Southampton Football Club is pleased to confirm Adam Lallana has signed a new contract to become permanent manager of our Under-21s.
Lallana initially began covering the Under-21s on an interim basis, following Tonda Eckert’s move to First Team Head Coach in November.
He will be joined by Dean Wilkins as Player Transition Coach, who returns to the club for a second spell. Wilkins spent four years on the south coast between 2009 and 2013, assisting Alan Pardew to Johnstone’s Paint Trophy victory in 2010, before supporting back-to-back football league promotions as Nigel Adkins’ assistant.
Completing Lallana’s set-up is Matty Etherington, who will remain as Assistant Head Coach, and James Granger as Goalkeeper Coach – leading the Under-21s Analysis Department will be Ollie Dennett, who makes the move from the First Team Perfomance Analysis Department, whilst Jack Baldwin will join the group as Physical Performance Coach from Middlesbrough at the end of February.
Elsewhere in the Academy, Nick Davies will join the club from Crystal Palace as Head of Group Talent Development to oversee the progress of the best talent alongside the Academy Managers at Southampton, Göztepe, and Valenciennes.
On his new role, Lallana said: “As soon as I knew the opportunity was there to help out with the Under-21s and get more hands-on with coaching, I was extremely excited.
“It feels right that I’m at the football club where I came through the Academy, I feel like I owe the club a lot in terms of giving back in any way I can to help the young boys develop. The pathway feels open, we’ve had some debutants this year so it’s exciting and I’m relishing this time.”
Director of Group Talent Strategy Andy Goldie added: “When we first began planning Adam’s transition into coaching two years ago, his passion for developing young players was immediately clear and remains the driving force behind his coaching ambitions. That commitment has been evident in how he’s already supported the progression of several players since returning to the club.
“We’re also delighted to welcome Dean back to the club as part of Adam’s staff, alongside Matty, James, Jack, and Ollie. The collective experience within the group – particularly from one of the Academy’s most successful periods – will be invaluable in preparing our young players for the highest level of the game.”
For a limited time only, Saints Memberships are half price. Enjoy early ticket access and discounts across the club for just £15 for Adults and £7.50 for Juniors.