The life of a British manager is one generally located upon familiar shores. But what happens when the native travels to pastures new? Here’s a rundown of our fair countries greatest British managers abroad. It’s a long one, so settle in….
5. John Toshack
Of all our entries in this series few have bounced themselves around Europe quite like John Toshack. The Cardiff born former Liverpool and Swansea striker managed a host of clubs across the continent including Real Madrid twice, Real Sociedad three times and the Welsh national side on two occasions.
After a glittering playing career came to an end due to a series of injuries, big John Toshack took the player/manager reigns at Swansea before making the move abroad to Sporting Lisbon. After the Welshman failed to impress in his first season with the Portuguese club he took charge at Spanish side Real Socieded where he soon collected his first managerial trophy by winning the Copa Del Ray. Even more impressively he guided Socieded to a second placed La Liga position the season after, picking up a manager of the season gong for his troubles.
After success at such a modest club, Toshack got his big management break with a move to Real Madrid for the 89/90 season. Real took the La Liga title (by a 9 point gap) in Toshack’s first season with his side scoring an incredible 107 goals in the process. Despite his impressive league form in his debut season. Toshack struggled in his second meaning a firing quickly became inevitable. He reacted by returning to Sociedad for another 3 seasons achieving 5th, 13th and 11th placed finishes in the process. The man who once described himself as “a bastard, but a lovable bastard” continued his career with a Spanish Super Cup win with Deportivo and a Turkish Cup win with Besiktas.
After almost 9 years since his initial sacking, Real Madrid came a calling yet again. At the time inpatient Real president Lorenzo Sanz had just shown “Weak” Guus Hiddink the door and sought the services of a coach with a more disciplinarian coaching style. Toshack was back in the big time. Could he be the one to steer a team of prima donnas to success? Needless to say Toshack was removed from his position after just 8 months due to poor form. Perhaps the straw that broke the camel’s back being his habit of openly slagging off his own players. In one instance Toshack publicly criticised Madrid’s Argentine goalkeeper Bizzari for letting in goals “that made him weep”.
The former Liverpool striker later had spells in France and Italy before taking charge at Wales (he had previously taken charge for one game in 1994) where he spent 6 rather underwhelming years trying to inspire his team to make a significant bid to reach either the World Cup or European Championships.
Despite his fortunes early in his managerial career, not to mention twice being asked to manage one of the greatest clubs in the world, Toshack’s stock fell steeply after leaving the Wales position. The Welshman currently holds the management role for Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca.
Managed sides: Swansea City, Sporting, Real Sociedad (x3), Real Madrid (x2), Wales (x2), Deportivo, Beşiktaş Saint-Étienne, Catania, Real Murcia, Macedonia, Khazar Lankaran, Wydad Casablanca (Current)
Honours:
Real Sociedad: Copa del Rey (1): 1986–87
Real Madrid: La Liga (1): 1989–90
Deportivo: Supercopa de España (1): 1995
Beşiktaş: Turkish Cup (1): 1997–98
Khazar Lankaran: Azerbaijan Supercup (1): 2013
Individual honours: Don Balón Award (Spain’s Best Coach)(2): 1989, 1990
4. Jimmy Hogan
Jimmy Hogan is a name not a widely known on home shores, you would in-fact have to go as far as Hungary or the Netherlands where the Lancashire born Englishman would be considered somewhat of a household name in football circles. It wouldn’t be until a fateful day in 1953 that English football would truly become familiar with the name as little known Hungary came to Wembley.
At the time the FA had no involvement (or interest) in the standardization of the game on a national level. Despite having no prior experience as a professional manager, that was left to national coach Walter Winterbottom . What England did have was a team of great individuals such as Sir Stanley Matthews, good old English spirit and seemingly even older the WM formation.
In a scenario that can only be compared to Apollo Creed’s bout with Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, it was presumed the English (Apollo) were the physically stronger and technically better side. Sadly it seems no one informed the English that their opponents were in-fact unbeaten in 3 years, had been crowned Olympic champions a year before and possessed in their side a certain ‘nobody’ by the name of Ferenc Puskas. That or the home sides ‘little England’ mentality got the better of them.
