Lee Johnson has never had a year like 2024 before. The Oldham Athletic manager at just 31, the football breaks have been good so far. “You become so institutionalized,” he explains Sky Sports. “It's been a difficult time in that respect.”
But a year after leaving Fleetwood Town, he is ready for the next challenge. “It's not bitter, just better.” And for a coach who was once destined for great things, it is worth noting that he is still only 43, younger than three quarters of Premier League managers.
Johnson has used his time productively, helping his daughter with her studies but has also focused on his own development. He has been to Sandhurst to see how the military works, has led webinars for local coaches and enjoyed an eclectic mix of tours.
Johnson built a reputation as an innovator on the training field
“The webinar thing through LinkedIn was about giving something back. Naively, I expected three or four young coaches to be interested. I had over a thousand in my inbox.” But Johnson himself shares that enthusiasm for learning and self-improvement.
“I just came back from FC Copenhagen. Talking to the sports psychologist out there was really interesting. I went out to Nigeria. That was a really interesting experience too. evolution .”
In Nigeria, a big club contacted him to select the players from a competition, coach them and report back on the prospects. “I liked football and the country. It helped me understand the journey of some African players a little more.”
Closer to home, he has coached some of Manchester City's fringe players to help them progress, whether that means securing loan moves or new deals elsewhere. “It was another great experience, working with top quality players,” he said.
“You never knew the numbers because Pep (Guardiola) would whip 10 away for the pitch next door so I got a little taste of my own medicine!” Any for keep an eye on? “Alex Robertson, who has gone to Cardiff. He's racking up coach points so quickly.”
Johnson has coached at Man City and made trips to Denmark and Nigeria
The relationship with the City Football Club has been going on for a long time. Brian Marwood, managing director of global football at CFG, even chaired Johnson when he signed for Arsenal as a teenager. They were interested in his coaching position from the beginning.
“Many months ago, the LMA organized a course for young coaches who they thought could become managers in England. We had 15 or so. I was at Oldham and City just starting out developing the group model, looking for clubs to partner with.
“So, they let me behind the curtain at City. I worked with Gwen Byrom, who was a kind of psychologist and personality icon.” Did he learn anything as a coach from his interactions back then? “I remember they rated your agents,” he recalls.
“It was called the 'dynamic coach effect' . . . That was interesting.”
Johnson has not ruled out a role within CFG in the future. “There have been a couple of opportunities. It's something I'd like to do at some point.” And that corresponds to the fact that he still sees himself as an innovative and progressive young coach.
Johnson has more than a decade of experience as a manager despite being only 43
There was the time he helped Lloyd Kelly, who now plays for Newcastle, prepare for his debut by using virtual reality headsets before the game. “It helped him see where the pressure came from when he was on the ball. It helped him stay calm.”
He was one of the first coaches in England to use drones in training and he remembers the reaction when he had a big screen next to the park in Bristol City. “The next day Liverpool called to ask where we got him from because they wanted one too,” he explains.
Clearly, there's a lot to like about his approach. The problem is that, unfortunately, by his own admission, his career has “perhaps fallen off a bit” and the prospect of rebuilding is further down the pyramid than matching his skills is a challenge for him.
He is proud of his four and a half years at Bristol City, developing players, bringing in large sums and taking the club to a cup semi-final. “I think Rod Stewart sang the first deeper cut, didn't he? It scares you when you put so much into it.”
Johnson was a Wembley winner with Sunderland during his time in charge
His record at Sunderland stands up, winning a trophy at Wembley and being sacked when he was third on the table. “That was hard to take,” he admits. “But there is always some success. Players like Ross Stewart, signed from Ross County, sold for £9m.”
Johnson even qualified for Europe with Hibernian before things started to fall apart. “However, I know I made the most of what we had there.” If there is one regret in his coaching career, it is that some will not look past his last three-and-a-half months at Fleetwood. out.
“If Fleetwood get sacked that puts some people off, but I think that's short-term thinking. What I've learned is that you have to dive deep into the club you're going to, know the team dynamic and whether you can make an impact. you expect to bring.
“You need a place where you can apply your work qualities and add value to that organization. With that in mind, I've been brave ever since to get some jobs to reject.” But Johnson understands that it is a competitive business.
“That was a reason to take Fleetwood. I wanted to work. It's difficult if you're on a list of 200 managers. Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard are in the competition. You're never sure where you fit when big names can replace you. even if your CV is better.”
Johnson helped introduce Hibernian to Europe while in Scotland
He has considered going abroad, as his father Gary did when he took the job in Latvia. “I want to be brave. I want to expand my knowledge.” Domestically, he is trying to be realistic about where the next opportunity is likely to land him in the football pyramid.
“I think he's somewhere between the bottom half of the Championship and the top six of League Two. My record in the Championship is holding up well. In a way, my methods are better served at a higher level. The lower challenge is to simplify complexity.”
But Johnson wants to keep innovating. He is working with a company that uses technology to allow players to review their communications after the game, analyzing the vocabulary used on the pitch. “It could really change things,” he says.
“I think it could quickly organize young players and help register foreign signings.” Still learning? “This spell has just given me a chance to reflect and update. I want to start rebuilding my career. The more experiences you get the better you become.”
