1. Des Buckingham was born on 7 February 1985 and is an English professional football manager who was most recently the head coach of EFL Championship club Oxford United.
20 Facts About Des Buckingham
1. 2.
Des Buckingham began his professional coaching career at Oxford United at the age of 18, initially working through the club's age-group squads.
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Merrick resigned from the club in early December 2016 at which point Des Buckingham was made the interim head coach.
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In July, 2017 Des 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.
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Des Buckingham earned plaudits for the team's quality of football and style of play.
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Des 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.
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On 5 October 2019, Des Buckingham led New Zealand to its third Olympic Games, qualifying for Tokyo 2020 by winning the OFC U-23 Championship.
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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.
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Des 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.
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Des Buckingham was named Men's Coach of the year at New Zealand Football Awards 2020.
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In September 2020, Des Buckingham joined A-League club Melbourne City as Assistant Coach after being identified by the City Football Group.
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Des Buckingham managed the team on multiple occasions in the absence of Patrick Kisnorbo, when was injured or ill.
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On 8 October 2021, Des Buckingham was appointed as the head coach of Indian Super League club Mumbai City of the City Football Group on a two-year contract.
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Des 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.
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Mumbai City and Des Buckingham won praise for their fearless approach and positive playing style at the tournament.
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Des Buckingham's side broke fifteen records while securing the title, including the most points and goals scored in a single season, while having the best goal difference, most league wins and longest winning streak in the history of the competition.
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In May 2023, Des Buckingham was voted Coach of the Year by the Indian Players Football Association.
18.
On 16 November 2023, Des Buckingham returned to League One club Oxford United on a long-term contract as head coach.
19.
Des Buckingham led Oxford to promotion to the Championship at the end of the season, defeating Bolton Wanderers in the play-off final at Wembley.
20.
Des Buckingham 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.