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Brentford Manager Dean Smith Tells John Lyons About the Uphill Battle Facing Home-grown Bosses …

THE competition is fierce, but Brentford manager Dean Smith believes young British managers could thrive in the Premier League – if they were given an opportunity.

While the old guard – the likes of Roy Hodgson, 70, Sam Allardyce, 63, and Alan Pardew, 56 – seem to waltz between jobs with ease, it’s proving far harder for their younger colleagues to get a look in.

Indeed, the best way for the new generation to get there is by earning promotion into the top-flight with the club they’re at, like Sean Dyche, 46, (Burnley) and Eddie Howe, 40, (Bournemouth).

“For a (young) British manager to get a job in the Premier League, you have to take a club up,” said Smith. “My job here is to take Brentford to the Premier League.

“Over half the clubs now are owned by foreign owners. There’s no pressure on them to employ British coaches.

“They are looking for the best coaches from around the world. When you are going globally, then there’s more of a pot to choose from.”

The likes of Bristol City’s Lee Johnson, 36, Derby’s Gary Rowett, 43, and Sheffield United’s Chris Wilder, 50, are just three Championship managers with the potential to reach the top tier.

And Smith believes this country’s largely unsung managers could shine if they were given a chance.

“I certainly believe they could do a good job there,” said the 46-year-old. “I would certainly like to see a few more getting the opportunity to see how well they could do, but, as I say, the pool is that big to choose from at the moment. The owners go for a lot of well-renowned coaches from abroad.”