Like Creed, England were dealt a hiding of the most devastating nature. In a match that could be described at best as ‘a bad day at the office’ the English were savagely outplayed and soundly beaten 6-3.
We completely underestimated the advances that Hungary had made, and not only tactically, When we walked out at Wembley that afternoon, side by side with the visiting team, I looked down and noticed that the Hungarians had on these strange, lightweight boots, cut away like slippers under the ankle bone. I turned to big Stan Mortensen and said, ‘We should be alright here, Stan, they haven’t got the proper kit’
Billy Wright
The England side and its FA were shell-shocked. And who did the president of the Hungarian Football Association, Sandor Barcs, thank after such a triumph on foreign soil? None other than Jimmy Hogan, who at 71 was watching from the sidelines.
Hogan had begun his management career in Europe, first for the Dutch national side, then Austrian club FK Austria Vienna before moving to Hungarian side MTK were he would settle for 7 of his management years. Despite actually being an avid admirer of the English approach to football, Hogan was heavily influenced by a more technically based, more tactically astute form of football seen on the continent. With his help this would began to resemble a form of ‘total football’ as seen years later by the Hungary side of the 50’s and perhaps more famously the Dutch side of the 70’s and 80s.
Hogan soon became a footballing icon throughout Eastern and Western Europe during the 1920’s. After 24 years teaching and learning his trade managing sides in Switzerland, Germany , Austria, France and Hungary, Hogan finally returned to his native England to begin a management post at Fulham. After a brief spell at Craven Cottage he went on to coach the Austrian side that in 1936 would go on to reach the Olympic finals.
Sadly, despite promotion success with Villa and a further management role with Celtic, this more ball control based European ‘Hogan’ influenced style of football was on the whole rejected in Britain for a more favoured old-fashioned physical-based approach.
His influence, however much questioned in his home country, still affected a few noticeable Englishman with Bobby Robson, Matt Busby, Don Revie, Tommy Docherty and Ron Atkinson becoming heavily influenced by him. World Cup winning manager Alf Ramsey certainly felt Hogan’s influence after playing his final game in an England shirt after that famous 6-3 defeat, we all know what happened to him just 13 years later.
We played football as Jimmy Hogan taught us. When our football history is told, his name should be written in gold letters
Gusztáv Sebes, Hungarian footballer and coach
Jimmy Hogan takes his place on our top 5 list not as a trophy-winning machine but as somewhat of a footballing revolutionary. A true great and the grand-daddy of total football, tiki taka or any other evolution of the modern game.
Teams managed:
Netherlands, FK Austria Vienna, MTK, BSC Young Boys, Switzerland, Lausanne Sports, Dresdner SC, Hungária, FK Austria Vienna, RC Paris, Lausanne Sports, Fulham, Aston Villa, Celtic
3. Terry Venables
It was the summer of 1984 when Terry Venables was operating at his then club QPR in the old First Division, steering the Hoops to a respectable fifth finish come the end of the 83-84 season. Seemingly out of nothing the crooning white van man’s favorite Venables heard the call of a somewhat desperate Barcelona side in need of his management abilities.
It’s difficult to picture the modern day powerhouse that is Barcelona in the doldrums quite like they were back in the mid 80’s. No league title since 1974 (before that they hadn’t won it since 1960) and not even a sniff of a European cup in their history. The great Spanish city certainly did not have the positive football vibe it now conveys.
After being recommended by soon to be Barcelona favorite and friend of the Barcelona President, Bobby Robson, Venables got the call whilst in charge of QPR.
That call came right out of the blue, I just couldn’t believe it. Well you wouldn’t, would you? Going from QPR to Barcelona was amazing and it will never happen again. The stadium, the set-up – it’s all a bit different from Loftus Road. I pinch myself now really. I can’t believe I ever did it. It was an amazing leap.
