England’s Last 10 Assistant Managers

The England manager’s role is often described as the football world’s biggest job. While this may not be entirely true, it has often been one of the highest paid, although it has come with caveats – the infamous documentary following Graham Taylor’s difficult tenure as England boss was titled The Impossible Job.

There are even some managers that do not even want the job full-time, apparently including current caretaker boss Lee Carsley. This is perhaps because it is certainly a role subject to a great deal of scrutiny, where anything short of winning a major tournament is deemed a failure.

Perhaps less is spoken about the England manager’s number two, the assistant manager, who is such a vital member of the backroom staff and arguably the manager’s most important colleague. Everybody needs a right-hand man, including the Three Lions gaffer.

While the career trajectories of most England managers is well-documented, much less is reported on what happens to their seconds-in-command. So, where are the last 10 England assistant managers now? We take a look.

10 Steve Holland

Assistant to Gareth Southgate from 2016 to 2024

Steve Holland was very much Gareth Southgate’s right-hand man. In the seconds following Ollie Watkins’ last minute goal against the Netherlands, it was Holland who remained rooted in reality, gesturing to Southgate to bring on Conor Gallagher and Ezri Konza, in order to shore up at the back. Holland left the England camp with Southgate after England lost the final of Euro 2024. Despite his close bond with Southgate, it’s reported he would not work with him again, even if the former England manager landed the Manchester United job. This is because Holland is keen on becoming a manager in his own right. Southgate continues to hold Holland in high esteem:

9 Sammy Lee

Assistant to Sam Allardyce and interim manager Gareth Southgate

Considered one of Liverpool’s greatest midfielders, pint-sized Liverpudlian Sammy Lee is now well into his sixties, with a long and busy coaching career following a trophy-laden playing career, notably with Liverpool. However, his last position in football was as assistant manager at West Brom, alongside his old sparring partner Sam Allardyce. Naturally, having played for Liverpool during a hugely successful period for the club, he is now often found speaking at events about his illustrious past. He probably doesn’t talk a great deal about his time in the England camp given Allardyce was relieved of his duties after one game due to allegations of malpractice. That said, Lee would have other England stories from his time as a coach under Sven Goran Eriksson and supporting Gareth Southgate while he was interim manager.

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8 Ray Lewington

Assistant to Roy Hodgson from 2012 to 2016

Having made more than 400 league appearances for the likes of Chelsea and Fulham, Ray Lewington had a long career as a player and in coaching coaching. He was Roy Hodgson’s assistant for the Euros in 2012 and 2016, and the disappointing World Cup campaign of 2014. Lewington was coaching at Crystal Palace as recently as early 2024. His son Dean has made nearly 1,000 appearances for MK Dons. Aged 40, he still plays and was appointed caretaker manager at the start of the season, with the veteran bringing his Dad in as a coach.

7 Steve Wigley

Assistant to Stuart Pearce in 2012

After a playing career that saw lengthy spells at Portsmouth and Birmingham, Steve Wigley has had a coaching and managerial career going back 30 years. After working alongside Stuart Pearce at Manchester City, the former England left-back brought Wigley in as an assistant for his game in charge of England as interim manager in 2012. Today, Wigley is three years into a role with Fulham as their under twenty-threes coach, where he has been credited for nurturing the likes of highly rated Fabio Carvalho.

6 Franco Baldini

Assistant to Fabio Capello 2007 to 2011

Baldini was number to Capello during a fairly dour period in England’s history. After his involvement with England, Baldini became technical director at Spurs. It has since come to light that former Spurs full-back Danny Rose despised the Italian, mainly it seems because he did not rate the Englishman. Since leaving Spurs nearly a decade ago, Baldini has kept a low profile. He tends to polarise opinion in Italy, particularly at Roma, where club legend Franseco Totti claimed in his book that Baldini forced him into retirement, resulting in the former England assistant’s resignation from the club in 2020. In summer 2024, it was reported in the Italian media that Baldini could return to football with Bari as sporting director, although that move didn’t pan out in the end.

5 Terry Venables

Assistant to Steve McClaren 2006 to 2007

Terry Venables sadly passed away in 2023. He had already been England manager, narrowly missing out on a place in the final of Euro 96, before he rejoined the international scene in 2006, this time as assistant to Steve McClaren. He was a good player in his own right and considered one of the best players to come through the youth ranks at Chelsea, while as a coach Venables was well-respected for his man-management skills and tactical innovations. But his second time around with England wasn’t such a good experience, with he and McClaren getting sacked for failing to qualify for Euro 2008. This proved to be Venables’ final coaching position.

4 Tord Grip

Assistant to Sven Goran Eriksoon from 2001 to 2006

Grip was effectively Sven-Goran Eriksson’s closet confidant and walked alongside David Beckham in the funeral procession for their former boss when he passed away in 2024. The Swedish duo oversaw England’s Golden Generation, which is remembered with mixed emotions. On the one hand, Sven and Grip provided a calming optimism that England had otherwise lacked amid their long wait for a trophy; on the other, they failed to deliver success with the greatest crop of English talent since the 1960s, struggled to move away from 4-4-2 and never solved the Gerrard-Lampard conundrum.

Grip went onto have varied roles with Ivory Coast and Kosovo after leaving England but now in his eighties, he has long since retired. It was reported this year, that Eriksson wanted Abba to write a song for England’s bid to win the 2002 World Cup. He asked Grip, who was a friend of Benny Anderson from the band, if they’d be interested. He was thrilled to discover they were, only for bosses at the FA to pour cold water over the idea.

3 Brian Kidd

Assistant to Sven Goran Eriksson from 2003 to 2004

Brian Kidd has had a fine footballing life, scoring as a 19-year-old in Manchester United’s 1968 European Cup win at Wembley, then later as an assistant, working with Alex Ferguson as United won the title for the first time in 26 years. Now in his seventies, Kidd is retired, but is a very active presence on the after-dinner speaking circuit. Kidd is unusual in the regard that he has had success with both United and City, working with Pep Guardiola and Roberto Mancini, when the two helped City win their first Premier League title and yet he remains popular with fans of both clubs. His England stint was cut short as Kidd was diagnosed with cancer that required immediate treatment.

2 John Gorman

Assistant to Glenn Hoddle 1996 to 1999

With Kevin Keegan having head coaches but not an assistant manager per se during his time as England manager between 1999 and 2000, you have to go back to between 1996 and 1999 for England’s last assistant manager on this list, who interestingly enough is not English, but a Scot. John Gorman played alongside Glenn Hoddle for Spurs in the late 1970s, with the two combining to take Swindon Town up to the Premier League in the early 1990s. Gorman is now retired, but was a popular coach. Former Manchester United wide player Luke Chadwick named Gorman as the best coach he ever had.

1 Don Howe

Assistant to Terry Venables 1995 to 1996

Howe was a hugely experienced figure who had worked closely with Bobby Robson for England prior to assisting Terry Venables for Euro 96. Howe passed away in 2015. There is a case to suggest he is one of the highest profile assistant managers in the history of the English game and was certainly there for some big moments, being pitch side for the infamous hand of God incident from Maradona in the 1986 World Cup, then a decade later with Venables, when England lost an agonising penalty shoot-out in the semi-final of Euro 96.

Stats via Transfermarkt.