Despite the hand-wringing over a lack of domestic managerial talent which followed the appointment of Fabio Capello as England coach, Tony Adams has become another English manager in charge of a Premier League team.
Here, we look at the new, if sometimes familiar British figures in charge of top-flight teams this season
TONY ADAMS (Portsmouth)
THE 42-year-old became Arsenal's youngest ever captain in 1988 and also led his country 13 times, so he unquestionably has the right leadership credentials. Although his first management challenge ended in disappointment and relegation at Wycombe, there were severe cash restraints which led him to resign. Honed his coaching skills in Holland with Feyenoord and Utrecht before becoming Harry Redknapp's assistant in June 2006. Redknapp's departure has now given him his top flight management chance.
PHIL BROWN (Hull City)
AFTER an inauspicious start to his managerial career at Derby, Brown's spell in charge of Hull began equally unimpressively in December 2006 with a defeat at Plymouth which left the Tigers in the Championship relegation zone.
Less than two years - and a promotion via the play-offs - later, the South Shields-born boss is, by his own admittance, in 'dreamland' after successive away wins at Arsenal and Tottenham which have left the Humberside club third in the table. Brown has won acclaim for his positivity, even after a 5-0 home thrashing by Wigan, and organisation of the relegation favourites, while shrewd forays into the transfer market have brought in the likes of Geovanni, George Boateng and Marlon King on the cheap.
PAUL INCE (Blackburn Rovers)
THE former England midfielder has bucked the trend of big-name stars landing big jobs within months of their retirement from playing. After a brief stint as a coach at Swindon, Ince learnt his trade in the unheralded football outposts of Macclesfield and Milton Keynes, respectively masterminding a stunning escape from relegation and promotion from League Two. The 40-year-old was a surprise choice as Mark Hughes' replacement as Blackburn boss this summer but has made a promising start.
TONY MOWBRAY (West Brom)
AN unflashy centre-back in his playing days and gruff character always, Mowbray has, however, developed a reputation as an exponent of attack-minded football. A successful 21/2-year spell in charge of Hibernian led to the Middlesbrough legend being offered the West Brom manager's job in late 2006.
After failing to mastermind an instant promotion from the Championship, Mowbray drew criticism for the perceived naivety of his tactics, but the step up followed a year later and the Baggies have so far acquitted themselves well.
JOE KINNEAR (Newcastle United)
THE former Wimbledon manager brought a touch of the 'Crazy Gang' to his first press conference as Newcastle's caretaker boss, berating a gaggle of journalists with more than 50 expletives for their supposedly unfair reporting of his surprise appointment.
A battling and morale-boosting 2-2 draw with Everton on his opening day and a 2-1 win over West Brom yesterday was justification enough for his methods, however, and he appeared to have instilled some much-needed confidence in his beleaguered players.
TONY PULIS (Stoke City)
A JOURNEYMAN player, his managerial career was similarly low key - taking in the likes of Gillingham, Bournemouth and Plymouth - before a second stint at Stoke brought an unexpected promotion last season.
The Welshman is well known to value brawn and organisation over flair, meaning he is not a universally popular figure among Potters fans, and both have been seen in abundance this season - not least during a creditable goalless draw at Liverpool. However, his team's limitations have frequently been exposed and they sit near the bottom at present.
OTHER BRITISH MANAGERS:
Alex Ferguson (Manchester United), Harry Redknapp (Tottenham Hotspur), Martin O'Neill (Aston Villa), Mark Hughes (Manchester City), Roy Keane (Sunderland), Gareth Southgate (Middlesbrough), David Moyes (Everton), Roy Hodgson (Fulham), Gary Megson (Bolton Wanderers), Steve Bruce (Wigan)
