Nuneaton appoint Horsley to oversee youth development

[FF News]

Nuneaton Town have appointed Russ Horsley as Head of Youth Development as the club look to progress young players with a view to First Team Football.

The existing Youth and Under 16 teams have had great success on the field both this season and last, but opportunities for players transferring into the First Team squad and making the team have been limited since 2008, when current players Gareth Dean and James Armson made the step up. The club has progressed massively since then to play in the Vanarama Conference which is predominately occupied by full-time teams.

The set-up will look to progress a Team in the MJPL competing in the under-16 age group. The biggest change will be within the Youth set-up covering 16 to 18 year olds, who will be looking to recruit forty full time players that train each day while also committing to an Education Programme working towards a BTEC qualification.

Two teams will compete in the Midweek Floodlight League that sees the current team riding high and an application has been made already for a team to play in the Football Conference Youth Alliance. The club are also looking to progress a team with Under 21 Football that could include overage players.

A number of meetings have already taken place and have included staff at the club, current Development Managers along with Liam Daish and New Head of Development Russ Horsley.

Liam Daish commented that the club "need to look at progressing Young Players themselves as we are not in a position to secure established Conference Players due to the divide in the bigger Full Time Clubs and other Part time clubs. We need to shape a future and engage young hungry players that want to progress in the game"

Russ Horsley joins the club with a vast amount of experience in delivering both Development Football and Educational programmes in the Midlands and other areas, is the man tasked with delivering the Funding opportunities whilst also identifying and recruiting Young Players with the aim of creating an opportunity. This will be via current Players at the club, exit trials and recruiting players released at a higher level.

The club will also be looking at apprenticeship opportunity and over a longer period of time developing a Training Ground over the river on the North of the Stadium.

The Club intend to hold trials and open evenings as well as a targeted approach to attracting the best young players and will also be recruiting teaching and coaching personnel so the next few months are going to be incredibly busy as they look to get things into place.

Source: www.nuneatontownfc.com

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