England name new age group coaching teams for Autumn internationals

ENGLAND have named their new coaching set-up for the Under-17s to U20s following a number of departures this year.

Technical Director John McDermott has named the Head Coaches, assistants and goalkeeper coaches for the U17s, U18s, U19s and U20s for the Autumn fixtures (September, October and November games), although the set-up will be reviewed again after that.

After a series of exits, England were without Head Coaches at all but U19 level at various points this summer. McDermott has now filled most of the gaps, temporarily at least, although new coaches at U15 and U16 level are still to be officially announced.

Here is the new coaching structure:

• U21s: At the end of July, Lee Carsley stepped up from the U20s to become U21s boss, succeeding Aidy Boothroyd. Former Chelsea star Ashley Cole, who is now an Academy coach at the London club, was named as his assistant.
• U20s: Andy Edwards, who has been a specialist coach with The FA since 2017, working primarily with the U19s and U20s, has been named Head Coach of the U20s. Charlton first-team coach Jason Euell will be his assistant, with Danny Alcock, who has been with The FA since 2018, as the goalkeeper coach.
• U19s: Ian Foster continues as U19s Head Coach, while goalkeeper coach Anthony White moves from the U20s to join him. Marcus Bignot, who worked with England’s U18s in 2018/19 as part of the FA’s Elite Coach Placement Programme, and who was interim coach of Aston Villa Women last season, will be U19s assistant.
• U18s: Paul Williams, who was this week named Academy Director at Birmingham City, will lead the U18s, though for the September camp only. Michael Johnson, who worked with the U21s alongside Boothroyd as part of the Elite Coach Placement Programme, will be Williams’ assistant. Adrian Tucker, who left the Morocco Football Association in April to return to the FA, will be U18s goalkeeper coach.
• U17s: Tom Curtis, who has been with the FA since 2014 as a coach and coach developer, will be Head Coach. He will have two assistants - Omer Riza, the U23s lead at Watford, and Paul Davis, the former Arsenal midfielder, who has been a coach and coach educator at the FA since 2016. Sam Meek, who left Aston Villa, where he was Lead Academy Goalkeeping Coach, to join the FA in 2019, will be U17s goalkeeper coach.

McDermott explained: “It's been a challenging period for those working with our development teams across the England pathway. Due to the cancellation of youth tournaments and large periods of inactivity across the various age groups, it has made it difficult to plan too far ahead which is why we are only initially looking at the Autumn period with this coaching structure.

“I’d like to thank colleagues for their patience and hard work across our development teams and let’s hope we can all look forward to our younger players gaining invaluable international tournament experience within a safe environment from 2022 onwards.”

The coaching exits from the England age groups this year have been:

• U21s: Head Coach Aidy Boothroyd left in April, following England’s disappointing performance at the Euros, while assistant, Aaron Danks joined Belgian side Anderlecht in May.
• U20s: Carsley moved up to take the U21s.
• U18s: Lead Kevin Betsy was appointed Arsenal U23s boss in August.
• U17s: Justin Cochrane appointed Head of Player Development and Coaching at Manchester United Academy in June.
• U16s: Head Coach Rob Edwards was appointed Forest Green Head Coach in May, with former England Lead Out-of-Possession Coach Richie Kyle as his assistant.
• U15s: Boss Lee Skyrme was appointed B team Individual Coach at Southampton in February.

U20s

• Head coach: Andy Edwards
• Assistant coach: Jason Euell
• Goalkeeper coach: Danny Alcock

U19s

• Head coach: Ian Foster
• Assistant coach: Marcus Bignot
• Goalkeeper coach: Anthony White

U18s

• Head coach: Paul Williams (September camp only)
• Assistant coach: Michael Johnson
• Goalkeeper coach: Adrian Tucker

U17s

• Head coach: Tom Curtis
• Assistant coach: Omer Riza
• Assistant coach: Paul Davis
• Goalkeeper coach: Sam Meek