English clubs are hiring foreign managers more than ever, especially when pushed against the wall. Though, the rich Premier League clubs have long preferred swanky Spaniards, Italians and South American managers, the clubs outside the top 10 have more often looked within the Union. But that’s not the case anymore.
Of the seven clubs at the bottom of the EPL points table, five have bid adieu to their managers, as of now. And of the ones that had to walk through the exit door, three are from UK — bottom-placed Crystal Palace ended their relationship with Englishman Ian Holloway in October, West Brom fired Steve Clarke in December and Cardiff City controversially got rid of Scot Malky Mackay.
Though Pal-ace replaced Holloway with Welshman Tony Pulis, West Brom opted for Spaniard Pepe Mel at West Brom while Cardiff brought in Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjær. Further, after the expulsion of Italian Paolo di Canio, struggling Sunderland chose to put their faith in Gus Poyet of Uruguay. When Fulham ran out of patience with Martin Jol, they replaced him with fellow Dutchman Rene Meulensteen than anyone from the Union. The message from the English boardrooms is loud and clear: It takes a foreigner to lead a successful English club.
One might be tempted to recall Sir Alex Ferguson, but that is looking more like an exception considering the ordeal of his successor and fellow Scot David Moyes. Of course, there is no reliable theory to suggest that an a English or a Welsh manager knows lesser than a Spaniard or Italian, but the harsh truth is the powers that be of English clubs somehow seem to believe so.Â
