sport news Premier League clubs have turned to British managers following Brexit trends now
Premier League and Championship clubs have turned to British managers to fill vacancies as Brexit appears to have hit overseas recruitment.
During the last 15 years there has been a relentless upward trend of bringing in overseas coaches, with the proportion of foreign managers peaking in 2019.
But the proportion of top-flight managers from abroad has fallen as clubs prepared for, and came to terms with, Brexit restrictions on recruitment.
Under rules agreed prior to Britain leaving the European Union in January 2020, coaches recruited from the continent must receive a Governing Body Endorsement through the FA, in order to confirm they are of ‘the highest calibre and able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in England’.
To qualify for a GBE, potential managers have to meet specific criteria, which includes a total of 36 months first-team management in a major league within the previous five years, or 24 months consecutively in post, and the club they are planning to join must be without a manager.
‘It would appear to be [a Brexit effect],’ Jeremy Steele, chief executive of Analytics FC told Sportsmail.
David Moyes at West Ham United is one of the most established British managers in top flight
The proportion of coaches recruited from overseas to Premier League clubs has fallen
Eddie Howe, who took over at Newcastle, has also established himself in Premier League
‘We don’t know where that trend will go, it may come back up again. But Rob Edwards going all the way from Forest Green Rovers [crowned League Two champions last season] to Watford [who have been relegated from the Premier League] is a big sign.
‘That is an interesting indicator. Watford usually go for foreign coaches.’
‘Putting any restriction on recruitment is massive,’ added Steele.
When Manchester United recruited Ralf Rangnick in November 2021, he did not automatically qualify for a GBE, despite being a well-known and highly-respected figure in the British football industry.
Rangnick had held other roles, but his only head coach experience in the previous five years was a one-season stint at RB Leipzig from 2018-2019. As a result, his case had to be heard by an exceptions panel, which ultimately approved the appointment.
Dean Smith was one of the British managers in the Premier League last season, at Norwich
