Former England assistant manager Steve Holland has been sacked by Japanese outfit Yokohama F. Marinos after just four months. He leaves the club sitting in 19th place in the 20-team league, having struggled throughout his four-month tenure.
Holland joined the J-League outfit after spending eight years as Gareth Southgate’s assistant with England. He was viewed as a key figure in Southgate’s setup, helping the Three Lions to reach the final of Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
After it became clear that Southgate was set to enjoy a stint away from management, Holland ruled that he would return to club management for the first time since 2008, when he was with Crewe Alexandra.
However, Holland’s return to the dugout was short-lived. After leading Yokohama F. Marinos to five wins, five defeats and five draws in all competitions, it was announced that he would be leaving the Japanese club.
A statement from the relegation-battling outfit read: “Yokohama F. Marinos announce today that the club have decided to part ways with Steve Holland, who was appointed manager at the beginning of the 2025 season. To fill the void, head coach Patrick Kisnorbo will serve as an interim manager for the time being.”
Yokohama F. Marinos won the J-League in 2022 but have struggled since lifting the title, finishing ninth last season. Nevertheless, they were not expected to be among those battling for survival heading into the current campaign.
With Kisnorbo taking charge with immediate effect whilst their managerial search takes place, Yokohama F. Marinos will face Urawa Reds in the league before their Asian Champions League quarter-finals clash with Al-Nassr, with their squad including the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jhon Duran and Sadio Mane.
Following his sacking, it remains to be seen whether Holland’s next role is as a manager or if he looks to resume assistant duties. Southgate has been linked with a host of jobs since leaving his position at Wembley, being cited as an option by Manchester United after they sacked Erik ten Hag earlier this season before Ruben Amorim’s appointment.
It is unclear whether Southgate will in fact return to football at this stage, having vowed last year to spend at least a year away from the sport to rest his ‘body and mind’.