One boss has SEVEN promotions on his CV while another brings five-a-side flair
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By LEWIS STEELE
Published: 12:00 EST, 16 December 2024 | Updated: 12:00 EST, 16 December 2024
It has crept up on us quite quickly this year. No, not Christmas – but Sacking Season in English football.
Early-season optimism has dwindled for many clubs up and down the land, prompting trigger-happy owners to get agitated and make changes in the managerial department.
On Sunday, four bosses in England’s top four leagues got the chop – and all happened to be homegrown coaches: Gary O’Neil (Wolves), Russell Martin (Southampton), Des Buckingham (Oxford) and Matt Taylor (Bristol Rovers).
There are now just two English bosses in the Premier League, compared to 16 Italians in Serie A, 15 Spaniards in La Liga, 10 Frenchmen in Ligue and the nine Germans in the Bundesliga. These statistics are worrying, coupled with the FA highlighting a lack of trust in English bosses when hiring Gareth Southgate’s successor. Thomas Tuchel, of Germany, took that post.
But peep beyond the parapet and there are plenty of highly rated, young and homegrown coaches in the English Football League – and abroad – earning their corn.
Here, Mail Sport runs the rule of the 10 best English coaches ready to step up to your club’s next vacancy…
With Russell Martin one of four English managers sacked on Sunday, Mail Sport takes a look at 10 homegrown talents your club could bring in soon
Matt Bloomfield (Wycombe)
Considering the big-money giants in League One, including Birmingham – who spent a mega £15million on one player alone this summer – Wycombe Wanderers should be nowhere near the automatic promotion places.
But they are, thanks to this club legend. He played 558 times for them as a one-club man and is now leading their charge as boss. The 40-year-old has the Chairboys top of the third tier after following in long-serving Gareth Ainsworth’s footsteps. They’re on a 17-match unbeaten run.
Speaking to Mail Sport earlier this year, Bloomfield was asked for his high and low as a player and replied: ‘Easy, mate, both captaining us out at Wembley – one we won, one we lost.’ One suspects leading Wycombe to the Championship as manager may trump any memory..
Possible landing place: Sky's the limit for 40-year-old but will need a big offer to tempt him away from Wycombe’s promotion push.
Wycome Wanderers legend Matt Bloomfield has them top of League One among big spenders
Liam Rosenior (Strasbourg)
The best way to prove the talents of Rosenior is to look at the Championship table and find his former club, Hull City, sitting in a worrying spot of 24th. Sacking Rosenior looked strange at the time and now looks like a catastrophic move from Tigers owner Acun Ilicali.
But Rosenior has landed on his feet in the French top flight with Strasbourg, who share owners with Chelsea, BlueCo. He earned his corn on the coaching teams at Brighton and Derby and, still only 40, the former full back is on course for a decent managerial career.
He plays attractive football and reckons he has learnt more in a few months out of his comfort zone in France than he would in five years in England. Rosenior loves developing young talents and idolises Arsene Wenger as a manager to look up to.
Possible landing place: Would be a surprise if he’s not in the Premier League in the coming years.
Liam Rosenior is doing a decent job at Strasbourg and Hull are suffering after sacking him
Michael Skubala (Lincoln)
Mail Sport spent a day last season sitting in Skubala’s office and the drive home down the windy roads out of Lincoln was spent pondering how far this man could go. He just missed out on his play-off aim last term but just to be in the conversation was an achievement.
The 42-year-old has walked a not-so-trodden path to the job, having started his coaching badges at 17, studying sports science at university and working as a teacher before heading up England’s futsal programme, essentially five-a-side at a professional level.
He is part of a growing number of bosses who did not have a notable playing career and Skubala describes management as ‘like being in a pressure cooker’. He is dealing with the heat, though, and surely has a fine career ahead of him.
Possible landing place: Championship – then maybe higher!
Michael Skubala has taken an unconventional path to League One management - via futsal
Michael Carrick (Middlesbrough)
Manchester United legend Carrick is not a new manager any more – but take nothing away from his achievements at Middlesbrough. They finished fourth in 2022-23 but had a slight slump to miss out on the top six last year the spine of their squad was cherry-picked.
Now, Carrick and Boro are in a promotion push again with the 43-year-old’s side scoring 35 goals – more than all but Leeds in the division – and are well on for a play-off tilt. Carrick is destined for the Premier League soon, be it at Boro or elsewhere.
Possible landing place: Lower-half Premier League.
