Nick Montgomery shining in Sheffield United audition as he reveals future ambitions

Nick Montgomery is making a superb fist at what could be seen as an extended audition to take charge of his former club Sheffield United one day in the future, after admitting the chance to manage back in England one day “would be unbelievable”.

Montgomery last weekend led Central Coast Mariners to a shock A-League grand final victory over Melbourne City, the 6-1 margin of victory making a mockery of the Mariners’ status as the club with the lowest budget and youngest squad in the competition.

The former United midfielder’s work Down Under has earned him a reputation as one of the brightest young England coaches in the game, as he looks to emulate Ange Postecoglou’s coaching career. He began coaching in Australia before moving to Celtic and was earlier this month confirmed as the new Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Montgomery’s dream is to return to Bramall Lane as manager and although Paul Heckingbottom, the current incumbent of the United hotseat, has done more than enough to remain in the job for the foreseeable future, Montgomery’s work, with the tools at his disposal, will have no doubt gathered the attention of some in the United boardroom.

Under the current ownership, the aim is to be run as a self-sustainable club with emphasis placed on home-grown talent graduating from the club’s fabled Shirecliffe academy. That would appear to fit perfectly with Montgomery’s work at the Mariners, with grand final hat-trick hero Jason Cummings describing the ex-Blade as the best coach he has worked with in his nomadic career so far.

“I always believed I could get to the Premier League as a player and be on Match of the Day,,” Montgomery admitted. “I remember watching it and thinking: ‘That’s exactly what I’ve been working for’.

“I was never the most talented player. But with hard work, honesty and staying humble you can achieve anything in life. As a manager, I’m no different. But probably every manager around the world wants to manage in the Premier League or Championship.

“I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved so far, but I’m ambitious and managing in England one day would be unbelievable. Central Coast Mariners would not hold me back – the owner has already said that – so to have that support is amazing.”

Postecoglou was one of many to contact Montgomery and offer congratulations after the Mariners’ victory, while old teammates from United - and ex-boss Neil Warnock - also got in touch. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Montgomery added: “To take over the team with the smallest budget in the league, people told me I was crazy, calling it ‘managerial suicide’.

“I knew it would be a massive challenge. But anyone who knows me knows I love a challenge. As an Englishman from Leeds, to win the league with a club which has never had a marquee player – and with the youngest team and smallest budget – is unbelievable.

“Beating Melbourne City last weekend was a David and Goliath story, the equivalent of Luton Town defeating Manchester City.”