Time to pack your bags – British Managers Abroad

Why is it so unusual for a British manager to manage abroad? The majority from our shores seem no less thoughtful, educated, tactically inept or open minded as the vast number of foreign managers that come to our league.  Some write articles for the Telegraph, some work as pundits for the BBC, most will indulge themselves with the odd glass (or bottle) of Bordeaux after a game – how incredibly cultured they sound.

Take Moyes, Allardyce, Hughes or Bruce – four of the best British managers working in the Premier League.  All are credited with having excellent tactical nous, training methods, man management skills and the ability to make the most of what limited resources they have to play with.  But they all also complain about how many miles behind their clubs are from the top-4, and how they won’t ever get offered the top jobs because their names aren’t Sam Allardici, or what have you.  What they should really be asking themselves is how they think they’ll ever get one of these top jobs when what they’ve won in the top flight is… a single League Cup between them.

Clearly it’s a vicious circle for these honest, hard-working managers, as SKY and the Champions League had, up until last season, created a horrible top-4 monopoly which squeezed the life out of competition in our top flight.  But, when a vacancy arises at Old Trafford when Fergie finally calls it a day, the Glazers won’t be looking at Steve Bruce to replace him. Or Big Sam. Or Mark Hughes. They’ll be looking at Jose Mourinho or Guss Hiddink – men who have simply, won LOTS of trophies for different clubs, in different countries.  They won’t be on the shortlist because they’re foreign, they’ll be on the shortlist because they’ve got proven track records of winning things.

So, as an example, why doesn’t David Moyes, a manager for 12 years who hasn’t won ANYTHING in this time, try his luck abroad? Sure, he won’t get a job at Barca or Milan, but he could conceivably take over the helm at PSV or Ajax, win the Dutch League and get the Champions League football he’s always craved.  In fact, that story sounds familiar for our very own Wally with the Brolly, Steve McClaren, has already done it. Actually, he’s done one better. He’s won the Dutch League and now taken a top job in the Bundesliga, at Wolfsburg.  He’s competing in the Champions League and has a realistic chance of winning another league title.

In a few years time, what will Moyes, Bruce and Allardyce be doing? My guess is they’ll still be fighting for another top-half finish, losing in the semi finals of the Carling Cup, and complaining to their respective boards about a lack of funds.  In contrast, what will our Wally with a funny Dutch accent be doing? After winning a Dutch title, a German title and with a solid reputation around Europe thanks to a few consecutive years of Champions League football, my bet is he’ll have a place on the Old Trafford shortlist when Fergie retires.