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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Will Unwin

British coaches need to broaden their horizons or risk being left behind

Bobby Robson at Sporting in 1993, Liam Rosenior, head coach of Strasbourg; John Toshack talking to his Real Madrid players in 1999.
Bobby Robson at Sporting in 1993, Liam Rosenior, head coach of Strasbourg; John Toshack talking to his Real Madrid players in 1999. Composite: Empics/PA Images/Alamy; Gustavo Alàbiso/The Guardian; Reuters

Rúben Amorim is the latest coach to head from Portugal to England on a well-travelled route in recent years but, for a long time, it was popular going the other way. Sporting have had eight Englishmen, a Scot and a Welshman in the dugout over their history but the last of those was Bobby Robson in 1992.

Vic Buckingham, Fred Pentland and John Toshack ticked off most of Spain between them but now British coaches abroad are a rarity. The England men’s national team have recently appointed Thomas Tuchel, causing much consternation among certain factions who wonder why a homegrown solution could not be sought. One of the key issues is that no domestic manager can boast the experience of working and winning in different countries like the German, who has a willingness to travel.

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