WHEN your team needs that little bit of extra fight to win games, it helps if your manager shows all the hallmarks of being someone “not to mess with”.
Players will know in uncertain terms that making errors will not lead to a pretty outcome.
And while that could strike the fear of god into them knowing that nothing less than three points will please the raging bull on the sidelines, it could well eek out that little bit extra.
Fresh from Mark Hughes confronting former player Marko Arnautovic in Stoke’s fiery clash against West Ham, SunSport checks out six of football’s hardest managers.
Mark Hughes
We’ll start with the man himself who was involved in an ugly spat with one of his former players yesterday.
The Stoke boss was prepared to “go at it” with Arnautovic, the man he flogged to West Ham in the summer for a deal that could be worth as much as £25million.
Arnautovic had celebrated wildly after scoring against his former employers, before milking the West Ham support when he made his way off the pitch.
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This incensed Hughes. And it’s not a good idea to get him angry.
As a player, “Sparky” was a defender’s nightmare. Tall and powerful, Hughes would do everything and anything to win the ball.
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He would be spitting feathers when he was booked or sent off for his all-action style, the referees were often desperate to get away from the anger.
As a manager you can see Hughes has managed to channel his still obvious temperament.
But behind those grey cells, and the dressing room door, you can bet the fire still rages on.
Gennaro Gattuso
The Italian midfielder was renowned for his combative displays in the middle of the park, and would be snapping at opponents’ heels for the full 90 minutes.
He is now managing AC Milan aged 39, with the Italian having recently taken over at the San Siro.
But Gattuso showed all of his tenacity in explosive circumstances one April day back in 2011.
AC Milan were hosting Tottenham when Gattuso clashed with Joe Jordan – a feared Scottish coach and former footballer nicknamed “Jaws”.
Gattuso grabbed Jordan by the throat, and then reportedly “headbutted” the then-Spurs staffer after the game.
The bearded hotpot showed no fear taking on one of the elite members of “old school footie”.
Gattuso has a huge job on his hands trying to turn around Milan’s season – they are a lowly seventh in Serie A.
But if the players don’t start making an effort, they could well be on the end of that Italian passion.
Sinisa Mihajlovic
The Serbian was the epitome of a no-nonsense, old fashioned centre half.
If the ball needed kicking, it was kicked. If a player did too, that would also happen.
He collected eleven red cards in his career, spent mostly in Serie A.
One of these came in 2003 against Chelsea where he booted, then shamelessly spat at Blues striker Adrian Mutu.
He has taken a similar no-nonsense approach to his management style.
As Serbia boss, he booted out Adem Ljajic after he failed to sing the national anthem.
He is now managing Torino in Serie A.
Diego Simeone
The Argentinian is perhaps best known to England fans for THAT moment where he fell to the floor theatrically after David Beckham needlessly kicked out at him.
Beckham was shown a straight red card during the 1998 France World cup, and unsurprisingly, Simeone managed to get up and continue the game.
But what was most surprising was Simeone’s reaction. He always gave as good as he got as a player so to see him recoil backwards was strange, but clever.
Simeone was an ankle-snapping central midfield for Argentina, as well as the likes of Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Lazio.
He is now manager at Atletico, and is well regarded as a fiery and tempestuous figure on the touchline.
Sean Dyche
Like a ginger Stone Cold Steve Austin (check your WWE sites), bumping into gravel-voiced Dyche in a dark alley could a frightening experience.
Now elevating Burnley to dizzying heights in the Premier League, Dyche as a player was a fearsome tackler, best known for giving blood, sweat and tears as captain of Chesterfield in the 1990s.
As a manager, Dyche looks similarly as dominant on the touchline in his long black coat, with the Turf Moor playing staff not likely to want to get on the wrong-side of the gaffer.
Sam Allardyce
We just had to get Big Sam in there.
He’s brash, forthright and honest, all evidently skills that have seen him bag top managerial jobs throughout his career.
Even England (for a bit, anyway).
Yes, he may have been caught on camera dancing away on holiday, but even hard-nuts need their time to relax and unwind right?
Another no-nonsense defender as a player, Allardyce played for nine clubs making just short of 500 appearances.
As a manager, while always seeming to enjoy a laugh and a joke with the media, he can leave reporters squirming in despair and wanting to “get out of there” with his short answers and cutting answers.
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