He lasted 87 days at Plymouth Argyle - he's now landed a surprise new job | OneFootball

Former Plymouth Argyle boss Ian Foster has returned to management after he was appointed head coach of Saudi Arabian second tier side Jeddah.

Plymouth Argyle will be pleased with the direction they’re heading under Tom Cleverley, as they look to bounce back to the Championship.

It’s fair to say that things haven’t always been great under the former Man Utd player, but the hierarchy at Home Park stuck by Cleverley last season, and they will hope that it’s a decision that pays off in the long run.

If it doesn’t work out, key figures at Plymouth will come in for even more scrutiny, as several of their managerial decisions over the years have not worked out.

Ian Foster struggled as Plymouth Argyle head coach

Unfortunately, Ian Foster falls into that category, as the 49-year-old endured a very difficult few months at Plymouth after his appointment back in January 2024.

Given his only experience as a head coach came with Galway, Dundalk and England youth teams, it was a bold move to turn to Foster when Argyle were in the Championship.

But, Steven Schumacher’s decision to leave for Stoke City left the club on the lookout for a new boss, and with Foster having led England under-19's to a European Championship victory, his stock was high.

Yet, he couldn’t make his mark at Plymouth, and, with the club fearing relegation, Foster was sacked after just 14 Championship games.

Neil Dewsnip was in charge for the remainder of the campaign after Foster’s dismissal, and Argyle secured safety on a dramatic final day with a win over Hull City.

Ian Foster had developed a good reputation as a coach prior to Plymouth Argyle stint

Clearly, this was a move that didn’t work out, but there was some logic to the appointment, as Plymouth had taken chances when they appointed Schumacher, and, to a lesser degree, Ryan Lowe in the past.

So, they thought Foster could make the step-up, and he would fit the mould in terms of what Plymouth were looking for, in terms of his ability to develop youngsters, and to implement a front-foot style of play.

Again, it didn’t happen, but Foster had done a fine job with England, and he also played a part in helping the likes of James Maddison and Callum Wilson come through the ranks at Coventry.

Foster had also worked in the EFL as a first-team coach for Paul Cook at Portsmouth, during what was a successful period for the club, and he was assistant to Steven Gerrard at Al Ettifaq.

Saudi Arabian second tier side Jeddah Club announce the appointment of Ian Foster

Nevertheless, Foster couldn’t get his ideas across at Plymouth, but he has now returned to the game, as Jeddah announced that they had named the 49-year-old as their new boss.

The Saudi Arabian side are currently ninth in the second tier, although they are only two points away from the automatic places at this early stage, with just six games played.

Foster will be tasked with trying to guide Jeddah to the Saudi Pro League, where he could come up against managers like Ange Postecoglou, Brendan Rodgers and Simone Inzaghi, along with a host of top class players.

Ian Foster will hope to rebuild his reputation outside of England

Plymouth fans may take an interest in how Foster’s career plays out, but he will see this as an opportunity to show what he can do as a head coach.

Of course, the Saudi second tier is not going to be on the radar of supporters in England, but it does offer a chance for Foster to help rebuild his reputation.

As a coach, he remains respected in the game, but Foster will want to show that he can become the main man and deliver success, and, as outlined above, if they do reach the Saudi Pro League, it is a much bigger platform.

At 49, Foster is still relatively young as a head coach, so he will still have big ambitions in the game, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

It may not have gone to plan for him at Plymouth, but the FA obviously recognised him as a talented coach, and Jeddah will hope that they get that version of Foster, as opposed to the one that struggled at Home Park.