multiple year's and having a winning record. Arsenal is one of the oldest clubs in England and all of its managers played a part in it becoming the club that it is today.
Famous Arsenal Managers
The most famous Arsenal manager is Arsene Wenger, his 20+ year tenure at the club is one of the longest in soccer history. The Frenchman often went toe-to-toe with Sir Alex Ferguson, a fellow managerial legend. Wenger introduced a style of soccer that caught the world by storm. He was hugely involved in the development of some of the world’s best players and is widely considered one of the best managers in history.
Former Arsenal managers include George Graham, Bertie Mee and Herbert Chapman.
Ranking the Top 10 Greatest Arsenal Managers of All-time
10. Don Howe (1983 – 1986)
Career Stats: 28-13-7
Awards: N/A
Howe was a former Arsenal player between 1964-1966. He took over as care-taker manager in 1983 and was named permanent manager in 1984.
Howe wasn’t overly successful, he won 28 out of his 58 games in charge but makes the list for his role in introducing young players like Tony Adams and Niall Quinn. Adams would go on to become one of the best Arsenal players ever.
9. Terry Neil (1976 – 1983)
Career Stats: 39-33-33
Awards: FA Cup 1978-79
Terry Neil was a Northern Irishman who played centre-back for Arsenal, he captained the club and would eventually become manager in 1976. He joined Arsenal from North London rivals Tottenham Hotsupur. He was given the difficult task of replacing Bertie Mee and became the youngest Arsenal manager to date, taking over at just 34 years’ old.
He was blessed enough to be left with a good group of players including Arsenal legend Liam Brady. He led the club to three back-to-back FA Cup finals but were only victorious on their last visit, beating Manchester United 3-2 with a last-minute winner.
Neil had big ambitions for Arsenal, he signed Scottish striker Charlie Nicholas from Celtic making him the second most expensive Scot and the highest paid footballer in Britain. Unfortunately, despite his talent, Nicholas didn’t flourish as much as he should’ve at Arsenal. Neil also tried to convince Diego Maradona and Glenn Hoddle to join the Gunners but was unsuccessful on both occasions.
Neil led Arsenal to the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final in 1980 where they eventually lost on penalties to Valencia. The following season, Arsenal finished third in the league, the highest they’d finished in the last ten years.
The next few years were mediocre for Neil, and he was reluctantly sacked by the chairman in 1983, as a result, Neil retired from soccer at just 41 years’ old.
8. Harry Bradshaw (1899-1904)
Career Stats: 92-31-53
Awards: Promotion to Football League First Division 1903-04
Harry Bradshaw was an Englishman in charge of Arsenal for five years’ whilst they were in the second division. His aim was to lead the team the first division and he came close every year. Eventually, in the 1903-04 season, he led the team to a second-place finish and promotion for the first time in the club’s history.
The achievement of promotion alone earns him a place on this list, but he also brought in hugely influential players at the time. Some of the most famous Arsenal players included Jimmy Aschcroft, Jimmy Jackson, and Archie Cross are just three of the eighteen players signed by Bradshaw that won promotion to the first division.
7. George Allison (1934 – 1947)
Career Stats: 137-80-77
Awards: English League Champion 1937-38, 1934-35, FA Cup 1935-36, Charity Shield 1934, 1938
George Allison took over as Arsenal’s manager after the sudden death of his predecessor, Herbert Chapman. In his 13-year tenure, he helped the club win three league titles, one FA Cup and two Charity Shields. His first League title completed a hattrick of League Titles for the club, Chapman winning the first two tittles.
Allison didn’t have the best soccer brain, and wasn’t known for stellar tactics, he had more of a hands-off approach and dealt more with transfers and the club’s financial position more than the involvement with is players.
Nevertheless, he is still considered one of Arsenal’s best managers. Out of his 294 games in charge, he won 137 of them and through 13 years’, their average league position was 4th. The club enjoyed several years of success under Allison.
