Several managers won their first silverware in their careers
and ended the title drought for their teams at the same time.
Being a gaffer for non-elite teams is definitely not easy
compared to working for the elite ones. The limited transfer budget, lack of
title-winning tradition or mentality or talents in the squad are the usual
challenges for those clubs. Thus, the management do not normally set an
impossible target for their managers, such as winning a major title. Finishing
in the top four or six to qualify for Europe has been the common target so that
the club could generate more revenue and gain prize money from performing in
the continental competitions. Delivering silverware would be a huge bonus.
However, some managers have been able to achieve something
beyond, lifting their first trophy as a boss and ending the long title drought
for their team. The most recent example is none other than Eddie Howe. He has
just clinched his first major title and ended the lengthy title drought for
Newcastle United as they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the 2025 Carabao Cup final. The
Magpies finally managed to win a title again after 70 years, which is
definitely really special for them.
Furthermore, it means a lot for Howe too. The former
Bournemouth boss has never won any major title in his managerial career before.
His only silverware was snatching the championship title for the Cherries back
in 2015, which is surely not a major trophy in English football.
Howe is definitely not the only one who has done so. There
were other gaffers who achieved such distinguished achievements. Leading a
non-elite side to end their very long title drought, especially after more than
50 years of waiting, is undoubtedly much harder than doing so for the top
teams. Here are the other managers who did it the same as Howe in the European
major leagues.
Rudi Garcia (Lille – ending 56 years
of title drought)
The current Belgium boss came to Lille in 2008 after his
success in guiding Dijon to gain promotion to the second tier and reach the
Coupe de France semifinal in 2004 and leading Le Mans to finish ninth in Ligue
1 in 2008. Despite having won none, Lille laid their trust in him to build the
team based on attacking football and young talents, including Eden Hazard.
In his first season, Lille sat fifth, their best finish in
three years. Yet, he was dismissed by the board of directors before returning
to his post a few days later in June 2009 due to the club president’s offer.
Such a decision appeared to be the right move, as Les Douges managed to end
their title drought in 56 years while snatching a double title, Ligue 1 and
Coupe de France, in the 2010/11 campaign.
Garcia remained in his post until summer 2013 before moving
to AS Roma. He was able to bring them to be Serie A runner-up twice before
being sacked. Lille did not lift another trophy until Christophe Gaultier
replicated Garcia’s victorious campaign in the top flight ten years later.
Ironically, those two titles in Lille remain his only
silverware to date. He has yet been able to snatch more titles elsewhere in
Marseille, Lyon, Napoli and even Al Nassr with Cristiano Ronaldo in the team.
Juande Ramos (Sevilla - 58 years)
The former Spurs boss landed the Sevilla job back in 2005
after leading Logroñés and Rayo Vallecano to La Liga promotion in 1996 and
1999, respectively. Ramos even guided the latter to sit ninth in 2000 and
qualified for the 2001 UEFA Cup through the Fair Play rule. Under his tutelage,
Vallecano even advanced to the UEFA Cup quarterfinal in 2001 before losing to
the eventual finalist, Alaves, in their European debut campaign.
He continued his impressive work with Real Betis and Malaga
where he brought them to finish sixth and tenth respectively in 2002 and 2004.
Apparently, that was enough to convince Sevilla to name him as their manager.
The former Barcelona B gaffer instantly paid off their trust
by clinching their first European title as well as their first silverware in 58
years while lifting the 2006 UEFA Cup after trashing Middlesbrough 4-0 in the
summit. He even repeated his success in 2007 by thumping fellow Spanish side
Espanyol on penalties plus Copa del Rey.
Juande Ramos then switched sides to Tottenham in 2007 and
instantly delivered a trophy for Spurs, the League Cup, in 2008. It was their
first silverware from 1999. Unfortunately, his stint in England did not last
long, as he was dismissed during his second season there.
Sadly, that was his last positive campaign in his career, as
he failed to do well in the next clubs, Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Dnipro
Dnipropetrovsk and Malaga. Ramos’s best finish was second place in the La Liga
2008/09 season with Los Blancos, which was certainly not good enough to keep
his post, especially as Sergio Ramos and Co were dismantled by their archrival
Barcelona 6-2 on their own home turf.
On the contrary, Ramos’ work in Sevilla helped lay the
foundation of their winning mentality, as they went on winning more titles
afterwards, including five more Europa League titles since then under three
different managers, Unai Emery, Julen Lopetegui and Jose Mendilibar.
Paco Flores (Espanyol – 60 years)
His managerial career was mainly spent with Espanyol, his
former side as a player, in various roles from assistant manager, reserved team
boss, caretaker, as well as head coach from 1984 to 2002. He was in charge of
the first team in the last two years of his tenure after leading Raul Tamudo
and co to win the Copa Del Rey 2000. It also ended their 60-year title drought.
