The Decline and Fall of English Football Managers

Sir Bobby Robson’s death yesterday left one wondering just what has happened to English football management. Or, to be more precise, what has happened to English football managers? Of the top ten sides in last year’s Premiership just two – Fulham and Tottenham – were led by Englishmen and in the last 25 years Howard Kendall (Everton) and Howard Wilkinson (Leeds) have been the only Englishmen to helm Championship winning sides. What happened?

True, Alex Ferguson has had a lot to do with this, while Arsene Wenger’s residency at Arsenal has prevented another of the top jobs from coming open. Equally, Chelsea’s desire for superstars with a europe-wide reputation doubtless precludes any Englishman from taking command at Stamford Bridge for the forseeable future while it’s by no means obvious that even if Rafa Benitez were to leave Liverpool that he’d be replaced by an English manager. Indeed, would an Englishman get the job at any of the Big Four were a vacancy to arise?