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Saints opt for new 'Euro-style' coaching setup

30/05/2008

Championship side Southampton have appointed Dutch duo Jan Poortvliet and Mark Wotte to replace their current manager Nigel Pearson.

Pearson had been working at St Mary's since February when he was offered a rolling month-to-month contract.

But the cash-strapped club have admitted that due to financial constraints they have been forced into a restructuring and will now employ a "continental" coaching system, which sees Pearson made redundant.

Poortvliet will join the club as first-team coach after leaving Dutch lower-league club Helmond Sport while Wotte has been coaching with Al Ahli Doha in Qatar. He will take up a role in overseeing the coaching structure, including the academy and youth setup.

In a statement, Saints said the "revolutionary coaching programme" will involve existing reserves boss Stewart Henderson and youth coach Dave Hockaday and represents a "complete change of culture".

"The aim is to provide a seamless link between the successful Orchard Homes Academy and the first team with scholars training alongside the senior players," the statement read.

"They will be brought up to play the same passing style as the first team so that they are ready to slot in when they are ready or required."

Commenting on the changes, Southampton chairman Michael Wilde said: "Since taking control of the club, it has been a major priority to resolve the manager and coaching situation and to that end we had to look at the financial restrictions in which we're operating.

"Having established those, we held a meeting with Nigel which was extremely constructive and helpful and the board were impressed with what Nigel had to say and we are sure he will be a well-respected manager in the future at whatever club he ultimately goes to."

Wilde continued: "Bearing in mind the financial restrictions, the board have decided to implement a coaching structure which will optimise the potential of the youngsters within the club.

"Our view on that was that we would need to adopt a European-style coaching system comprising head coach with the objective of linking the academy to the first team so that in essence all the players are going to be training and working together under the eye of the head coach.

"The board believe that this will create opportunities for our younger players which might not occur within the traditional English management structure."

Rupert Lowe, who is the chairman of the Southampton PLC board, added: "Having played a big part in setting up the academy and bringing in highly respected French coach Georges Prost, I am extremely excited at the prospect of seeing players in whom we have invested a lot of time and money being given the chance to play.

"We needed to do this now so that we can prepare properly for pre-season. Teams who do not prepare well, do not get anywhere.

"Both Jan and Mark are extremely fired up about this but it is not just about them. It is a team of four who will work together and take responsibility for coaching all our players."