'He had all the attributes to be a top, top manager' – Ray Parlour reveals the Arsenal Invincibles team-mate he was sure would become a successful gaffer
Arsenal legend Parlour is surprised that more of the Invincibles alumni didn't go on to manage at the highest level
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arsenal's Invincibles had it all. They could outplay opponents with ease but, when things didn't click, they were more than happy to get physical if it meant sealing three points.
Indeed, members of the greatest-ever Arsenal side were admired as much for their mentality and tactical intelligence as they were for their divine technique.
Which makes it all the more curious that none have gone on to be world-class managers. At least so far. A couple, including Patrick Vieira, have managed in the Premier League, but the next Arsene Wenger remains at large.
Ray Parlour, a home-grown cult hero of that Invincibles team, is particularly surprised that one former team-mate never properly pursued a life in the dugout.
"One player I always thought would be a top, top manager is someone football fans hear a lot of on television and the radio these days: Martin Keown," Parlour tells FourFourTwo on behalf NetBet Casino. "Martin had all the assets to be a good manager. He speaks well, he's hard, he's fair. He was a top guy as well. So Martin had all the brains and always thought deeply about the game. But he never really went down that road.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
"Martin was the sort of guy who would be talking to Arsene Wenger a lot. And he was a big influence in the dressing room. He was the oldest player in the Invincibles team and the most experience player. I was probably second at the time. Martin was always the one who would say something in the dressing room at half-time if things weren't going well. Even if he wasn't playing. He was busy, but in a positive way – always for the right reasons."
Parlour also expressed surprise that arguably the most technically-gifted member of that Arsenal team didn't go into coaching.
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"You might have argued that Dennis Bergkamp would be an obvious choice," explains Parlour. "But Dennis was quite quiet at times. So whether he'd have been suited to be a manager is a tricky one."
Parlour also claims never to have been seriously interested in football management himself.
"I never even did my coaching badges," he tells FFT. "I could still put a decent session on though, I think, because I know what I used to enjoy as a player in training. I think I'd be more like a Harry Redknapp type of manager – an arm around the shoulder and try and get the lads on side. Make them feel good, like top players. Man management is probably the most important skill these days. I'd try and get that part right."
Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.
