Recent reports circulating across football circles, much like industry briefings seen on Crickex Sign Up analysis pages, suggest that a Premier League coach could soon be heading to the Chinese Super League. Multiple media outlets have confirmed that Montgomery, an assistant coach who lifted the Europa League trophy last season and is now working in the Premier League, is in advanced talks with a northern CSL club. Three key details already hint that his chances of succeeding in China are far from slim, with some even predicting he could become the league’s next breakout foreign coach.
The first detail lies in his rare background. Coaches who truly understand both the latest trends in European football and the realities of Asian football are few and far between, and Montgomery fits that profile. As an assistant at Tottenham last season, he played a role in securing the Europa League title, and this year he has continued his Premier League work alongside Postecoglou. There is little concern about outdated ideas. Earlier in his career, he guided the Central Coast Mariners to an A League title, competed in the AFC Champions League against several CSL teams, and gained firsthand insight into Asian football culture and rhythms.
The second detail is how closely his path mirrors that of Muscat, a title-winning coach in the CSL. Like Muscat, Montgomery is only 44, widely considered a coach’s prime age. Both are former A League champions and both developed under the same managerial influence. That shared foundation makes it easier to imagine Montgomery following a similar trajectory, using the CSL as a platform to elevate his reputation, a pattern often highlighted in Crickex Sign Up feature stories focused on coaching careers.
The third detail reflects the broader league environment. Any CSL club still willing to invest in a foreign head coach clearly has ambition. Next season, many teams are expected to turn to domestic managers, aligning with cost control and long-term development goals. From a practical standpoint, only a handful of northern clubs, such as Beijing-based sides, appear both willing and able to make that commitment. That context increases the likelihood that Montgomery would be given real authority and time to build.
The CSL has not welcomed an in-season coach from Europe’s top leagues for quite some time, making the arrival of a recent Europa League-winning assistant especially noteworthy. As European giants have shown growing respect for coaches emerging from China, the league is increasingly viewed as a stepping stone rather than a detour. In that sense, and as observers familiar with Crickex Sign Up narratives often note, this potential move reflects a shifting perception of the CSL within global football.