Top 10 Dutch Managers in Premier League History

From Total Football to a host of legendary players, the Dutch have long held a place in the heart of football. However, Dutch managers have had a surprisingly mixed record regarding the Premier League.

Only ten Dutchmen have managed in England’s top flight-a low figure when one considers the country’s footballing pedigree.

Some made a lasting impact, while others. well, let’s just say they’d probably rather forget their time in England.

Here, we rank the top ten Dutch managers in Premier League history, based on points per game, trophy success, and their overall impact on the clubs they served.

1. Guus Hiddink (Chelsea)

• Impact: Immediate
• Points Per Game: High
• Trophies: 1 (FA Cup)

One of the interesting legacies for Chelsea is that of Guus Hiddink, who never actually had the position permanently. Instead, he took up the caretaker manager role-twice-coming in to steady the ship when the team was in disarray.

The first instance was in 2009 and could be argued to be his most impressive stint. Chelsea had hit a rough patch under Luiz Felipe Scolari, but he came in and turned things around in rapid fashion.

This was the team that lost only one of its last 22 games and went on to even win the FA Cup, but his calm, measured approach brought out the best in a talented squad, so much so that Roman Abramovich wanted him to stay.

Unfortunately, he refused and contracted as the Russia national team manager. He returned to Chelsea again in 2015 following the sacking of Jose Mourinho and was unable to replicate the success of his first period.

However, his first period alone confirms his standing as one of the most successful Dutch managers to have been involved in the Premier League.

2. Erik ten Hag (Manchester United)

• Impact: Bright beginning, without further success
• Points Per Game: Mediocre
• Trophies: FA Cup and Carabao Cup

His arrival at Manchester United in 2022 brought new hope. Fans had been yearning for a return to the days of dominant football, and Ten Hag’s reputation as a tactician with Ajax made him a perfect candidate.

During his first season, he led United to the Carabao Cup and an FA Cup final to secure a much-needed trophy for the club in the 2023/24 season. Initial success hinted at the return to form of the Red Devils.

By the beginning of the 2024/25 season, however, it had seesawed downwards.

United couldn’t find any rhythm, and the fans started getting impatient with the on-field performances. Eventually, despite the early impact and those signs of success, ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford was brought to an end in October 2024.

3. Louis van Gaal (Manchester United)

• Impact: Stabilising influence
• Points Per Game: Fair
• Trophies: 1 (FA Cup)

Van Gaal was a tactical genius, and he arrived at Manchester United in 2014 with his style. Coming after the brief discouraging regime of David Moyes, he seemed reassuringly sound.

By reputation, an eccentric personality, and outspoken press conferences certainly provided entertainment for the media. However, on the pitch, his style was far more pragmatic, emphasizing control and discipline at the expense of flair.

During his United time, he still was able to grab an FA Cup in 2016-a big honor it was-just before his surprising sacking.

Not an exciting time for the fans of attacking football, but all in all, he provided stability and success during a challenging period.

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4. Martin Jol (Tottenham & Fulham)

• Impact: Consistent, but no major trophies
• Points Per Game: Good
• Trophies: Nil

Martin Jol might have not won any trophies but had a good time at Tottenham nonetheless. The consistent underperforming side that Tottenham was when Martin Jol joined them in 2004, he managed to guide successive fifth-placed finishes over three seasons and was close to landing Champions League football in 2006 but was denied by the infamous “Lasagne-gate.”

It was not quite that good at Fulham, but still respectfully helped the club reach stability in the mid-table.

Though his career in England wasn’t filled with trophies, Jol’s consistent results and positive impact at Tottenham leave a lasting legacy.

5. Ronald Koeman (Southampton & Everton)

• Impact: Mixed
• Points Per Game: Strong at Southampton, struggling at Everton
• Trophies: Nil

Koeman’s spell in the Premier League was pretty mixed. The initial success he brought to Southampton was laudable, especially since many would have thought he had a hard act to follow from Mauricio Pochettino.

He then oversaw back-to-back impressive finishes at Southampton, which earned him the reputation of getting the best out of his teams.

This success took him to Everton, where things went downhill.

Everton was undergoing an ambitious rebuild under new ownership; however, he struggled to rise up to expectations.

Despite a bright start, his tenure fizzled out, and he was eventually sacked. His success at Southampton was strong enough to earn a place on this list.

6. Arne Slot (Liverpool)

• Impact: Promising(New)
• Points Per Game: Strong start
• Trophies: None (yet)

He is the latest Dutch manager to arrive in the Premier League, signing with Liverpool in 2024 after a successful spell at Feyenoord.

Succeeding Jürgen Klopp is never going to be easy, but his tactical style and his refreshing approach have already brought renewed optimism to Anfield. Under his guidance, Liverpool started the season very strong, losing just one of their first 13 games.

Now, with his performances during the initial phases of his work in the team, it is fair to say that Liverpool has a game plan and a project for the future.

Much too early to comment about his tenure, but an excellent start, and supporters are itching that he will eventually win some trophies in the coming years.

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7. Dick Advocaat (Sunderland)

• Impact: Significant, but short-lived
• Points Per Game: Low
• Trophies: Nil

Dick Advocaat signed with Sunderland in 2015 when they were desperately fighting to avoid relegation, and he managed to keep them up.

He was able to bring a certain amount of stability to a struggling side immediately. The experience of Advocaat helped Sunderland get a foothold, and his emotional response after securing survival has seen him become a fans’ favorite.

Unfortunately, this did not last very long. From October of 2015, Sunderland found themselves once more in another rut, for which Advocaat resigned. Such a short yet sweet tenure speaks volumes to his ability to galvanize a team, even if only for a short time.

8. Ruud Gullit (Chelsea & Newcastle United)

• Impact: Nil due to controversy
• Points Per Game: Unspectacular
• Trophies: Nil

Gullit will always be a footballing legend, yet his managerial spell in the Premier League was sadly lacking. First arriving on the shores as Chelsea player-manager, his influence on the pitch was far greater than from the dugout.

While Gullit did bring the iconic Gianfranco Zola to Chelsea, his spell there was short and mainly uneventful.

After Chelsea, he moved to Newcastle United where his spell is probably most remembered by his disagreement with the star striker Alan Shearer.

He decided to bench him in a very important derby against Sunderland; the gamble did not pay off, and soon he was replaced.

An influential player he might have been, but as a manager in England, he never really reached those heights.

9. Rene Meulensteen (Fulham)

• Impact: Minimal
• Points Per Game: Low
• Trophies: Nil

Rene Meulensteen had many years as an admired assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, known for his tactical insight and coaching abilities.

When he took over the head coach role at Fulham in 2013, the expectations were rather high. However, his tenure was quite short and fraught with problems.

With him at the helm, Fulham struggled, and he could not lift them from the relegation zone.

His time at the club lasted just a few months, but his time as an assistant at Manchester United is still very well-regarded, even if his managerial career never reached the same heights.

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10. Frank de Boer (Crystal Palace)

• Impact: Minimal
• Points Per Game: Very low
• Trophies: Nil

If there’s any manager who might want to erase his Premier League record, it’s Frank de Boer.

His tenure at Crystal Palace was nothing short of disastrous as it lasted only four games. Hired to bring an attractive style of play to Selhurst Park, de Boer’s system simply didn’t work with the squad at his disposal.

Palace failed to score a single goal under his leadership, leading to his dismissal.

Having once been successful with Ajax, de Boer’s spell in the Premier League was a harsh reminder of just how quickly things can go wrong in management.

The brief time he spent at Crystal Palace remains among the shortest and least successful managerial tenures in Premier League history.