Des Buckingham
Des Buckingham is an English professional football manager who was most recently manager of the New Zealand national under-23 football team.[1]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Desmond Buckingham | ||
Date of birth | 7 February 1985 | ||
Place of birth | Cowley, Oxford, England | ||
Playing position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
Team | |||
Reading | |||
Oxford United | |||
Teams managed | |||
Years | Team | ||
2004–2014 | Oxford United (Youth) | ||
2015 | Wellington Phoenix (Assistant) | ||
2016 | Wellington Phoenix (Interim) | ||
2017 | Wellington Phoenix | ||
2017–2018 | Stoke City U23 | ||
2018–2019 | New Zealand U20 | ||
2018–2019 | New Zealand (assistant) | ||
2019–2020 | New Zealand U23 |
Buckingham became the youngest head coach in the history of the A-League during the 2016–17 A-League season.[2]
Playing career
Born in Cowley, England, Buckingham had spells in the youth and reserve teams of English sides Reading and Oxford United.[3][4] A professional career did not materialise, and Buckingham subsequently joined Oxford & Cherwell Valley College in a full-time coaching and teaching role over a four-year period.[5][6]
Coaching career
Oxford United
Buckingham began his professional coaching career at Oxford United at the age of 18, initially working through the club's age-group squads. At the start of the 2013–14 English Football League season, he progressed as a coach into the first team under then-manager Chris Wilder.[7]
In his time at the club, Buckingham was able to support the transition of 24 players from the youth ranks into their first professional contracts.[8]
Wellington Phoenix
Buckingham joined the Wellington Phoenix during the 2014–15 A-League season under head coach Ernie Merrick. On 1 January 2017, following the resignation of Merrick, he was appointed as manager until the end of the season.[9] At 31 years of age, he became the youngest manager in A-League history and was able to lift the club off the bottom of the table, finishing one place outside the playoffs at the end of the season.[10][11]
Stoke City
In July, 2017 Buckingham was granted permission to leave Wellington Phoenix and take up a role at then-Premier League club Stoke City, as an assistant coach with their U-23 team.[12][13]
New Zealand Football
A return to New Zealand in 2018 saw Buckingham appointed as head coach of the New Zealand U20 team and assistant manager of the senior national team.[14][15]
In August, 2018 he led the Team to the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[16][17] At the World Cup, Buckingham’s New Zealand side recorded their highest ever finish at a men's FIFA event, eventually being knocked out by Colombia in the round of 16 after a controversial penalty shoot-out.[18][19][20] The Team posted New Zealand’s biggest ever win at a FIFA tournament beating Honduras 5-0,[21] became the first New Zealand Team to win back to back games at a FIFA World Cup and recorded their first ever win over European opposition, beating Norway 2-0.[22][23]
The New Zealand U20 Team had previously won only 2 games in 17 attempts at the same event[24] and Buckingham earned plaudits for the Teams quality of football and style of play.[25][26][27][28] Former All Whites Head Coach Ricki Herbert and FIFA Legend Wynton Rufer praised the notable change in the Teams positive and attacking approach to winning games rarely seen before.[29][30]
Despite being linked and with interest from English Football League and A-League Clubs in his services,[31][32]Buckingham accepted the Head Coach position to the New Zealand U23 Team in June 2019, leading the side into the 2019 Pacific Games and OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[33]
He guided New Zealand to its first-ever win at the 2019 Pacific Games, leading a U-23 side through an otherwise senior international competition undefeated, drawing one and winning four, including the final against three-time defending champions New Caledonia.[34][35]
In September 2019, the New Zealand U-23 side played out two draws against their Australian counterparts in the lead up to the OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament.[36]
On 5 October 2019, Buckingham led New Zealand to its third Olympic Games, qualifying for Tokyo 2020 by winning the OFC U-23 Championship.[37][38] In doing so, the team became the most dominant men’s side to have played in an Oceania Football Confederation competition by winning all five games and finishing with a goal difference of +29.[39] The New Zealand U23 side remain unbeaten, winning nine and drawing three of its 12 games while overall in 23 games.[40]
New Zealand Football announced that Buckingham's role as coach of the under-23 side was over in April 2020, after delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics. He was replaced by Danny Hay.[41]
Personal life
Buckingham is a qualified pilot, and holds a Master's degree in advanced performance football coaching through the University of South Wales.
