Joe Kinnear

Introduction

Joe Kinnear is a former football player and manager from England. Born in 1946, Kinnear had a successful playing career in the 1960s and 1970s before moving into coaching and management. He is perhaps best known for his time as manager of Wimbledon FC, where he led them to one FA Cup victory and multiple promotions.

Career as a Manager

After retiring from playing, Kinnear began his coaching career at non-league level before moving to manage various clubs in the lower leagues of English football. His greatest success came at Wimbledon, where he built a team based on physicality and direct play, earning them the nickname "the Crazy Gang". Kinnear's most memorable moment as manager was undoubtedly the 1988 FA Cup final, where Wimbledon defeated Liverpool 1-0 to lift the trophy.

Despite his achievements, Kinnear also had his fair share of controversial moments during his managerial career, including run-ins with players, fans and the media. He retired from football in 2008 but briefly returned to management at Newcastle United in 2008 and 2013, where he gained attention for some colorful press conferences.