BREAKING: Gareth Southgate’s right-hand man reportedly could take shock manager job that Ange Postecoglou and NOTORIOUS ex-Premier League star had
Steve Holland, the former assistant to Gareth Southgate, is reportedly in discussions to take a coaching role at a club far from England.
Holland is said to be joining Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos, a team previously managed by Ange Postecoglou, now of Tottenham Hotspur, and former Wolves player Kevin Muscat. Currently, Yokohama sits 12th in the J1 League, a disappointing position given their second-place finish last season. The club’s supporters hold high expectations, having won two titles in the past five years, but with just two games left in the season, their hopes for silverware are now dashed.
Following the dismissal of manager Harry Kewell, who was sacked after only six wins from 18 league matches, assistant coach John Hutchinson has taken over on an interim basis. Holland, should he accept the role, would aim to return Yokohama to its former glory, much like Postecoglou did when he led them to a J-League title after a 15-year drought. Muscat also guided the team to a top-flight title in 2022.
Holland, who has earned a strong reputation as a coach, has worked at clubs such as Crewe, Stoke, and Chelsea, steadily rising through the ranks. This would be his first managerial role in 16 years, following a brief stint in charge at Crewe.
Dean Ashton, speaking about Holland during Euro 2020 on talkSPORT, praised his wealth of experience. “He finished playing at 21 and started coaching immediately, gaining experience from youth teams all the way to the first team at Chelsea, working with players like John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Didier Drogba. He’s highly regarded for his coaching knowledge, and Gareth Southgate certainly leans on him a lot. Behind the scenes, he’s a fantastic coach, keeping a cool head during key moments and thinking tactically about adjustments,” Ashton said.
Ashton also highlighted Holland’s ability to engage players, noting that his coaching sessions are not only effective but also mentally stimulating for top-level players. Should Holland take the job at Yokohama, he will hope for success similar to that of Postecoglou, or even the legendary Arsène Wenger.
Wenger’s time in Japan is often cited as a turning point in his career. After leaving Monaco in 1994, he took the reins at Nagoya Grampus, owned by Toyota, where he spent the 1995 season. Though his start was challenging, he led the team to second place, just behind Verdy Kawasaki. The following season, Wenger led the team to win the Emperor’s Cup. Most notably, it was in Japan where Wenger developed his now-famous nutritional approach, which would later revolutionize his work at Arsenal and English football as a whole. Reflecting on his time in Japan, Wenger said, “It profoundly changed me. My vision of life changed in Japan, and it was an incredibly positive experience. I am very grateful for it. It was perhaps a bit crazy at the time, but I am thankful for that decision. It helped me take a step back from European pressures and return with a new perspective.”
