Are successful managers born? Or do they learn?

[Andy S]

So what makes a successful manager? Is t because they give their staff confidence? Do they really like being the best at their job? Or cannot they stand to come second? Is it just lucky that they have good staff or do they make sure they have good staff.?

[RaySmith]

Most top managers seems to had had a trusted assistant.

Clough and Peter Taylor. Roy and  Ray Lewington, Silva and Boa, for example.

Having good coaching staff is also important , but also good players, of course.
But the best managers are those who can get the most out of whatever players they have, even if they aren't the best,

Some top managers only seem to work with  squads of elite players - how would they do  lower down the leagues? is often asked, with less good players, having to make do with players and facilities available.

Experience in the game is obviously important, and tactical acumen, and  being able to see the qualities in a player - eg maybe  playing them in a different position than what they are used to, and recognising talent in young players.

But overall, i suppose it's  man management that is most important - putting your ideas across, being able to  deal with the different personalities and ego's, getting the best out of players and giving them confidence in their abilities as a team,
being someone that players will trust - though they will basically trust someone who is good at their job, and, most importantly, being able to win games.

Players don't have to like a manager, but they will respect someone they win games under, and not  have much respect of  they always lose under a certain manager.

If a manager  can't win games, with whatever players available to him, then he  won't last long.

[AJW48361]

I think it's Silva and Silva at Fulham.