by Ted Hughes » Tue Sep 08, 2009 11:01 am
Pinched from todays M.E.N.
Notice the bit about scouting; that's the kind of thing I've been referring to in previous threads on this general subject.
City hope Kidd can unearth golden generation
Stuart Brennan
September 08, 2009
BRIAN Kidd is back at City, and aiming to help the much-vaunted Blues youth set-up get even better.
The man who was a hero at both Manchester clubs - something of a rarity - has begun his new role as technical
development manager at Platt Lane under new Academy boss Andy Welsh.
And the appointment, exclusively revealed in M.E.N. Sport last month, means that 60-year-old Kidd's coaching career
has come full circle, as he is back working with youngsters, 18 years after leaving his highly successful role as
United's youth development officer.
He made his name as a coach and talent-spotter with the Reds, being instrumental in taking Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes,
David Beckham, Nicky Butt, and the Neville brothers to United.
His contribution to that era, when United had the best youth system in the country, is recognised by Eric Harrison,
whose job was to develop the players Kidd brought through the door.
In his autobiography, Harrison says: "Brian knew all the youth leagues, built brilliant contacts and put the wheels
into action to make sure that we had scouts at all the key youth games in Greater Manchester.
"Brian was determined to oncrease the balance of local youngsters coming our way because at the time Manchester City
were outdoing us."
Kidd did exactly that and, working alongside Harrison, an experienced youth coach, he also improved his own coaching
abilities to the point where he was appointed youth development officer at United, before becoming assistant manager
to Alex Ferguson.
That job saw him move out of the world of youth football, and apply his coaching ability to the full-time
professionals.
After helping United to four Premier League titles and two FA Cups, he was being openly recommended by Ferguson to
be his successor - until he left to become manager at Blackburn in 1998.
Kidd return
He lost that job after less than a year, failing to stop Rovers from relegation and then seeing them plummet to 19th
in the second tier, and since then has taken up assistant posts at Leeds, Sheffield United and Portsmouth as well as
helping out Sven-Goran Eriksson in the England set-up.
Kidd left his post with the FA in 2004 when he discovered he had prostate cancer, and after a successful battle
against the illness returned to the game under Bryan Robson at Sheffield United and then at Portsmouth.
He left the latter post last month despite being offered a new contract by manager Paul Hart, and was soon linked
with the move to City.
City's football administrator Brian Marwood welcomed the appointment,which is part of the Blues' strategy to scout
and develop more of their own players in future rather than relying on quick-fix transfer sprees like this summer's
£115m bonanza.
"Brian has vast experience at both club and international level and will help maintain the excellent development
programme we have in place at the Academy," said Marwood.
"As a top class coach he was much in demand and we are delighted that Brian has chosen to come and work with us.
"I know he scored nearly 50 goals in his playing days at Maine Road and is greatly admired and respected amongst our
fans."
Welsh recently took over the post as head of the Academy from Jim Cassell - now heading up the Blues' international
expansion of their youth programme.
He said: "I have worked with Brian before and he is both an innovative and forward thinking coach who is amongst the
best around.
"The players and the coaches here are looking forward greatly to working with him. Brian will be a huge asset to
us."
Kidd's new role also makes him a future pub quiz question as the only man to have both played for, and coached, at
both Manchester clubs.
The Collyhurst-born striker joined United as a schoolboy and spent 11 years at Old Trafford, capping his first
season with a goal in the European Cup final win over Benfica.
In 1976 he joined City and spent three seasons with the Blues, scoring 44 league goals.
The pissartist formerly known as Ted
VIVA EL CITY !!!
Some take the bible for what it's worth.. when they say that the rags shall inherit the Earth...
Well I heard that the Sheikh... bought Carlos Tevez this week...& you fuckers aint gettin' nothin..