Exclusive:Former Sunderland and Leeds United manager relishing new role after shock move to South Asia

Former Leeds United and Sunderland manager Simon Grayson has experienced many things during his playing and managerial career - but even now, at the age of 55, there is still room for something new.

Since leaving his position as manager of Fleetwood Town in 2021, Grayson has conducted media duties with Sky Sports and the in-house media outlets at former clubs Leeds and Leicester City. However, that has not put a stop on his career in the dugout, far from it. After enjoying a successful spell in charge of Indian Super League side Bengaluru, Grayson has taken up a second managerial role in Asia - although his current position can certainly be bracketed as unexpected.

Just two months have passed since the former Bradford City and Preston North End boss accepted a surprise offer to take charge of Nepal Super League franchise Lalitpur City as his coaching and managerial education took a somewhat unexpected turn in a country not exactly known for its love of the beautiful game. Although away from the bright lights and lucrative sponsor deals of the Premier League and EFL, there is still pressure on Grayson after he took charge of the reigning Super League champions - but it was the challenge of getting ‘out of his comfort zone’ that proved to be the real attraction.

Speaking from Nepal, he told The Echo: “Since I’ve been back (to England), I’ve had a few opportunities to go back to work but not ones that interested me really - and I’ve been doing media work for Sky, Leeds and Leicester TV and this came about around three or four months ago.

“An agent rang me and said would I fancy taking charge of a franchise team out in Nepal and it wasn’t something I’d thought of straightaway, I thought I’d been to India, I wasn’t sure on Nepal. Then he explained it was a franchise team, only two months maximum, three weeks pre-season, five if you get to the final. So I thought time-wise, it worked not being away from home too long and to get into another part of the world and get out of my comfort zone coaching abroad in a different environment and a country that was far less developed than India.”

“I think my team will get stronger for all those reasons”

Grayson’s squad is largely made up of Nepalese players and a number represent a national side currently sat between Grenada and Barbados at 175th in the FIFA world rankings. His ranks are supplemented by Senegalese and Nigerian players and results and progression have been clear to see in Grayson’s short time within the league. Long-term improvement that could have an impact way beyond his time in South Asia is the key aim for the former Sunderland boss as he looks to ensure he draws an improvement out of the players he inherited, those behind the scenes at Lalitpur and himself.

He said: “I want to help players but also people behind the scenes in terms of what happens in football clubs. I want to leave a legacy of what is required to keep improving all of the time so if I can improve any person out here five or ten percent then I will be very pleased - but I want to be improved maybe 30 or 40 percent and I want to be winning a tournament because that’s one of the major reasons I’m here as well.

“There are seven teams, that was an attraction, the owners were very positive in wanting me to come out. Not blowing smoke up myself - but they’d never had anyone of my expertise and profile in this league and it’s only their third year. It’s the early years of the development of the league and I felt it would be good for them and good for me. It’s been a learning curve, there’s a lot of things that have tested myself but you have to embrace it because I’m not going to be changing everything overnight but if I can keep doing bits here and there.

He continued: “I can see how my players are improving all of the time. I’ve learnt very quickly about them and the league. There is a game every night and our hotel is across the road from the stadium so I go to the games every night so I’m football maxed out already after five or six weeks of being here but I have to do it because it’s part of learning about the league and learning about players and I think my team will get stronger for all those reasons.”

Lalitpur preparing for the play-offs

Results can certainly provide support to such claims as Lalitpur head into the final game of the regular season level on points with leaders Dhangadhi after claiming three wins and two draws from their opening five fixtures. Much like Sunderland, Grayson’s current employers are set for a play-off tilt - and the former Black Cats boss has set out a clear path ahead for his side throughout a complicated end-of-season process.

“We’ve played five, top of the league, we’ve won three and drawn two,” he explained. “We are progressing and hopefully that will continue. We have one game left on Wednesday, some have two, so by Thursday night the whole league will have finished. Then it’s a bit like the Super League, the top two play each other and whoever wins that goes straight to the final. Then third and fourth play each other, whoever wins that plays whoever loses out of the first and second so it’s like another eliminator to play in the final. All I’m seeing is the final is on the 26th April and I’ll be home in the UK by the 30th if all goes to plan.”

“That’s why I think I’ve still got plenty to offer”

Being back in England during the closing stages of the season will mean Grayson is likely to be mentioned as a possible candidate should any managerial vacancies open up during the summer months. With his career in the dugout now spanning 20 years and two continents, the former Leicester City and Aston Villa star remains keen to extend his time in management and stressed he still has the ‘passion and desire’ to consider roles in different parts of the world.

He said: “It was funny because some people in the stand the other week and they were Reading fans. They shouted down to me, they were in Katmandu and they were wearing Lalitpur shirts under their Reading shirts, which was really nice. They said I still had my passion and desire whether it’s in Nepal or the UK because I was belting out orders on the touchline and was as passionate as I was managing Leeds in play-off finals. That’s what I’ve always had and it’s nice to know I’ve still got that in myself and that’s why I think I’ve still got plenty to offer anywhere.

“Going to India and here makes you realise you don’t just have to work in the EFL. Maybe closer to home might work in Europe if it wasn’t in the UK because I don’t want to be away from home too much - but since I’ve been here I’ve had offers to go to South East Asia, clubs in different parts of Asia from my time in India. I still think I have a lot of time and effort to give to the game. I’m just short of 800 games now in 40 years playing and managing. If I didn’t have the passion and desire to do it I’d be concentrating on my media career.”

The focus is on a final game of the regular season when Grayson’s men face a Jhapa FC side sat second from bottom in the table. The future can wait as the former Leeds and Sunderland boss awaits the next step on his unexpected quest to achieve success in Nepal.

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