Allison is also credited with being the creator of the club’s famous chant ‘one nil to the Arsenal’ after appearing on a film in 1939 ‘The Arsenal Stadium Mystery’. He played himself and was caught muttering the words on camera.
6. Tom Whittaker (1947 – 1956)
Career Stats: 171-101-106
Awards: English League Champion 1947-48, 1952-23, FA Cup 1949-50, Charity Shield 1948-49, 1953-54
Tom Whittaker was part of the Royal Garrison Artillery and the Royal Navy before being demobilized in 1919. After the War, he joined Arsenal as a player making 64 appearances for the Gunners. Unfortunately, his career came to a halt after suffering a knee injury and he was forced to retire.
Whittaker became Arsenal’s first-time trainer whilst studying physiotherapy and played a big role in the progression of the club under managers Chapman and Allison.
After the Second World War, and Allison’s retirement in 1947, Whittaker took over. He led the club to two league titles and an FA Cup. Unfortunately, Whittaker died of a Heart Attack in 1956, just 58 year's old, and still manager of Arsenal. His tenure ended one match short of 100 games in charge with a win percentage of 52.5%.
5. Mikel Arteta (2019-Present)
Career Stats: 113-29-47
Awards: FA Cup 2019-20, Charity Shield 2020-21, 2023-24
Mikel Arteta is the current manager at Arsenal, he joins the list of former players that would eventually become managers.
The appointment of Arteta in 2019 was met with huge excitement, Arteta had been on the Manchester City’s coaching staff and was learning from perhaps the best manager of all time, Pep Guardiola.
The Spaniard was expected to implement the same tactics as Pep but with his own twist and so far, that’s exactly what he’s done. In his first season with the club, he won the FA Cup, originally hired as a Arsenal’s Head Coach, the club subsequently changed his title to ‘manager’.
For managers that have been in charge for at least 20 games, Arteta currently has the best win percentage with 59.76% and is showing no signs of slowing down with his Arsenal team emerging as one of the best teams in English soccer. Exciting times are ahead for Arsenal fans as the club is competing in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
4. Bertie Mee (1966-1976)
Career Stats: 69-44-58
Awards: English League Title 1970-71, FA Cup 1970-71, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup Winner 1969-70
Bertie Mee served as Arsenal’s manager between 1966-1976. A surprising move by the Gunners as Mee was working as a physiotherapist. He even asked for a clause in his contract that would allow him to return to physiotherapy after a year if the manager job didn’t work out.
Mee would be Arsenal’s most winning manager until Arsene Wenger eclipsed his record with 241 wins in 540 total games managed, he had a win percentage of 44.63%.
The club hadn’t won a trophy since 1953. In 1969, Mee led the team to its first European Trophy, the first trophy in 17 years. They hype around Mee’s team was building, he was assembling a young group of players including Pat Rice and Ray Kennedy that were determined to win.
In 1971, Mee’s Arsenal completed a double as they won the FA Cup and the League. To the delight of Arsenal fans, they won the league at White Hart Line. A special title victory that will forever be remembered as one of the greats. This was only the second time a club had won a double in the 20th century.
Mee didn’t manage to win a lot of silverware during his tenure, but he’s an important part of Arsenal’s history as the first manager to bring them European glory.
3. George Graham (1986 – 1995)
Career Stats: 187-120-97
Awards: English League Title 1988-89, 1990-91, FA Cup 1992-93, League Cup 1986-87, 1992-93, Charity Shield 1991-92, Europapokal der Pokalsieger Sieger 1993-94
A former Arsenal player form 1966-1972, Graham was a Scottish midfielder who played in the Bertie Mee era. Graham overhauled the Arsenal squad that he inherited, he wanted to put his own stamp on the team and bring up players from the youth squad.
The key addition to the squad that Graham brought up was Arsenal legend, Tony Adams. Adams was at the centre of a defence that included Arsenal stars; Lee Dixon, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn who would serve at the club for many years to come. Graham’s side was known for being defensively stout.
