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Neil Critchley

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Neil Critchley
Personal information
Full name Neil Critchley[1]
Date of birth (1978-10-18) 18 October 1978 (age 46)
Place of birth Crewe, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Heart of Midlothian
(head coach)
Youth career
1989– Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Crewe Alexandra 1 (0)
2000–2001 Leigh RMI 3 (0)
Total 4 (0)
Managerial career
2020–2022 Blackpool
2022–2023 Queens Park Rangers
2023–2024 Blackpool
2024– Heart of Midlothian
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Neil Critchley (born 18 October 1978) is an English football coach who is currently the head coach of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian. A former footballer, he previously played in the Football League First Division for Crewe Alexandra.

He has previously managed Liverpool under-18s (standing in for Jürgen Klopp for two of Liverpool's cup fixtures in the 2019–20 season), and guided Blackpool to promotion, via the playoffs, from League One to the Championship in 2020–21, his first full season in charge of the club. After a short stint as assistant head coach to Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa in 2022, he was appointed head coach of Queens Park Rangers. After signing a three-year contract, he was sacked after two months, having won one game from his first twelve. He returned to Blackpool in May 2023, but was sacked the following August.

As of 2020, he was one of sixteen coaches worldwide to have obtained UEFA's elite badge.[2]

Playing career

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Crewe Alexandra

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Critchley, aged 10, joined Crewe in 1989. The club was then managed by Dario Gradi who had recently started a player development scheme that became the Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy. Gradi noticed Critchley's ability, even at the age of 17, to coach younger players and encouraged him to become more fully involved.[3]

Critchley's only playing appearance for Crewe came in a 3–0 defeat away at Fulham during the 1999–2000 season.

Leigh RMI

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He signed for Leigh RMI in 2000, and made three league appearances as substitute for the club.

Coaching and managerial career

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Critchley retired as a player aged 24 and became a coach at Crewe, working under Gradi and Steve Holland,[4] and being appointed joint Academy director in 2007, before joining Liverpool as under-18s coach in 2013.[5]

Liverpool

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Due to fixture congestion of Liverpool's first team during the 2019–20 season, Critchley served as their stand-in manager for their EFL Cup away match against Aston Villa on 17 December 2019.[6] The congestion was caused by Liverpool's participation in the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, which overlapped with the EFL Cup quarter-finals.[7][8][9] Liverpool, fielding a team made up exclusively of under-23s, were beaten 5–0.[10][11] Critchley again served as Liverpool's stand-in manager for the FA Cup fourth round replay against Shrewsbury Town on 4 February 2020, as the first team were on a mid-season break.[12] The youthful Liverpool team won 1–0 via an own goal.[13]

Blackpool

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Mike Garrity, Critchley's assistant at Blackpool for both of his stints

On 2 March 2020, Critchley was appointed as head coach of Blackpool on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[14] He chose Mike Garrity to be his assistant, the two having worked together at Liverpool. After a curtailed regular season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, Blackpool finished in 13th position after standings were amended to reflect a points-per-game ratio.[15]

In Critchley's first full season in charge, 2020–21, Blackpool finished third at the conclusion of the regular season, going on to win promotion via the EFL League One play-offs.[16]

On 19 November 2021, Critchley signed a four-year extension to his contract, keeping him at Bloomfield Road until 2026.[17] The following week, Critchley was named Manager of the Season at the annual North West Football Awards, beating Manchester City's Pep Guardiola, Blackpool's former captain and now Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt, and Morecambe manager Derek Adams.[18]

Aston Villa (assistant)

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On 2 June 2022, Critchley departed Blackpool after accepting the role of assistant head coach to Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa.[19] He had told Blackpool's owner Simon Sadler that he was keen to work again with Gerrard and "pit himself against some of the best coaches in the world".[20] On 21 October 2022, Critchley departed Aston Villa, following the sacking of Gerrard the day prior.[21]

Queens Park Rangers

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On 11 December 2022, Critchley was appointed head coach of Championship club Queens Park Rangers on a three-and-a-half-year deal.[22] His first match in charge was a single-goal victory over Preston North End. On 19 February 2023, Critchley was relieved of his duties as head coach of Queens Park Rangers, with the victory over Preston North End being the team's sole victory during his time in charge.[23]

Return to Blackpool

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On 23 May 2023, Critchley returned to his former club Blackpool, on a four-year deal, following their relegation to League One.[24] Mike Garrity also returned as assistant manager, alongside Iain Brunskill for the 2023–24 campaign.[25] Critchley was sacked on 21 August 2024.[26]

