Timing is everything, or so Mark Jackson firmly believes.
He officially left his post at Buriram United on 5 September after a hugely successful 11 months in charge of the Thai powerhouse, whom he led to a historic treble of the Thai League 1, Thai FA Cup and ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) Shopee Cup in the 2025/26 season.
Just four days later, he was unveiled as the Lion City Sailors’ new Head Coach, tasked with delivering similar success with the Singapore champions.
What happened in between? Plenty, to say the least.
“I went home to spend a couple of days with my family in England, and while I was there, the call came. I flew to Singapore, and we were able to get the deal done fairly quickly,” shared the Englishman.
“Sometimes, it feels like fate that these things happen in football. I had a great time at Buriram and made some great friends there, but it was the right time for me to leave. Luckily for me, this opportunity with the Sailors came along.
“I met with the owner and Director of Football, and their ambitions for the club aligned perfectly with my beliefs. That is why I am here.”
A two-and-a-half-hour chat with Forrest
Jackson had initially envisaged taking an extended break with his family in Leeds, but a lengthy conversation with Sailors Chairman Forrest Li changed those plans.
“We spoke for more than two and a half hours,” he revealed. “But it did not feel that long, and we both felt the same way. The conversation went by really quickly, and that is a good sign when you can connect so naturally with someone.
“He was keen to learn about my background and my approach to leading a team. Likewise, it was great for me to hear about the club and his vision for its future.
“Once I saw his passion for the Sailors, it was a no-brainer. I knew I wanted to join this club.”
Jackson’s track record of winning trophies and delivering success on the continental and regional stages points towards an exciting future for the Sailors.
Before joining Buriram, he led Central Coast Mariners to the A-League Men Premiership and Championship double, as well as the AFC Cup title, in the 2023/24 season. It was the final edition of Asia’s second-tier club competition before it was replaced by the Asian Football Confederation Champions League Two.
“That was my first venture outside the UK as both a player and a head coach, so it was quite daunting. But it turned out to be a really successful and positive experience in Australia,” reflected Jackson.
“I built strong connections with the people at the club, the community and the supporters. Beyond the trophies we won, that was really important to me.”
And, of course, Jackson’s journey cannot be told without mentioning Leeds United.
After joining Leeds at the age of 11, he went on to make 19 senior appearances for the club between 1995 and 2000 before continuing his playing career in the lower divisions of English football.
Jackson returned to Leeds as a coach in 2015 and progressed through the Academy ranks, working with the Under-15s, Under-16s and Under-18s before leading the Under-23s to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title in the 2020/21 season.
He subsequently worked under two prominent managers and was promoted by Jesse Marsch to First Team Coach, a position he held for almost a year before taking on his first senior head-coaching role at Milton Keynes Dons in December 2022.
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“Leeds was the club where I grew up. I started there at 11, left at 22 and then returned in 2015 to work with the Academy, so it will always hold a special place in my heart,” he said.
“There are plenty of memories, especially from working with Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch. I was fortunate to work under two fantastic and intense managers with great standing in the game.
“I learnt a lot from them, and those experiences helped me develop my own leadership style.”
Building connections and going all in
Jackson’s experience of working in different environments and with squads from diverse footballing backgrounds stands him in good stead for his role with the Sailors.
Wherever he goes, one principle remains central to his approach: building meaningful connections.
“As a head coach, it is important to bring your own style to a club. My leadership style is centred on connecting with and understanding people,” he explained. “I like to build those individual relationships, and from there, we develop our playing style and philosophy.
“Embracing and embedding yourself in the club’s culture and community is really important. Then it is about communicating your ideas to the players and getting them to play your brand of football.
“I managed to do that at my last two clubs, and I will work very hard to make sure it happens at the Sailors as well.”
That approach was immediately evident in Jackson’s first team talk, when he told the players that the door to his office at Mattar Road would always be open.
“I like interacting with people, and I think it is important that the players and I do not only talk about football. I have told them that my door is always open,” he said. “It is important that we can have both positive and difficult conversations whenever there is a need to talk.
“The Sailors are operating at a high level, competing in several competitions and harbouring ambitions to continue growing. These connections with individual players will be a vital part of that journey.”
So what can supporters expect from a Mark Jackson team on the pitch?
“Hard work and intensity. I demand full commitment from everyone around the team, so we will play a very front-footed and dominant style of football,” said Jackson, who took charge of the Sailors for the first time in a 1-1 ACL Two draw with BG Pathum United, just two days after his first training session with the team.
“At the same time, we will be playing many matches across different competitions, so we have to be adaptable. That will take time to develop.”
Jackson subscribes to an “all-in” mentality and is determined to create an environment in which training is demanding but enjoyable.
“I use that phrase a lot in everything we do: all in. We do not just dip our toes in, where we are committed one day and not the next. That is not how I work. We commit fully to what we are doing and to the process,” he said.
“We understand there will be bumps along the way, but we have to stick to what we do and believe in the process. It will be tough, but it will also be fun.
“While I expect high standards from the players, we as staff must also live up to those standards and set the example. This team is built on mutual respect, and from our short time together, I can already see that we can enjoy this journey together.”
Ready to embrace the challenge ahead
Jackson believes he has the quality and ingredients at his disposal to deliver a successful season, including a familiar face from his time at Buriram.
“Oh yes, Ilhan Fandi,” he said with a smile. “He knows a lot about me, and I am sure he has already told the players what to expect.
“We have a fantastic squad with international players and Singapore national team players. Now it is up to me to assess them closely every day, understand how they work and see how they respond to my coaching and tactical demands.
“The important thing is to get going as quickly as possible and deliver the performances and results we want.”
Having already tasted success in Asian and regional competitions with the AFC Cup and Shopee Cup, Jackson is relishing the opportunity to lead the Sailors towards further glory on the continental stage.
“It is exciting to compete in these competitions. Testing yourself at the highest level against the best teams and in front of big crowds is what you work towards every day in football,” he said.
“There is a big responsibility on us, both as staff and players, but we embrace that and are ready to attack the challenge.
“We have the infrastructure, people and passion at the Sailors to achieve big things, and I am really excited to get going.”
