Latest news with #NickMontgomery
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Hunt for new Lions head coach down to 5 names, including ex-Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach
SINGAPORE: The hunt for a new national football head coach has intensified, with the shortlist down from 10 names a week ago to five now, CNA understands. A few candidates – including former Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Nick Montgomery – are in Singapore for interviews to snag the top job, after Japanese tactician Tsutomu Ogura resigned on Jun 24 due to personal reasons. His exit left Singapore looking for its fourth national coach in six years. Assistant coach Gavin Lee has stepped in to lead the Lions as caretaker in the meantime. While the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) has kept its final candidates under wraps, Montgomery and a mystery Spaniard are among those who have been spotted in town for talks. Montgomery left the English Premier League side in June after a year there, where he won the Europa League. He was previously head coach of Scottish Premiership club Hibernian and Australian A-League side Central Coast Mariners. The 43-year-old spent most of his playing career at Sheffield United. NO MAJOR TROPHIES SINCE 2012 The incoming coach will face high expectations from the new FAS Council, led by billionaire Forrest Li who was elected president in April. Li, who founded tech giant Sea, also owns Singapore Premier League (SPL) club Lion City Sailors. He told reporters last week he hopes that with success on the field, more people will follow local football and that interest will grow. Singapore are currently 159th in the world rankings. "We have the best city planning, the best airport, best highways. A lot of things are world-class – why not football?" Li said. Ogura left Singapore at the top of their third-round Asian Cup qualifying group, with four points after their first two matches and four games left. Finishing top means qualifying for Asia's premier competition for the first time ever on merit. The Lions have not secured a major trophy in more than a decade since winning Southeast Asia's football championship, the AFF Championship, in 2012. Observers said a new coach needs to be hired soon in order to build relationships with the players and understand the local football environment. Football pundit and commentator Rhysh Roshan Rai said Ogura had 'brought a lot more belief' into the Lions, who now have clearer ideas about the team. 'They want to try and dominate teams … They want to go out and play, and they want to show that they have courage on the ball, so I think all these things are really encouraging and you would like to see this continue,' added the former Singapore Armed Forces FC midfielder. 'I don't think it'll be a good idea to get someone who's going to basically rip up all the tactics and come in with his own ideas, own approach. Because at the international level, you don't have much time to work with these players.' Rai noted that the new coach will also have to consider if Lions are getting enough playing minutes in the SPL, which recently raised the number of foreign players to seven per match. 'We're seeing SPL clubs, for example, signing foreign goalkeepers, and so that's going to be a key area as well. We already don't have a great goalkeeping situation in Singapore,' he added. Ogura had left his role with some advice for Singapore football. 'Singapore must look for its own way, not chase another country, or chase another way of how to do things,' he said. 'Always keep confidence. Keep trust to our players, then our staff, then I think for Singapore a new history is coming.'
CNA
4 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
Singapore's hunt for new national football coach down to five names
Singapore's hunt for a national football coach intensifies as a few candidates, including former Tottenham Hotspur assistant coach Nick Montgomery, are in town for interviews to snag the top job. CNA understands the shortlist is down to five, cut from 10 just a week ago. The new man will replace Tsutomu Ogura, who quit last month for personal reasons. Aslam Shah reports.
Scotsman
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Tottenham send message to former Hibs pair as exits confirmed ahead of new era
The pair worked at Tottenham over the last season but it's now been confirmed they are on the move. Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A former Hibs pair have had their exits from Tottenham sealed as the North London club bring in a new coaching team. Ange Postecoglou's sacking as boss has brought fierce debate on whether or not it was the right decision, having just won the Europa League. Beside him in his inner sanctum was Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo, who both moved to Tottenham last summer after their time at Hibs ended after less than a year in 2024. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Postecoglou picked both of them up after Montgomery was sacked following time in the Easter Road hotseat, aware of his and Raimundo's work in Australia at Central Coast Mariners most recently. Their exits, alongside Mile Jedinak, were claimed in the aftermath of the former Celtic manager's departure but now it's been confirmed the three coaches are off to pastures new. Tottenham confirm new coaching changes They said in a statement: 'We can announce the departures of Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo from their roles as Assistant Coaches. We should like to thank them for their contribution to the Club and wish them every success for the future.' Thomas Frank has now been named head coach with a fresh coaching team. Tottenham have said: 'We are delighted to announce the appointment of Thomas Frank as our new Head Coach on a contract that runs until 2028. Thomas has extensive experience in English football having joined Brentford in 2016 - since becoming one of the longest-serving current managers in the Premier League. During his time at Brentford he transformed the Club, moving them up from the Championship to an established Premier League side, consistently and significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time. 'In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What former Hibs boss said of Europa League triumph at Tottenham 'Thomas will be joined from Brentford by Justin Cochrane (First Team Assistant Coach), Chris Haslam (Head of Performance & First Team Assistant Coach) and Joe Newton (First Team Coach Analyst), with Andreas Georgson (First Team Assistant Coach) arriving from Manchester United.' Montgomery had said of winning the Europa League with Spurs: 'Blessed to be part of this special club and work with some amazing people. Hard work, sacrifice, togetherness, belief, and against all the challenges and adversity faced throughout the season, as a group we believed we could achieve something special. To see what it truly meant to the supporters was inspirational. The celebrations will live long in the memory for everyone attached to Tottenham Hotspur. To share these moments with my beautiful family who understand the sacrifices made and who constantly support me on my own journey is priceless.'
