It is not just players who choose to move overseas in search of a fresh start and new experiences.
The appeal of testing yourself in a different country, working alongside players and opponents you are less familiar with, is also growing in popularity among British-based coaches.
In development terms, the benefits are clear.
Broadening horizons, learning from voices you would never have otherwise heard, and accepting the challenge of adapting to foreign cultures and environments is an adventure that’s near certain to increase anyone’s wisdom.
And pleasingly, several very well-regarded coaches from the UK are currently thriving in their new surroundings.
Mark Jackson and Danny Schofield (Central Coast Mariners)
Right at the top of that list are Mark Jackson and Danny Schofield.
9 May 2023 is a date neither man will forget lightly, as it was the day both Yorkshiremen were sacked from their head coach roles at MK Dons and Doncaster Rovers respectively.
They didn’t know it at the time, but those simultaneous dismissals led to a wonderful opportunity that has since changed their lives and careers for the better.
As former colleagues at Leeds United’s Academy, they reached out to one another to commiserate, agreeing they should at least consider the possibility of working together in the future.
A few weeks later, thanks to a recommendation from outgoing Central Coast Mariners head coach Nick Montgomery (Jackson had become friends with him after taking part in a webinar for Australian club Wollongong Wolves during the Covid lockdown) the ex-MK Dons boss was interviewed by the reigning A-League champions.
Enthused by a project that would ask him to implement his own style of play and give younger players a chance to shine, Jackson duly accepted the challenge and took Schofield with him across the world to New South Wales as his assistant.
Despite inheriting a squad that had lost six key players, and their first two matches of the campaign, Jackson and Schofield went on to lead the club to a historic, unprecedented treble.
The Mariners defended their A-League title, became only the second Australian side to lift the AFC Asian Cup, and a 3-1 win against Melbourne Victory also secured the Grand Final.
To date Jackson has also won five A-League Coach of the Month awards and was named the A-League Coach of the Year.
Mariners Sporting Director Matt Simon, who recently tied down Jackson and Schofield to new contracts that will run until 2027, said: “What the pair did last season in their first campaign in charge, not only with the success that they achieved on the pitch leading us to the treble, but also the culture that they brought, was incredible.
“Both their characters and work ethic align perfectly to who we are as a club, and it is really exciting to have them continue with us to grow not only the first team but the Mariners as a whole.”
After putting pen to paper in late July, a very proud Jackson said, “We had a clear vision of what we wanted to achieve when we arrived, we worked extremely hard with the rest of the staff to achieve that last season, and we want to continue to build on that.
“We want to continue to develop the players and team to be a club that everyone on the Coast can be proud of.”
Schofield added, “Last season was an incredible experience, and we are all extremely proud of what we achieved. I am looking forward to working with Jacko, the rest of the staff and most importantly the players to develop our football and to continue our successes.”
Dean Smith (Charlotte FC)
Since December 2023 former Brentford, Aston Villa and Norwich City head coach Dean Smith has been busy making waves with new MLS franchise Charlotte FC.
The Carolina-based club finished 9th in the Eastern Conference in their first two campaigns at that level, but under the 53-year-old’s astute guidance they look well set for the play-offs this year, sitting comfortably in sixth place.
Defensive stability has been at the heart of their success.
Last season prior to his arrival they conceded 52 times in 34 regular season games, boasting the third worst goals against record in the Eastern Conference.
Organising his team expertly in a mid to low block, Smith’s Charlotte now have one of the meanest rearguards, letting in just 29 goals in 27 matches.
This is currently the second-best figure right across the MLS.
And Smith, who went to the States following a brief caretaker spell at Leicester City that ended with the Foxes’ relegation to the Championship, recently admitted he’s been pleasantly surprised by the standard of football.
“It’s probably higher than anyone in the UK might imagine. It is definitely top ten Championship. I think it is a very under-rated league,” he said.
“We know it used to look like a retirement league but we're getting younger players coming over. And (Lionel) Messi is here. When people ask me back home what it is like I have told them it is very enjoyable and interesting and a little bit different.”
Eric Ramsay (Minnesota United)
Swapping Manchester United for Minnesota United raised eyebrows last February when Eric Ramsay travelled stateside to become the youngest ever permanent Head Coach appointment in MLS history.
