New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:38 pm
Cardiff City's new academy boss who wants to futureproof the club in a 'brutal' market
Ex Barry Town manager Gavin Chesterfield has taken charge of Cardiff City’s Accademy and says he is planning for the future.
The Bluebirds have produced four players through the Accademy that are now in the World Cup, Aaron Ramsey , Chris Gunter, Mark Harris and Rubin Colwill, the new Accademy boss is now planing to produce more new players for the future.
New Cardiff City academy boss Gavin Chesterfield emerges from the university building of the new sports complex owned by Cardiff City Council and Cardiff University and is excited.
It's his second day in the job and he is being given the full tour of the site, a place which he will call his office from next summer, if all goes smoothly with the construction up until then.
He talks through his life in football, from Lilleshall and Exeter City in his playing days to Barry Town United, where last year he celebrated his 500th game in charge and left at the start of this season after 15 years at the helm.
He opens up on his desires, vision and plans for the future with Cardiff City in an engaging half-an-hour introduction to his new colleagues before grabbing a chat with yours truly shortly after a group photo with all the staff.
"It's exciting," he says as he peers out of the window at the Llanrumney site. "We are in a difficult financial climate and then you come on site and see cranes and diggers and stuff going down on a daily basis. It just fills you with excitement. I can't wait for our players, parents and future players to see this. It'll take us into a really exciting new era."
So, why the change?
Chesterfield, 43, has juggled his duties with Cymru Premier side Barry Town United alongside being a course lead on the MSc Advanced Performance Football Coaching degree at the University of South Wales and his role as FAW Coach Educator Training Manager for some time, forging a strong reputation for himself within the Welsh game.
He is streamlining now and is ploughing all of his efforts into Cardiff City's next generation.
"The main thing is opportunity and the scope," he says of taking the job. "If you look at the club and the desire now to bring our own through, you look at the catchment area of Cardiff as a very multicultural city and where we can recruit from, we are in a very strong position.
"We are moving into new facilities, which can only help and only further improves our provision. That, combined with fantastic staff, provides a great working environment. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that? I am proud of all those roles and worked with some amazing people. But I just felt the time was right now to bring knowledge and experience to this role. Opportunities like these don't come around very often."
Far greater emphasis has been placed on Cardiff's academy in recent years, owing to funds drying up in the transfer market after the financial fallout suffered by Vincent Tan's leisure business in the pandemic.
The Bluebirds have had to lean on academy products to prop up the first team. Some have flourished, some have struggled a little more than others. But two of them, Mark Harris and Rubin Colwill, are currently in Qatar, about to represent Wales at the World Cup. Aaron Ramsey and Chris Gunter, two more Bluebirds academy alumni, are also in Rob Page's squad. That is the gold standard and what all the next crop coming through should aspire to.
Ex Barry Town manager Gavin Chesterfield has taken charge of Cardiff City’s Accademy and says he is planning for the future.
The Bluebirds have produced four players through the Accademy that are now in the World Cup, Aaron Ramsey , Chris Gunter, Mark Harris and Rubin Colwill, the new Accademy boss is now planing to produce more new players for the future.
New Cardiff City academy boss Gavin Chesterfield emerges from the university building of the new sports complex owned by Cardiff City Council and Cardiff University and is excited.
It's his second day in the job and he is being given the full tour of the site, a place which he will call his office from next summer, if all goes smoothly with the construction up until then.
He talks through his life in football, from Lilleshall and Exeter City in his playing days to Barry Town United, where last year he celebrated his 500th game in charge and left at the start of this season after 15 years at the helm.
He opens up on his desires, vision and plans for the future with Cardiff City in an engaging half-an-hour introduction to his new colleagues before grabbing a chat with yours truly shortly after a group photo with all the staff.
"It's exciting," he says as he peers out of the window at the Llanrumney site. "We are in a difficult financial climate and then you come on site and see cranes and diggers and stuff going down on a daily basis. It just fills you with excitement. I can't wait for our players, parents and future players to see this. It'll take us into a really exciting new era."
So, why the change?
Chesterfield, 43, has juggled his duties with Cymru Premier side Barry Town United alongside being a course lead on the MSc Advanced Performance Football Coaching degree at the University of South Wales and his role as FAW Coach Educator Training Manager for some time, forging a strong reputation for himself within the Welsh game.
He is streamlining now and is ploughing all of his efforts into Cardiff City's next generation.
"The main thing is opportunity and the scope," he says of taking the job. "If you look at the club and the desire now to bring our own through, you look at the catchment area of Cardiff as a very multicultural city and where we can recruit from, we are in a very strong position.
"We are moving into new facilities, which can only help and only further improves our provision. That, combined with fantastic staff, provides a great working environment. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that? I am proud of all those roles and worked with some amazing people. But I just felt the time was right now to bring knowledge and experience to this role. Opportunities like these don't come around very often."
Far greater emphasis has been placed on Cardiff's academy in recent years, owing to funds drying up in the transfer market after the financial fallout suffered by Vincent Tan's leisure business in the pandemic.
The Bluebirds have had to lean on academy products to prop up the first team. Some have flourished, some have struggled a little more than others. But two of them, Mark Harris and Rubin Colwill, are currently in Qatar, about to represent Wales at the World Cup. Aaron Ramsey and Chris Gunter, two more Bluebirds academy alumni, are also in Rob Page's squad. That is the gold standard and what all the next crop coming through should aspire to.
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Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 1:10 pm
What’s this another new five year plan and all the hype from an ex Barry Town manager 
And it’s not even our complex
And it’s not even our complex
Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 1:43 pm
Always City wrote:What’s this another new five year plan and all the hype from an ex Barry Town manager
And it’s not even our complex
Not just ex Barry manager is he though? As for facility it's a joint venture which you'll find is common place in football ..... house of sport is joint venture as well we are not man city or ncastle ect with billions to spend on facilities.... yes had questionable plans at club recently but these are actually being implemented so let's see if we get category one academy status at end of it all which is the aim
Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:38 pm
Anyone know what this guy's history is / experience ?
Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:47 pm
pipster wrote:Anyone know what this guy's history is / experience ?
It's in the op where hes been and what hes done hes simply not just ex Barry manager
Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:26 pm
Great appointment, a proper football man and got the qualifications to boot ,he's always highly spoken of and this could be a master stroke by city .
Re: New Accademy Boss Plans A New Future For Cardiff City
Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:35 pm
wez1927 wrote:Great appointment, a proper football man and got the qualifications to boot ,he's always highly spoken of and this could be a master stroke by city .
I Hope so Wez
