Premier League: Why are there only two English managers in the top flight?

In the Premier League’s first season, 1992-93, there was only one non-British manager – and that was Irishman Joe Kinnear at Wimbledon.

In the first four seasons Ossie Ardiles was the only manager from a further country than Dublin.

As the list of English managers has plummeted, so has the list of British bosses from 22 in the first season to eight in 2024-25 (all seasons, including managers).

The eight include five English managers and goalkeepers, plus McKenna, Brighton-born Scotland international Russell Martin and Welshman Steve Cooper.

The number of times per season has not fallen – for in 2011-12 and 2012-13 there were only six English champions – compared to 15 in 2022-23.

But in those 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons the number of British managers was 17 and 15 respectively.

There are five Spanish and four Portuguese managers or head coaches in the Premier League now, compared to three in the UK.

About 60% of the current EFL focus is English.

“The Premier League is the hardest league on the planet and when they say, for example, if you are coaching in Portugal, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, these are lower than the Premier League, sure, but also laughable.” ex-efl boss Michael Appleton told BBC Sport.

“A lot of British coaches tend to be coaches who have been promoted in the Premier League. That’s the case, unless you are financially supported to make the jump from the Championship to the Premier League; you have to stay in the league fighting.

“Not as much as you want that recognition, as an example, if you reach the (foreign) alliances you talked about.

“You’ve got a better chance with a Premier League club than you have as a really good type of football manager.”