Players often have the sensational skill and will normally take the plaudits from the press for a major success.
However, to have a world class player and a team that is a winning success, you need to have a tactical genius, an approachable man-manger and a controlling influence within the dressing room.
There have been some fantastic managers in the last 50 years and Total Football’s Simon Wright has chosen his top ten.
Five who have been considered but not quite made the top ten include the great Jock Stein, temperamental but passionate Italians Giovanni Trapattoni and Arrigo Sacchi, French flair in the form of Arsene Wenger and the leader of some powerful USSR and Dynamo Kiev sides, the late Valeri Lobanovskyi.
Here is the first manager featured and at no.10 is the mastermind of Spain's recent glorious success in international football.
10. Vicente del Bosque
TEAMS MANAGED: Real Madrid B (1987-1990), Real Madrid (1994, 1996, 1999-2003), Besiktas (2004-2005), Spain (2008-PRESENT)
HONOURS: FIFA World Cup 2010, European Championship 2012, UEFA Champions League 2000, 2002, La Liga 2001, 2003, Intercontinental Cup 2002, Copa Iberoamericana 1994, UEFA Super Cup 2001, Supercopa de Espana 2001
He might not get the credit he deserves but the honours that Vicente del Bosque has won in the game is mightily impressive.
No-one can complain about his credentials, considering he has won two La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies, before turning Spain into the greatest international team in living memory.
At club level, del Bosque spent many years on the backroom staff at Real Madrid, having brief caretaker spells in 1994 and 1996.
He got the job full-time in November 1999, after John Toshack was dismissed and he guided the legendary club to Champions League glory that season, beating Valencia 3-0 in the Paris showpiece.
He followed this with another Champions League win in 2002, alongside two La Liga titles, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup but his contract wasn’t renewed in 2003.
He was offered a new post as technical director but a furious del Bosque turned it down and walked away from the Bernabeu, feeling hurt and betrayed by the club he served so well.
After a dismal year with Besiktas in Turkey, he took three years out, before succeeding Luis Aragones after Spain’s successful triumph at Euro 2008.
More records and praise for the Spanish
He got Spain to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with a 100 per cent record from qualification and won his first 13 games as manager.
Never one to rely on reputation, he has given 21 players recognition in the national team for the first time, since his appointment.
They include Pedro, Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Javi Martinez, Juan Mata and Sergio Busquets.
At the World Cup, the Spanish recovered from a shock opening defeat to Switzerland, to conquer all in South Africa, as a late extra-time winner from Andres Iniesta in Soccer City, made them world champions for the first time in their history.
The records and the praise continued at Euro 2012, as Spain destroyed Italy 4-0 in Kiev, to underline their status as the greatest international side, in many a year.
With del Bosque staying on until at least the World Cup in 2014, expect more silverware for him and his talented squad.
He might not get the recognition but Vicente del Bosque is a born winner.
By Simon Wright - Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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