New Hull City manager Leonid Slutsky described Roman Abramovich as his agent in helping achieve his goal to become the first Russian manager in the Premier League. While living with Abramovich since January, Slutsky said the Chelsea owner gave him advice in handling the tactics and personalities of England’s biggest footballing stage. A managerial opportunity at the top level seems warranted by the Slutsky’s resume alone: seven trophies won in his seven seasons at CSKA Moscow, including three domestic titles, and a spell leading the Russian national team to the European Championships last summer. Yet, after leaving CSKA in the winter of 2016, and the national side after the tournament, Slutsky begins his English managerial career in the Championship, one division shy of achieving his dream.

That Slutsky was eager to test his skill in England, and in the Championship, further shows the reach that the Premier League, or at least the potential of getting promoted into the division, has not only on players but managerial talent worldwide. Last season peaked in brainpower as Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola made their debuts. Lesser known but well-respected international managers Walter Mazzarri and Marco Silva added their ideas further down the table. Slutsky began his managerial career in 2000 (his playing career ended while breaking his leg saving a neighbor’s cat, but signaling his jovial attitude, he said he became the hero of his village), gaining experience with four different clubs Russian clubs before his break at CSKA in 2009. There, his on field tactical nous, ability to operate on a transfer budget, and likeable personality, were on full display.

He set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation for club and for a small spell managing the national side in 2016. The nuances of the formation are in the details: he used two defensive midfielders in front of the backline, attacking fullbacks for width, and a mobile forward in Ahmed Musa to win domestic titles in 2013, 2014, and 2016 season (his side’s lack of defensive pressing is noted). Wingers Roman Eremenko and Zoran Tosic supplied the attack. Lacking transfer funds, Slutsky made due with an aging backline, with the two center midfielders dropping as deep as necessary.  But the importance of a striker able to run into channels in his system came to the fore when Musa left for Leicester City in the summer of the 2016 season, replaced by the 6-8 target striker Lacina Traore. Slutsky left five months later.

Known for his mild mannered personality and described as a player’s coach, his CSKA sides were defined by their consistency and unity off the field. The squad consisted largely of the same group of players since he took over in 2009, for better or worse. Distrustful of youth players, he took one last run in the 2016 Champions League. He resigned after losing to Tottenham in the final match of the group stage, and failing to move on to the knockout round.  

In the meantime, he was a near unanimous choice to replace Fabio Capello as national team manager in the summer of 2015, tasked with the single goal of making the European Championships while still juggling his day job at CSKA. Analysts described him as a quiet leader who could get the best out of players. National team captain and club rival Roman Shirkov observed how Slutsky gave no preferential treatment to his own CSKA players in the locker room. Russia qualified for the Euros by winning its last four matches with Slutsky in charge.

In his two recent hires of Silva and Slutsky, Hull owner and chairman Assem Allam has shown an eye for managerial talent outside of the powerhouse Serie A, La Liga, and Bundesliga leagues. Slutsky recommended six new players - two centerbacks, a right back, a left back, a winter, and a striker - to add to the Championship roster. His relationship with Abramovich already netted one Chelsea player on loan. He said in his introduction video at Hull that he basis his formation and tactics around his players, quoting Brian Clough’s axiom that his best players make the best formations. Referencing Clough to an English audience was both topical and clever, especially when the club became an unwitting viral meme last winter with the Silva hiring.

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“What does he know about Hull?”, asked Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson after Silva was named club manager in January. His partner Phil Thompson chimed in that the Portuguese manager “doesn’t know what’s required” in English football as compared to British managers passed over for the job. The question revealed a truth in the perception of foreign managers, especially those outside of the traditional powers. Silva, like Slutsky, was a champion. Yet if Pep Guardiola cannot escape jibes of having to “learn English football”, then Silva had no chance.  

Silva was tasked with digging the club out of the relegation battle, and he quickly showed his managerial quality. Hull were fourth in points won since the hiring at one point in April, ahead of Liverpool and Manchester City despite - or perhaps as a result of - losing their two best players in Robert Snodgrass and Jake Livermore in the winter window with no direct reinforcements coming back in. They won eight out of their 11 home matches under Silva. But the late run wasn’t enough as the club were relegated on the final day. For Silva, the stretch showcased his ability as he was hired back into the Premier League at Watford. 

Hull’s appointment of Slutsky provoked much less punditry reaction or fanfare this time around. They currently have 18/1 odds of winning the Championship, below the likes of Aston Villa, Fulham, and Middlesbrough. Newcastle’s Rafa Benitez observed the difficulty of being a big club every weekend in the division. But England’s second division is carving a unique niche within the larger managerial ecosystem. Slutsky noted in his initial Hull introduction that the there were seven foreign managers in the Championship last season. Benitez became the second foreign manager to win the league outright in leading Newcastle to promotion. 

There is credence to learning a new league, and Hull midfielder Tom Huddlestone appreciated Slutsky learning English. The manager stated his goals at Hull range are promotion, then eventually playing in the Europa League. In addition to millions of new supporters from Russia, Slutsky stated he has a new perspective to give English football. For Hull, the move represents a managerial version of Moneyball to close the gap on opponents where player wages cannot. In signing Slutsky to a two-year contract, the next time Hull are in the Premier League, perhaps they’ll have their previously little known but currently highly rated foreign manager for the long haul.