Next England boss odds: 5 foreign coaches Three Lions could turn to after Gerrard quotes
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | Updated September 28, 2016
England’s search for a new manager continues apace with a three-man FA panel charged with finding Roy Hodgson’s successor. There have since been major developments regarding who will be the next England manager, so check out the latest.
Domestic options all appear to have question marks hanging over them, however, leaving no natural replacement for the Three Lions hotseat.
Steven Gerrard, the former England and Liverpool captain, spoke in today’s national press to advocate another overseas boss taking up the reins.
“If you have the right man in charge of the talent it can come together quickly,” Gerrard said, also emphasising how well other national teams in rugby union and cricket have done under foreign coaches.
Bearing that in mind, Coral football writers consider five options that could become just the third Three Lions manager after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello to be from abroad.
Slaven Bilic
Ex-Croatia and current West Ham United boss Bilic was England’s nemesis during the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. It is because of his Blazers that the Three Lions missed out on those finals.
Guiding the Hammers into the Europa League for next term, he is also at the helm for momentous move to the Olympic Stadium. Could the FA turn to a man who has bedevilled them before?
As a 16/1 shot to be next Three Lions manager, Bilic would bring the no-nonsense defensive stability that England clearly lacked at Euro 2016 and when he was pitting his wits up against him, despite more lauded options at the time.
Jurgen Klinsmann
The USA’s German gaffer was a great player, beloved by Spurs supporters for his two spells with them in the 1990s. Having been Stars and Stripes boss for almost five years now, he is under contract until after the 2018 World Cup.
Like Bilic above, he possesses plenty of international managerial experience, with Klinsmann also coaching his native Die Mannschaft between 2004 and 2006.
Odds of 9/2 (slashed from 20/1) say Klinsmann could become the new England boss, but US Soccer would be due compensation. His links with Tottenham – a club from which so many of the current Three Lions setup still have big futures – could be advantageous.
Claudio Ranieri
Was Premier League title-winning boss Ranieri’s first foray into international management with Greece just the wrong man at the wrong time? His subsequent success suggests otherwise.
So marked his revival in fortunes has been, that he was linked with succeeding Chelsea-bound Antonio Conte as the next coach of Italy.
Perhaps, at 25/1 to succeed Hodgson, Ranieri has a point to prove, though, in that the Foxes’ fairytale success was a fluke.
Louis van Gaal
Whatever Manchester United fans make of Van Gaal, he delighted during his second stint as Dutch national boss. Steering the Netherlands to third place at the last World Cup, there was excitement and attacking football aplenty.
Memorable results include the 5-1 humbling of then reigning world champions Spain and beating host Brazil 3-0 in the play-off between beaten semi-finalists.
A 25/1 chance to take over as Three Lions boss, it’s a case of whether Van Gaal will want to remain in England where his reputation in club coaching has clearly been tarnished by persistent media criticism of his style when in charge of the Red Devils.
Arsene Wenger
Long-serving Arsenal boss Wenger is an institution in English football. Some Gunners fans feel the Gunners should go in a different direction, and the Frenchman becoming Three Lions manager would be an opportunity to end what is seen as stagnation.
Known for a tough training regime, which may have been to the detriment of some homegrown international options at the Emirates, Wenger has proved a popular choice among pundits when asked who they think should be next England manager.
At 16/1 to take the job on, Wenger would have to adjust to the absence of daily contact with players, unlike all of the above bosses.
Related
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