Being a football manager, especially in the Premier League, is an incredibly demanding job. As the game evolves, the role is becoming more and more of a young man’s game.
Today, we’re going to look at the five youngest managers who are currently signed to a club in the Premier League. We’ll only be looking at permanent managers – interim head coaches will not be considered.
We’ve seem young managers achieve success in the past – legends such as Julian Nagelsmann, Jose Mourinho and Brian Clough all spring to mind. Who are this year’s Premier League upstarts?
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is arguably the best performing manager in the world at the moment. He has assembled a formidable team at Arsenal – after a few false dawns, this season could finally see the Gunners return to the top of the pile.
Arteta is currently 43 years of age. Having spent a couple of years as Pep Guardiola’s assistant, he joined Arsenal in 2019, following the departure of Unai Emery. Initially, fans wondered how long he would last in the role – few believed he would have the longetivity that he has achieved at the Emirates Stadium.
Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola is just three months younger than Arteta, also being 43 years old. Unlike Arteta, however, he had plenty of managerial experience before he joined his current club.
The Bournemouth head coach is one of the most coveted manangers in world football today. He has completely transformed the Cherries, turning them into a high-octane, free-flowing outfit that is capable of ripping defences apart on the counter.
Rob Edwards
The Premier League’s most recently appointed head coach is also its 3rd youngest. At 42 years of age, Rob Edwards is deceptively young – it seems like he has been around for far longer than he actually has.
Edwards controversially made the switch from Middlesbrough to Wolves a few weeks ago, much to the chagrin of the Boro faithful. Before this, he has also managed Forest Green Rovers, Watford and Luton Town, amongst others.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim had an incredibly tough start to life at Manchester United. Being just 40 years of age, he is still a baby in head coach terms. Despite a rocky beginning, his steadfast belief in his system is starting to pay dividends.
He began his managerial career at the age of just 33 when he took over at Casa Pia – before he made the switch to Old Trafford, he also managed Braga and Sporting CP in his native Portugal.
Fabian Hurzeler
Not only is Fabian Hurzeler the youngest manager in the Premier League at the moment, he was also the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history upon his appointment at the American Express Stadium.
Hurzeler, at just 32 years of age, is younger than several of Brighton’s players – including Jason Steele, Danny Welbeck and James Milner. Nevertheless, he commands respect from them – despite the best efforts of the media to brand him as ‘too young’, he never allows his age to get in the way of his career.