A German England manager. That’s right: a German England manager. Despite being far from the nation’s first foray into the foreign managerial market, the appointment of Thomas Tuchel certainly raised eyebrows. As far as most sensible English people are concerned, his nationality matters not if he delivers a trophy. If he wins the World Cup he can have a knighthood, become Prime Minister and be inducted into the royal family (they too are German after all).
But it does beg the question:
Where are all the English managers?
The inaugural Premier League season in 1992/93 saw 16 English managers across the top flight with the number peaking at 22 in the two succeeding seasons. This year has seen an all-time low at five.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s not unfair to say that the issue lies in accessibility. As of 2017 the UK boasted just 1,796 coaches with either a UEFA A or Pro licence. The cost of the Pro License was £9,890. Spain, comparatively, had 15,089 equally qualified coaches, with the Pro Licence setting you back just £1,070.
So it comes as no surprise that an increasing number of aspiring coaches in this country are taking the road less travelled to earn their stripes.
One such case is 21-year-old Alfie Sanger.
Currently part of the coaching setup at Wealdstone’s academy, he is at the University Campus of Football Business at the Wembley campus. Here, he is studying a BA in Football Coaching and Management.
“I was originally set to study Sports Journalism. About a year before I left for university I began coaching with my local under 18’s team. Not only did I enjoy it, but I felt I was quite good at it. When I found the course I thought this was something I’d rather pursue and I went for it.
“I’ve been loving it. The lecturers are brilliant and have their own areas of expertise. I can draw different things from all of them. I was able to quickly gain experience with younger age groups. With them we were facing other academies which was a fantastic experience for my development.”
Priding itself as being the first institution in the world to focus solely on degrees in the football and sports industry, the offering of a coaching degree is a fairly new concept. Opening the doors to the Wembley campus in 2014, the institution now boasts three separate campuses across the UK and the USA.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe early 2000’s saw Universities such as UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) and Southampton Solent begin to adopt football-specific coaching courses at degree level. What sets UCFB apart is their focus on the football industry. Lecturers and course leads such as Darren Smith are UEFA certified – with Smith himself having 24 years of coaching experience, including 11 years spent at the famous Nike academy.
Another draw to this pathway is due to the FA having their shortcomings in this field. Prices for badges are increasing and with places as competitive as ever, aspiring coaches are routinely turning elsewhere for their education.
“In my opinion the FA have been pretty poor.
“I think badges and FA affiliation will always be the gold standard. That will never be taken from them. But they have a challenge to support young coaches. How well are they doing that? Compared to other FA’s: not very well.
“The badges are becoming more expensive with fewer days on the course. People are becoming frustrated with the FA.”
Coaches with limited or no experience of a professional playing career are becoming more commonplace too. Thomas Tuchel and Fabian Hurzeler are two modern examples in the English game of playing careers cut short translating into elite-level coaching careers. Amateur players such as Andre Villas-Boas and Maurizio Sarri have had respectively fortuitous and painstaking routes to the top. So logically, a professional career dedicated purely to coaching from the age of 18 should bear the fruit of exemplary coaches.
“The way I see it is by the age of 38 when a pro retires: I’ll have been coaching for 20 years. My pathway has its challenges and its massive benefits. The perceptions of having a degree in coaching are massively on the rise. Five years ago it would not have even been thought of but now it’s becoming a big thing really quickly.
“It makes sense because you’re on an intensive course for three years. That I think holds a lot of value and that value is increasing. Ultimately I’m not an ex-pro, but I have access to this information which they won’t go through in the same way.
“They have an ex-player course in which they get fast tracked onto their UEFA B and A licences. A lot of them get jobs I think because their name carries weight but I would question how many of them are truly good coaches. In the long run we could even be better off from getting these contact hours in early.”
And this appears not to be a gimmick degree. There is upward momentum for these coaches. It shows these coaches the diversity of roles available to them with such a qualification – even if Premier League management isn’t their ambition.
“Ultimately opportunities are few and far between. It’s a very competitive industry but the route I’m taking is the best possible way I can further myself. I’ve looked at opportunities abroad and in the summer just gone I coached in New York.
“It was great for developing my character. The workload is incredibly high and the culture is different. If it was the right offer for me it’s another way that I could further my development and experiences.
“The course has shown me the diversity of roles available to young coaches.”
Only time will tell if this route into coaching will produce personnel at the highest level of the game – and indeed what it could mean for English football. But regardless to what level or nation they’re in, more highly qualified English coaches can only be good for the nation’s favourite sport.
