The Broken System That's Failing Homegrown Coaches

The Broken System That's Failing Homegrown Coaches

On 16th October 2024, Thomas Tuchel was announced as the next England manager tasked with guiding the national team to some long awaited glory.

This came after Gareth Southgate stepped down in wake of an eight year stint, one which ended with Euro 2024 heartbreak at the hands of an exceptional De La Fuente-led Spain side in the final of Euro 2024.

Now given the title of this article, and what I've already mentioned, you may be thinking your about to witness a prejudiced tirade of the like you'd expect to see from a bald, 40-year-old reformer (no offence intended I promise), about how we can't be having a foreigner run our national team...

That won't be the case don't worry, you're safe to read on.

But it must be said that it did raise one particular issue: Where were the English candidates? Why didn't we have someone deemed worthy to take on the challenge?

And most importantly, why didn't the FA trust one of the coaches they have spent years nurturing to do the job?

However, the Tuchel appointment just highlighted the problem. In fact, this has been a rife issue in English football for decades. The system is flawed, the FA don't do enough, and coaches are placed in environments which prevent them from thriving rather than encouraging said growth.

But exactly why doesn't England produce top managers?

England's Domestic Lack of English

No English manager has ever won England's domestic top division. Let that sink in.

If that was any other country there would be turmoil, but instead the media has done what it always does and swept it under the carpet to make things look all rosy.

In fact, we'll go one step further. Before my beloved Eddie Howe won Newcastle United the most prestigious trophy in the entire world in the Carabao Cup last year, and no I will not shut up about it (sorry, not sorry), Harry Redknapp was the last English manager to win any sort of trophy.

The Jungle Final is about to start on ITV

Harry Redknapp about to win his first major trophy since the 2008 FA Cup final. pic.twitter.com/TKrSxEl4yy

— Shite Sports News (@ShiteSportsNews) December 9, 2018

That was 2008.

That is a drought longer than half of my lifespan of no English manager winning a trophy – when you put it like that, the national team's struggle to win one makes a lot more sense, doesn't it?

Just to give you a snapshot of how bad this is, let's take a look at last seasons statistics.

Last year the Premier League had the lowest percentage of domestic managers of any country in the top 5... wait no, it's worse than that... in the top 10 leagues, with just 10%.

Compared to others, England's top division was comfortably bottom; in fact, it was so comfy that it may as well have put its slippers on and had a nice cup of tea. It was 40% behind the Bundesliga and an even more shocking 80% behind Liga Portugal, which sat in top spot at the time.

Now, yes, the caveat to this is that the Premier League is considered the best league in the world (by most), and therefore the diversity in managers is always going to be more - but it isn't just last, it's so far last it would fit right in on a Sidemen GTA video.

Lack of Coaches or Lack of Support?

Now, those statistics would suggest that it could be a lack of coaches which is the issue, but let's flip that real quick.

What if it is the system? What if the support for those coaches to reach the top level is actually informing the lack of success?

Well the numbers may back that up. According to a survey done by UK Coaching, there are currently over three million active coaches in the nation, from the professional game all the way to grassroots level... and your telling me not a single one has the potential to be a top manager? Someone is lying, I'm sure of it.

Same thing every year 😩

They wonder why there’s a lack of high quality English managers. Maybe it’s because you don’t give coaches working up the ranks these opportunities.

For context I’m 27 but I’ve been coaching for over 13 years and senior football for 6 years with… pic.twitter.com/Ppo34vY1jG

— Jack Edwards Coaching (@jackecoaching) October 17, 2024

There are things being put in place to try and aid coach development - the introduction to coaching course is the equivalent of Level 1 now and can be easily completed online, and there are also six-week workshops being introduced to try and help coaches hone their skills.

But these bring issues of quality control and not having a system for making sure coaches are actually capable at such an early stage, introducing issues with saturation and potentially preventing top coaches from reaching their potential.

And even with those things beginning to be put in place, there are questions around whether this is just papering over the cracks at the lowest level, to prevent scrutiny on the higher echelons of the structure.

I say that because the access to the courses is very limited and comes with a massive cost, making it inaccessible to most.

The UEFA B course costs £1,000. The UEFA A costs £4,000. Those costs, despite cost being expected at such an elite level, are quite frankly outrageous – and you must agree that sort of price can't be particularly endearing and appears to be a deterrent to ambition more than inciting growth.

But the cost isn't the only issue.

Former Pro's Being Fast-tracked

How many pros do we see become managers, spend a year or two trying to find their way, and then drop out entirely because they aren't cut out for the role... too many to count, right?

It makes you think about how they get there with such ease and no questions asked, when they quite clearly don't have the skills to succeed.

It is because they are fast-tracked.

Former footballers currently top coaches. A thread 🧵

1. Pep Guardiola pic.twitter.com/Mcmtfl0fa3

— Mankind (@tweetmankind) April 2, 2024

Now this isn't the case for every former pro, so don't take this as a generalisation, but there are cases of player's who don't have to do the groundwork, and don't have to make their way through the leagues and get the experience first, who come into the pro game and get jobs because of their playing career- not naming any names.

This is taking away spots at the top level from coaches who have worked their entire lives to become professionals, when the courses are already so expensive and limited, firstly having those spaces taken up by people who have done half the work is diabolical.

Secondly, who is to say that completing your UEFA A, for example, actually lands you a professional job when the market is becoming even more saturated by well-known names whom clubs naturally favour?

It looks bleak for those trying to break into the top coaching jobs.

Can It Be Saved?

Despite the undeniable low point in which English coaching is entrenched at the current moment, all is not lost.

As mentioned, the FA is taking steps to, in theory, ensure the future of domestic coaching is brighter than its recent past, and the 2024-2028 agenda is proof of that.

Hopefully the greater support which is being added across all levels will allow for coaches to thrive rather than just survive.

The issue is, at this stage, it is just that - a hope.

If what we have already seen in the 21st century is anything to go by, the FA's vow to make changes is merely propaganda to get the masses on side.

As they say, actions speak louder than words, and one look back at previous agendas shows us that they are littered with broken promises and unfulfilled pledges.

Looking at the current state of play, the only real manager who you could even argue toward that top bracket is Eddie Howe.

Whether that can be changed is yet to be seen, but with the rich history of coaching that England has across the world's footballing timeline, the likes of Sir Bobby Robson and Brian Clough, to see English coaching continue in the current vein would be devastating.