Previously one of Erik ten Hag’s assistants at Old Trafford, as well as a former sidekick to Rob Page with the Wales national team, the 32-year-old is widely regarded as one of the brightest coaching prospects in the game.
Since becoming the youngest British coach to earn a UEFA Pro Licence in 2019, Ramsay has been a man in demand, and it was fascinating to see him opt to take his first steps in management outside of the UK.
Making an instant impact Ramsay’s side topped the Western Conference with 24 points after 12 matches, the club’s best-ever start, but they have since dropped back to 9th in the table.
Earlier on this summer, Ramsay spoke to The Guardian about his experience so far, and said. “Part of the appeal of this league to me, and part of the reason I wanted to take my first steps here as a head coach, was because some of the things we’re having to deal with are things you wouldn’t necessarily have to deal with at home.
“Altitude, heat, geography, travel, back-to-back away games with no home time in between – these are all things that from the perspective of first-time head coach, really help you cut your teeth. It’s very intense and very different. There aren’t many leagues that provide you with this variety.”
A scholar who remains intent on soaking up as much knowledge as possible, Ramsay has also enjoyed regular conversations with Chris Finch, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA side, and has been seen courtside on several occasions.
“I’m learning the intricacies of basketball,” Ramsay recently admitted. “There are some parallels [with soccer] in how teams develop mismatches, how they think about the game from a one-on-one, individual versus individual perspective, and how you place individuals in the best set of circumstances within a game that is so fast-moving.
“I think, arguably, that’s the biggest transfer, but with basketball, there’s also a reasonable transfer to set-play situations such as using screens and blocks to get people free. Particularly in basketball and hockey, the transition from attack to defence takes place so quickly, just because of the nature of the size of the playing area, so they have to be almost perfect in executing those moments and transitions.”
Nick Cushing (New York City)
One of English football’s most decorated head coaches in women’s football, Nick Cushing, swapped WSL side Manchester City for New York City’s men’s team in December 2020. Starting out as a No.2, he was promoted to first team head coach 18 months later, and it is a position he still holds.
Developing a culture that is built around fast, attacking football and a hostile press, New York City have bounced back from a disappointing campaign last year to sit in 5th spot in the Eastern Conference.
With the fifth highest Expected goals (xG) in open play among all 29 MLS teams, Cushing’s desire to be positive is bearing fruit this term. Only one side has scored more goals from high turnovers, which is another nod towards the effective high press he has implemented.
An exciting play-off campaign awaits.
Liam Rosenior (Strasbourg)
Around Europe at the moment there are several other well-known British coaches plying their trade, including Steve Bould (Lommel SK) Chris Coleman (AEL Limassol) & Ian Cathro (Estoril).
Liam Rosenior’s move to Ligue 1 to take over from Patrick Vieira at Racing Club Strasbourg was especially eye-catching. It is believed his growing reputation as a coach that improves talented young players, influenced that decision made by Todd Boehly’s BlueCo the French club’s owners.
Rosenior’s progressive style of possession-based football, and expert individual coaching, makes Strasbourg an ideal landing point for players who may end up in Chelsea’s first team.
Aaron Danks (Bayern Munich)
One of the first people Vincent Kompany contacted upon being appointed Bayern Munich’s Head Coach earlier this summer was Middlesbrough assistant Aaron Danks.
The pair had worked together previously at Anderlecht, and after the 44-year-old agreed to join him in Bavaria, Kompany described him as, ‘in my opinion, one of the most talented coaches in England’.
The ex-Villa assistant is responsible for the daily planning of training sessions and is playing an active part on the grass alongside the Man City legend.
This switch has also seen Danks, who previously spent time with the England Under-21s, reunited with Jamal Musiala, a player he worked with at St George’s Park.
With English the chosen first language used by Kompany at Bayern Munich’s training ground, Danks’ communication skills and passion on the training pitch make him a vital member of staff.
It has been quite some journey for Danks, who quit his A-levels just two weeks into the course aged just 16, in favour of joining Birmingham City as an apprentice coach in their community programme.
He, like all the other British coaches currently based overseas, continue to enrich their footballing education in environments they would never have expected to work in.
Football is more of a global game than ever before, and this crop of coaches are taking full advantage of the experiences on offer.
