When it comes to international football management, it's fair to say that the coaching pool at any given time is somewhat of a mixed bunch.
The vast majority of the game's top managers ply their trade at clubs, meaning those who move into the international game are often coming towards the end of their careers or have struggled to progress at club level.
In recent years, international sides have returned to the trend of bringing in managers from within their own countries, a practice many had abandoned over the last couple of years.
In saying that, there are still quite a few unexpected partnerships when it comes to some of their appointments. Here are ten of the most random ones.
The most random current international managers
Gus Poyet - Greece
We will start with one that could have a direct impact on the Republic of Ireland. Quite a few people probably would not have realised that Gus Poyet was the manager of Greece until the buildup to their game against Stephen Kenny's side this week.
This is the Uruguayan's first role in international football, having had some interesting experiences at club level. After his time in England with Brighton and Sunderland, he has gone on to take in stops at AEK Athens, Real Betis, Shanghai Shenhua, Bordeaux, and Universidad Católica before being appointed by Greece last year.
He has had some success with them already, getting promoted from 'League C' of the UEFA Nations League in 2022.
Chris Hughton - Ghana
Chris Hughton has been involved with Ghana since last year, being appointed as their 'technical director' in February of 2022. He would then be appointed manager in February of this year.
The former Ireland international has close links to the African nation, with his father hailing from the country.
Willy Sagnol - Georgia
Willy Sagnol won quite the list of honours during his near decade as a Bayern Munich player, hanging up his boots in 2009 as a five-time Bundesliga winner.
Since then, the Frenchman has managed the France U21s and Bordeaux, also acting briefly as an assistant and then interim manager at Bayern in 2017.
He was out of the game for a few years, before being appointed as manager of Georgia in 2021. It was certainly a good time to get involved with Georgian football, with the country producing some top class talents in recent years.
Andy Morrison - Sri Lanka
This one is definitely among the more random ones.
Scotsman Andy Morrison has a decent career in the lower leagues as a player, lining out for the likes of Plymouth Argyle, Blackpool, and Huddersfield Town before captaining Manchester City to a play-off triumph in the old Division Two (now League One) in 1999.
Morrison would go on to hold a number of assistant coaching roles in non-league after his retirement, before eventually being handed the top job at Welsh Premier League club Connah's Quay in 2016. Having won two league titles and two cups at the club, he somehow ended up as manager of the Sri Lankan national team in 2022.
Jurgen Klinsmann - South Korea
Well remembered for his time in charge of Germany, USA, and for failing at Bayern Munich, Jurgen Klinsmann looked like his time in coaching was up after ten-week spell as Hertha Berlin manager ended in 2020.
However, he would be granted another opportunity with South Korea, joining the Asian nation on a deal up to the 2026 World Cup earlier this year.
Sylvinho - Albania
Most of you will remember Sylvinho as a player, the exciting left back who experienced plenty of success with the likes of Arsenal and Barcelona during his time in European football.
Less of you will be familiar with the Brazilian's coaching career. He initially acted as an assistant at the likes of Cruzeiro and Corinthians, before spending some time working with Roberto Mancini at Inter and Tite with Brazil.
He eventually got his first manager's job at Lyon in 2019, although he only lasted five months in the role. A one-year spell managing Corinthians followed, before being appointed as manager of Albania earlier this year.
Avram Grant - Zambia
Avram Grant has held quite a few different roles since embarking on his coaching career in 1972, with most football fans remembering him from his time in the Premier League with Chelsea, Portsmouth, and West Ham.
In international football, he managed his native Israel in the 00s before a spell with Ghana from 2014-2017.
That was his last role in management before taking the Zambia job last year, with Grant leading the team to two victories in AFCON qualifying back in March.
Fernando Santos - Poland
Fernando Santos spent eight years as manager of Portugal, winning Euro 2016 before leaving the role after the World Cup in December of last year.
He was quickly snapped up by Poland, who unveiled him as their new boss the following month. They would go on to lose to Czechia in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier in March, before defeating Albania a few days later.
Carlos Queiroz - Qatar
Carlos Queiroz has spent the last 15 years bouncing around various international management roles, having also coached the UAE and South Africa at the turn of the century.
After leaving his role as assistant at Manchester United in 2008, he has managed Portugal, Iran, Colombia, Egpyt, and then Iran for a second time. Of course, he would cause some controversy with comments he made while in charge of the Iranians at last year's World Cup.
While Queiroz would leave that position soon after the tournament, he quickly moved into a new job with Qatar a couple of months later.
Stern John - St Lucia
Most Premier League fans will remember Stern John, the striker who spent over a decade in English football as well as starring for the Trinidad & Tobago national team.
By the time he had retired in 2018 at the age of 42, he had already taken his first steps into management. He became player-manager at Trinidad & Tobago club Central FC in 2017, before being appointed as manager of the Aguilla national team.
In 2022 he would take up the same role with St Lucia, where he still remains.
SEE ALSO: Roy Keane's Love For Cork Was The Highlight Of 'The Overlap On Tour'