Heart of Midlothian

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On 15 October 2024, two months after departing Blackpool, Critchley was appointed the new head coach of Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian, succeeding Steven Naismith.[27]

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 7 December 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Liverpool (stand-in)[28] England 17 December 2019 4 February 2020 2 1 0 1 050.00
Blackpool[29] England 2 March 2020 2 June 2022 109 45 30 34 041.28
Queens Park Rangers[30] England 11 December 2022 19 February 2023 12 1 5 6 008.33
Blackpool England 23 May 2023 21 August 2024 62 30 12 20 048.39
Heart of Midlothian[31] Scotland 15 October 2024 present 11 4 2 5 036.36
Total 196 81 49 66 041.33

Honours

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Blackpool

Personal life

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Critchley is married to Janine.[33]

References

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  1. ^ "Neil Critchley". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Liverpool lose Neil Critchley as U23s boss joins League One club" - Liverpool Echo, 2 March 2020
  3. ^ Burley, Julian (20 August 2020). "Who Are The League One Managers? No.3: Neil Critchley (Blackpool)". Vital Football - Lincoln. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  4. ^ Morse, Peter (17 December 2019). "Liverpool have a 'top class coach' in charge against Aston Villa tonight, according to the man who knows him best". Cheshire Live. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  5. ^ Pearce, James (12 October 2013). "New Liverpool FC under-18s coach has brief to get home-grown talent ready for the first team". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Q&A: Neil Critchley's pre-Carabao Cup quarter-final press conference". Liverpool. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Klopp explains Club World Cup and Carabao Cup squad selections". Liverpool. 6 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Aston Villa v Liverpool: Carabao Cup Quarter-Final tie confirmed". EFL.com. English Football League. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  9. ^ "LFC statement on Carabao Cup tie with Aston Villa". Liverpool. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  10. ^ "'A great opportunity' – Neil Critchley on Carabao Cup quarter-final". Liverpool. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  11. ^ "Aston Villa 5–0 Liverpool: Dean Smith's side overwhelm young Liverpool side". BBC Sport. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  12. ^ "Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool's first team will miss FA Cup replay v Shrewsbury". BBC Sport. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  13. ^ Johnston, Neil (4 February 2020). "Liverpool 1–0 Shrewsbury: Own goal by Ro-Shaun Williams sends young Reds through". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  14. ^ "Neil Critchley Appointed New Head Coach" - Blackpool F.C., 2 March 2020
  15. ^ "League One & League Two clubs vote to end seasons early" - BBC Sport, 9 May 2020
  16. ^ Blackpool 1–0 Bristol Rovers – BBC Sport, 9 May 2021
  17. ^ "Neil Critchley Signs New Long-Term Contract" – Blackpool F.C., 19 November 2021
  18. ^ "Blackpool boss Neil Critchley beats Man City's Pep Guardiola to manager of the season award" – Blackpool Gazette, 23 November 2021
  19. ^ "Aston Villa announce Neil Critchley appointment". Aston Villa Football Club. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  20. ^ James, Alex (17 June 2022). "Sadler's message to fans in response to Appleton appointment negativity". LancsLive. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  21. ^ "Board Update". Aston Villa Football Club. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  22. ^ "Neil Critchley named QPR head coach". www.qpr.co.uk. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  23. ^ "QPR sack Neil Critchley after 12 games as manager". www.theguardian.com/uk. 19 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
  24. ^ "Neil Critchley Returns As Head Coach". www.blackpoolfc.co.uk. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  25. ^ FC, Blackpool (21 May 2024). "Iain Brunskill Departs". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  26. ^ FC, Blackpool (21 August 2024). "Club Statement | Neil Critchley". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  27. ^ FC, Hearts (15 October 2024). "Neil Critchley named new head coach". Hearts FC. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  28. ^ Wilson, Fraser (19 October 2024). "Yan Dhanda on his Liverpool mentor Neil Critchley after Hearts arrival". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  29. ^ "Neil Critchley: Blackpool reappoint former boss as head coach". BBC Sport. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  30. ^ "Neil Critchley: Queens Park Rangers appoint new head coach". BBC Sport. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Neil Critchley named new Head Coach – Hearts". www.heartsfc.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  32. ^ Blackpool 2–1 Lincoln City 1 – BBC Sport, 30 May 2021
  33. ^ "Neil Critchley: The Blackpool manager giving fans their club back" – The Daily Telegraph, 16 April 2021
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