Coaches (or managers) seem to be getting earlier starts as many former and not former players get to coach teams at highest levels inside their thirties. The following is a list of some of the youngest coaches in Europe’s biggest leagues.
In the English Premier League Jan Siewert at Huddersfield is the youngest at 36, he took over after David Wagner (47) left earlier in 2019. Scott Parker is currently the second youngest at 38. The former Fulham, Tottenham, etc. player is only a caretaker after Claudio Ranieri became Fulham’s second coach of the season, after Slavisa Jokanovic was fired in 2018. Marco Silva, in charge of Everton, is the third youngest at 41. Eddie Howe (also 41) has been in charge of Bournemouth for nearly seven years. Other coaches under 50 include Nuno Santo (Wolverhampton, 45), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United, 46), Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham, 47), Unai Emery (Arsenal, 47), Sean Dyche at Burnley since 2012 (47) and Javi Gracia (Watford, 48).
In the Spanish La Liga Huesca’s Francisco is youngest at 40 followed by Javier Calleja of Villarreal also 40. The pair are younger than Sergio, 42 at Valladolid. Bilbao’s Gaizka Garitano is 43. All four have taken over their current posts within the last year. Three time Champions League winner as coach Zinedine Zidane (46) only recently returned to Real Madrid after resigning last Spring. Others under 50 include Imanol Alguacil (Real Sociedad, 47), Mauricio Pellegrino (Leganes, 47) and Paco Jemez (Rayo Vallecano, 48). Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid since 2011 is 48, Abelardo Fernández (Alaves, 48) and Rubi (Espanyol, 49) round out the list.
Italy’s Serie A, somewhat befitting its stereotype, boasts “only” six coaches under 50 years old. Sassuolo’s Roberto De Zerbi is only 39. Igor Tudor, back for a second spell at Udinese, is 40. Milan’s Gennaro Gattuso is 41. Roberto D’Aversa at Parma is 43. So is Simone Inzaghi, at Lazio since 2015. Inzaghi’s brother would have been on this list but the 45 year old Pippo was fired by Bologna in January and replaced by Sinisa Mihajlovic. Vincenzo Montella, back at Fiorentina within the last week, is 44.
In Germany’s Bundesliga the highly rated Julian Nagelsmann has been at Hoffenheim since 2016 and is only 31 in 2019. This is unlikely to be matched at a top league club. Florian Kohfeldt at Werder Bremen is 36. He stepped up from the II team in 2017 when he replaced Alexander Nouri, another former Werder Bremen II team coach. Boris Schommers is a caretaker at Nurnberg and is only 40, he replaced Michael Kollner earlier in 2019. Mainz’s Sandro Schwarz is also 40. The Hungarian Pal Dardai is 43 and at Hertha Berlin since 2015. Markus Weinzierl is 44 at VFB Stuttgart. Niko Kovac, at 47, is hanging on to his job at Bayern. Rounding up the list is 49 years old Eintracht Frankfurt coach Adi Hutter.
In France’s Ligue 1 38 year old Julien Stephan moved up from Rennes B last year. Patrick Vieira, 42, moved from MLS’ New York City to Nice in 2018. Leonardo Jardim (44) returned to Monaco after 41 year old Thierry Henry failed there. Thomas Tuchel (45) is trying to create a more successful Champions League team at PSG, he will be trying again next season! Caen’s Fabien Mercadal is 47 and so is Guingamp’s Jocelyn Gourvennec. Bordeaux’s Paulo Sousa, at only 48, has coached for over a decade.
The Dutch Eredivisie FC Groningen’s Danny Buijs is 36. Mark van Bommel at 41 is trying to help PSV retain the title, he replaced Phillip Cocu last year. Giovanni van Bronckhorst is leaving Feyenoord at the end of the current season, he is 44. Johnny Jansen (44) is a caretaker at Heerenveen after replacing Jan Olde Riekerink last week. Forty six year old Jaap Stam (PEC Zwolle) will move to Feyenoord next season. FC Emmen’s Dick Lukkien is 47 and has been at club since 2016. Mitchell van der Gaag is 47 at NAC, Russia’s Leonid Slutsky (Vitesse) is also 47. Erik ten Hag is 49 and is in charge of the rising Ajax team.
Portugal’s Primeira Liga boasts a slew of under 50 year old coaches. Tondela’s Pepa is 38. Nuno Manta Santos is 40 at Feirense, so is Abel Ferreira at Braga. The latter moved up from Braga’s B team. Benfica’s Bruno Lage is 42 and took over from Rui Vitoria in January 2019. Belenenses’ Silas is also 42, and so is Maritimo’s Petit. Ivo Vieira at Moreirense is 43. Costinha at Nacional is 44 and Joao Henriques at Santa Clara is 46. Antonio Folha (47) is in charge of Portimonense after years in the Porto system. Daniel Ramos (48) recently took charge of Rio Ave and Lito Vidigal (49) did the same at Boavista.