Dean Smith wants to defy the doubters after rejecting opportunities to coach in the Championship to start a new chapter with ambitious Major League Soccer side Charlotte FC.
The 52-year-old returned to management in December, having just fallen short in his attempt to keep Leicester up during a short spell in the hot seat at the end of last season.
Smith takes charge of his first competitive match since the Foxes’ final Premier League game when Charlotte host New York City FC in their MLS opener this weekend.
The former Aston Villa boss beat England great Frank Lampard to the job and more than 60,000 will be at Bank of America Stadium for his first game in the dugout.
“I’d spoken to a few clubs in the UK, mainly Championship clubs,” Smith told the PA news agency.
“None of them felt quite right for me, so it was all about what the next opportunity was going to be.
“When this came about and I got asked if I wanted to join in the process, I just thought it’d be a challenge, it’d be exciting.
“It would get the juices flowing again, so to speak, because it’s something that I’ve not done before, never been out of the UK to coach and I thought it’d be really good challenge.”
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Smith joins a club entering their third MLS season, with former Premier League players Ashley Westwood and Scott Arfield among those in Charlotte’s squad.
Leicester fan favourite Christian Fuchs serves as one of his assistants, having retired in North Carolina and joined the coaching staff after skippering the team during their first campaign.
Smith joins them in Charlotte with a determination to help the team grow and improve on last season’s wildcard defeat at the start of the MLS play-offs.
“I think one of my drivers has always been to prove people wrong and try and get to that next level all the time,” the former Norwich, Brentford and Walsall manager said.
“I was fortunate enough to coach Brentford and build a team that Thomas (Frank) eventually took over and ended up getting into the Premier League.
“But also taking Aston Villa to the Premier League, I’m really proud of that because in 2010, 2011, I was coaching at Walsall, the under-14s, and my daughter was sitting on the side of the pitch doing her homework.
“So, you know, it’s been hard work to get where I am.”
Smith’s determination brings hope to Charlotte, who still have room to sprinkle stardust on their side by signing a marquee player over the coming months.
Put to Smith that Jack Grealish, his skipper at Villa, could do with a few starts right now, he laughed and said: “Yeah, I still speak to Jack very regularly.
“He’s just coming back from an injury. But he’s not done bad already at Manchester City and he’ll continue to do so, and England in the Euros.
“But, yes, we’re looking to add some quality into the squad. When I looked at the squad during this process, I just felt that there were areas that we could improve on.”
St Lucia eyes CONCACAF Nations League glory with new squad changes ahead of crucial Group B encounters
St Lucia is set to continue its strong start in the 2024-2025 CONCACAF Nations League as they prepare for back-to-back home games against French Saint Martin this weekend. Currently leading Group B of League B, head coach Stern John’s squad has six points from their September victories over Curaçao and Grenada, and they aim to solidify their position at the top of the group with wins at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
The matches on Friday and Monday will be critical as St Lucia seeks to widen the gap before heading to Curaçao in November. However, the team will be without key players Arkell Jude-Boyd, Chris Forino, Janoi Donacien, and Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, all of whom are sidelined with minor injuries. Jude-Boyd and Forino made memorable debuts last month, with Jude-Boyd scoring and assisting in the upset victory over Curaçao, and Forino netting against Grenada.
In their place, St Lucia welcomes back four experienced players, including team captain Terell Thomas, who returns from injury after missing the last international window. Joshua Solomon-Davies, Cheye Alexander, and hat-trick hero Dominic Poleon are also among the returning squad members. The inclusion of these players will add stability and firepower to the team as they navigate the crucial matches ahead.
Additionally, three players are poised to make their national team debuts. Yanic Noel, a 22-year-old forward from La Clery, Ryan Charles, a 34-year-old forward from Bishop’s Stortford in England, and Bayan Aman, a 19-year-old midfielder from Hendon FC in England, are all expected to feature prominently in the upcoming fixtures.
