Eric Ramsay Confident MLS Move Will Accelerate His Coaching Growth
Eric Ramsay firmly believes his choice to take on a managerial position in Major League Soccer rather than the English Championship will enhance his overall progression.
The 33-year-old Welsh tactician embarks on his first full campaign at Minnesota United against LAFC on Saturday, having joined the franchise in March last year before steering them into the postseason, where they were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals by eventual champions LA Galaxy.
If Ramsay remains in charge beyond the opening month of the fresh season, he will become the 17th Major League Soccer head coach—out of a possible 29—to have held his role for over a year.
By contrast, among the 18 Championship bosses who started the previous season at clubs still competing in the second tier, only two—Leeds and Middlesbrough—retain the same head coach.
The grim numbers are precisely why Ramsay opted for the United States as the next step in his career following extensive periods as an academy mentor at Chelsea before transitioning into the senior coaching staff at Manchester United.
“I possess enough self-awareness to recognize that I am far from the finished product as a head coach,”.
“I wanted an opportunity that would give me the best chance to mature, the ability to make a few missteps, and oversee something that carries significance.
“It feels like MLS is under scrutiny. There is media coverage to navigate. There is tension you have to manage, albeit not to the extent found in England.
“The Championship would have been just as challenging, if not more so, but with that persistent doubt that, objectively speaking, there is a much shorter tenure for coaches who enter that division. Overall, this was a relatively rational choice.”
Ramsay is, by quite a margin, the youngest manager in MLS.
He is following a recent trend of clubs placing faith in youthful strategists, such as 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler at Brighton and 32-year-old Will Still, who oversees Ligue 1 outfit Lens.
Ramsay pursued the coaching path after completing a sports science and management degree at Loughborough University.
He gained experience at Swansea and Shrewsbury before moving to Chelsea in 2019, later advancing to Manchester United in 2021, initially as a player development coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“I had reached a logical juncture to pursue an opportunity of this nature,” Ramsay said.
“I had two-and-a-half years at Chelsea, worked with the Welsh national squad, and spent the same duration at Manchester United—where two-and-a-half years can feel like five or six.”
‘British Coaches Face Limited International Pathways’
A secondary factor in Ramsay’s transition is the belief that gaining expertise in MLS will open doors later in his coaching trajectory—opportunities that might have remained shut had he stayed in England.
“The coaching industry has not been particularly accessible for British managers,” he explained. “I feel that if you lose one or two managerial jobs in the Championship, it becomes difficult to explore options across Europe for your next role. It’s not a widely traveled route.
“Often, the managers who reach the upper echelons in England are those who have gained experience in multiple countries. Their reputation is more secure because they have access to a broader job market. It feels slightly more flexible. That was on my mind when I moved to MLS.
“It’s an intriguing discussion that sparks considerable debate. I genuinely believe the standard of coaching in England is in a highly impressive place.
“Perhaps, by returning from MLS, there are more avenues leading to other leagues than there are from the Championship.”
Despite moving 4,000 miles away, Ramsay remains keenly aware of the situation at Manchester United.
Since his departure, Erik ten Hag has been dismissed, but the club’s fortunes have yet to take a turn for the better. Following a lackluster eighth-place finish last term, they have slipped further down the standings.
“The scenario at Manchester United is incredibly intricate,” Ramsay remarked.
“From my experience working under three or four different managers, including Michael Carrick, I can attest that there are a lot of talented individuals striving to restore the club to its former heights, despite the ever-growing competition in the Premier League.
“It’s no longer just about the conventional top four; there are now eight to ten teams capable of making a significant impact at the top of the table.
“It has become far more demanding for Manchester United than it ever was, and that’s without factoring in the immense changes and transitions the club has undergone in terms of leadership.
“I sincerely believe there is a substantial amount of positive work happening behind the scenes. The question is whether it can yield success when compared to the substantial investments and advancements being made by rival clubs.”
