Derby County have confirmed their new-look Academy coaching staff structure.
Former Rams defender Jake Buxton was appointed as the Lead Under-21 Coach last month, after spending last season in charge of the Under-18s, and Keith Briggs has now made the step up to support Buxton in the position of Under-21 Individual Player Development Coach.
Danny Maye has joined the club to take up the position of Lead Under-18 Coach. Maye has spent the last 12 years working in the Academy set-up at Southampton where he predominantly was their Lead Youth Development Phase Coach and more recently Under-21 Assistant Coach.
Long standing Lead Youth Development Coach Lewis Bourne, who has a strong understanding of the current group of Under-18s players, has stepped up into a new role as Under-18 Individual Player Development Coach.
Adam Robinson will continue in his role as Professional Development Phase Coach working with both the Rams’ Under-21s and Under-18s players, while Ross Atkins remains as Head of Academy Goalkeeping supported by Academy Goalkeeping Coach Josh Barnes.
Richard Astle has taken on additional responsibilities as Head of Player & Coach Development. Astle will now oversee the player and coach development programmes across the entirety of the Academy in an evolved role. Working with all coaches from Under-9s to Under-21s, he will ensure the coaches are fully supported through their own development plans to help maximise their impact on elite player development.
Finalising the Professional Development Phase Technical Team is the appointment of Craig Fleming as Head of Academy Technical Development. Fleming was part of the first team coaching staff under Ralph Hasenhuttl for three years whilst in the Premier League with Southampton and, having played over 600 league games in his career and predominantly in the Premier League with Norwich City, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the current group of coaching staff. Fleming has been tasked with working with Academy and first team coaches to articulate and instil a playing philosophy within the Academy that best prepares players for the first team throughout their development.
Commenting on the appointments, Academy Manager Matt Hale said: “We’ve put a really strong Professional Development Phase Technical Team together which I’m confident will give the players every opportunity to maximise their potential. With the appointment of Craig Fleming, working closely with Richard Astle to design and implement a specific Derby County playing philosophy, it is an exciting time to be part of the Academy and its future.
“We’ve placed a real emphasis on individual learning. With Keith Briggs and Lewis Bourne leading on individual player learning plans and tasked with developing independent thinkers, which is the players themselves. Our players will get a very specific individualised programme.
“The concentration from Jake Buxton and Danny Maye will then be on the game areas, focussing on tactical awareness and leading their respective age groups to ensure the programme gives the group a suitable holistic experience relevant to the modern game.”