Amazingly Venables was the Catalan’s seventh English manager in their history; their last being Vic Cunningham who went on to the lift the Copa Del Ray in 1971. The following year Barcelona won their first La Liga in 14 years coached by Dutchman Rinus Michels. With that in mind, Venables was fortunate to be able to concentrate on his new job without the expectation of a league title. Still the man from Dagenham had his doubters, most of all the man at the heart of his midfield Bernd Schuster.
The great German midfielder once commenting to the press;
Where did we find this English tourist? Among the other drunken holidaymakers on a beach in Majorca? He should have asked me.
How could El Tel quickly get his star midfielder and the fans onside? By Selling Diego Maradona of course. The newly appointed Barca manager was instructed by his board to sell possibly the greatest ever player purely because, due to his overly generous nature, the Argentine was flat-broke.
The man that would forever be immortalized by ‘the hand of God’ in just a couple of years time was soon sold for a record fee almost as quickly as he was brought for one. Diego eventually joined Napoli for around 5 million.
The Dagenham born wheeler and dealer had to replace the great man and eyebrows were certainly raised when Stevie Archibald’s name popped up. Even after the Barca board green lit a move for goal scoring machine Mexican striker Hugo Sanchez., Venables stuck to his guns and swooped for the Scottish striker instead. Sanchez was later signed by rivals Madrid and would go on to score an incredible 164 goals in 207 games. Archibald, although not as prolific, certainly pitched in with vital goals during his time in Spain
Despite their relatively modest trophy cabinet in comparison, Barca still considered the mighty Real Madrid has their closest rivals. As the fixtures were released for the up and coming season it became known that, as if fate had played a hand, Barca were due to play Real Madrid on the opening day at the Bernabeu. Venables went to Madrid with his side playing a new pressing game and won convincingly 3-0, the result set the tone for the season. The man the local’s affectionately caller ‘Meester’ led a dominant Barca side to a La Liga victory losing just twice all season. Even better they had finished 17 points ahead of Real Madrid. Not bad for a debut season.
;
The following year saw Real fight successfully to retain the La Liga crown with Barca behind them in second; there was however the small matter of a European Cup final for Venables to focus on.
After sneaking past FC Porto in the second round thanks to a Stevie Archibald away goal, then beating a Juventus side that contained a certain Michel Platini, Barcelona faced IFK Gothenberg in the first leg of the Semi- Final. After being absolutely destroyed away from home by the impressive Swedish side 3-0 in the first leg, The Catalans won the return leg 3-0 and won the ensuing penalty shootout.
Venables was set to achieve a masterful one-two in his first two seasons at the club. A first Barcelona European Cup triumph was in the club’s grasp. Not only that they were in fact strong favorites against finalist opponents Steaua Bucherest and the host city was Seville. What could go wrong?
In fact on the night not too much went right as the game was deadlock at 0-0 after extra time, the following penalty shoot-out was a disaster as Barca missed all their penalties and Steaua became the first and only Romanian club to win a European Cup.
Venables’ third and final full season with the Catalan club saw improved league form take his side to a close second against Real Madrid with new signing Gary Lineker taking second place on the La Liga scoring charts. The lack of a trophy however riled the Barca board and a month into the 87-88 season ‘El Tel’ was sacked.
The man from Dagenham would later return to England with spell at Spurs before taking a confidence filled England side to the Semi-Final of Euro 96. After that he returned abroad and came within a hair’s breadth of leading Australia to a World Cup after cruelly being denied via an Iran away goal.
Venables, whilst certainly not a globetrotting manager by definition like some names on this run-down, is well remembered by Barcelona and it’s fans as the man that got the club it’s mojo back to later become the dominant force they became soon after.
Overseas honours
Barcelona: La Liga 1984-85, Copa de la Liga 1985-86
2. Roy Hodgson
Whilst Hodgson’s coaching career in England certainly as had questionable phases (Liverpool) as much as its impressive moments (Fulham’s Europa League run etc), it doesn’t, however, come close to the cultural and tactical impact he’s had on Swedish football. To add to that Hodgson collected a huge amount of trophies during his days trotting around Europe.
