While football fans expect managers and players to remain loyal to a club, sometimes they have to swap allegiances. To die-hard supporters of major clubs like AC Milan, Manchester City, Chelsea and Juventus, rooting for the rivals is tantamount to treason. These believers are quick to trade insults with managers and players who choose to leave the club. That may have inspired the loyalty of some players in the past, to the extent of ruining careers for several international athletes.
Loyalty In Football
In football-crazed countries like Kenya, Japan, Uruguay and Mexico, people have resulted in
blows for switching allegiances from one EPL team to another. Some people go as far as betting for their favorite teams while wagering at Betway. However, the loyalty of the men who play and manage the clubs is fleeting. To them, anything is possible for the right price unless you’re Sir Alex Ferguson.
Here are several players and managers who have managed to remain loyal, no matter the cost.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson – Manchester United (Manager)
The former Manchester United Coach, Sir Alex Ferguson, is considered the most loyal football manager in the world and also among the greatest coaches of all time. Ferguson remained with red devils for over two decades, winning more trophies than any other coach in the EPL history. To date, he’s still a strong supporter of Manchester United even after retiring in 2013.
2. Paolo Maldini – AC Milan (Player)
A legendary Italian player, Paolo Maldini, started in Milan’s youth team in 1975 and continued playing for them for his entire senior career which ended in 2009. He’s the kind of player that those who bet on the English Premier League at Betway likes to see on any team. Paolo is arguably the most loyal player to have graced international football.
Loyalty and Rivalry
While some managers and players have been inspired to remain loyal to their clubs, some
haven’t been hesitant to move from one rival to the other. Here are two managers who moved:
Jose Mourinho – Manchester United and Chelsea
While the Portuguese coach is among the greatest managers of all time, he hasn’t spent his career being loyal to any club. In the course of his 18-year career, Mourinho has been with some of the best football clubs in the world, including Inter Milan, Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.
Mourinho spent two spells with Chelsea, taking one FA cup, two League Cups, and three
Premier League titles. However, he didn’t hesitate to transfer his incredible tactical skills to
Manchester United in 2016, just when things started falling apart for him.
Massimiliano Allegri – Juventus and AC Millan
While Massimiliano is known as the man of a few words, he’s also a strong supporter of Italian football. Allegri chose to spend his 15-year career managing Italian teams.
During his last two outings as the Serie A capo di tutti capi, Allegri managed two of the most intense rivals, Juventus and AC Millan. He had a great tenure with AC Millan, before moving to Turin in 2014. Nobody knows whether there was any backstreet back clash and the rivalry didn’t get in his way either.