He was inducted into the 2019 edition of the High Performance Sport New Zealand Coach Accelerator Programme; a three year programme aimed at developing and increasing New Zealand’s pool of world-class coaches.[42]
Managerial Statistics
- As of match played 11 April 2020
Team | From | To | Record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | Ref. | |||
Wellington Phoenix (interim) | 5 December 2016 | 31 December 2016 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 25.00 | [43] |
Wellington Phoenix | 1 January 2017 | 7 June 2017 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 28 | 28 | +0 | 33.33 | [43] |
New Zealand U20 | 23 March 2018 | 31 December 2019 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 7 | +28 | 72.73 | [44][45] |
New Zealand U23 | 22 June 2019 | Present | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 8 | +49 | 75.00 | [46] |
Total | 42 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 120 | 43 | +77 | 54.76 |
Honours
References
- "Des Buckingham profile". Soccerway. 5 April 2017.
- "Former United Coach becomes youngest A-League boss". Oxford Mail. 13 January 2017.
- "Meet the mystery man of the Wellington Phoenix interim co-coaching duo". Stuff. 15 December 2016.
- "Former Oxford United Coach on his rise to take charge of Wellington Phoenix". Oxford Mail. 10 February 2017.
- "Meet the mystery man of the Wellington Phoenix interim cocoaching staff". 15 December 2016.
- "Who Phoenix Coach Des Buckingham". 5 January 2017.
- "Former Oxford United Coach Des Buckingham rise take charge Wellington Phoenix". Oxford Mail. 10 February 2017.
- "From Oxford To The Olympics – The British Manager Taking New Zealand To Tokyo". The Sportsman. 14 November 2019.
- "Who Phoenix Coach Des Buckingham". A-League. 5 January 2017.
- "Former Oxford United Coach Des Buckingham becomes youngest A League boss Wellington Phoenix". Oxford Mail. 13 January 2017.
- "Phoenix sign new coach". New Zealand Herald. 19 May 2017.
- "Wellington Phoenix coach departs for Premier League club". wellingtonphoenix.com. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- "The A-League's youngest manager joins Stoke City". Oceaniafc.com. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
- "NZ U-17 and U-20 Head Coaches confirmed". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- "Des Buckingham returning to NZ to coach U20s as Jose Figueira gets U17s nod". Stuff. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- "New Zealand win seventh title | Oceania Football Confederation". Oceania Football Confederation. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
- "U-20 men book berth at World Cup". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
- "Oceania gear up to compete for sole Tokyo 2020 ticket". FIFA.com. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
- "U-20s go out in heart-breaking fashion". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- "New Zealand suffers heartbreaking loss to Columbia at FIFA U20 World Cup". NewsHub. 5 April 2019.
- "New Zealand make history in Poland 2019 bow". FIFA.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
- "Stensness screamer seals U-20 passage". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- "History in sight for U-20s". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
- "Ex-Oxford United coach Des Buckingham guides New Zealand to super start at Under 20 World Cup". Oxford Mail. 29 May 2019.
- "How a football team of immigrants brings us closer together". Stuff. 2 June 2019.
- "NZ under 20s fire". TVNZ. 29 May 2019.
- "Progress made as FIFA Under-20 World Cup campaign ends with heartbreak, not history". Stuff. 3 June 2019.
- "Ex Oxford United Coach one win Olympic qualification". Oxford Mail. 3 October 2019.
- "Ricki Herbert calls for NZ Football to get more games for under-20 tournament stars". Stuff. 5 June 2019.
- "Wynton Rufer hails NZ football's future after under-20 team's 'brilliant' effort". Stuff. 4 June 2019.
- "Brisbane Roar lose to Sydney FC as club consider head coach options". The Guardian. 30 December 2018.
- "The contenders to replacing outgoing Wellington Phoenix coach Mark Rudan". Stuff. 16 April 2019.
- "Des Buckingham to coach OlyWhites until end of Tokyo Olympics campaign". Stuff. 27 June 2019.
- "New Zealand Men's footballers produce epic comeback to win Pacific Games Gold". Stuff. 20 July 2019.
- "U-23s come from behind to claim gold". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- "OlyWhites impressive against Olyroos as qualifiers for Tokyo Olympics draw closer". Stuff. 10 September 2019.
- "U-23s book ticket to Tokyo". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- "New Zealand impress en route to Japan". FIFA.com. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
- "OlyWhites ease past Solomon Islands to book their place at the Tokyo Olympics". Stuff. 5 October 2019.
- "Ex-Oxford United coach Des Buckingham: Olympic qualification is career highlight". Stuff. 11 October 2019.
- Voerman, Andrew (30 April 2020). "Des Buckingham not being kept on by NZ Football for rescheduled Tokyo Olympics". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- "Buckingham follows in famous footsteps". nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- "Wellington Phoenix matches". Soccerway. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- "NZ U19 Matches". Flashscore.com. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- "NZ U20 Matches". ESPN.com. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- "NZF U23 results". Flashscore.com. 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
External links
- Des Buckingham profile on Soccerway's website