He argues such structures are now necessary as a head coach "neither has the time nor, in many cases, the specialist expertise to manage complex player contracts, oversee global scouting networks, or run sophisticated data operations". "My belief is that we should embrace a modernised version of the traditional manager, where we recognise the people they lead, manage and coach. "As I once said to my bosses at England: players are not magnets on a tactics board that can simply be moved around. And managing that reality is at the heart of modern football leadership." He said that was necessary in order to reflect the "authority, influence and control" he would need in the role.

Source: BBC January 15, 2026 14:39 UTC