Hearts, Ipswich Town, Dundee, Raith Rovers – do any of these names sound familiar to you? Maybe not, because they are all teams in Scotland.
Scottish footballers aren’t always the first to be chosen for a big managerial role. Although the United Kingdom is well known for their love of the sport, the English Premier League overshadows the Scottish Premiership.
Despite being a smaller country and having less prowess than the English giants, Scotland churns out talented footballers and managers. Christophe Berra, a decorated Scottish footballer, can attest to that.
Christophe Berra Makes Managerial Debut
Berra first became a manager in 2023 for Livingston as an assistant coach. However, this was a short-term deal that saw him part ways with the club at the end of the 2022-2023 season.
Now, he can take on his first full-time head coaching role for Huntsville City football Club. The ex-manager of the club was surprisingly fired without any pre-emptive warning by the board. Not only has this surprised fans, but it shocked the manager himself.
However, what is not shocking is the results were not good enough to warrant keeping the manager. Huntsville lost their first four matches in the league and sit 12th in the table.
Career for Hearts, Ipswich Town, and Wolves
Huntsville City FC interim head coach Christophe Berra spoke to the media for the first time after taking over from Jack Collison, who was let go from his role on Tuesday. Watch his full remarks here ?? #HuntCityFChttps://t.co/MPFBOUrmk3
— Speedway Soccer (@SpeedwaySoc) April 11, 2024
Christophe Berra first began his professional career in 2003, making over 120 appearances for his nearby club, Heart of Midlothian (Hearts). Some of his team highlights include scoring to make UEFA Champions League qualification and participating in the UEFA Cup.
After leaving Hearts, he traveled through the UK to the promising club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
During his time at Wolves, he really shined. Between 2009 and 2013, he made over 140 appearances. His consistency, tenacity, fitness, and game intelligence made him a complete player.
He helped the team perform so well that they were promoted from the Championship, England second division, to the Premier League – the pinnacle division in England. He was a regular staple in the back line and featured in dozens of games per season.
After a successful four years, he moved to Ipswich Town in the Championship. While here, he made an astonishing 174 appearances in 4 years between 2013-2017.
To wind down his successful footballing career, he transferred to Hearts, Dundee, and Raith. Berra transitioned into a managerial role at Raith Rovers, where he became a player-coach.
About the Author
Emma is an athlete and sports fan who currently plays professional soccer. Growing up, she reached a high level in track and field, distance running, and soccer on both club and university teams.