Tony Pulis column: “Why young British managers need less league experience”

There are few other British bosses of any age in the Premier League at the moment – ​​just six permanent bosses in total (far fewer than the number of ‘national’ managers in every other major league in Europe) – plus Michael Carrick who remains at Manchester United until the end of the season.

One of them, Eddie Howe, has proven at Newcastle beyond doubt that British managers can be successful, with time and support, and we hope to one day hail his appointment as the new England manager.

Just around the corner from Stamford Bridge, another local young manager is showing his worth. Once again, Irishman Keith Andrews was not universally welcomed into the Brentford job last summer, but just take a look at what he has achieved this season so far.

It is absolutely essential to our national game, that with the huge amount of money spent, training courses conducted and facilities produced, that today’s young British or Irish coaches can link up with local managers who are succeeding at the top level, to give them mentors who they will strive to follow and hopefully do better.

The challenges facing coaches and players today to do this are far greater, given that the Premier League is a global league.

This was never the case when I was growing up and then working my way up as a manager. In the 1980s and 1990s, English clubs were managed by British managers, Bob Paisley, Brian Clough, Alex Ferguson, Bobby Robson, Howard Kendall, Howard Wilkinson and George Graham. There were also great coaches like Don Howe and Dave Sexton as well.

Then there were the high achievers like Bobby Gould at Wimbledon, John Sillett at Coventry, and Laurie McMenemy at Southampton, who all won the FA Cup with the so-called minor clubs.

At the same time, Martin O’Neill, Alan Curbishley and Peter Reid were breaking through, while John Toshack, Bobby Robson and Terry Venables were making new waves abroad. I apologize to the many other successful managers I haven’t mentioned, but I only have so much space!

All of these managers had different personalities and styles, but what they had in common was that they were given the opportunity to prove their worth, something that is no longer the case for many British coaches and managers now.