Hodgson, like many modern pro-manager’s playing careers (Mourinho, Villa Boas etc), wasn’t even close to the bright lights of professional football. His playing days were mainly limited to Crystal Palace youth side and non-league clubs such as Tonbridge Angels, Carshalton Athletic and Gravesend & Northfleet. At the age of just 23, however, Hodgson had already completed his qualifications to be a coach.
At the grand old age of 28 Hodgson, due to a recommendation from fellow Swedish based Brit Bobby Houghton, packed his bags for the west coast of Sweden, more specifically Halmstad BK. The previous two seasons had seen Halmstad marginally avoid relegation from the top tier twice, the thought of such a team winning the Allsvenskan (Swedish championship) was considered laughable.
Like close friend Houghton had done at Malmo, Roy Immediately got to work on shaping his side to play in a very British style. The usual sweeper system, a German trait as used throughout Sweden, was out and in came the solid 442. The defence that was so used to playing deep would now pressurize the opposition by pushing forward thus letting the offside rule become a deterrent in itself. He’s still plying his trade at Selhurst park, as the oldest manager in the EPL, but Palace have been struggling since he took over and if want-away Wilfred Zaha can’t step up, and you take part in online sports betting from time-to-time, then Hodgson’s men could be a good call to get relegated this season.
Mr Hodgson used to keep us out here for two-and-a-half, three hours a night, Before he came, we would play 11-a-side training matches, or leave the ball behind and go running through the forest. But Roy changed everything.
He would tell us how we should support each other in the defence, how the midfield players should press up, and the forwards make their runs. Then every few minutes it would be ‘Stop, stop, stop! Look, you can go here, you can go there, you can support this area.
Jingblad Halmstad
After an unsuccessful spell at home with Bristol and stays with second division Swedish sides IK Oddevold and Örebro SK, Hodgson returned to the Allsvenskan with Sweden’s top club Malmo. It was there that Hodgson went on to win five consecutive league championships and two Swedish cups.
By this time the Hodgson tactical way of thinking had become the norm throughout the country. It was widely regarded that it was his teachings that attributed to Sweden’s semi-final placing at World Cup 1994.
Roy created a football revolution in Sweden, I don’t believe we would have reached the semi-final of the 1994 World Cup without his influence. He had taught so many of the players in that team: Martin Dahlin, Jonas Thern. Even Freddie Ljungberg, who didn’t train with him, still learned the game the Hodgson way.
Bengt Sjoholm championship winner 1979
After a spell at Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax, Hodgson took over as manager of the Swiss national side from Uli Stielike on 26 January 1992. Having not qualified for a major tournament since 1966, the Swiss were made outsiders to qualify for World Cup 94 from a qualifying group that contained eventual tournament finalists Italy and the more fancied Portugal and Scotland. The Swiss, steered by their English manager’s tactical nous, stormed the group losing only one game.
Hodgson proudly took his side of overachievers to the US have they exited the tournament with head held high after passing through the group stage and losing in the final 16 to Spain 3-0.
Not swayed by his sides World Cup exit previously, Hodgson’s Euro 96 qualification went as smoothly as the previous as Switzerland yet again lost only one game. At this point the side was at the height of its powers and a FIFA world ranking of 3rd reflected yet another ‘water into wine’ success story for the Hodge.
Upon leading his team at Euro 96, Hodgson decided to join the rebuilding phase at Inter Milan. A seventh and then third Seria A finish followed in the two seasons Hodgson spent with the club. A rather sour reception from his own fans after a UEFA Cup final defeat to the un-fancied Schalke, however, convinced the Croydon-born manager that his time with the Italian side was up.
The globetrotting continued with moves (and trophies) to Danish side Copenhagen and Norway’s Viking before making his return to England.
Whilst never totally cementing his status as one of the great Premier League managers, through legacy and number of trophies alone, Hodgson’s impact abroad is unquestionable and deserves to be listed as one of our greatest British managers abroad.
