Southgate’s right-hand man was helping to put the England players through their final paces at St George’s Park yesterday before the squad board the plane for Portugal on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Nations League semi-final against Holland.
As well as being the England base, the Midlands complex is also home of the FA’s coach development programme, and Holland believes its existence is already beginning to have an impact at the higher levels of the game.
With young English managers such as Chris Wilder, Graham Potter and Dean Smith set to begin their careers in the Premier League next season and Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard looking to build on impressive managerial starts elsewhere, a number of different candidates are emerging as Southgate’s potential replacement down the line.
“I cannot stress enough that when you are stood on the touchline singing the national anthem before an England match is an amazing moment in your life,” Holland said. “I am not sure anyone non-English can quite feel the same way.
“So my personal preference is that we should have the capability in this country to provide English staff in that role – that is my personal opinion.”
With players such as Jadon Sancho also showing English players can thrive on the continent as well as the other way round, Holland believes the whole of the country’s football scene should hold its head a little higher.
“I don’t think Gareth or I want to sound like heroes, but we are very proud of being English,” Holland said.
“For many years now our coaches’ reputation abroad has not been great for whatever reason, frankly, and it is something we are very passionate about changing the perception of at the highest level.
“We have good coaches at this level. We have outstanding coaches in this country at youth level and senior level, we have good young players and senior players, we are an amazing football nation we really are.
“The level of coaching and coaches and players in this country deserves a little more respect than they have perhaps been getting in recent years.”
However, while foreign coaches such as Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino set the bar so high at the elite level, English coaches cannot simply moan about their lack of opportunities.
“It is no good English coaches, myself or Gareth included, crying about the lack of this or the lack of that,” he said. “It is the way it is and the challenge is to pick the best from the best and work as hard as possible to create our own opportunities.
“Somebody like Dean Smith worked many years in the lower leagues behaving well and producing good teams playing good football.
“They are a really good advert and it is fantastic that they get the opportunity to work at the highest level – not just work at the highest level but at a club in Aston Villa who will have a chance to do a bit more than survive.
“Aston Villa are one of our biggest clubs historically. It is good to see and hopefully that continues.
“Then, hopefully, when everyone has had enough of Gareth and I, the candidates for the next guy are, firstly, significant and, secondly, all English.”
