Top 10 Young Football Managers (Part I)

Read Part 2 here: Top 10 Young Football Managers (Part Two)

Football, over the last couple of seasons, has been witnessing a ‘change of guard’. Players who we adored in their prime have retired, managers that headed some of the greatest sides in history have resigned. All this has given rise to the next generation of football personnel ranging from talented young footballers to talented young tacticians.

In this piece we will be focusing on the Top 10 Young Football Managers, that could be at the helm of some of the biggest clubs in World Football, in the not-so-distant future.

Please note that we have restricted this list to ‘upcoming’ managers rather than established ones or ones that are fairly well-known in the World of football/earned moves to big clubs (eg: Brendan Rodgers, Andre Villas Boas etc).

10. Viktor Goncharenko

Age: 36

Nationality: Belarusian

Current club: BATE Borisov

Major Honours/Accolades: 5 Belarusian Premier League titles (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012); 1 Belarusian Cup (2010); 2 Belarusian Super Cups (2010, 2011); 3 Belarusian Manager of the Year awards (2008, 2009, 2010)

Expert View: Viktor Goncharenko’s continuation of BATE Borisov’s dominance of Belarusian football has been instigated through a powerful, organised defence and quick transitions from the midfield. His teams are far more capable of retaining possession against inferior domestic opponents, given the relatively low standard of their top flight opponents, however their ability to counter has been witnessed to great effect in Europe over the past 12 months.

The story of Goncharenko’s rise to prominence is an inspirational one, and his ability to rouse his players is a trait that few coaches can truly boast to possess – particularly those as fresh-faced as the 36-year old BATE coach – and the trust he places in domestically bred players is particularly refreshing in an Eastern European backdrop that relies so heavily on foreign talent to progress.