Five EFL Managers to Watch in 2024/25

As the new football season approaches, EFL pundit Gab Sutton has picked out five EFL managers to watch in 2024/25...

1. Johannes Hoff Thorup (Norwich)

What’s most exciting about Norwich City, in 2024/25, is that they made the Play-Offs last season, yet still have many reasons to believe they’ll get better.

Firstly, the atmosphere around the club is transformed: it feels like a new vision that fans can get behind, after a three-year period that’s been draining for all sorts of reasons, as excitement returns to Carrow Road.

Secondly, the Canaries will have a clear playing identity which should help them create chances organically, as opposed to relying on individual quality.

Thirdly, they should have a better playing structure that makes them better equipped to guard against counter-attacks, and retain some defensive balance when they come forward.

While new boss Johannes Hoff Thorup operates with a ‘teamsheet’ 4-3-3, that’s only the formation out of possession, whereas in possession it switches to a 3-2-5.

The Dane is expected to push his right-back, probably Jack Stacey, high up the pitch when the Yellows have the ball, acting as an in-possession winger, whilst inverting left-back Guilherme Montóia into a back-three.

Perhaps the most intriguing area, though, is midfield, where Borja Sainz’s role could be about to change.

Under David Wagner, Sainz’s role had been to cut inside from the left wing, and use his ball-carrying ability to produce moments of magic in the final third.

Under Thorup, there’s less call for forward players to create between the lines, so Sainz may be converted into a left-sided midfielder in a three-man configuration, tasked with breaking through the second line of the press, then linking up as part of a front-five in the aforementioned 3-2-5.

In the front-three, meanwhile, flexibility is favoured, with an emphasis on inside forwards who can press into central positions, and a central forward who can drift into a wider spot.

As such, the respective futures of Ashley Barnes, and maybe even Josh Sargent, are in some doubt, while a door may open nicely for versatile operators like Christian Fassnacht, who only started 19 games last season, and Jonny Rowe.

There may be a cause to switch Rowe from to the right of the front-three and bring in a left winger who can also dominate the flank, but there’s plenty of time to address such issues.

And, if Gabriel Sara can pull the strings in midfield, things may all amalgamate from the Hoff.

Crucially, Norwich City have a plan, and fans are enthused once again.

2. Luke Williams (Swansea)

Luke Williams has always had a glowing reputation in the coaching scene, but not necessarily in the wider footballing world.

He did outstanding work on the grass at Swindon, but only as part of Mark Cooper’s backroom team, and was crucial to the progress made at MK Dons, and Swansea in his first spell, but only as assistant to Russ Martin.

And, while Williams is credited with Notts County’s growth under the Reedtz brothers, inspiring a 107-point National League season in 2022/23, it’s come at a level that’s less known about.

Back for his second stint with the Swans, however, Williams finally can prove himself in the top two divisions of English football.

The 43-year-old oversaw 25 points from his first 20 games in charge, including some encouraging performances against Sunderland, Stoke, and Huddersfield: a respectable return for a team that always knew they’d be in the Championship again next season.

Now, Williams has a full pre-season to get his ideas across, and the results of that at Notts County had been phenomenal starts: one defeat in 34, and 20 points from a possible 27 in 2022/23 and 2023/24 respectively.

Possessing a rare combination of charismatic people skills and tactical detail, Williams should get the best out of roaming centre-back Harry Darling and Matt Grimes, both of whom he’s worked with previously.

Less familiar to Williams are Eom Ji-sung, a versatile forward recruited from Gwangju FC to provide pace, creativity and guile, and Gonçalo Franco, a dynamic, all-action midfielder with an aptitude for strong challenges, with both looking exciting additions.

Likely operating on a bottom eight budget, Swansea may be limited in the numbers they can bring in, so many lean on youth to stretch Williams’ coaching capabilities.

But, in a more open-looking Championship, this looks a great opportunity for him to show the world what he’s capable of.

3. Mark Robinson (Burton)

Joining AFC Wimbledon in 2004, two years after the club’s reformation, Mark Robinson spent 17 years structuring a highly successful academy in a variety of roles.

Plus, two-thirds of his stint as manager, initially in an interim role after Glyn Hodges’ sacking, were very positive.

Robinson oversaw just six defeats in 21 after taking charge in January 2021, with an instant improvement in performance levels culminating in April’s four-game winning streak that finished the job.

The following summer, the modus operandi was building around Robinson’s developmental qualities, reducing the average age and slashing the wage bill, with a view to achieving League One sustainability.

