FORMER West Ham Head of Player Care Hugo Scheckter explains why the role has evolved from being "a person who sits in an office at the training ground to the manager’s key non-footballing contact.”

ASTON VILLA have again hired a senior member of staff from FC Copenhagen, with Frederik Leth joining the Premier League outfit as Head of Football Research.

FORMER Swindon Town manager Iffy Onuora has been appointed as the Premier League’s first Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and will start the role in April.

Hiring for diversity is a business imperative and often means hiring for potential, argue Anna Edwards and David Slemen of Elite Performance Partners.

RIGHT TO DREAM is planning its first foray into the English market after the Mansour Group, owned by Africa’s seventh richest man, agreed to invest $120m in the global academy.

LEADING sport psychologist Michael Caulfied says treating footballers as individuals is more important now than ever, and that we should never revert to a one-size-fits-all approach.

SCOTT SELLARS has been promoted to Technical Director by Wolves, filling a position that has been vacant at the club since Kevin Thelwell left to join New York Red Bulls last February.

RICHARD GARLICK is leaving the Premier League "in the coming months" to become Director of Football Operations at Arsenal.

MAURICIO POCHETTINO has taken his trusted quartet of assistants with him to Paris Saint-Germain, including his son Sebastiano.

JULIAN WARD has been promoted from Loans Manager to Assistant Sporting Director by Liverpool.

BRIGHTON Technical Director Dan Ashworth explains what the role involves and why he believes it’s so important.

KRISTJAAN SPEAKMAN said Sunderland’s Academy will be “the centrepiece” of his strategy after being appointed as the club’s new Sporting Director on Friday.