Keith Southern has returned to his former club Fleetwood Town after leaving Everton following nearly 10 years at the club as part of an academy restructure.
Southern's Everton career
The 45-year-old spent nine-and-a-half years with the Blues, holding various roles including head coach of the Under-18s, whom he led to the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals last season.
Return to Fleetwood
Southern has been appointed as Fleetwood's new Under-21 lead coach. He said: “I’m really excited and delighted to be here. I’ve already had the chance to meet everybody this morning and it’s been a brilliant welcome. I’m looking forward to getting started, working with the players and staff, and helping the young lads develop as both footballers and people.”
Fleetwood academy manager Danny Morville added: “We are delighted to have been able to bring Keith to the club. He brings a wealth of experience as both a player and a coach. His knowledge will be invaluable to our young players as they continue to develop. Keith’s commitment to youth development, combined with his understanding of the game, make him an outstanding addition to our Academy and we are confident that he will be integral to the development of players across the Professional Development Phase. I look forward to working closely with Keith and seeing the impact he will have on our players and staff.”
Everton academy changes
Earlier this month, Matthew Taylor, former Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United defender, was appointed as Everton's new Under-18s head coach. He will be assisted by Blues academy graduate Tom Kearney. The changes follow a review overseen by technical director Nick Cox, supported by academy director Dean Rastrick and academy consultant Neil Dewsnip.
Long-serving Paul Tait has also left the club, with the Under-21s now led by Dave Hughes as head of academy player development. Tom Curtis has joined as professional development phase senior coach and head of training, assisting Hughes.
Cox said: “We are confident these appointments will help us create an excellent learning environment that is supportive and challenging for both our Under-21s and Under-18s players, as we look to strengthen that pathway into our men’s team. Having worked closely with Dean and Neil, who has provided invaluable expertise as part of the process, I am in no doubt that the new roles and structure can fulfil our wider ambitions across the academy of supporting young people to reach their full potential. We have assembled an outstanding group of coaching staff who are passionate about developing young people; the group possess a blend of skills and experiences that will complement each other and give us the best chance of unlocking the potential of young players.”
