England’s current female football manager, Phil Neville is set to step down as manager when his contract expires in July 2021, after a display of unstable performances since the Women’s World Cup in 2019. Casey Stoney, Jill Ellis and Emma Hayes emerge favourites for the managerial position.
The English Football Association is currently on the lookout for a suitable replacement for Phil Neville. Some of the favourite contenders for the coaching position include but not limited to;
Casey Stoney, the renowned England Female Footballer, featured as a defender for clubs like Arsenal FC, Lincoln City and Charlton FC during her playing career. In 2009, she got her chance at management, when she succeeded Steve Jones as Player-Manager at Chelsea.
While playing in the English colours, she earned a total of 130 caps for The Lionesses before retiring from International Football in 2017. Casey Stoney is well known and respected for being the current Manager of Manchester United Women’s team. She won the FA Women’s Championship in her first season as the coach.
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Also on the list is Emma Hayes, Chelsea Women’s Head Coach. She is another famous name in the women’s game. Emma Hayes was once Academy Director at Arsenal after beginning her coaching career in the USA as First Assistant Coach.
Her talent came to limelight with her move to Chelsea in 2012, replacing her predecessor Matt Beard as the Head Coach. She has since won two WSL titles, two FA Cups, a League Cup, and she is also a two-time Champions League Semi-Finalist in a duration of eight-and-a-half-years at Chelsea.
Lastly, on the list of favourites is Jill Ellis who won two successive Women’s World Cup with the USA. She is currently acting as an ambassador for US Soccer since stepping down as USA Women’s Head Coach in 2019. Jill Ellis guided the USA Women’s Team to two successive World Cup victories, two CONCACAF Women’s Championship, and two SheBelieves Cup titles.
Speaking highly of Jill Ellis, former English Female Professional Footballer, Eni Aluko, said: “I think Ellis is definitely the candidate that would potentially move this English wagon on and bring silverware to the England team.”
Other contenders for the managerial position includes Nick Cushing, former Manchester City Women’s Coach who won one WSL title, two FA Cups and also led City to the runner’s up position in his last four season as Head Coach. John Herdman, current Coach of the Canada Men’s team. He also boasts of international experience with women’s football when he coached Canada Women in 2011. He led them to successive Olympic Bronze Medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016 and also made it to the quarterfinals of their home World Cup in 2015.
