Lee Johnson has never had a year like 2024 before. At just 31, the Oldham Athletic boss, breaks from football have so far been fleeting. “You get so institutionalised,” he says Sky Sports. “There have been difficult times in that respect.”
But a year after leaving Fleetwood Town, he is ready for the next challenge. ‘Not bitter, just better.’
Johnson made good use of her time helping her daughter with her studies, but also focused on her own development, going to Sandhurst to see how the military works, hosting webinars for grassroots coaches and enjoying an eclectic mix of field trips.
Johnson gained a reputation as an innovator on the field
“The webinar 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 shares that drive to learn and improve.
“I just got back from FC Copenhagen. I went out to Nigeria. It was really an itch to learn and develop.”
A major club in Nigeria sent him to select players for the tournament, train them and report on the best prospects. “I liked football and the country. It helped me understand the journey of some African players a little better.”
Closer to home, he has coached some of Manchester City’s fringe players to help them progress, whether it’s securing loans or securing new contracts elsewhere. “It’s been another brilliant experience working with top players,” he says.
“You never quite knew the numbers because Pep (Guardiola) would hit 10 for the side, so I got a little taste of my own medicine. “Alex Robertson, who went to Cardiff. He’s picking up coaching points so quickly.”
Johnson has coached at Manchester City and made trips to Denmark and Nigeria
The relationship with City Football Group goes back a long way. CFG’s global football executive Brian Marwood even guided Johnson when he signed for Arsenal as a teenager. They took an interest in his coaching career from the start.
“Many months ago the LMA organized a course for young coaches who they thought could become England coaches. There were 15 of us or so. I was at Oldham and City were just starting to develop the group model, looking for: clubs to partner with.
“So they kind of let me behind the curtain at City. I was working with Gwen Byrom, who was kind of a psychologist. Did she learn anything as a coach at the time?” I am sure they appreciated yours substitutions,” he recalls.
“They called it the ‘dynamic manager effect’. It was about how well you change the game. I was first on the list at Bristol City, so I remember sitting on the bench with him and going through his processes. It was interesting.”
Johnson hasn’t ruled out a role at CFG in the future. “It’s something I’d like to do at some point.” innovative and progressive young coach.
Johnson has more than a decade of managerial experience despite being just 43 years old
There was the time he helped Lloyd Kelly, now at Newcastle, prepare for his debut by using a virtual reality headset before the game. “It helped him visualize where the pressure was coming from on the ball. It helped him stay calm.”
He was one of the first England managers to use drones in training and remembers the reaction when he had a big screen near the pitch at Bristol City. “Liverpool called the next day to ask where we got it from because they wanted it too.” – he reveals.
Clearly, there’s a lot to like about his approach. The difficulty is that, unfortunately, his career has “probably taken a bit of a dip” and the prospect of a rebuild lower on the pyramid than suits his skill set. is a challenge for him.
He is proud of his four-and-a-half years at Bristol City, bringing in huge amounts of money and taking the club to the cup semi-finals you put too much into it.”
Johnson was a Wembley winner with Sunderland during his time in charge there
His record at Sunderland remains, winning a trophy at Wembley and being sacked third in the table, he admits 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.” in a short three and a half months.
“If you get kicked out of Fleetwood, which puts some people off, but I think that’s short-term thinking. What it’s taught me is that you really have to dive deep into the club you’re joining, know the dynamics of the team and whether you can is having the effect you expect.
“You need a place where you can really bring your work to life and add value to that organization. Since then, I’ve been brave enough to turn down some jobs.” But Johnson understands that it’s competitive is an industry.
“It was a factor in taking Fleetwood. It’s hard when you’re on the 200-man list. You’re never sure where you’re going to fit in if your CV is better.’
Johnson helped transport Hibernian to Europe during his time in Scotland
He has considered going abroad, as his father Gary did when he took a job in Latvia in the football pyramid.
“I think it’s somewhere between the bottom half of the Championship and the top six. In the Championship, my methods are better served at a higher level.”
But Johnson wants to keep innovating. He’s working with a company that uses technology to have players review their communications after the game, analyzing the terminology used on the field. “It could really revolutionize things,” he says.
“I think it can really accelerate young players and help foreign signings invest.” Still learning? “This spell just gave me a chance to reflect and improve. I want to start rebuilding my career. The more experiences you get, the better you get.”
