Newcastle United today confirmed that Graeme Carrick has been appointed the new Under 18’s Coach.
The 37-year-old younger brother of former Manchester United and England star, Michael Carrick takes over from Peter Ramage who has moved to work alongside Shola Ameobi in the loans department.
Carrick from Wallsend spoke to NUFC’s Official Site saying: “I’m absolutely delighted. I worked part-time for the club 15 years ago and I always hoped I’d come back one day.
“Being from the area, I understand the privilege and responsibility of the job and it’s such a special club so I can’t wait to start.
“I’ve had a brilliant time at the FA over the 15 years and I’m certainly appreciative of the opportunities and experiences gained but I think I’m ready for a fresh challenge. When the opportunity came up with Newcastle, it seemed like the perfect timing and the perfect next step for me.
“During my job at the FA, I’d been lucky enough to work with a lot of coaches and people within the club and I have seen the positive direction the Academy is heading which is something I want to be a part of.
“I’m particularly looking forward to being out on the grass, working with players every day and I’ll give absolutely everything in trying to help them realise their potential both as footballers but also, as importantly, young people.
“The short-term aim is making sure to improve the programme for the players and helping them to progress every day and every week, individually and collectively.
“Longer term, it’s striving to deliver a high-quality programme whilst contributing, along with the rest of staff, towards making the Academy better.”
Graeme Carrick’s arrival is seen as a significant appointment as the club continues to rebuild from top to bottom.
Newcastle United Academy Director, Steve Harper said: “We are delighted to welcome Graeme to the Academy as he joins us for this very important role.
“A thorough recruitment process was undertaken and Graeme’s passion for individual player development, both on and off the pitch, came to the fore.
“Graeme has over 15 years of experience in coach development and is very keen to utilise this vast experience within a team environment and will be very well supported by new under-18s Assistant coach Chris Moore.
“In his interviews, Graeme emphasised the importance he places on all areas of support for the players within the multi-disciplinary team and his standing within the coaching profession shows this is a significant appointment for the Academy.”
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