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Wales manager: How do Euro 2024 coaches’ salaries compare

27 Jun 2024 4 minute read
FAW flag. Photo David Davies PA Images

The Football Association of Wales has detailed the criteria required to succeed Rob Page after ending his three-and-a-half-year reign last week and has invited “expressions of interest” from potential candidates.

In doing so the FAW has hinted it is willing to appoint a non-Welshman as manager for the first time in 25 years.

Welsh football’s governing body has confirmed it is looking for an individual with a “proven track record of delivering success at club and/or international level” and plans to cast its net far and wide.

Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure and Patrick Vieira – charismatic playing greats who went through Wales’ admired coaching system – would all be welcomed to express interest by the FAW, although all three are currently in employment.

“The FAW knows how important coach education is to growing the game in Wales and offers a world-renowned service through its coaching courses,” said a FAW statement.

“The UEFA Pro-Licence is a pre-requisite for coaches at the top level of the game and this qualification will be required to become Cymru’s next head coach.

“The Pro-Licence prepares candidates to work as a modern-day manager or head coach at club or international level. It develops their leadership and interpersonal skills to successfully implement their unique management style and philosophy.”

Englishman Bobby Gould was the last non-Welshman to manage Wales with his four-year tenure coming to an end in 1999.

Former Wales players Mark Hughes, John Toshack, Brian Flynn (interim), Chris Coleman, Ryan Giggs and Page have held the position in the 21st century.

Wales head coach Rob Page (Tim Goode, PA Images)

But the FAW hierarchy have felt for some time that the role should not be restricted to domestic candidates, and Wales’ failure to qualify for Euro 2024 and Page’s subsequent sacking have convinced them the time is right to look further afield.

The FAW accepts that it can not match the salaries paid by other national associations or European clubs, but believes the lure of trying to lead Wales to the next World Cup will be an attractive proposition.

It’s been reported previously that both Ryan Giggs and his predecessor Rob Page were paid around £400,000 a year as Wales boss.

So how does this compares to those manager’s currently at the helm of teams at Euro 2024.

Football writer David Skilling took a deep dive into the salaries earned by managers at the Euros.

What it tells us is that Wales is very much near the lower end of those wages on offer by national associations.

England manager Gareth Southgate. Picture by Nick Potts

England’s Gareth Southgate, tops the Euro money list for managers by taking home an annual salary of approximately £4.9 million, while close behind is Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, who recently secured a contract worth £4 million per year.

At the other end of the spectrum, the lowest-paid manager at Euro 2024 is Georgia’s Willy Sagnol, who earns £168,000 annually. Despite the lower salary, Sagnol’s leadership has been instrumental in Georgia’s historic qualification for the tournament and qualification for the last 16.

You would think however that Wales could at least offer a potential salary that rivals that of Scotland, Poland and Slovakia’s bosses, salaries in the region of 400k-500k per annum.

For the right man it’s money worth paying – and it’s vital the Football Association of Wales get it right.

List of the wages for every Euro 2024 manager, based on available data:

Gareth Southgate (England) – £4.9 million

Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) – £4 million

Roberto Martinez (Portugal) – £3.4 million

Didier Deschamps (France) – £3.2 million

Ronald Koeman (Netherlands) – £2.5 million

Luciano Spalletti (Italy) – £2.5 million

Vincenzo Montella (Turkey) – £1.5 million

Murat Yakin (Switzerland) – £1.4 million

Ralf Rangnick (Austria) – £1.3 million

Domenico Tedesco (Belgium) – £1.3 million

Zlatko Dalic (Croatia) – £1.3 million

Dragan Stojkovic (Serbia) – £1.2 million

Luis de la Fuente (Spain) – £1 million

Serhiy Rebrov (Ukraine) – £1 million

Kasper Hjulmand (Denmark) – £970,000

Sylvinho (Albania) – £632,000

Michal Probierz (Poland) – £472,000

Steve Clarke (Scotland) – £464,000

Francesco Calzona (Slovakia) – £455,000

Marco Rossi (Hungary) – £253,000

Matjaz Kek (Slovenia) – £253,000

Ivan Hasek (Czech Republic) – £210,000

Edward Iordanescu (Romania) – £202,000

Willy Sagnol (Georgia) – £168,000

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