The FA can confirm that Dan Ashworth has been appointed as its new Director of Elite Development.
Ashworth will join The FA from West Bromwich Albion, where he has spent eight years, most recently becoming the club’s Sporting and Technical Director in July 2008.
The 41-year-old, whose start date with The FA has yet to be confirmed, will be based at St. George’s Park – home of The FA’s new National Football Centre and training base for the 24 England teams.
Ashworth, who holds a UEFA Pro Licence, has a proven track-record in youth development as well as extensive experience of coaching elite players within the professional game.
Working with The FA’s Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking, his key responsibilities will include:
- Leading The FA’s role in delivering the Elite Player Performance Plan [EPPP] in conjunction with the Premier League, Football League and professional football clubs with the ultimate goal of producing more English playing talent
- Managing The FA’s coach education team to ensure the provision of a continuously developing, world class, qualified and licensed coaching workforce covering the whole game
- Delivering The FA’s high performance strategy to provide the optimum support for users of the world-class facilities at St. George’s Park and including; Performance Analysis, Sports Science, Medicine, Psychology, Scouting and Research
- Working with Sir Trevor Brooking and the National coaches of the U16 to U20 teams to deliver the optimum learning experience for elite young English players in order to improve their physical, technical and mental abilities
- Leading the new women’s elite performance unit, with the aim of producing more English female playing and coaching talent for progression through the women’s game to international level
Ashworth will not work specifically with the England Senior or Under-21s teams, but will play a key role in the development of the country’s elite talent through his close working relationship alongside Sir Trevor Brooking and Adrian Bevington, Managing Director of Club England.
Alex Horne, The FA’s General Secretary, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dan to The FA and offer our thanks to West Bromwich Albion for their courtesy throughout this appointment process.
"Dan is highly regarded and hugely respected within the game and we believe securing his services at The FA will give the future of English football, from the grassroots to the elite level, a tremendous boost.”
Sir Trevor Brooking, The FA’s Director of Football Development, said: “We are currently enjoying a hugely exciting and important time for football in this country, from the recently approved Youth Development proposals to the completion of the National Football Centre at St. George’s Park.
"I am really looking forward to working with Dan, who will play a crucial role as we continue to develop and deliver The FA’s technical development programme and raise standards of coaching.”
Dan Ashworth said: “I am really pleased and indeed honoured to have been offered the opportunity to join The FA.
"Working within the national set-up has always been a life-long ambition. To do so at a time when the future of the game in this country has never looked brighter, through the completion of St. George’s Park and the Youth Development proposals, is an exciting challenge which I look forward to taking on.”