That was going to plan when December’s 2-0 victory at Accrington Stanley saw the Dons sitting in the relative comfort of 17th, but what followed was a 27-game winless streak, of which 20 came under his watch.

The youthful squad crumbled under the pressure, not helped by the sale of target man Ollie Palmer to Wrexham in January, but that experience should help Robinson in his attempts to navigate League One this time around.

And, since leaving Plough Lane, Robinson has been entrusted with nurturing some of the top talents in world football at Chelsea, where he has done excellent work with the development squad.

There remains the question of whether Robinson can get results in senior football, as opposed to just spending the rest of his career as an outstanding youth coach.

He will, however, have learnt a lot from his experience with the Wombles, and that should help him adjust where needed at Burton, whilst remaining predominantly process-driven.

The advantage he’ll have at the Pirelli, though, is a touch more backing from the ambitious ownership of Nordic Football Group, which has allowed him to bring in the likes of Elliot Watt and Charlie Webster.

Watt, for instance, has already established himself as a sublime technician in the EFL, while Webster has already played for England Under-20s and looks a massive potential asset for a permanent signing.

There remains unknowns, but there are certainly more reasons to be excited about Robinson’s marriage with Burton than apprehensive.

Rubén Sellés (Reading)

Rubén Sellés and Reading has the potential to be one of the most enchanting narratives of the EFL’s 2024/25 season.

Given the baggage surrounding it last summer, the Spaniard would have been within his rights to snub the job, and he would have been equally entitled to walk away when there were no signs of resolutions being found, with delayed payments for HMRC bills and player wages.

And yet, Sellés remained faithful to the Royals, as a dignified presence throughout everything, even as November’s 3-2 loss at Shrewsbury, through two injury-time goals, left them bottom of the table with a mere 11 points from their first 17.

What followed, though, was a shock 2-1 victory at Wycombe and a 5-1 thumping of Carlisle, precipitating a run of two defeats in 16, and then six wins in the last 14: in all, 48 points from 30 which was borderline Play-Off form.

For League One, Sellés has excellent coaching pedigree, having managed Valencia's ‘Juvenil B’ (Under-19s) squad, then assisted Jess Thorup and Ralph Hasenhüttl at FC København and Southampton respectively, leading the latter in the 2022/23 Premier League as interim head coach.

So, combining that level of nous with a greater understanding of what’s required in League One, the 41-year-old could be one to watch.

David Artell (Grimsby)

David Artell met or massively exceeded expectations in five of his six seasons at Crewe Alexandra, an impressive hit rate.

Now, the Yorkshireman is at a club in Grimsby Town that gives him a level of operational support he didn’t have in his previous job.

For the first time in his career, the 43-year-old now works with a Head of Recruitment in Joe Hutchinson, among others, significantly enhancing the chances of making the right calls in the market.

In theory, therefore, the Mariners can achieve success at a rate quicker than was managed at Crewe, where Artell initially delivered comfortable survival after taking charge midway through 2016/17, followed by two seasons of steady growth, and then the success of 2019/20’s promotion and 2020/21’s top half League One finish.

Artell has enjoyed a full pre-season to get his ideas across in a longer format, without the pressures of individual games to prepare for in a dogfight.

Pragmatism was wise last season to ensure safety, attaining the 5-5-5 return in the final 15 that proved crucial with six clean sheets, but this season we’ll see a clearer execution of his blueprint.

If we equate 2024/25 to Artell’s first full season at Crewe, 2017/18, in which he delivered a 15th-place finish, back then he was developing 21-year-olds Perry Ng and Ryan Wintle, 19-year-old Callum Ainley, Charlie Kirk and Tommy Lowery, and 18-year-old Harry Pickering, with the sextet starting 160 out of a possible 276 league games (58%).

This time around, there’s less emphasis on youth development, partly because the academy isn’t quite as strong, partly because there’s a few extra quid in the budget, and partly because of the comparative quality of the recruitment process.

As such, Town can pick up Cameron McJannet and Jason Daði Svanþórsson, 25 and 24 respectively, who arrive with outstanding reviews from Ireland and Iceland.

So, while Grimsby are further back than Crewe were in terms of cultivating a footballing style in line with what Artell wants, the quality of player the Mariners can identify, afford and attract is higher, and that lands the trade-off at a net benefit.

The Cleethorpes outfit will feel they have what it takes to make large strides in Artell’s first season - just how large, is the question…