Harry Watling
_(cropped).jpg) Watling with Hartford Athletic in 2021 | |||
| Managerial career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Years | Team | ||
| 2021–2022 | Hartford Athletic | ||
| 2024 | Ebbsfleet United | ||
Harry Watling is an English football coach. He has coached and managed in four different leagues & three countries during his time in senior football.
Coaching career
[edit]Watling earned his UEFA B licence at age 18, UEFA A licence at 26 and his UEFA Pro licence at 33, which at the time made him one of the youngest coaches in England to have such coaching licence’s.[1]
Watling went on to work as an academy coach with Chelsea from 2009 to 2014, Millwall from 2014 to 2018, and West Ham United from 2018, before becoming head coach of USL Championship side Hartford Athletic on 13 January 2021.[2][1]
After joining Hartford Athletic on 13 January 2021, he won his first match in charge 3–2 against New York Red Bulls II on 30 April 2021. On 6 June 2021 in his fourth match he broke the club record for the biggest ever win in their history when he beat New York Red Bulls II 7–0 at home who had seven MLS contracted players from the first team in the lineup.[3] Watling broke several club records in his first season in charge of The Athletic, including most goals scored in a regular season and most clean sheets. Hartford finished 5th narrowly missing out on the play offs. On 25 June 2022, Watling resigned from his role as Hartford coach to attend family matters back home in England.[4]
On 25 July 2022, Watling was appointed First Team Development coach at Championship side Queens Park Rangers.[5]
After topping the championship with QPR Watling followed Michael Beale to Glasgow Rangers as First team coach.[6]
On 12 September 2024, again creating another record of being the youngest Manager in the league at the time, Watling was appointed manager of National League club Ebbsfleet United.[7] Watling had an instant impact providing the clubs first win of the season in his first game in charge against Hartlepool united. Despite that, he could not turn the clubs fortunes around in his short time as manager & On 11 December 2024, the club announced his departure by mutual consent.[8]
Personal life
[edit]Watling is married to professional footballer and Northern Ireland national team player Ciara Watling who currently plays for Southampton of the FA Women's Championship.[9][10]
Managerial statistics
[edit]| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Hartford Athletic | 
|
13 January 2021 | 25 June 2022 | 49 | 20 | 8 | 21 | 80 | 62 | +18 | 40.82% |
| Ebbsfleet United | 
|
12 September 2024 | 11 December 2024 | 18 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 34 | -14 | 16.6% |
References
[edit]- ^ a b McFarland, Shawn (13 January 2021). "Hartford Athletic hires West Ham, Chelsea alum Harry Watling as head coach". courant.com. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Betz, Adam (12 January 2020). "Watling to coach Hartford Athletic". Journal Inquirer. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ Athletic, Hartford (5 June 2021). "RECAP: Hartford Explodes for Seven Goals in Rout of New York Red Bulls II". Hartford Athletic | Connecticut's Professional Soccer Team. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Hartford Athletic Head Coach Harry Watling resigns". 25 June 2022.
- ^ "Beale appoints new coach Harry Watling".
- ^ "Watling: It's A Privilege". www.rangers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Fleet announce new manager". ebbsfleetunited.co.uk. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "Club statement: Harry Watling". ebbsfleetunited.co.uk. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ Seton O'Connor, Myke & Damon (13 January 2021). "Third Time's the Charm (guest HC Harry Watling)". nutmegstate.libsyn.com (Podcast). Event occurs at 37:05. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ "Northern Ireland international Ciara Watling joins Charlton Athletic". belfasttelegraph. 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
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- 1989 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from London
- English football managers
- English football coaches
- Hartford Athletic coaches
- Ebbsfleet United F.C. managers
- USL Championship coaches
- National League (English football) managers
- Chelsea F.C. non-playing staff
- Millwall F.C. non-playing staff
- West Ham United F.C. non-playing staff
- Rangers F.C. non-playing staff
- English expatriate football managers
- Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States
- English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- English football manager stubs