The Premier League next season will see some fresh faces on the touchline and despite all of Sam Allardyce’s whining - seven English managers in charge on the opening day.
That is, of course, barring any shock changes over the next few months but we are certain to see four English managers in the top flight who have never managed in the league before.
Graham Potter has been announced as the new Brighton manager after his short spell at Swansea, giving the former Ostersunds manager a chance to test himself in the Premier League. Chris Wilder is another who will take to the Premier League spotlight for the first time, with his boyhood club Sheffield United. He has worked wonders in the Football League and thoroughly deserves his opportunity having won promotion from the Conference, League Two, League One and the Championship, a record that only Neil Warnock can match.
Another fresh-faced English manager to manager will be Dean Smith at Aston Villa after he led his side to play-off glory and the final Premier League debutant will be the man who lost that play-off final, Frank Lampard. The former England international will certainly be under the most scrutiny of all these gaffers after he moved to the Champions League club from Derby after a relatively promising first season in the dugout.
This means there will be four fresh young English managers to join the established top-flight members of Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche and Roy Hodgson. There is also the potential that an experienced English manager such as Steve Bruce could get the Newcastle job after the departure of Rafa Benitez.
Comparing this figure with recent years this seems like a fresh new look for the top flight’s dugouts. Last season we saw four English managers in charge on the opening day with Cardiff’s Warnock the only one who will not be returning in August. In 2017-18 we were subjected to Alan Pardew, Craig Shakespeare and Paul Clement in August while Mike Phelan was in charge of Hull the season before.
Over the last six years, we have seen a whole host of managers have a crack at the Premier League, often unsuccessfully. In 2012-13, just three Englishmen started the season in charge of a team, Nigel Adkins at Southampton, Brian McDermott at Reading and Big Sam, then at West Ham.
Other English managers to have a go in recent years have included Nigel Pearson, Steve Bruce, Tim Sherwood, Steve McClaren and Ian Holloway. That in itself proves a shake-up is needed in the Premier League and next season looks to be that year with several new managers getting their chance including Norwich City’s German boss Daniel Farke.
Hopefully, they can all taste some form of success and more importantly, be given time to implement their philosophies and learn what the Premier League is all about. Lampard has become the first English manager to be named permanent boss of a top-four side since Glenn Hoddle was at To but seeing more bright English managers in the top flight can only be a good thing.
English managers at the start of the Premier League season
2019-20 - Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche, Graham Potter, Roy Hodgson, Chris Wilder, Dean Smith & Frank Lampard
2018-19 - Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche, Neil Warnock, Roy Hodgson
2017-18 - Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche, Alan Pardew, Paul Clement, Craig Shakespeare
2016-17 - Eddie Howe, Sean Dyche, Alan Pardew, Mike Phelan
2015-16 - Eddie Howe, Tim Sherwood, Garry Monk, Steve McClaren, Alan Pardew, Sam Allardyce
2014-15 - Sam Allardyce, Harry Redknapp, Sean Dyche, Alan Pardew, Garry Monk, Steve Bruce, Nigel Pearson
2013-14 - Steve Bruce, Ian Holloway, Sam Allardyce, Alan Pardew
2012-13 - Nigel Adkins, Brian McDermott, Sam Allardyce.