England ‘bad cop’ Steve Holland is no-nonsense coach who can keep Michael Carrick’s Man Utd dressing room in check

EVEN the late Queen recognised Steve Holland’s qualities as an assistant manager.

Holland was made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours of 2022 for his role as No2 to Gareth Southgate as England’s men reached the delayed Euro 2020 final – their first at a major tournament for 55 years.

But his work at Chelsea will have been a massive factor in interim Manchester United boss Michael Carrick asking the 55 year old to join his backroom staff.

You do not earn the respect of people like Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez and Antonio Conte, if you are not a top-level coach in your own right.

And you do not help a soap opera club like the Blues win six major trophies unless you have other qualities, too.

Unflappable is a key word which those who knew Holland during his eight years at Stamford Bridge use to describe him.

He needed to be.

Holland served six different Blues bosses after being initially promoted from the reserve team in 2011.

Three of them – Roberto di Matteo, Benitez and Guus Hiddink – were appointed as caretakers during a mid-season crisis, just like Carrick.

Under fiery characters like Mourinho and Conte, he was a calm, no-nonsense presence.

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And when the Blues got rid of their latest head coach, he was around to make sure every player knew their job.

As well as to wow his colleagues in the Friday afternoon staff kickabouts at the training ground.

Holland even had a game in charge himself after Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea for the second time in December 2015, following a half-season of turmoil on and off the field.

The embattled Portuguese had resorted to ultra-pragmatic tactics in a bid to arrest a slump that left the Blues flirting with the relegation places.

The pressure which had built up, especially on the players, needed to be released.

So Holland, in his one game as caretaker, let the shackles off and Chelsea beat Sunderland 3-1.

But he also played a key role in happier times for the Blues.

The 2012 FA Cup win and Champions League final triumph under Di Matteo owed a lot to Holland’s coaching acumen.

The following season, the Blues lifted the Europa League under Benitez.

Holland was No2 to Mourinho for the Premier League and League Cup double of 2014/15, and part of another PL triumph under Conte in 2016/17 before joining the FA full time.

Southgate first brought Holland on board with England in 2013 as his part-time assistant with the Under-21 team.

Holland accompanied Southgate to the senior team after the Sam Allardyce crisis, and when he was persuaded to leave Chelsea to work full time with the national team, it was regarded as a massive coup.

Southgate described Holland as “the best” assistant manager in the world and their different skills and personalities complemented each other.

Holland took the training sessions but kept his counsel in most other situations. When he did speak, people listened.

On the occasions when England line-ups and tactics were leaked, he was furious – which should be a warning to the talkative United dressing room.

While Southgate was outgoing and empathetic, Holland was regarded as hard to read, a classic good cop/bad cop combination.

The Ben White drama at the Qatar World Cup, which led to the Arsenal defender going home, was a perfect storm.

White’s own personality and frustrations with being in camp clashed with those of Holland, an old-school football obsessive.

That incident has hung over Holland. But Carrick would not be turning to him now if other United’s England stars like Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw did not have respect for him as a coach and person

If you want someone who can coach at a high level and keep his head, even when all about him are losing theirs, Holland is your man.

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