How does Clough compare as Guardiola vs Fergie debate rages?

Brian Clough Pep Guardiola Sir Alex Ferguson

As the Pep Guardiola versus Sir Alex Ferguson debate rages on, Peter Shilton has told GOAL how legendary Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough compares to iconic managers of the modern era. One of the most charismatic coaches to ever grace a dugout would have relished the opportunity to lock tactical horns with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.

Shankly, Busby, Guardiola & Ferguson: All-time managerial greats

Glittering rolls of honour have been assembled by iconic figures from Spain, Scotland, Portugal and Italy. Their respective CVs include domestic title wins in the Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and La Liga, alongside an enviable collection of Champions League triumphs.

GOAT discussions continue to rumble on, with Catalan hero Guardiola deciding to walk away from Manchester City after a decade of loyal service at the Etihad Stadium that delivered 20 trophy wins.

He is, rather inevitably, being pitted against ex-United manager Ferguson - who collected 13 Premier League crowns and a couple of Champions League wins across his memorable reign at Old Trafford. Geographical rivalry is being added to the mix there.

It is, however, important to note that some of the very best to ever do it were making headlines long before the English top-flight was rebranded in 1992. From Herbert Chapman to Bill Shankly via Matt Busby and Bob Paisley, it is almost impossible to make cross-generational assessments.

Brian Clough Peter Taylor Nottingham Forest

Would Clough have held his own against Mourinho and Co?

There is, however, no question that Clough - who led Forest to the First Division title and two European Cups - forms part of the coaching elite. Quizzed on how he would fare against the likes of Guardiola and Mourinho, Reds legend Shilton - speaking in association with Lynx Fine Fragrance and their ‘The Official Makeup’ campaign - told GOAL: “All different for their own reasons. Cloughie was in a different era. He was such a special character.

“People talk about Cloughie, but I still put Peter Taylor with him because Peter brought the other side. Cloughie, he was just a special person who had that bit of aura and respect. I think all the managers mentioned have been great in different clubs, so it's very difficult to say, ‘oh, he was the best’. He was certainly up there in that top list.”

Can scouts still spot talent by eye in an era of technological advances?

Pressed further on the value of Taylor to Clough’s cause - as a long-standing ally of Old Big ‘Ead - and whether the art of spotting talent by eye has been lost in an era of mass statistical and video analysis, Shilton added: “No, I don't think so. I think clubs like Brighton, Bournemouth have got great recruitment. They rely on picking players from smaller divisions and bringing them into the team, letting them have a great season, and then selling them on for four times as much. It is about judgment of players.

“I always remember with Peter Taylor, he said to me, I was 15, I was in the youth team, Saturday mornings, only for three months before I got in the reserves. He said that ‘when you played in the youth team, I was always there on the Saturday morning with my cap on’. He said, ‘you didn't know I was there, but I was always there watching you’. He says, ‘I was always going to make sure that you played for one of my clubs’. I thought that was terrific. He was a good judge in so many areas.”

Some of the finest managers in the game are currently in North America for the 2026 World Cup. They are hoping to make headlines for all of the right reasons as paths are trodden towards the most prestigious prize in global football.

Peter Shilton Lynx The Official Makeup

2026 World Cup: Coaches hoping to avoid drama in North America

Shilton, the man on the wrong end of the most disputed moment in football history, has finally drawn a line under it all. In an extraordinary act of reconciliation powered by Lynx Fine Fragrance, Shilton shook hands with a mascot embodying the infamous moment from the 1986 FIFA World Cup. The moment, dubbed ‘The Official Makeup’, marks the first time Shilton has publicly let bygones be bygones over football’s longest standing controversy.

The Official Makeup took place on the football field of Chelmsford FC, close to Peter’s hometown, and men’s fragrance brand Lynx flew in their Argentinian mascot, who features in the brand’s sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026, all the way to Chelmsford for the historic makeup. Full time: Shilton x Lynx 1, Grudges 0.