If there’s one thing we love in our football, it’s drama. Sure, players can be just as entertaining off the pitch as on, but for the really out-there behaviour – the real temper tantrums and strangely cryptic remarks – we need to turn to the managers.

From criminal investigations to fascist affiliations, racist outbursts and physical assault, here are some of the PL’s most outspoken, out there, and downright disconcerting managers ever.

Ron Atkinson standing next to unidentified man


Big Ron managed everywhere from United to West Brom, Villa, Shef Wednesday, and Forrest. Naturally, he made some enemies along the way, especially so due to his reputation as an outspoken and opinionated manager.

It all came crashing down in 2004 when he was caught on air making racist remarks about Chelsea player Marcel Desailly, believing his microphone to have been switched off. Atkinson resigned from ITV and also left his role at the 

. The same year he’d also joked about Chinese women being ugly to a packed audience at Hillsborough Stadium.

in 2013, where he asked an Irish contestant if she was carrying a bomb… Exactly the kind of ‘banter’ that has no place in football, or anywhere else.

 might believe the former West Ham, Spurs, and QPR manager spends his time playing with Warhammer, but the truth is much more controversial.

We aren’t talking about his winning stint on 

… but the 2007 investigation into corruption within the F.A. when Redknapp was arrested along with Portsmouth’s MD Peter Storrie, former chairman Milan Mandarić, agent Willie McKay and footballer Amdy Faye after a BBC 

investigation seemed to depict Redknapp approaching a player about a move without abiding by proper F.A. rules. Redknapp denied ever taking money, and described himself as “one million percent innocent”. He was later released without charge and sued the police, earning a grand in damages.

Redknapp was investigated by HM Revenue & Customs in 2010 as part of the same corruption enquiry, being charged with two counts of cheating the public revenue, but was found not guilty in 2012.

On the pitch, he caused ire among fans when he left Portsmouth to manage their arch-nemesis Southampton. He paid them back, though, repeating the move when Southampton was relegated in 2005, this time earning him the anger of Southampton fans.

The Italian, former Sunderland manager declared in 2005 that he was “a fascist, not a racist”, after giving the ‘Roman Salute’ (popularised by the Nazis) to Lazio supporters. Miraculously, he was banned for just one match, and given a fine of €7,000.

“I will always salute as I did because it gives me a sense of belonging to my people … I saluted my people with what for me is a sign of belonging to a group that holds true values, values of civility against the standardisation that this society imposes upon us,” he was later quoted as saying.

When he was appointed Sunderland manager in 2013, vice-chairman David Miliband, a Labour politician stepped down “in the light of the new manager’s past political statements”.

Di Canio is known to have a number of tattoos, including fascist symbols including an eagle and fasces, as well as a 

. Pretty difficult to come back from that – unless of course you’re a Premier League manager.

Rafael Benitez’s stint as Liverpool’s manager was not a popular one due to him helming the club through its worst run in 22 years, but it’s his motormouth that got him in the most trouble. He once accused Sir Alex Ferguson of having too much power within The FA, and insulted Chelsea by suggesting they were not a “big club” in 2007.

He even refused to shake hands with Jose Mourinho before some Chelsea matches. Ironically, he would serve as interim manager of Chelsea between 2012-13. Not hugely controversial when compared to racists and fascists, but among certain football fans (and managers) Benitez is the villain they love to hate.

Over a decades-long career Fergie endured more than his fair share of controversies – most of his own making. There was the time he kicked a stray football boot in the United changing room, clouting David Beckham above the eye. The time he claimed the Champions League draw was fixed, leading to UEFA fining him 10,000 Swiss francs (£4,600). The time he sued, and was countersued by, big Manchester United shareholder John Magnier over issues relating to the race horse Rock of Gibraltar. And the time a BBC documentary, 

, portrayed his son as exploiting his father’s reputation.

He was also notorious for abusing match officials, paying numerous fines over the years. His taking to task of officials was even dubbed ‘Fergie Time’ due to generous injury time often being added when United were behind. All in all, a, ahem, colourful character.

So notorious is the Special One, that he was once described as an “

.” Ouch. His antics included calling Arsene Wenger a “voyeur”, pulling the ear of Tito Vilanova, and rubbing it in the face of the opposing fans when his players scored.

There’s more: in 2005 he accused referee Anders Frisk and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of breaking FIFA rules by having a meeting at half-time during a Chelsea/ Barca match. And, in 2016, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte encouraged the home crowd to make noise during a match against Mourinho’s United, with media reports suggesting Mourinho accused Conte of trying to humiliate United with his actions. The two sparred in the press, with Conte calling his opponent “a little man”.

The most infamous of Mourinho’s antics has to be when he was fined £200,000 for having “tapped up” Ashley Cole before signing him for Chelsea in 2005. A special one, indeed.

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