Former Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca has taken up his first managerial role as the new boss of South Shields.
The Argentine will be replacing Kevin Phillips, his former teammate at Sunderland, who left the club on mutual consent. Phillips led the team to promotion to National League North.
Arca, who captained the Mariners to a quadruple in 2016-17, including the FA Vase title, is excited to take on this new challenge. He said, “The club has grown so fast and this is a fantastic opportunity for me to become a manager for the first time, especially with the platform we have here.”
Arca started his career with Argentinos Juniors and went on to make over 300 appearances in English football for Middlesbrough and Sunderland.
He finished his playing career with South Shields, making 120 appearances, winning six trophies, and gaining three promotions in three years before his retirement.
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Arca’s appointment as manager of South Shields is a significant milestone in his career, and it is an opportunity for him to demonstrate his managerial skills. South Shields is a non-league club that has been experiencing tremendous growth in recent years, and Arca is hoping to help the club continue to progress.
Arca recognizes that there is a lot of work to be done before the start of the pre-season, but he is eager to get started. He said, “There is a lot of work to do between now and the start of pre-season, but I’m very hungry to get started and help the club continue to progress.”
Arca’s experience as a player, his success at South Shields, and his familiarity with the club make him an excellent candidate for the managerial position.
The club’s management believes that Arca has the skills and experience necessary to lead the team to success.