Michael Carrick has Middlesbrough in the promotion push again after two strong seasons
John Eustace (Blackburn)
In October 2023, Eustace had Birmingham City in sixth place in the Championship. He was sacked. Wayne Rooney took over and the rest, as they say, is history. Blues are now in League One and Eustace, reputation increased when out of work, returned to the game with Blackburn.
Rovers are on a six-match winning streak and have kept five clean sheets in a row, five points off the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand. Eustace, 45, is another that looks set for the top level. Watching, Wolves or Southampton?
Possible landing place: Lower-half Premier League.
John Eustace looks set for the top level after punching high with Birmingham and Blackburn
Lee Bell (Crewe Alexandra)
Perhaps similar to aforementioned Bloomfield for his loyalties to the club of his heart, Bell had two stints at local team Crewe Alexandra and is now manager. Just this week, it is believed he was approached by League One side Burton, also a former club – but turned them down.
That is because he believes, with the second bite of the cherry, Bell can lead the Alex to the third tier himself. In terms of budget and the squad available, getting them to the play-off final last season was a remarkable achievement. They are hoping to go one better now and are third.
‘This club has given me the life I have got today,’ Bell, who wants his teams to play like Jurgen Klopp’s, told Mail Sport in May. ‘My son is here. If I was to get sacked tomorrow, I would not want my son to be anywhere else but here. It means an awful lot to me, this club.’
Possible landing place: Turned down bigger money at Burton so it will take a lot to tempt him away from the Railwaymen but he is a classy coach and man.
Lee Bell is fiercely loyal to Crewe Alexandra and it would take a lot to tempt him away
Mat Sadler (Walsall)
Sadler's Saddlers are flying in League Two and playing a nice brand of football to boot. At just 39, the Birmingham City academy graduate is bringing the good times back to nearby club Walsall. He has had admirers in higher divisions all season.
Possible landing place: Millwall have weighed him up for their vacancy. Championship would be a big leap but plenty have made it successfully in recent years.
Mat Sadler has Walsall playing a nice brand of football and has admirers in higher divisions
Dave Challinor (Stockport)
Mr Promotion. In 14 seasons as a boss, Challinor has overseen seven promotions – that’s one with Colwyn Bay, three with AFC Fylde, one at Hartlepool and now two at Stockport County, who he has led from non-league to League One.
At 49, he is the oldest boss on this list but Challinor, who once held the world record for the longest throw-in in football, is a class act and could well move up the divisions again soon. Not to worry, County fans, that might just happen at Edgeley Park, with Stockport fifth.
In an interview last season, Challinor told Mail Sport his biggest mantra was around professionalism. ‘My mindset is that in the top flight or part-time leagues, it is about working as professionally as possible,’ he said. ‘Minimise excuses and make people accountable.
Possible landing place: Championship clubs will be taking note of his CV.
Championship clubs will be taking note of Dave Challinor due to his seven promotions - but he could get Stockport to that level this season
John Mousinho (Portsmouth)
The 38-year-old had one of the toughest evenings of his career on Friday when his side were thrashed 4-0 by fellow promoted side Derby – but the fact Portsmouth are in the Championship is enough reason for Mousinho to make this list.
Plenty had tried and failed to return Pompey to the second tier over the last decade or so – many with decades of experience on him. Former Burton and Oxford midfielder Mousinho is a workaholic who takes his laptop to bed… and as the chant goes, ‘who needs Jose Mourinho?’
Possible landing place: Even if Pompey are relegated Mousinho is good enough at this level.
John Mousinho returned Portsmouth to the Championship when many others failed before him
Adam Hinshelwood (York City)
The wildcard on the list from a family stooped in football. Adam is managing York City, son Jack plays for Brighton, grandfather Wally starred in the top flight in the 1950s, father Paul featured nearly 300 times for Crystal Palace and uncle Martin was also there, now a scout.
Hinshelwood’s Minstermen are second in the National League and could make a famous return to the EFL. Several managers have taken the leap from that level in the last year – think Stuart Maynard from Wealdstone to Notts County or Mike Williamson from Gateshead to MK Dons.
Possible landing place: Surely a League Two club will take a punt if Hinshelwood is not promoted with York.
You can see a League Two club taking a punt on Adam Hinshelwood if York don't get promoted
PS…
O’Neil and Martin still have a lot to give despite their recent sackings, as does Buckingham after leaving Oxford. And one that might be on your club’s list in the coming months is 40-year-old Nick Cushing, who recently left New York City FC in Major League Soccer.
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