Overseas Honours
Halmstads BK: Allsvenskan (2): 1976, 1979
Örebro SK: Division 2 North (1) 1984
Malmö FF: Allsvenskan (5): 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 Svenska Cupen (2): 1985–86, 1988–89
Inter Milan: UEFA Cup Runner-Up (1): 1997
Copenhagen: Danish Superliga (1): 2000–01 Danish Super Cup (1): 2001
Bobby Robson
We have to go all the way back to the swinging sixties to find a young Bobby Robson embarking on what was to becomes the most sensational of managerial careers. After a fruitful playing career achieving over 600 appearances for Fulham and West Bromwich Albion, Robson was advised by the late England manager Walter Winterbottom to take up a coaching course at Lilleshall. His badges led to management positions at Fulham and then Ipswich. It was with the Tractor Boys that Robson went on to forge a reputation as one of the true great British managers, bringing domestic and European success to the modest East Anglian club.
After 13 years Robson then answered the call of his national side and in 1982 was appointed the most poisonous of chalice’s, the England managers role. By the time his England career came to end, it would be perceived by many despite a rather bumpy start, as an uncommonly successful period in English football. After an 8 year period, coming within a Maradona fist and a Pearce penalty miss of achieving greatness, Robson passed the baton to Graham Taylor. The County Durham born former electrician had his share of abuse by tabloids but on the whole had become the darling of English Football. Surely nothing could tarnish that reputation?
PSV Eindhoven
Bobby’s next step was to coach abroad, namely Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
Robson;
I was called a traitor for leaving, by the same people who three months earlier had said I was a plonker and should go.
PSV had just come off the back of a superbly successful period in their history with four back to back Eredivisie titles and a 87/88 season European Cup win. Upon replacing the outgoing Guus Hiddink, Robson had much to live up to and immediately was tasked with tempering the clubs fractious playing personnel, namely a certain Romario.
Robson became infuriated with the Brazilians work ethic and in the end, after showdown talks had broken down, had to let the future World Footballer of the Year leave for Barcelona. That is not before the talented forward helped Robson to two successive 90/91 and 91/92 league titles. The Sacriston born manager had kicked off his continental coaching career with a bang. The PSV board, however, were unconvinced by the clubs progression in European competition and Robson was soon informed that he would be leaving the club at the end of the 1991–92 season.
Sporting Lisbon
Robson left for Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon and soon guided them to a respectable 3rd place finish in his debut season. After dealings with a rather unpredictable and eccentric club President, Sousa Cintra, Robson was again fired despite his side leading the table in his second season. Whilst not seen as his most successful period, his time in Portugal became all the more noticeable for his employment of a certain future trophy winning Goliath, Jose Mourinho. Originally acting as an interpreter for Robson, Mourinho’s scouting and management ability soon saw him become a trusted advisor.
Robson;
Jose was to prove a marvelous asset, covering my back and looking after me while building up a good rapport with the players of the three clubs we have been at together. Whenever I needed his support he was there, even though it often meant putting himself in the firing line
FC Porto
FC Porto, fierce rivals of Sporting, became Robson’s next destination. The club was in a poor state of affairs upon his appointment with attendances dwindling in the 10,000’s. Soon after his employment, more league titles followed the former England manager, with Porto becoming champions in the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons. Porto also reached the semi-finals of the 1994 Champions League against a Johan Cruyff led Barcelona side. Robson would soon be known to Porto fans as ‘Bobby Five-O’ in honour of the number of matches Porto won 5–0.
Not everything, of course, was going to go the club or its manager’s way, at the beginning of his second season at the club a malignant melanoma was detected for which Robson had to receive extensive treatment. Not only that, a car crash fatality involving 26-year-old midfielder Rui Filipe was to rock the club and it’s fans.
Barcelona
‘Bobby Five-O’s’ previous work with Ipswich in the English old first division wasn’t just appreciated in the modest setting of East Anglia, waves had reverberated and Robson developed keen admirers in Catalonia. After a fleeting talk about the availability of a certain Luis Figo with the club vice-president, Joan Gaspart, Barcelona saw a window of opportunity and approached Robson to replace the outgoing Johan Cruyff. Robson would sign on one condition, that assistant Mourinho would be signed as well, he duly was.
