So after weeks of speculation, Leeds United finally appointed their new manager. It’s a guy named Thomas Christiansen. This club always find delightful new ways to surprise us.
Considering Leeds were linked to some big name managers, some have complained at the fact he is basically a complete unknown on these shores. He has only ever been the full time manager of two teams, AEK Larnaca and APOEL Nicosia, both of which play in Cyprus. Now that is a gorgeous trip and I can recommend a holiday there anytime, but it isn’t exactly seen as a football hotbed.
However in appointing a relative unknown from abroad, Leeds are merely following a trend. Many clubs have looked abroad to get their next manager and the results have been mixed to say the least. And by mixed, it either goes very well or very badly. Have a look at these teams who appointed managers you’d never heard of before.
Philippe Montanier (Nottingham Forest)
So we’re going to start off with one that didn’t exactly go to plan. Montanier was very reputable abroad having managed the likes of Real Sociedad and Rennes, though as will be the trend, unknown over here. Things went ok for a while with Forest being where they would expect to be, but things would soon go off the rails as they went on a seven game run without a win. The biggest failing of this Forest team was their inability to keep a clean sheet and it was that which would cost Montanier his job in January. They didn’t really do much better without him though, their poor form continued and they came close to being relegated on the final day of the season
