Premier League cult hero and ex-EFL boss, 47, now managing national team recently ranked lowest in the world

PREMIER LEAGUE icon Lee Bowyer has gone from playing in England to managing one of the world’s lowest ranked teams.

Bowyer, 47, took charge of Montserrat’s national side in a shock announcement last year.

PA

Former Premier League player and EFL manager Lee Bowyer is now in charge of Montserrat[/caption]

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Bowyer played for the likes of Leeds, Newcastle and Birmingham before moving into the dugout[/caption]

The Caribbean Island boasts a population of under 5,000 and is currently ranked 175^th in world football.

Just a decade ago they were the lowest-ranked side on the planet.

Cambridge United striker Lyle Taylor is their star man and captain.

But Bowyer has already impressed during his short time at the helm.

He got off to a flyer in his first game as he helped Montserrat win 3-2 against Barbados.

Bowyer’s men then lost their next three matches, once against Dominican Republic and twice against Nicaragua.

However, Montserrat have since been on a roll with three wins on the bounce.

They saw off Dominican Republic and Barbados at the end of 2023.

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And Bowyer has a 100 per cent record this year after a friendly victory over Club Costa City in Spain.

He is now preparing to help Montserrat seal a historic spot at the 2026 World Cup, with qualifiers against Nicaragua and Panama on the horizon.

It certainly marks a drastic turn of events in Bowyer’s career.

The one-time England international made his name as a no-nonsense midfielder for clubs including Charlton, Leeds and West Ham.

Bowyer also played for Newcastle, Birmingham and Ipswich before moving into management.

He spent three years with Charlton before having a year at Birmingham.

And Bowyer could yet have a future in the English game should his time at Montserrat continue to be fruitful.

Speaking after his appointment, Bowyer said: “(Why did I take the job?) It’s a challenge. That’s why.

“I’ve been a player, and people write you off. I’ve been a manager, and people write the team off. I’ve played in teams that, on paper, should never win the game and we have.

“I’m coming into this with an open mind thinking, ‘OK this is knockout football. Anybody can beat anybody in a one-off game.’ That’s my mentality, and that’s what I’m bringing to the players.

“Everywhere we go, from what I hear, people think ‘We’ll beat Montserrat’ because of the population. … Look, things change.”