So far this season twelve top-flight managers have been sacked and with nearly half the league circling the relegation drain don’t be surprised if we see further dismissals before the campaign is out.
Presently, Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper is short-priced in the next Premier League manager to be sacked odds while West Ham’s David Moyes is not far behind him.
It is perfectly conceivable that one of these highly regarded, vastly experienced coaches could be jettisoned at this late juncture as desperation kicks in and chairmen resort to drastic action.
Elsewhere, and somewhat remarkably given his pedigree and achievements, Jurgen Klopp is also being backed to depart Anfield this summer and factoring in too, Chelsea’s search for Graham Potter’s successor this illustrates that it’s not only near the bottom where seismic changes are afoot.
Indeed, from top four contenders right down to the doomed and the damned, 2022/23 has been a tumultuous year in the Premier League with stability and continuity seemingly treasured traits of the past. We should not expect that to deviate anytime soon.
Combining the expected replacing of interim gaffers, and a couple of likely managerial reshuffles, it is perfectly possible that seven new faces will be inhabiting dug-outs come August.
Therefore, with the vogue these days to target young, up-and-coming coaches, instead of the finished article, perhaps it’s pertinent that we run the rule over a new generation of managers who have been greatly impressing on foreign fields.
Tactically astute and blessed with innate man-management skills, this coterie of emerging coaches may well ultimately prove to be the next Klopp, the next Conte. Moreover, their futures could well reside on our shores, in time becoming as familiar to us as the current established fare.
Julian Nagelsmann
Julian Nagelsmann is an obvious name to begin with in this regard, but also an exception to much of the criteria, the German former centre-back already well-known and widely considered an elite coach having spent just shy of two years at Bayern Munich.
Prior to guiding Die Roten to yet another league title in his first season in charge, Nagelsmann made his reputation at Hoffenheim, elevating them from seasonal struggles to a first ever Champions League adventure, before moving upwards to RB Leipzig where he turned the recently founded club into a formidable, high-pressing construction.
In 2018 he led Leipzig to a Champions League semi final against PSG, coached at the time by Thomas Tuchel who has now taken his residency at Bayern.
Though Nagelsmann is already fast-tracking his way to greatness – and unquestionably is the most talented coach highlighted here – his age has Chelsea’s number one choice considered an emerging talent, rather than an established one.
At just 35 years old – a full three years younger than Thiago Silva – he is still learning, still homing his craft.
Ruben Amorim
The same can be said of Ruben Amorim who has to date blazed a managerial trail in Portugal, first with Braga and in recent seasons with Sporting.
Guiding the former, against all expectation, to domestic cup success in 2020 placed the 38-year-old firmly on the radar of European football's behemoths, and subsequent glories with Sporting has only strengthened his standing.
In his first season at the helm in Lisbon, Amorim led the Lions to their first league title for nearly two decades and did so while propagating an attractive, possession-based style of play that was easy on the eye.
Naturally then, the ex-Benfica midfielder has become a much sought after proposition and intriguingly he revealed last February that Premier League clubs have been in touch, those clubs believed to be Chelsea and Tottenham.
It would not remotely surprise if Amorim’s model of a back three, double pivot, and lightning quick attackers is not implemented in the English top-flight soon.
Matthias Jaissle
Another coaching wonderkid on the continent who is reputedly interesting English giants is Red Bull Salzburg’s Matthias Jaissle, who has hugely impressed since taking the reins in Austria.
By moulding a bold, attacking and successful set-up so quickly into his first big managerial gig, Jaissle has seen his reputation soar and it must be said that Salzburg has been a superb breeding ground for notable coaches in recent times, previously presided over by Marco Rose and Jessie Marsch.
Granted, at just 34 and with scant experience at the highest level, this summer may be too soon in his development to make a big move to England.
But with Crystal Palace beginning to look a safe punt in the Premier League betting to avoid the drop, and in need of a fresh approach post-Hodgson it’s not too mischievous to link the two.
Budding Championship Bosses
Of course, it is not only across the channel where managerial acumen and promise is found.
Middlesbrough v Burnley
— Tony Incenzo - my 50th football season (@TonyIncenzo) April 5, 2023
Sheffield United v Wigan
Millwall v Luton
Blackburn v Norwich
Reading v Birmingham
Watford v Huddersfield
Here is my latest @888sport blog previewing the big matches taking place in the EFL Championship on Good Fridayhttps://t.co/H5Xc2TeoPH
In the Championship, Vincent Kompany and Michael Carrick have both proven this season they are Premier League bosses to be, the former with Burnley having secured promotion with the Clarets this week but surely even bigger and better things await elsewhere.
As for Carrick, so fundamental have been the improvements put in place at Middlesbrough that it feels like only a matter of time before a top-flight club swoops, recruiting one of the new generation of coaches whose rise through the levels excites.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
