Frankie becomes Senior Professional Development Coach
Frankie Bunn has moved into the role of Senior Professional Development Coach ahead of the 2014/15 season.
In his new role, Frankie will work with the Club’s Under-21 Development Squad, overseeing the Under-18 to Under-21 age groups in the Academy.
The role was vacated when Steve Eyre became the Club’s new First Team Coach (click HERE for full information).
Frankie’s move is the latest example of the Club’s commitment to developing coaches, following hot on the heels of Eyre, new Head of Goalkeeping Nick Colgan, First Team Strength & Conditioning Coach Dan Hughes and new Lead Academy Sports Scientist Stuart Heaviside (click HERE for full info). They have been joined by the incoming Steve Thompson and Al Stewart in the First Team setup.
Former Manchester City, Coventry City, Wigan Athletic and Rochdale coach Frankie first joined Town’s Academy in July 2012 (click HERE) as a Professional Development Coach, looking after the 16-18 year-old scholars alongside Tony Carss.
During Frankie’s two years the Under-18 squad has excelled; Duane Holmes and Philip Billing progressed to the Under-21 and First Team squads, with a number of the other players developing well and showing the potential to play in Town’s First Team.
This has been accompanied by a run to the Quarter Final of the FA Youth Cup and being crowned champions of the Professional Development League 2 during 2013/14.
Bunn will now lead Town’s Under-21 Development players as they make the transition from under-age to senior football on a day to day basis. At the same, he will work with the players who have had a taste of First Team football to keep their development momentum going forward.
Huddersfield Town’s Academy Manager Mark Lillis commented:
“With Steve Eyre moving into the First Team setup, appointing Frankie as Senior Professional Development Coach offers the Club great continuity at the top end of the Academy structure.
“Frankie is an excellent, experienced coach who is well respected by the Club’s management, coaches and players alike. His work with the Under-18s as Professional Development Coach has been superb over the last two seasons.
“Most importantly, he totally understands how to prepare our Under-21 players for the technical, tactical, organisational and mental demands they will face in the next phase of their careers.
“The Club has demonstrated time and time again its commitment to developing people – staff and players alike – through our system and Frankie is the latest example of this philosophy.”