In 1988-89, Graham’s third season in charge, Arsenal won their first League title since 1971, they’d not won since Graham was a player himself. Graham signed goalkeeper David Seaman, who played a pivotal role in Arsenal winning their second title under Graham in 1990-91.
Graham was also responsible for signing star striker Ian Wright who would go on to break the clubs all-time scoring records. Wright helped Arsenal become Cup specialists. They were the first team to win the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1992-93, and the following year they won the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, the club’s second European trophy.
Graham led Arsenal to six trophies in eight seasons but eventually lost his job from accepting a bribe from an agent and was subsequently banned by the FA for a year. Regardless, what Graham achieved with the club as a manager was impressive, and many of the players he brought into the club went on to become Arsenal legends.
2. Herbert Chapman (1925 – 1934)
Career Stats: 157-84-95
Awards: English League Title 1930-31, 1932-33, FA Cup 1929-30, Charity Shield 1930, 1931, 1933
Herbert Chapman is an English former player and manager; he managed Arsenal between 1925-1934. He immediately made an impact by signing Sunderland’s record goal scorer and England international Charlie Buchan and made him his captain.
Buchan and Chapman worked together to implement the increasing popular WM tactic that essentially dropped a midfielder into defence. Chapman was able to refine this tactic and put his own twist on it, notably adding a counter=attacking element to it.
Chapman led Arsenal to an FA Cup, two First Division titles and three Charity Shields. Although he didn’t win as much as other managers on this list, Chapman is here for the legacy that he created. He had one of the best tactical minds of his generations, he demanded a high level of fitness from his players and demanded a certain professionalism from everyone at the club.
He was one of the first managers to consider signing black, or foreign players. Chapman is also responsible for changing the Arsenal shirt from all red to red and white sleeves, the iconic shirt which is still used today. He is also credited with the idea of teams walking out together in the tunnel.
Arsenal were a struggling mid-table team before Chapman took over and turned them into a competing team. He was arguably the fuse that triggered Arsenals climb to being a top club in England. He is one of the best coaches in Arsenal managers history.
1. Arsene Wenger (1996-2018)
Career Stats: 1231 Games, 714-252-265
Awards: Premier League 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04, FA Cup 1997-98, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17, Community Shield 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2017, Onze d’Or Coach of the Year 200, 2002, 2003, 2004, Premier League Manager of the Season 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04, LMA Manager of the Year 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, BBC Sports Personality of the Year Coach Award 2002, 2004, London Football Awards – Outstanding Contribution to a London Club 2015, World Soccer Manager of the Year 1998, FWA Tribute Award 2005, English Football Hall of Fame, France Football Manager of the Year 2008, IFFHS World Coach of the Decade 2001-2010, FA Premier League Manager of the Year 2014-15, Premier League Hall of Fame.
Arsene Wenger is Arsenal’s greatest ever manager. His 22-year tenure is heavily decorated with trophies and individual titles. The Frenchman joined the Gunners in 1996 and was a major part of their rise to being one of the top teams in England.
Wenger was the first non-British manager to coach the team, attracting a wide range of international players to Arsenal. Wenger is credited with the development of some of the best players on Arsenal, Patrick Viera, Cesc Fabregas and the greatest Arsenal player of all time, Thierry Henry.
The Arsenal squad that Wenger managed to put together during the 03-04 season would go on to be full of future Arsenal legends players as they went undefeated and were labelled the ‘Invincibles’. The Arsenal roster is widely regarded as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats, Wenger included.
Without Wenger’s contribution to Arsenal Soccer team, they wouldn’t be able to attract the players they do today. He holds the record for the all-time manager wins with 714. This current Arsenal fanbase were lucky enough to have lived during a time where they could witness his managerial mastermind live.
Under Wenger, the club didn’t finish outside of the top four until 2016. 20 years off soccer at the highest level. With a name like Arsene, it’s fitting that he would go on to become Arsenals greatest ever manager, and he may hold that title for some time.
Parameters of Ranking
All managers have been ranked based on their achievements at the club and how they influenced Arsenal. Accolades and Honors won as players or with other clubs have not been taken into account.
