Ian Foster: Deep dive into Argyle's new manager
Read on for what to expect from Foster's tactics and philosophy
So it’s official: Plymouth Argyle’s new manager is Ian “Foz” Foster.
Foster was serving as assistant manager to Steven Gerrard at Al Ettifaq, but is best known for managing England U18/19/20 – including the MU19s win at Euro 2022.
Argyle made it clear they would look for the following attributes for the next manager:
A young manager with something to prove
Someone who will develop – and become an asset for the club
A manager with an attacking and entertaining philosophy.
Foster ticks them all.
The appointment of Foster, with his lack of EFL experience, has disappointed many on Argyle social media.
And it’s led to some claims that Dewsnip is hiring his mates (Foster worked with Dewsnip in the England setup and is a Scouser) and wants more control.
It’s an odd take. It should be remembered that Dewsnip has been Director of Football at the club – with all managers reporting to him – since 2019. And this has seen unprecedented success. So calls that he’s somehow grappling for power are somewhat bizarre, given he has literally been in power for this entire time.
The other criticism is that we should have gone for a more experienced manager. And that’s where Argyle are gambling - even more so than with Schumacher’s appointment.
But if there’s one takeaway from the saga of Azaz being sold to Boro for a paltry £2.5m fee is that we cannot afford a manager with significant experience.
Nor can we afford a manager who wants players to fit a certain system.
The manager must adapt to Argyle, and by proxy, Dewsnip’s style. And that will not attract many established managers.
Who is Ian Foster?
Born in 1976, Ian Foster was a lower league striker in his playing days, but his career was cut short at 29.
In 2009 started managing in Ireland, taking charge of Galway United and Dulkirk with mixed success.
Coventry City
Foster returned to England to resume his coaching career. In August 2012, he took on a wide-ranging role at Coventry City working initially with the U18 and then U21 squads, and later became First Team Coach.
He worked with players including James Maddison and Callum Wilson.
Portsmouth FC
In May 2015, Foster was appointed by manager Paul Cook as First Team Coach at then-League Two Portsmouth FC. He was on the touchline for Argyle’s epic duels with Portsmouth, and pipped us to the 2016/2017 title on goal difference.
England youth coaching
Foster started at the FA in February 2017 as a specialist coach with the U17s alongside Steve Cooper and of course, fellow Scouser Neil Dewsnip.
His specialism was out of possession coaching, something that should pique the interest of Argyle fans, with Pilgrims currently boasting the highest xGA in the league since November.
Key successes were:
U19 EURO 2022 Champions: Under Foster's guidance, England U19s emerged victorious in the 2022 European Championship in Slovakia, topping their qualification group and showcasing impressive defensive solidity.
U20 World Cup 2023: The winning team transitioned to the U20s, with Foster remaining at the helm. They reached the Round of 16 in the 2023 World Cup in Argentina.
Al Ettifaq
In July 2023, Foster left the FA to join Saudi Professional League club Al Ettifaq as assistant manager to Steven Gerrard.
Tactics: What to expect
Foster is known for an attacking football philosophy and said this in an interview with FIFA.com:
“We want our players to be brave, to play at a high intensity, and we want to control games. We want to be exciting. You need to remember; we are in the entertainment business. People pay money to come and watch us perform. Ultimately, we want fans and supporters of English football to be excited when they watch our teams. There is an emphasis on that.”
It could be straight out of a Simon Hallett quote book.
For England U19s Euros triumph, Foster preferred a 3-4-3 formation, and there’s a lot to glean from this excellent report on the team’s tactical make-up.
This system obviously meshes well with Argyle’s set up – and indicates a permanent return to a three at the back could be on the cards.
We won’t reproduce the report here, go read it.
But it praises his set up for playing with a high, aggressive press and a front four – and sometimes six – in attack. His teams also play out from the back.
Argyle’s press is one of the most passive in the league – so it will be interesting to note whether this changes as Foster stamps his identity on the team.
What’s more, under his stewardship, England U19s were lethal from corners – another hugely glaring issue for Argyle.
There’s not much in the report about defensive tactics – but as his specialism for the FA was out of possession coaching, it’s a promising blend of experience that could help Argyle maintain their high xG, while helping keep goals out at the other end.
The challenge ahead
We’re going to follow up this newsletter with a series of posts in the coming weeks about some of the statistical challenges facing Foster as new manager.
It’s crucial for a new manager to work on the defensive unit, and make Argyle more resilient.
But now Foster also faces the challenge of life without Azaz, and perhaps, Cundle. At the time of writing, it’s rumoured that Cundle will return to Wolves to be sold.
This chart (above) perhaps shows the precarious nature of Argyle’s current status. Our high xG is keeping our heads above water, but with two potent attackers leaving, this will inevitably drop.
And unless we can stop leaking goals at the other end, we’ll quickly be sucked towards the Deary Deary Me Quadrant – and the relegation danger zone.
Verdict
Like most I was slightly underwhelmed, with Dick Schreuder catching my eye as an established manager, or high-profile assistants such as Chris Davies at Spurs, playing at the highest level.
But the more I read about Ian Foster – who like most I hadn’t heard of until the rumours landed on Twitter – the more I like.
His philosophy fits, he had the credentials to firm up our defence, and his contacts will be a draw for getting loan players in – and that’s a huge part of what will keep this football club going for the next few years.
I do have one reservation regarding his experience:
We were open that Schumacher had the room at Argyle to make mistakes and learn. That’s great. But when Schumacher goes and he’s replaced by another rookie, are we set to live through the same mistakes over and over?
Yes, this is a gamble. But the club’s leadership has got precious little wrong since 2019 – let’s hope they’ve pulled off another masterstroke.
Good luck gaffer.