If the English Football Association had one New Year’s Resolution for 2025, it may be for more homegrown coaches to get good jobs – with only two of 20 Premier League teams employing a manager from these shores.
That extends to 47 of 92 overall in the top four leagues, a smidgen over half but the figures are only going one way. Despite these numbers, and the FA’s reluctance to hire an English boss to replace Gareth Southgate, there are plenty of talented coaches available for work.
One of those, to use his own words, is not well known. But although he may not admit it, he has a stellar body of work via a not-so-trodden path and is keen to showcase that in the English pyramid.
That is Nick Cushing, who recently left the City Football Group after seven years transforming female football with Manchester City Women and then four years at New York City FC in Major League Soccer, two as assistant and the other half as head coach.
‘I might not be well known, I might not be the first name on the list,’ the 40-year-old tells Mail Sport. ‘But ultimately I’ve got a good knowledge base, good experience. I’ve faced a lot of challenges and always found solutions to be successful with different teams.
‘Ultimately my age would put me as a young head coach, but I don’t believe my experience puts me as a young head coach. I’ve got lots of energy, that’s my best attribute as a coach, I feel like I’ve got the experience and the foundation to go and take a team and be successful.’
Nick Cushing is preparing for his next challenge after leaving New York City FC
Cushing spent four years with NYCFC, two as assistant and the other half as head coach
Cushing is talking from a hotel in central London and, though he probably would have popped over the pond for Christmas anyway, this festive period was not spent planning for next season at New York – but reflecting on his next steps in football.
The goodbye to the Big Apple all happened rather quickly and it is fair to say Cushing is upset he never got to say a proper farewell to the fans who supported him through thick and thin during his four years there.
‘I was really proud of what we achieved and the foundation that we put in. I think after conversations it was disappointing although I think after 20 years at CFG and five years in New York, it probably is the right time for me to return.
‘I was a little bit disappointed that it was now after this season –- just purely based on what we achieved this year – but it probably is a good time and the right time for me to take on a new challenge, move forward and test myself at the highest level.
‘I really enjoyed my time there and have huge respect for the club and fans – and huge commitment to what we’ve achieved across all of our teams. I’m just disappointed because I think we put some real foundation in for a team to be successful in the future in New York.’
Prior to his time in New York, he was manager of Manchester City Women in the WSL
So, what is next for Cushing? Still only 40, these are his first steps away from the behemoth enterprise of CFG. He is open-minded to his next role and does not want to shoehorn himself down the corridor of only demanding certain jobs.
‘After leaving New York, my conversations are all about the future now,’ he says. ‘I’m that type of guy…I am hungry to get back in, hungry to go take a team. I don’t need time out, I just want to get back on the training field and get back to doing what I do best.
‘Ultimately when you leave a club, the first thing to do is just making sure that you do a thorough review and reflection on what was good, what I want to take into my next job and what is going to be really important. Hone my identity as head coach and understand who I am as a leader.’
Cushing has spent time studying other bosses, using his network of friends in the football family. He recently spent a day at Everton observing Sean Dyche’s methods but has also visited Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham and highly-rated Michel at Champions League club Girona.
That is a broad spectrum of styles and Cushing has taken some pointers on training methods and leadership style – not that he needed them. He is strong in the belief that he does things the right way, though not naive enough to stand still, always wanting to improve.
‘Ultimately my aim is to work in the Premier League,’ says Cushing, who says links to the Arsenal Women job in the autumn were unsubstantiated. ‘But I’m also a realist, there are steps you have got to take to prepare yourself to work at the very highest level.
Cushing has opened up on managing against Lionel Messi and what the next step is for him
‘I’m on those steps, I feel that I’ve put in a real foundation. The crazy thing is when I talk about the steps I’ve put in place to be prepared, we were doing game plans against Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba last year!
‘I’m fully confident to take on and embrace whatever level. I have a huge desire to work in Europe. Whether now or in the future I’d love to work in one of the top five European leagues. I still have a huge desire to be successful in MLS, there’s a little itch that I feel needs scratching!
‘I’m quite a self-aware guy. I’m not above working at any level. It’s the project that excites me. One thing that I’ve learnt over the last 10 years is I know myself very very well and I have to work with hungry, ambitious people.
‘People who believe that you can put a plan in place and a strategy in place and you can go and succeed with that and if I work with hungry and ambitious people and hungry and ambitious leadership I believe that we can achieve anything.’