The Catalans had previously lifted the European cup under Cruyffs leadership in 92, on top of that Barca had claimed four La Liga titles. Unlike the period countryman Terry Venables coached the side, this Barca were very much the expectant club it is today. The side, however, come the start of the 96/97 season were struggling. The previous two seasons ended trophy-less and, having already lost the great Romario the previous year, no Barcelona player reached 14 goals in the league despite star players such as Gheorghe Hagi and Luis Figo being in the squad.
Robson responded to this lack of firepower by firstly trying to bring in Blackburn and future Newcastle goal machine Alan Shearer. Respecting then Rovers manager Ray Harford wishes not to try and tap the player up, Robson changed his sights to other targets. In came an old face in Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov and a number of new faces such as future club coach Luis Enrique, Nigerian winger Emmanuel Amunike, favoured Porto keeper Vitor Baía, Brazilian forward Giovanni and, the player who was to be his greatest career signing, 20-year-old Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima.
Influenced by Robson’s man management, the club went on to a Spanish Cup, Spanish Super Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup win all in just one season. His protégé and lethal new striker Ronaldo scored an incredible 47 goals in 49 matches to forge a reputation as the world most devastating forward. Robson himself was later voted European Manager of the Year for his troubles.
Luis Enrique;
I played in lots of positions for him, and many games, and I have great memories of that year, and I only have positive things to say about that time.
The Robson we got to know in Barcelona was already a very qualified coach, who had won trophies. He had experience and success behind him. He was really well respected. He had very clear ideas, very attack minded, and had a clear and fairly simple philosophy.He knew how to get a group to adapt to the demands of a great team, under different circumstances.
I remember that at half-time, he’d use plastic cups to demonstrate tactical moves! He was a coach with lots of resources and was so easy to get on with.
Despite three trophy wins, the league season ended with the Catalan club falling two points short of top team Real Madrid. Another year without a La Liga title riled the clubs upper hierarchy, that and the fact that a much more desired ‘Total Football’ style of years previous clashed with Robson’s British approach incensed the board even more. Barcelona ended the former England manager’s short tenure in charge and instead brought in Louis Van Gaal, a long time student of the clubs desired football style.
Due to his huge popularity among players and fans, Robson was moved upstairs into a General Manager role.
PSV Eindhoven
Robson only lasted a year in his new role before his management skills were required by the club he secured his first league title with, PSV. In a short tenure, Robson guided the underachieving club to Champions League qualification and a Dutch Supercup victory.
Future and eventual death
Robson soon moved back home where he spent the remainder of his managerial years at much-beloved club Newcastle United. After five seasons with the club, Robson ended his full-time management career.
5 years were spent in various advisory roles before, after much of his life battling illness, the great manager died of lung cancer at his home in County Durham.
Sir Bobby Robson made his name as a superb coach abroad and at home, collecting trophies in environments many British managers were scared to venture into and become a hero to locals during much of his tenures. Robson rarely brought in English backroom staff when taking jobs around Europe, instead opting to keep the clubs hierarchy in place as a method of ingratiating himself with the locals and to put at ease those who had feared for their jobs upon his appointment. Such gestures became commonplace where-ever Robson set up home.
It is for his unmatched managerial prowess, his undeniable trophy winnings and most of all the fact that rarely has there been a more decent football man, that Sir Bobby Robson is our ‘Best British Manager Abroad’.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson (Living the Game)
I go back with Bobby to 1981 when Ipswich won the Uefa Cup. I was at Aberdeen at the time and we played Ipswich in the first round of the competition the next year and we beat them. Even though they lost he came into the dressing room straight after the game – not an easy thing to do – and told us we could win the cup and not to let him down.
Honours Abroad:
PSV Eindhoven: Eredivisie (2): 1990–91, 1991–92
Porto: Primeira Liga (2): 1994–95, 1995–96, Taça de Portugal (1): 1993–94
Barcelona: Copa del Rey (1): 1996–97, Supercopa de España (1): 1996, European Cup Winners’ Cup (1): 1997