The data behind the dugout
Tactics, data, ratings and performance — all through the people shaping the game.
Season: 2026/27Competition: Europe's top five leaguesUpdated: 20 August 2026
Editorially curated from recent appointments and GafferLens ranking movement. GafferLens does not publish view counts it cannot verify.
Andoni Iraola
Liverpool
Spain · Age 44Lge
England · Premier League84/100
4-2-3-1
High Press
#5
Man-Marking • Relentless Press • Fast TransitionProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Xabi Alonso
ChelseaSpain · Age 44LgeEngland · Premier League87/100
3-4-2-1
Possession
#3
Positional • Wing-Back Width • ControlProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle United
Germany · Age 38LgeEngland · Premier League81/100
4-2-2-2
High Press
#8
High Press • Vertical • Fast TransitionProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Marco Rose
AFC BournemouthGermany · Age 50LgeEngland · Premier League79/100
4-2-3-1
High Press
#10
High Intensity • Vertical • Aggressive PressProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Enzo Maresca
Manchester City
Italy · Age 46LgeEngland · Premier League83/100
4-3-3
Possession
#6
Positional • Controlled Tempo • Inverted Full-BacksProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Oliver Glasner
Nottingham Forest
Austria · Age 52LgeEngland · Premier League80/100
3-4-2-1
Vertical Football
#9
Back Three • Vertical • Wing-Back OverloadsProfile →
Recent appointment — profile under active research
Form over the last 5 competitive matches only. Recent form is not the same thing as overall manager quality.
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal
SpainLgeEngland · Premier LeagueUnai Emery
Aston Villa
SpainLgeEngland · Premier LeagueDavid Moyes
Everton
ScotlandLgeEngland · Premier LeagueDaniel Farke
Leeds United
GermanyLgeEngland · Premier LeagueRégis Le Bris
Sunderland
FranceLgeEngland · Premier LeagueFabian Hürzeler
Brighton & Hove Albion
GermanyLgeEngland · Premier LeagueVerified unemployed coaches only — a manager appears here solely when GafferLens has confirmed they hold no active club or national-team role. Ranked on the provisional GafferScore, career weight, achievements and recency of coaching.
Spain · Age 5596/ 100
Head Coach
Last clubManchester City
2026-06-30
2 months available
Possession
Positional Play • Control • Counter-Press
3-2-4-1
Elite European
Italy · Age 5785/ 100
Head Coach
Last clubNapoli
2026-06-12
2 months available
Vertical Football
Vertical • Direct • Attacking
4-2-3-1
Top-five league
France · Age 5784/ 100
National Team Head Coach
Last clubFrance
2026-07-20
1 month available
Defensive Organisation
Organised • Disciplined • Low-Risk
4-4-2
Top-five league
Argentina · Age 7185/ 100
National Team Head Coach
Last clubUruguay
2026-06-30
2 months available
High Press
High Press • Vertical • Intense
4-2-2-2
Top-five league
Argentina · Age 5083/ 100
Head Coach
Last clubRiver Plate
2026-06-15
2 months available
Possession
Balanced • Modern • Organised
4-2-3-1
Top-five league
Germany · Age 3987/ 100
National Team Head Coach
Last clubGermany
2026-07-05
1 month available
Possession
Positional • Control • Structured
4-3-3
Elite European
Matthias Jaissle
Newcastle United · Head Coach · High Press
Nicky Hayen
Burnley · Head coach · Not yet verified
Álvaro Arbeloa
Fulham · Head Coach · Build-Up Focus
Oliver Glasner
Nottingham Forest · Head Coach · Vertical Football
Xabi Alonso
Chelsea · Head Coach · Possession
Premier League
England
Fully covered · Explore league →
EFL Championship
England
Needs verification · Explore league →
LaLiga
Spain
Fully covered · Explore league →
Bundesliga
Germany
Fully covered · Explore league →
Serie A
Italy
Fully covered · Explore league →
Ligue 1
France
Fully covered · Explore league →
Eredivisie
Netherlands
Fully covered · Explore league →
Liga Portugal
Portugal
Fully covered · Explore league →
Saudi Pro League
Saudi Arabia
Fully covered · Explore league →
Major League Soccer
United States & Canada
Fully covered · Explore league →
Aggressive ball-oriented pressing
PossessionSustained control, positional play
Vertical FootballDirect, forward-first progression
Counter AttackDeeper block, fast breaks
Defensive OrganisationCompact, disciplined shape
High Defensive LineCompress the pitch, squeeze space
Youth DevelopmentPromotes and improves young profiles
Build-Up FocusStructured progression from the back
Tactical FlexibilityAdapts shape by opponent
A young coach with an unusually complete pressing model has turned Newcastle into one of the most structured aggressive teams in the league. GafferLens looks at what elite recruiters actually see.
20 August 20269 min readPro section
Crystal Palace have appointed Pierre Sage. GafferLens breaks down the system he brings, the profiles it needs, and the realistic first-season shape.
20 August 20265 min read
The shape at the back has changed, and with it the whole rhythm of Chelsea's first phase. Here's the mechanism, and what it asks of the players.
20 August 20267 min read
A subtle change to where the press starts has changed what Bournemouth do with the ball once they win it.
19 August 20266 min read