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Tottenham 'axe three of Ange Postecoglou's backroom staff' as they step up search for his successor
Three members of Ange Postecoglou 's backroom staff are set to follow him out of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer. Spurs confirmed on Friday afternoon that Postecoglou would not be returning for a third season, with the 59-year-old sacked just 16 days after overseeing a famous victory against Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League final. That win ended Tottenham's 17-year wait for a major trophy and secured a place in the next edition of the Champions League. But it was not enough to save Postecoglou, who also oversaw a 17th place finish in the Premier League — the club's lowest ever. Postecoglou's departure was communicated by the club via a 368-word statement. That statement did not mention whether or not any other staff members were also leaving. But according to The Telegraph, Spurs chiefs have decided to axe Postecoglou's assistant coaches Mile Jedinak, Nick Montgomery and Sergio Raimundo. Meanwhile, Ryan Mason — who also worked as an assistant coach under Postecoglou — left Spurs earlier in the week to take the vacant manager's job at West Bromwich Albion. Senior coach Matt Wells and goalkeeping coach Rob Burch are said to have remained with Spurs for now, although that could change after Postecoglou's replacement is announced. That replacement is likely to be current Brentford boss Thomas Frank but he is not the only man in the frame. Brentford do not want to lose Frank and will demand significant compensation, believed to be in the region of £10million, if he leaves for Spurs. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is expected to step up his search for a new manager in the coming days, with Marco Silva and Scott Parker also in the frame.
Daily Record
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Nick Montgomery breaks silence on Hibs stint and the phantom VAR penalty that still has him baffled to this day
The former Easter Road boss opens up on his short tenure in the capital that lasted just eight months Nick Montgomery knows he went to Hibs at the wrong time. The current Tottenham assistant head coach decided to finally break his silence on his time at Easter Road in an exclusive interview with Record Sport. He had just come off the back of winning the A-League with Central Coast Mariners when he was headhunted by the capital club back in September 2023. The 43-year-old didn't even get a full season at Easter Road and it was fair to say not much went his way when he was in Leith. He inherited a squad that was bottom of the table, was bloated and a wage budget that had been well blown. 'Monty' had to slash the wage bill and when he did get Hibs going again he then lost some of his top star players to the Asia Cup and African Cup of Nations. A string of wrong decisions also went against Hibs, including the phantom goal against Hearts. The writing was on the wall when the Edinburgh side lost out in the top six in the final minutes before the split. Montgomery said: 'Going in, I saw it as an opportunity to go and rebuild the team and build my own team moving forward. But, I look back on it now, and so I went in after a pre-season, which was never easy. 'The team was bottom of the league in the relegation places in the SPL. The first remit was to go in and get the team off the bottom of the league, out of the relegation spots and try to get a start on rebuilding for the following season." There was next to no money to sign players because of poor recruitment, big wages and the fact Lee Johnson had spent a lot of money on so-called development players. Montgomery had to wheel and deal and come the January window he was able to bring in quality in the shape of Emiliano Marcondes, Myziane Maolida, Nectarios Triantis and Nathan Moriah-Welsh. He claimed: 'It's well documented but the recruitment over the last few years before I'd gone in there was, in the club's own words, wasn't fantastic. 'There were a lot of players out on loan. I worked with some good players, but yeah, it was a difficult season in terms of coming in after pre-season, like I mentioned.' Hibs were on the rise but the Asian Cup saw Hibs lose Australian pair Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller for several weeks, while Rocky Bushiri and Jojo Wollacott were away with DR Congo and Ghana, respectively, for the Africa Cup of Nations. That was on top of several other injuries in the Hibs' squad. Montgomery, who now assists Ange Postecoglou, added: 'After a good run, we were in the top four and then we lost a lot of players. 'Mid-season, there was an African Cup of Nations and the Asia Cup. We lost a few of the starting team for a couple of months. The former Scotland B cap got the feeling that he wasn't going to his day when Hearts were handed a phantom penalty that earned them a controversial point. The former Hibs boss recalled: 'The famous VAR, you know, documented that. The Hibs are the worst-treated team in the league. 'I look back on some of those decisions, especially the Hearts' phantom penalty that was given against us at Tynecastle in the derby. 'It should never have happened. Apologies came after it and an admission it had been a mistake. 'Obviously, things are not going to change.' Hibs still had the top six in their hands but lost out on the final day after losing after Motherwell levelled with second to go and Dundee went into the top half. That was to be the final nail in his managerial coffin at Hibs. Montgomery said: 'Yes, it's disappointing the way it ended. To miss out on the top split in the last minute of the game. 'From that moment, yeah, it was difficult. 'But I was still looking forward to rebuilding the team and that was a remit that I had from the ownership when I went in. So, yeah, again, football's football.' Montgomery is delighted to see Hibs move in the right direction under his former coach Daid Gray and reckons the Black Knights getting involved in the transfer front has been a game changer. 'I know that the club has been through some difficult times,' he confirmed. 'When I left, I didn't want to put any negativity on the club. 'I'm happy to see that they've had a really strong second half of the season and a lot of players that I worked with have continued to sort of develop. 'I've followed the team this season and obviously, they had a difficult start, but I'm glad that they stuck with David as the manager. 'I think it just shows when you sort of stick with managers and give them time to build, which they did. 'I'm happy for a lot of people at the club, and especially Kit Gordon, who's a wonderful person.'
