Des Buckingham

Des Buckingham (born 7 February 1985) is an English professional football manager who is the head coach of club Oxford United. Buckingham became the youngest head coach in the history of the A-League during the 2016–17 A-League season.

Playing career
Born in Oxford, England, Buckingham had spells in the youth and reserve teams of English sides Reading and Oxford United. He initially began coaching in his teenage years with the Oxford junior sides, and later additionally joined Oxford & Cherwell Valley College in a full-time coaching and teaching role over a four-year period.

Oxford United
Buckingham began his professional coaching career at Oxford United at the age of 18, initially working through the club's age-group squads. At the start of the 2013–14 Football League Two season, Buckingham progressed as a coach into the first team, under then-manager Chris Wilder.

Wellington Phoenix
After stints as a grassroots development manager at WaiBOP United and Capital Football (New Zealand), Buckingham joined the Wellington Phoenix during the 2014–15 A-League season under head coach Ernie Merrick. His initial role was goalkeeping coach. Before the start of the 2016–17 season he was made assistant coach. Merrick resigned from the club in early December 2016 at which point Buckingham was made the interim head coach. In early 2017, after 4 games as interim coach, he was appointed as manager until the end of the season. At 31 years of age, he became the youngest manager in A-League history and was able to lift the club off the bottom of the table, finishing one place outside the playoffs at the end of the season.

Stoke City
In July, 2017 Buckingham was granted permission to leave Wellington Phoenix and take up a role at Stoke City, then in the Premier League, as an assistant coach with their under-23 team.

New Zealand Football
A return to New Zealand in 2018 saw Buckingham appointed as head coach of the New Zealand U20 team and assistant manager of the senior national team.

New Zealand U20
In August, 2018 Buckingham led the team to the 2018 OFC U-19 Championship, qualifying for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup. At the World Cup, Buckingham's New Zealand side recorded their highest ever finish at a men's FIFA tournament, eventually being knocked out by Colombia in the round of 16 after a controversial penalty shoot-out. The team also posted New Zealand's biggest ever win at a FIFA tournament, a 5–0 win over Honduras, becoming the first New Zealand team to win back-to-back games at a FIFA event; the team also recorded their first ever win over European opposition with a 2–0 win over Norway. Buckingham earned plaudits for the team's quality of football and style of play. Former All Whites Ricki Herbert and Wynton Rufer praised the positive and attacking approach to winning games rarely seen before in New Zealand.

New Zealand U23
Despite being linked to clubs in the English Football League and A-League, Buckingham accepted the New Zealand U23 managerial position in June 2019, leading the side into the 2019 Pacific Games and OFC Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Buckingham guided New Zealand to its first-ever gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games, leading an U-23 side through an otherwise senior international competition undefeated. On 5 October 2019, Buckingham led New Zealand to its third Olympic Games, qualifying for Tokyo 2020 by winning the OFC U-23 Championship. In doing so, the team became the most dominant men's side to have played in an Oceania Football Confederation competition by winning all five games and finishing with a goal difference of +29. The New Zealand U23 side remained unbeaten during his tenure, winning nine and drawing three of 12 games. New Zealand Football announced that Buckingham would leave his role as coach of the under-23 side in April 2020, despite a large group of players writing to the governing body to request his retention as coach. Buckingham's contract was not extended following delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympics and he was replaced by Danny Hay. Buckingham was named Men's Coach of the year at New Zealand Football Awards 2020.

Melbourne City
In September 2020, Buckingham joined A-League club Melbourne City as Assistant Coach after being identified by the City Football Group. He managed the team on multiple occasions in the absence of Patrick Kisnorbo, when was injured or ill. In his first season, Melbourne City claimed their maiden A-League trophy in the team's eleven-year history, winning the league to secure the A-League Premiers Plate. The team completed the double a month later, winning their first A-League Grand Final.

2021–22 season
On 8 October 2021, Buckingham was appointed as the head coach of Indian Super League club Mumbai City of the City Football Group on a two-year contract. Under his management, the club began its 2021–22 season campaign with a 3–0 win on 22 November against FC Goa. In Buckingham's first season in charge, Mumbai City finished the season on fifth place, amassing 31 points from 20 games.

On 11 April 2022, Buckingham led City to their first win at the AFC Champions League, becoming the first Indian team to win a game in the competition, beating Iraqi Premier League champions Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2–1 at the King Fahd International Stadium in Saudi Arabia. Buckingham's side became the most successful Indian Club to compete in the AFC Champions League, finishing second in Group B, with results against Al-Jazira and Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya adding to their second-round win. Mumbai City and Buckingham won praise for their fearless approach and positive playing style at the tournament.

2022–23 season
On 18 August 2022, under Buckingham, Mumbai City made their Durand Cup debut with a 4–1 win over Indian Navy. The team progressed to the knockout stages, finishing top of their five-team group that included Indian Super League clubs ATK Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Mumbai City advanced through the quarter-final stage, beating Chennaiyin before securing a win over Mohammedan in the semi-finals to make their first ever Durand Cup Final. Mumbai City finished as runners-up in the tournament after a 2–1 loss to Bengaluru in the final on 18 September 2022.

Mumbai City won the Indian Super League (ISL) on 11 February 2023 after an 18-match unbeaten streak, the longest in ISL history. Buckingham's side broke fifteen records while securing the title, including the most points and goals scored in a single season, while also having the best goal difference, most league wins and longest winning streak in the history of the competition.

On 4 April 2023, Buckingham's team sealed a place in the 2023 AFC Champions League group stage after defeating Jamshedpur 3-1 in a play-off final, the first Indian Club to secure consecutive qualification to the pinnacle of Asian club football.

In May 2023, Buckingham was voted Coach of the Year by the Indian Players Football Association.

Return to Oxford United
On 16 November 2023, Buckingham returned to League One club Oxford United on a long-term contract as head coach. He led Oxford to promotion to the Championship at the end of the season, defeating Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Personal life
He was inducted into the 2019 edition of the High Performance Sport New Zealand Coach Accelerator Programme, a three-year programme aimed at developing and increasing New Zealand's pool of coaches.

Honours
New Zealand U20
 * OFC U-20 Championship: 2018

New Zealand U23 Melbourne City
 * Pacific Games: 2019
 * OFC U-23 Championship: 2019
 * A-League Premiership: 2020–21
 * A-League Championship: 2021

Mumbai City
 * Indian Super League Winners' Shield: 2022–23
 * Durand Cup runner-up: 2022

Oxford United Individual
 * EFL League One play-offs: 2024
 * New Zealand Football Men's Coach of the Year: 2020
 * FPAI Coach of the Year: 2023