Under his tutelage, Espanyol might have only finished 14th
to avoid relegation. Yet, their campaign in the Spanish Cup was remarkable.
They were able to thump Real Madrid in the semifinal by a 1-0 win on aggregate
before crushing Atletico Madrid in the summit.
Meanwhile, during his full season as a gaffer, Flores only
managed to guide them to finish ninth and 14th, respectively. He switched sides
to take the job in Real Zaragoza, AlmerÃa and Gimnà stic Tarragona after leaving
Espanyol but failed to deliver a single title for any of them.
Michel Mezy (Montpellier - 61 years)
He was the former Nîmes player, manager and president who
eventually shone with their archrival, Montpellier. Mezy was in charge of them
in four different stints. In his first one, he managed to guide them back to
the top flight in 1987. In the second spell, the former midfielder acted as a
caretaker and ended their title drought in 61 years by snatching the French Cup
title in 1990.
In the third one, the Aigues-Mortes-born gaffer led them to
finish sixth in 1996 and sealed one place in the UEFA Cup. He also brought
Montpellier to progress to the Intertoto Cup final, the qualifying round
competition for the UEFA Cup berth, in 1997.
In his last stint, Mezy was able to guide their return to
Ligue 1 in 2001 instantly after their relegation in the previous season.
Montpellier stayed in the top tier until his last days there back in 2002.
Mezy’s role in Montpellier’s development has been crucial,
as the club was able to win more titles after their victorious campaign in the
Coupe de France. They won the Coupe de la Ligue in 1992, the Intertoto Cup in
1999 and their first league title in 2012.
Guy Lacombe (Sochaux - 66 years)
He was the former Nantes and Lens striker in the 1980s and
brought an end to Sochaux’s 66-year title drought. Their last trophy was a
league title in 1938 under their legendary boss, Conrad Ross. Lacombe made his
mark in the club’s history by snatching the Coupe de la Ligue in 2004 after
beating his former side, Nantes, on penalties.
It was also his first silverware as a manager following his
trophyless stints in his previous clubs, Cannes, Toulouse and Guingamp.
Lacombe’s spell there was mainly identical to the relegation struggle and
gaining promotion with Guingamp in 2001.
His stint in Sochaux was the best one, as he led them to the
top five finish twice in 2003 and 2004, plus became Coupe de la Ligue finalist
in 2003 before winning it. His great achievement there led him to take charge
of PSG, Rennes and Monaco in the remainder of his career on his home soil
before his final years in Al Wasl, Qatar.
Lacombe did well in each of those three sides’ domestic cup
campaigns. He clinched the Coupe de France 2006 with Le Parisien, despite finishing ninth, and reached two Coupe de la Ligue finals with Rennes and
Monaco.
Alberto Ormaetxea (Real Sociedad –
72 years)
He is a true Real Sociedad legend, as he spent his career
both as a player and manager, mostly with La Real. Ormaetxea was so devoted to
them that he did not even complete his contract with Hercules Alicante, his
only club in his CV as a gaffer. The former fullback left them after only a
month's stay and retired from the managerial position entirely.
On the contrary, he managed to cement his place as the club's legend following his amazing legacy. Real Sociedad was in the golden era during Ormaetxea’s tenure. They were able to finish second in La Liga in 1980, or his second season in charge, and won the league twice consecutively in 1981 and 1982.
Such was even memorable as it ended their 72-year major title
drought. What’s even more amazing was that he did not have any foreign players in the squad compared to their top rivals, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or AtleticoMadrid.
Ormaetxea went on delivering positive results for Luis
Arconada and Co until his departure in 1985. The gaffer who began his career on
the sideline as the assistant in 1974 brought La Real to the Copa Del Rey
semifinal twice in 1982 and 1983 and the final four in the European Cup in
1983, only to suffer a narrow loss to the eventual champion, Hamburg SV.
Pedro Emanuel (Academica - 73 years)
The current Saudi Pro League’s Al Fayha FC boss is also one
of the few managers who won the first title as well as ended the title drought
for the non-elite team. He did it with his first club, Academica de Coimbra, by
winning the Portuguese Cup 2012, their first trophy after 73 years waiting. His
team defeated Porto and Sporting Lisbon in the process.
However, Emanuel has yet to work for any top team in Europe.
He only took charge of FC Arouca, Estoril, AlmerÃa, and Cyprus’s Apollon
Limassol. None of which were able to lift a trophy except Apollon. The former
defender delivered a double domestic title for the Cypriot side in 2016.
The manager who once worked under former Spurs boss Andre
Villas-Boas in Porto spent the later years of his managerial career in the
Middle East. He clinched his first title with Saudi’s Al Taawoun in the King's
Cup 2019 but has failed to win more silverware ever since with UAE’s Al Ain,
Saudi’s Al Nassr, Al Khaleej and his current team.
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