Leeds United should bring back Neil Redfearn to lead their academy.
Former Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn
Leeds United have an ideal chance to bring back popular former academy boss Neil Redfearn.
Jason Blunt has quit his role in charge, after an unsuccessful season overseeing the under-23 side, the Yorkshire Evening Post reports.
Redfearn left Leeds under a cloud in 2015, after being promoted to first team coach by Massimo Cellino, and then removed from the role.
He was offered the chance to stay on in the academy but did not wish to do so, harbouring managerial ambitions.
Former Rotherham United manager Neil Redfearn
Redfearn took the Rotherham United job but lasted just a matter of months, and has spent the past year as a pundit for Radio Yorkshire.
With Leeds now looking for a new academy coach, there is nobody better qualified than Redfearn, who had huge success coaching youngster Lewis Cook, Charlie Taylor, Alex Mowatt and Sam Byram among others.
While all four have left the club, now is a chance to get Redfearn back involved and working to get young players ready for the first team.
Former Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn
Since his departure only Ronaldo Vieira and Kalvin Phillips have stepped up, with Tyler Denton and Bailey Peacock-Farrell making fleeting appearances.
Of course Redfearn may really want the head coach job, but that appears unlikely at this point, and working in the academy is where he has performed best.
With Massimo Cellino having now left the club, now is an opportunity for new owner Andrea Radrizzani to offer an olive branch to Redfearn.
The question is whether Leeds wish to go in another direction. Ivan Bravo has been brought onto the club’s board, and he continues to work with the ASPIRE talent agency in Qatar.
Andrea Radrizzani told the Yorkshire Evening Post that the club intends to co-operate with ASPIRE to bring over young talent to the club.
It might make sense that Leeds bring in a coach Bravo has worked with previously to help oversee this, but it is tough to argue with Redfearn’s track record at the club, and anybody else may be simply settling for second best.
Former Leeds United manager Neil Redfearn
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