The first five months of the 2023-24 season have gone by at a frenetic pace, with supporters across the continent treated to shocks and thrills aplenty. Intriguing new storylines have been written, and not just at the biggest clubs in Europe, as more than a few dark horses have emerged to challenge for major silverware.
Most of the credit goes to the players who have lit up the domestic and continental stage, but it takes a great coach to maximise the output of a talented squad. Some have had a transformative effect on their team, while others are exceeding expectations on shoestring budgets and pushing boundaries with their tactical blueprints, with a place in history up for grabs for those who can keep up the pace all the way through to May.
The question is: which managers deserve to be singled out as the best in the business? GOAL is on hand to run down the very best jobs of the campaign so far, starting with perhaps the most celebrated football brain of the modern era...