John Herdman: The Englishman Who Could Lead England to Glory

John Herdman is a name that might not be familiar to many English football fans, but he is a man who has achieved something remarkable in the world of soccer. He is the first and only manager to have qualified both a men’s and a women’s national team for a World Cup. And he did it with Canada, a country that is not known for its footballing prowess.

Herdman, who was born in Consett, County Durham, in 1975, has had a remarkable journey from being a student and part-time lecturer at Northumbria University to becoming one of the most successful and respected coaches in the game. He started his coaching career at Sunderland’s youth academy, but left in 2001 to pursue his passion for football development in New Zealand.

There, he joined the national association football programme as a coach education manager and later as the director of football development. He also took charge of the New Zealand women’s national team in 2006, leading them to two World Cups and one Olympics. He impressed with his motivational skills, tactical acumen and ability to foster a strong team culture.

In 2011, he moved to Canada to take over the women’s national team, which had just finished last in their group at the World Cup. He quickly turned things around, leading them to a gold medal at the Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012. He repeated the feat at the Rio Olympics in 2016, making Canada one of the top teams in women’s football.

In 2018, he made a surprising switch to the men’s side, becoming the head coach and national director of all men’s teams from under-14s upwards. He faced a daunting challenge of reviving a team that had not qualified for a World Cup since 1986 and was languishing at 72nd in the FIFA rankings. But he embraced it with enthusiasm and confidence, instilling a new vision and identity for Canadian soccer.

He led the team through a gruelling qualifying campaign that saw them face teams from Bermuda to Mexico, scoring 40 goals and conceding only six in 14 games. He also helped develop some of the brightest talents in the game, such as Alphonso Davies, Jonathan David and Teibert Hutchinson. He guided Canada to its highest ever ranking of 33rd in February 2022 and secured its spot at the Qatar World Cup with a historic win over Panama in March.

Now, he faces his biggest test yet: leading Canada at its first men’s World Cup in 36 years. He will pit his wits against some of the best teams and managers in the world, including Belgium, Colombia and Japan in Group G. He will also have a chance to prove himself to his home country, which is looking for a new manager after Gareth Southgate stepped down following Euro 2020.

Herdman has already expressed his interest in managing England one day, saying it would be his “dream job”. He has also shown that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level: passion, intelligence, charisma and results. He has made history with Canada, but he could also make history with England. He is John Herdman: the Englishman who could lead England to glory.