The Real EFL pundit Kelan Sarson got to sit down with Sky Sports’ Don Goodman this week to chat all things football from the Championship to League Two.
One of the points that came up related to the trend towards clubs appointing head coaches coming out of academies. It’s not a new thing – Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest had a modest playing career in Wales but came out of the Liverpool Academy to acclaim. Recently, two recent appointments have stood out from the rest.
Lincoln City appointed Michael Skubala, a man who didn’t have a professional career at all. He has worked his way through a different route, coaching England’s university team and spending time in futsal.
Meanwhile, Oxford United appointed Des Buckingham, a man who, like Skubala, didn’t play at a professional level. He’s managed abroad, Melbourne City and Mumbai City, but this is his first EFL post.
Both have experience in academy football, Skubala at Leeds and Buckingham at Stoke, and Goodman admitted that there’s a trend towards those types of coaches in the modern game.
“There’s no doubt that there are a lot of clubs now wanting younger academy guys that have coached and come through and have more modern theories on football, probably mostly to do with possession and high pressing and all the buzzwords that we use in modern football.”
However, that doesn’t mean the old school don’t have a place. Nigel Clough is doing well at Mansfield this season, whilst both Lincoln and Oxford have to face off against a so-called old-school manager in Steve Evans. Goodman still believes those figures have a place in the EFL.
“When you look at the old-school, there’s plenty of them out there at the very top, you’ve got Sean Dyche, you’ve got David Moyes, you’ve got Roy Hodgson, Phil Parkinson’s doing well at Wrexham, Challinor at Stockport, Paul Simpson, Richie Wellens, Steve Evans, Alex Neill, Paul Warne; the list goes on.
“They are well represented. There’s no doubt about it, that there is a trend that seems to be going towards the younger guys that’s come through academies. I think a lot of the more established lads that have been around the block a few times or are still in the game; they’re still flying the flag really high.”
The issue should never be about who you are or where you’ve been, according to Goodman, who turned out for managers such as Malcolm Crosby, Mark McGhee and Ron Atkinson. Instead, club owners should be picking the right man for their requirements, not looking to make their team fit the incoming coach.
“That does give owners when they’re coming to make choices as to what type of a manager would suit their club. Let’s not forget, that’s the most important thing. What type of manager is going to suit your club and the group of players at your? That is absolutely vital.”
The 57-year-old also contrasted two managers at opposite ends of their careers, Buckingham at Oxford and Evans at Stevenage, pointing out both are in the promotion hunt.
“Oxford are going down a new route, as you’ve just alluded to with Des Buckingham; it’s his first job. It’s a big one. The pressure is probably going to be on to keep Oxford on the coattails of Portsmouth and Bolton.
“I think the big surprise package is Stevenage. I don’t think anybody could possibly have seen them up there at this stage of proceedings, but they’re unbeaten in seven. I think they’re there to stay. I don’t see them challenging the top two.”
Goodman, who also revealed John Eustace has had offers since leaving Birmingham, works as a pundit for Sky Sports and had a good playing career that saw him appear for Sunderland, Wolves and West Brom.
