Steve Holland’s promotion from Reserve Team Coach to work with Andre Villas-Boas’ first team staff has led to a re-shuffle of roles in the academy’s coaching structure.
Speaking to Chelsea TV, Academy Manager Neil Bath revealed that Dermot Drummy would be moving up from his Under-18 post to take charge of the Reserve team, with Under-16 boss Adrian Viveash stepping up to replace the former Arsenal man.
Viveash’s promotion would leave Joe Edwards in full charge of the Under-16s, a group he was invovled with as an assistant last season, and in turn he would leave the Under-15s under the sole command of former Blues defender Andy Myers, who joins full-time having worked with the same age group for parts of last season.
It follows a trend in recent years under which the club has operated, with Brendan Rodgers and Paul Clement both working their way through the club’s various age groups and impressing at each stage.
It also has the added benefit of continuity, as whilst the staff is a collaborative one, each individual will continue with a familiar group of players for the next twelve months at least.
Viveash, for example, took charge of the incoming dozen or so first year scholars last season as schoolboys and is not only familiar with their attributes, but has already built up a strong relationship with them. The same goes for everyone else, including Holland as well.
The former Crewe boss has already spoken with manager Villas-Boas about the reserve team and what he can expect from the players currently in that squad, and as they work towards taking the next steps in their careers, they will be working under familiar faces in doing so.