Over the years, Scotland has supplied some undoubtedly special managers to the English game. We’ve seen the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson record huge success at one of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United, while Matt Busby and Bill Shankly are two other Scottish legends who have managed to succeed south of the border.
Nowadays, Scottish bosses are employed in England thanks to the likes of Sir Alex, with their influence being felt at some of the biggest and oldest clubs in the country. In fact, English football is filled with Scottish leadership, from club captains to managers aiming to take a club up from the EFL Championship and into the world’s biggest league. Likewise, we’ve seen numerous managers from The Land of the Brave attempting to improve the fortunes at clubs in League One and League Two, as Scottish managers continue to earn jobs throughout the English football pyramid.
At the moment, there are a number of bright Scottish minds working in England who are tasked with replicating the successes of a number of trophy-winning bosses from Scotland. While it might be a tough task to achieve what Sir Alex Ferguson and Bill Shankly did in the country, there are still a number of managers who could go on to have similar careers in management as the likes of Graeme Souness, Kenny Dalglish and George Graham, while some more experienced coaches have managed to shine in their own way. Let’s take a look at some of them below.
David Moyes – West Ham United
A boss who has come under a fair bit of flak during his managerial career, it’s safe to say that David Moyes has silenced his doubters after West Ham won the 2022/23 Europa Conference League by beating Fiorentina 2-1 in Prague. After all, Moyes didn’t land the job at Manchester United for no reason, while his adventure to clubs like Real Sociedad illustrated his appetite to learn new styles and evolve in a new environment. While the opportunity at Old Trafford might have come too soon for Moyes, the Everton favourite is known for having clubs punch well above their weight. Right now, Moyes is doing exactly that at West Ham United as he continues to be one of the most underrated managers around.
Russell Martin – Southampton
A manager with a seemingly big future in the game, while Southampton’s return to the Championship is taking a while to get going, there is no denying just how impressive young manager Russell Martin is. Born in England but a Scotland international, the ex-Rangers defender is known for adopting a positive, attacking approach, with his players having to be comfortable on the ball and brave in possession. A completely different vision to the robust, well-organised style the aforementioned David Moyes employs, Martin is seen as a more progressive leader in a modern game that has evidently evolved. While all styles are welcome, and there certainly isn’t one way of playing, Martin’s Southampton could be a side to watch this season as he continues to build on the success he’s experienced at other clubs, such as MK Dons.
Steve Evans – Stevenage
A manager that tends to divide opinion given his touchline antics and post-match swipes at the opposition, it’s impossible to ignore the remarkable rise of Steve Evans. After taking relative minnows Crawley up to the Football League, the former Albion Rovers and Hamilton Academical striker has gone on to manage some big clubs in England, including the likes of Leeds United and Rotherham. Nowadays, Evans has taken Stevenage from League Two up to League One on a small budget, with the Hertfordshire-based club currently being regarded as one of the surprise packages of the division at the time of writing. Although Steve Evans isn’t necessarily revered by everyone in England, given his petty moments and his occasional outbursts, there is no denying just how well he has done at a number of clubs.
Scott Brown – Fleetwood
After turning out for Celtic in the Champions League, it undoubtedly took Scott Brown a period of adjustment to adapt to League One football in England as manager of Fleetwood Town. In his first foray into management, the Celtic legend appears to have taken his leadership skills on the pitch and translated them perfectly into football management. An FA Cup upset over Championship side QPR is a notable highlight during his short managerial career to date, although keeping Fleetwood in the division is probably his main objective given the limited resources the club has compared to other sides in the league, such as Bolton Wanderers and Portsmouth. Scott Brown is learning his craft in a good environment and could well land a bigger gig in the near future.
