England is enjoying a golden era of emerging young managers, who are equally pumped up to rival the few grizzled old faces who have been around for a while.
Coaching in England has hugely improved over the years, with a plethora of exciting managers both young and old coming into the country to make a name for themselves.
With young English managers ready and consistently honing their managerial skills to compete with others, who are those young tacticians worthy to be on this list?
- 1. Steven Gerard – (Al-Ettifaq)
- 2. Kieran McKenna – (Ipswich Town)
- 3. Scott Parker – (Burnley)
- 4. Will Still – (RC Lens)
- 5. Gary O’Neil – (Wolves)
- 6. Michael Carrick – (Middlesbrough)
- 7. Rob Edwards – (Luton Town)
- 8. John Eustace – (Blackburn Rovers)
- 9. John Mousinho – (Portsmouth)
- 10. Luke Williams – (Swansea City)
1. Steven Gerard – (Al-Ettifaq)
Gerard was once touted as the potential successor to Klopp at Liverpool, but he is now in charge of a struggling Al-Ettifaq after a torrid spell at Aston Villa.
His first major managerial success came at Glasgow Rangers, winning the Scottish League without losing a single league match despite not been an experienced tactician before then.
He encountered difficulties at Aston Villa during his spell with the Midland outfit, but immediately got a bail-out from Saudi Arabia where he is currently in charge of Al-Ettifaq.
2. Kieran McKenna – (Ipswich Town)
McKenna leapt full-time management as a head coach at Ipswich Town in 2021, having honed his managerial craft at Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United U-21 teams.
He secured promotion to the Championship from League One in an emphatic fashion in his first full season with the ‘Tractor Boys’, playing swashbuckling football rarely seen in the lower tiers.
The London-born manager was so good that Chelsea and Manchester United showed interest in bringing him on board having secured Premier League promotion for his plucky team.
3. Scott Parker – (Burnley)
Parker’s achievements at Fulham and Bournemouth instantly put him up there as one of the fasting rising English managers who are constantly proving themselves at the biggest of stages.
It’s very hard to decipher if Parker is a good manager, but his time at the Craven Cottage and Bournemouth portrayed him as one who understood the rudiments of the game but only lacked the financial support.
Now in charge of Burnley in the Championship and could be leading them to the English Premier League next season, if he makes it through to the play-off or wins the league.
4. Will Still – (RC Lens)
Still’s trajectory to the pinnacle of his managerial career has been nothing but commendable, from working as a video analyst to managing in Ligue 1 with RC Lens.
He started honing his managerial career with Preston North End as an assistant coach of the U-14 team, and also as a video analyst at Sint-Truiden under the tutelage of Yannick Ferrera.
At the age of 24, he was appointed the caretaker manager of Lierse following the sacking of the head coach, despite not possessing the required UEFA A licence to manage in Belgium.
5. Gary O’Neil – (Wolves)
O’Neil is already turning heads in the top-tier of English football with his deftness and tactical innovation, despite just two years into his managerial career.
He didn’t cover himself in glory with his first major job with the Cherries in the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, failing to impress with his performance in the charge of the team before he was sacked.
The Beckenham-born made a swift return to the touch-line with Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he is currently going through another torrid time with the team.
6. Michael Carrick – (Middlesbrough)
Carrick started honing his coaching craft after retirement having been handed a position on Mourinho’s coaching staff, before being appointed as an interim boss following the departure of Solskjaer in 2021.
He surprisingly improved the team under his watch despite overseeing just two games against Villarreal in the Champions League and Arsenal in the league.
The 43-year-old was appointed Middlesbrough manager in 2022 having left Manchester United with immediate effect and has since been improving his craft in the second tier of English football.
7. Rob Edwards – (Luton Town)
Edwards’ rise saw him go from Forest Green in League Two to the top-tier of English football with Luton Town, but couldn’t survive the rigour and competitiveness of the Premier League.
In charge of the Hatters, it only took him seven months to turn the team into a monstrous side, masterminding the club’s promotion from non-league to the top-flight.
He is currently going through a torrid time in the dugout with Luton Town, with their form not looking good compared to what the fans experienced when they got promoted to the Premier League.
8. John Eustace – (Blackburn Rovers)
Eustace moved into management immediately after his retirement, managing National League side Kidderminster Harriers dubbed the Barcelona of non-league in England.
After leaving Harriers he teamed up with Queens Park Rangers as an assistant manager and later as a caretaker coach in 2019, helping the club to avoid relegation from the Championship.
Birmingham City came as a new managerial test for him in 2022 after succeeding the departed manager, before signing a two-and-a-half-year deal with Blackburn to replace Jon Dahl Tomasson.
9. John Mousinho – (Portsmouth)
Mousinho took his first steps into management in 2023, after being appointed coach of Portsmouth following the departure of their former manager.
In his first full season in charge of the Fratton Park outfit, he guided the team to a successful promotion to the Championship with his innovative tactical approach focusing on defensive solidity and quick transitions.
Since taking over the reign at Fratton Park his leadership style and deep understanding of the game in the dugout has sparked interest from middle-class clubs in the Premier League.
10. Luke Williams – (Swansea City)
Williams’ rise to football management started from Swindon Town to Notts County a team he guided into the football league despite facing a lot of obstacles.
Swansea City’s hierarchy’s decision to appoint him as the coach of the team was drawn from his consistency and the knowledge of the game he oozes with the previous clubs he’d managed.
With his reign in the championship, it is a matter of time before top clubs begin to approach him, having impressed with other clubs he worked with before leaving.
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