Question: Does Ferguson deserve to be on this list?
My point being that some of the best coaches in the game fail at management level. Does not mean that they are failures, maybe it is because I never understood some people's hatred for him when he was here. He is a guy that always has his heart in the right place for Everton and is not even close to being a reason for the mess we are in now.
I suppose, the same(ish) for Unsworth as well but I guess the academy production line was not the best under him??
Aye, there's a huge difference between being a great coach (even Assistant Manager) and being an actual manager, with all the responsibilities and pressure.
Look at many of Ferguson's assistants: you'd think they'd have a step-up from learning from one of (if not the) best, but it doesn't pan out like that.
You'd hope that he had the club's best interests at heart, too. The rest, well it is testament to the nepotism Kenwright and co. prepared as it cemented his position.
It was much easier for him to have yes men and women around him to sustain his power, rather than people competent within footballing roles at the highest level.
Baxendale was good at running a small, local charity, but there's a sizable difference between that and a large football club, with all that entails.
It pains me to say it, however you only need to look across the park to see how appointing the right people in the right places can be the catalyst for success.