This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Birmingham Live, West Bromwich Albion sporting and technical director Luke Dowling is set to continue their academy shake-up with the appointment of Mick Halsall as head of coaching.
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Halsall, who is currently in charge of a similar role at League One outfit Coventry City, is poised to make the switch across the Midlands before the end of the month.
The 58-year-old will be taking over from David Kerslake after he followed Michael Appleton to Lincoln City in September.
It came soon after the long-serving academy manager Mark Harrison agreed to leave the Hawthorns to join local rivals Aston Villa with Richard Stevens being the man tasked to replace him, another former Sky Blues backroom staff member.
Halsall has been at Coventry since 2017 having also held roles as caretaker manager in his coaching career at both Walsall and Notts County.
Academy addition
His familiarity with Stevens can only serve as a positive as the pair had been working together for the best part of three years, and given the club’s long-term history of producing talents – Callum Wilson, James Maddison and now Sam McCallum, who the Baggies have actually been linked with this season.
It bodes well for the young players amongst Albion’s ranks.
Halsall earned an impressive reputation in bringing young players through to the first-team fold that then-Premier League side Stoke City came calling for his services, but those in charge at Walsall refused to accept his resignation.
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Dowling will now just need to find Appleton’s successor in order to fully complete his academy reshuffle, but for the time being, Deon Burton has stepped up to the plate with the development side snatching 13 points under his stewardship.
The young Baggies have risen to third in the Premier League 2 with several games in hand, so it appears everything is running smoothly despite the club making drastic changes over recent months.
Meanwhile, West Brom fans have been raving about one of Slaven Bilic’s regulars this season…