Jardel "Shortman" Williams joins SV Transvaal in Suriname: A step toward his football dreams
Jardel ‘Shortman’ Williams, a promising 20-year-old attacking midfielder, is set to leave Jamaica for Suriname where he will play with Suriname's SV Transvaal. The young talent, who had been one a one-year contract with Jamaica Premier League outfit, Humble Lion FC, has inked a two-year contract with the Surinamese club starting October 1, 2024, and is eager to embark on this new chapter of his football career.
Williams, who represented Camperdown High School during the 2021 Manning Cup season, sees this move as a pivotal moment in his development. "I am really excited to go and play for SV Transvaal," Williams shared with Sportsmax.TV. "Personally, it’s a boost for my career because moving from Humble Lion, this will be good exposure for me, and I am looking to go further in football."
Though excited, the transition comes with its challenges. Williams, who has never been to Suriname and will be living away from his family for the first time, admits to being nervous. "Yes, but I will have to adjust, and I am willing to adjust to make it happen. My immediate goal is to first of all adjust as quickly as possible so that I can help the team with my abilities in the best way I can, and hopefully win the title and more trophies."
SV Transvaal, based in Paramaribo, is one of Suriname’s most decorated football clubs. Established in 1925, the club boasts 19 league championships and two CONCACAF Champions Cup victories, achieved in 1973 and 1981. Williams’ addition to the squad is expected to further bolster their pursuit of more domestic and international success.
Despite the challenges, Williams is focused on his long-term ambitions, which include playing in the English Premier League. A devoted fan of Liverpool FC, he admires the team's counter-attacking style. "The team is filled with great players, and their style of play, counter-attacking football, I like that about Liverpool," he explained. "Eventually, I want to end up in England, and it would be a dream come true to play for Liverpool."
In addition to his club aspirations, Williams hopes to don the national colours of Jamaica someday. "It is every footballer’s dream to represent their country. For me, it would be really, really great to represent Jamaica," he said.
Hailing from Rose Town in Kingston, Williams' journey hasn’t been without its ups and downs. His standout year came in 2021, when he led Camperdown High School to an unbeaten run in the Manning Cup group stage, only for the team to be disqualified after it was deemed to have used an ineligible player. Nevertheless, his performances caught the attention of many, setting the stage for his transition to the professional arena.
With this new opportunity at SV Transvaal, Williams is on the cusp of what he hopes will be the first of many steps toward realizing his football dreams.
Southgate not planning on swift return to management
Gareth Southgate will not be taking another management job within the next year, and he is unlikely to work with another national team.
Southgate resigned as England manager following the Three Lions' 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024, bringing to an end an 11-year association with the FA.
The 54-year-old was in charge of the senior team for eight years and, within that period, led them to the finals of both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024, as well as the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup.
In terms of tournament performance, he was the most successful England manager since Alf Ramsey, who led England to the 1966 World Cup – their only major honour.
"Sometimes when you are in a big role you don't realise the weight until it's gone," Southgate told the European Club Association's general assembly, as reported by Reuters.
"It is one of those jobs where everybody has an opinion."
On life after the England job, Southgate was relaxed about where his next move would be. Despite that, he made it clear that he wasn’t going to take any coaching job in the near future.
"I am enjoying my life, so there is no rush. For 11 years I committed fully to the national federation," he said.
“I won't coach in the next year for sure. I am certain of that. When you come out of a big role you need to give your body time, your mind time."
Southgate has, in recent times, been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United's decision-makers having reportedly considered him as a possible replacement for Erik ten Hag.
While it is unclear how his self-enforced break from working will impact that, he confirmed that he would be open on a return to domestic football as long as the role was right.
"Club football? Depending on what role that is," Southgate said.
"I have been fortunate to have worked with fantastic players. You got to have excitement, passion to go to work every day.
One thing it seems like Southgate will not do, meanwhile, is work with another national team.
"It is unlikely to be another national federation. England was from the heart," he said
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