Rene Meulensteen, who served as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United, has been appointed director of football methodology at Stockport County. The Dutchman, who also had a brief stint as Fulham's manager, will work closely with the club's first-team staff, allowing him to collaborate with his son Joppe, a coach at the club.
New role at Edgeley Park
Stockport finished third in League One last season but lost in the play-off final at Wembley. The club has turned to Meulensteen for his top-flight experience, and his remit includes developing the football programme across both the academy and the first team.
Sporting director Damien Allen said: "Today marks a significant milestone in our club's history with the appointment of our first-ever director of football methodology. This landmark appointment reflects our commitment to building an elite football department, where every player and coach across the club is aligned behind a clear football philosophy, coaching methodology, identity and way of working."
Proven track record
Allen added: "From the outset, we were determined to appoint someone with an exceptional track record of developing players. Throughout his distinguished career, he has played a key role in maximising the potential of world-class players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, and was an integral member of one of the most successful coaching teams in modern football, winning 11 major honours, including four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League."
Meulensteen spent 12 years at Old Trafford across two spells, first from 2001 to 2006 and then from 2007 to 2013. During his time there, he helped the Red Devils win multiple Premier League titles and was present for their Champions League triumph in 2008. He left after Ferguson's retirement.
Recent experience
Before joining Stockport, Meulensteen worked as assistant coach for Iraq during their World Cup campaign, where they exited in the group stages. His managerial career also includes a role at Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, where he managed under Guus Hiddink.
