The Premier League Sees Record Low of English Managers

The Premier League has only two English managers this season, the lowest ever. Sean Dyche of Everton and Eddie Howe of Newcastle represent the domestic pool while Kieran McKenna born in England but raised in Northern Ireland also manages Ipswich in the English top flight. Other English figures involved in Premier League management this season include sacked Wolves boss Gary O’Neil and caretaker managers Ben Dawson (Leicester) and Simon Rusk (Southampton).

The drop in English managers reflects a wider trend as the number of British bosses in the Premier League has shrunk from 22 in 1992-93 to just eight in 2024-25. This includes five English managers, plus McKenna, Russell Martin (Scotland) and Steve Cooper (Wales). In contrast, foreign managers have risen with five Spaniards and four Portuguese currently leading Premier League clubs. The decline stems from the increasing dominance of foreign ownership in the Premier League which tends to favor foreign coaches.

English managers struggle to secure top jobs unless they achieve significant success in the Championship. In contrast, countries like Italy have 80% of Serie A managers as Italians while Spain boasts 70% of La Liga managers being Spanish. Foreign managers have won more titles across Europe while English managers have struggled to replicate this success. No English manager has won the Premier League since its inception and Kevin Keegan was the last to finish second in 1996.

The Premier League’s shift towards foreign managers reflects its global appeal and the growing influence of foreign owners, who tend to favor coaches from their own networks. The trend also appears in player nationality, as fewer English players make up a smaller proportion of Premier League rosters.