A new directive to crack down on football managers overstepping their boundaries has been installed for the 2023/24 season. Football managers will now be under closer scrutiny and are more likely to be punished with a yellow card for approaching officials or demanding that opposing players get a booking.
The Premier League is a high-pressure world for managers to operate in as job security is low. That has led to some big managerial meltdowns. TV cameras are watching everything, millions of punters attracted by generous football bonuses UK betting companies offer are lapping up outbursts, so these are moments when the red mist descends and the whole world gets to see.
Here we showcase the top five most infamous managerial meltdowns from the Premier League.
Conte vs Tuchel
There was a squaring up between then-Chelsea manager Tomas Tuchel and former Blues boss Antonio Conte in 2022. After a 2-2 draw in the EPL, the two managers crossed paths for a handshake, but Tuchel didn’t let go of Conte’s hand and sparked the flashpoint. It was all over the fact Tuchel had felt disrespected because Conte had not looked at him. Players and staff piled in and both bosses admitted improper conduct.
Benitez Rants at Ferguson
Former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez launched into a memorable press conference in 2009, citing plenty of ‘facts’. Benitez’s Liverpool had been duelling with Manchester United in the Premier League title race, which the Reds ultimately lost. But Benitez had been niggled by complaints from Ferguson about the fixture list.
The Spaniard retaliated and kept referring to how refereeing decisions would always go Manchester United’s way and pointed fingers at Ferguson’s behaviour towards referees. It was a juicy five-minute rant.
Klopp Loses it
The Liverpool manager has had his fair share of rants. But the biggest was during his side’s 1-0 FA Cup victory over Manchester City in 2022. The Reds boss lost his cool,
chased a referee’s assistant up the sideline and then back again while screaming in the face of the unfortunate official. It echoes when in charge of Borussia Dortmund, Klopp screamed in the face of an official for which he received a red card.
Keegan “Loves it”
Former Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan was interviewed in the closing stages of the 1996 season with the title still on the line. Keegan’s Magpies were fighting with Manchester United
for the honours. United boss Ferguson had been doing his mind-game things in the build-up. So following a league win that kept the Magpies in touch for the title, Keegan lost his cool and in a passionate outburst told the TV crew “I will love it” if he beat Sir Alex Ferguson to the title.
Conte Rages Against Players
During his time as Tottenham manager, Antonio Conte launched into one of the most bizarre press conferences ever. The Italian laid his feelings bare as he attacked his Spurs players for being selfish after losing a 3-1 lead in a draw against Southampton.
Conte also attacked the club for not being in a position to play for anything important and not wanting to play under pressure, and calling out his employers for not having won anything in the 20 years under owner Daniel Levy.
Sir Alex Ferguson
This is more of an honourable mention of the king of Premier League football managers, Sir Alex Ferguson. The legendary Manchester United boss wouldn’t shy away from letting people know what he felt.
There’s no single event that gets him on this list as he had so many, like making goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak cry after suffering a 4-0 loss against West Ham in the League Cup.
There was the flying boot that cut David Beckham’s eye; the calling of referee Alan Wiley ‘unfit’ to referee a Premier League game; a five-match ban he received for a comment made
about referee Martin Atkinson and the hairdryer treatment he gave to Louis Saha after a Championship fixture to name but a few.
