Player-manager

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Player-manager is a sports term used to described a manager of a team who is still registered to play for the team.

In association football (soccer), this situation usually arises when a manager leaves a team suddenly, and the chairman has to make a quick decision to appoint someone new as a caretaker manager. The chairman will usually either ask a coach to take temporary charge or turn to the club's most senior player.

If this particular player gains good results for the team during his time in charge, he may be appointed full-time manager, which leaves him a player-manager.

However, there are instances when a free agent is signed by a new team as a manager and offers his playing abilities.

In the United States, player-managers and player-coaches were once common, especially in the early days of baseball. The last player-manager in Major League Baseball was Pete Rose, who began managing the Cincinnati Reds in 1985, the second-to-last season of his playing career. Cap Anson, Joe Cronin, Connie Mack, John McGraw, Tris Speaker, Frank Robinson, Joe Torre and Lou Boudreau all spent time as player-managers. In this capacity, Robinson became the first African-American manager in Major League Baseball. Major league rules are somewhat different for trips to the mound by the manager if he is a player-manager (this is with regard to being required to change pitchers), and a player-manager puts himself into or out of the lineup just like any other player.

[edit] Notable football (soccer) player-managers

The examples and perspective in this section may not represent a worldwide view of the subject.
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Steve Claridge - Portsmouth (2000 - 2001), Millwall (Summer 2005)
Alan Curbishley - Charlton Athletic (1991 - 1996, continued as manager until 2006)
Kenny Dalglish - Liverpool (1985 - 1991)
Trevor Francis - Queens Park Rangers (1988-1989), Sheffield Wednesday (1991-1995)
Sammy McIlroy
Gordon Strachan - Coventry City (1996-1997, continued as manager until 2001)
Graeme Souness - Rangers (1986-1991)
Marc Wilmots - Schalke 04 (2003, though eligible, did not play during his spell as manager)
Dennis Wise - Millwall (2003 - 2005), Swindon Town (August-October 2006), Leeds (October 2006-present)
Gareth Southgate - Middlesbrough (2006-present)
Paul Lambert - Livingston (2005-2006)
Craig Brewster - Inverness Caladonian Thistle (2004-2006/2007 - Present), Dundee United (2006)
Ruud Gullit - Chelsea F.C. (1996-1998)
Gianluca Vialli - Chelsea F.C. (1998-2000)
Romário - Vasco da Gama (2007-2008)
John Giles - Republic of Ireland (1973-1979), West Bromwich Albion (1975-1977)