Everton launch search for Academy Director & U23s Head Coach
Kevin Thelwell was appointed as Everton's Director of Football in February
Written by Training Ground Guru — April 29, 2022
EVERTON have today launched a “thorough and far-reaching” search for a new Academy Director and Under-23s Head Coach.
Both roles were previously held by David Unsworth, who earlier this month announced he was leaving the club to pursue his own managerial ambitions.
The former defender, who had an association with the club stretching back to 1990, said it had been “one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my career” to leave.
Director of Football Kevin Thelwell (pictured above), who arrived at Everton in February, is mapping out a series of structural changes within the club’s Academy as part of a wider strategic review.
Having himself combined the roles of U18s coach and Academy Director at Wolves in 2008, Thelwell has decided to split the two jobs instead of ‘doubling up’. The roles are being advertised on TGG and can be viewed HERE.
The Academy Director will be tasked with developing the club’s football philosophy and Academy performance plan. He or she will take overall responsibility of the management and direction of coaching, recruitment, medical, education and welfare, sports science and operational Academy departments.
They will also play a fundamental part in the future strategic direction of the Academy, as well as being an active member of the club’s Technical Board.
Unsworth was U23s Manager and guided his side to a Premier League 2 title in 2016/17 and a League and Cup double in 2018/19. However, the title of the new role will be U23s Head Coach - which is a subtle but significant change.
This person will take ownership of the planning and delivery of the club’s tactical and technical coaching programme for the U23s, with a focus on producing players capable of making the transition to first-team football.
Reporting into the Head of Academy Coaching, the U23s Head Coach will be responsible for the coaching and development of the U23s, ensuring delivery of the club’s coaching philosophy and vision whilst reflecting and representing the values of the Academy and club.
Ideally, Thelwell will be looking for someone with an outstanding track record in a similar role who is able to show a clear understanding of how to coach and develop youth and professional football players within an established Academy environment.
In an email to club staff, he explained: “This search for both roles will be thorough and far-reaching. Finding the very best candidate for each position is crucial, given the significance of those roles to our development pathway.
“Simply, we want to appoint the very best candidates possible for both roles.”
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