Yeah. I’m sure there are some x players that are studious, and are also highly successful managers but I would back even Mick Copper to know more about football than say Michael Owen
Players know much more than fans about what it’s actually like to play the game at a pro level but that definitely doesn’t translate to a wider understanding of tactics etc.
Like you say - listen to Owen, Ferdinand, Sherwood etc. It’s just cliche City. There’s no insight there at all, they aren’t footie brainiacs because they were players.