UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE 2018/19 MANAGERS DURING THEIR FOOTBALL CAREERS

Little introduction about UEFA Nations League. It is a new national team competition that replaces friendlies with competitive matches, allowing nations to play against equally ranked teams. It includes senior men’s national teams which are members of UEFA. 55 national teams are split in 4 leagues according to their position in the UEFA National Team Coefficient Rankings. (League A to D). Each League is divided on 4 groups with 3 or 4 teams. The group winners in Leagues B, C and D gain promotion and those who finish bottom of the groups in Leagues A, B and C are relegated. The four group winners of League A qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals next June. Here I will represent you managers of all participating teams during their senior football careers. All of them played football at least for some smaller clubs. From 55 national team managers I only miss three of them: Tomaž Kavčić, Bernard Challandes and Igor Angelovski. Picture of Igor Kriushenko is from his student days. It wasn't easy to find all of them but I did my best.

UPDATE 1: I found pictures of Kavčić and Angelovski during their playing days thanks to my Slovenian friend. New coach of Armenia is Armen Gyulbudaghyants.

LEAGUE A

Didier Deschamps (France): Here as part of national team at 1998 World Cup.

Joachim Low (Germany): Here as player of Schaffhausen in a period from 1989 to 1992.

Ronald Koeman (Netherlands): Here as national team player in 1990.

Roberto Martinez (Belgium): Here in Motherwell 2001/02.

Vladimir Petković (Switzerland): During his time at Locarno in 1997/98.

Erik Hamren (Iceland): Here as part of Ljusdal IF junior team in 1972.

Fernando Santos (Portugal): As Estoril player in 1975/76.

Roberto Mancini (Italy): As a national team player at 1990 World Cup.

Jerzy Brzeczek (Poland): Here in Austrian Tirol in 1996/97.

Luis Enrique (Spain): Here as a member of national team in EURO 1996.

Gareth Southgate (England): At World Cup in 2002.

Zlatko Dalić (Croatia): Here in Budućnost Podgorica in 1988/89.

LEAGUE B

Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine): Here as a member of national team in 2006 WC.

Jan Kozak (Slovakia): Here as a national team player of former Czechoslovakia in 1982.

Karel Jarolim (Czech Republic): Here in French Rouen from 1987 to 1990.

Stanislav Cherchesov (Russia): As a Tirol player in 1996/97.

Janne Andersson (Sweden): Here in Alets IK in 1982.

Mircea Lucescu (Turkey): Here as Romanian national team player at 1970 World Cup.

Franco Foda (Austria): As a member of W. Germany at EURO 1988.

Robert Prosinečki (Bosnia and Herzegovina): Sticker from 1990 WC Panini album where he represented former Yugoslavia.

Michael O'Neill (Northern Ireland): Here in Newcastle in 1988/89.

Ryan Giggs (Wales): On this picture you can see him as a part of Wales in 1991, his debut year for national team.

Age Hareide (Denmark): As a Norwich player in 1983/84.

Martin O'Neill (Ireland): Player of a Northern Ireland national team at 1982 WC.

LEAGUE C

Alex McLeish (Scotland): Here representing Scotland at 1982 WC.

Christian Panucci (Albania): Here in Italian jersey in 1994.

Andreas Herzog (Israel): Here in Austria in 1990.

Marco Rossi (Hungary): Member of Brescia in 1992/93.

Michael Skibbe (Greece): In his short career he represented Schalke from 1984 to 1986. He retired because of ligament injuries.

Markku Kanerva (Finland): Here in HJK Helsinki for whom he played in 3 occasions.

Martin Reim (Estonia): Most capped player in Estonian history, 157 matches. Here in 2006.

Lars Lagerback (Norway): On this photo in Sweden club Gimonas CK in 1972.

Petar Hubchev (Bulgaria): He represented his nation in USA on World Cup where Bulgaria reached semi-finals.

Tomaž Kavčić (Slovenia): Here you can see him in ND Gorica in season 1991/92. In that season he was player of Gorica but also an assistant coach.

Ran Ben Shimon (Cyprus). Former Isreal international in jersey of Hapoel Haifa 2000/01.

Mladen Krstajić (Serbia): Here as a player of a former Serbia and Montenegro on 2006 World Cup.

Cosmin Contra (Romania): His sticker from EURO 2000 album.

Ljubiša Tumbaković (Montenegro): Here as a young player of Partizan Belgrade.

Edgaras Jankauskas (Lithuania): As a player of Club Brugge in 1998/99.

LEAGUE D

Vladimir Weiss (Georgia): In the national team of former Czechoslovakia on 1990 WC.

Mixu Paatelainen (Latvia): Member of a Scottish side Dundee United in 1990/91.

Koldo (Andorra): In a B team of Atletico Madrid in 1989/90.

Stanimir Stoilov (Kazakhstan): Stoilov in a jersey of Campomaiorense in 1994/95.

Igor Kriushenko (Belarus): As I couldn't find his photo during playing days here is he as a student in 1981.

Luc Holtz (Luxembourg): As a national team player in 2001.

Alexandru Spiridon (Moldova): Here in Zimbru in 1995.

Franco Varrella (San Marino): He played for Juventus youth squads but didn't made a bigger career. Here in Urbino in 1974/75.

Lars Olsen (Faroe Islands): He was part of Denmark winning squad on EURO 1992.

Gurban Gurbanov (Azerbaijan): He played 68 matches for national team. Here in 2004.

Bernard Challandes (Kosovo): He played only for small clubs in Switzerland so I couldn't find any photo. Here you can see him as La Chaux De Fonds coach in 1986/87.