Two new arrivals at Tottenham (not Hitchen) – report
By Harry Sykes
Experienced coaches Kenny Jackett and Keith Millen have been recruited to work for Tottenham’s highly rated academy, according to a report.
ESPN FC claim former Millwall manager Jacket and ex-Crystal Palace assistant manager Millen are helping out at Spurs’ state-of-the-art Enfield headquarters.
It is said that Tottenham academy chief John McDermott has enlisted the pair to assist with the emerging stars at the club.
There are holes at Enfield after two of Spurs’ academy coaches, Nigel Gibbs and Karl Halabi, left in December to join Swansea when Paul Clement was appointed the new manager.
McDermott is regarded as one of the most influential figures at Tottenham and serves on the three-man football committee along with manager Mauricio Pochettino and long-standing chairman Daniel Levy.
McDermott, whose official title is head of coaching and player development, is responsible for all levels at the club outside of the first team.
ESPN report that Jackett, 55, is volunteering part-time after leaving Rotherham, while Millen revealed he is working with the Under-18s after leave Palace following the appointment of Sam Allardyce.
Millen, 50, told The Croydon Advertiser: “I am doing a little bit of work at Tottenham, just coaching with the under-18s.
“The head of coaching there, John McDermott, I have known since my Watford days, so I spoke to him about it.
“It was just good to go over there to see the training ground and to just experience the environment of how they work.
“I have had a bit of contact with Mauricio Pochettino and the first team, just to pick their brains just a little bit and to just do a bit of coaching to get me back out on the grass.
“I don’t know what will happen with Tottenham yet, we haven’t gone too far down that line of anything permanent or what’s on offer there or what they’re looking for or what I can commit to.
“We haven’t had that conversation yet, it’s just been a lot more relaxed at the moment. I’ll have a look at it more and reassess it.”
Jacket and Millen have arrived at the club after it was confirmed by Pochettino on Thursday that Steve Hitchen has been appointed the new chief scout following a revamp of the club’s recruitment department.
The Spurs first team are next in action of Saturday evening, for the televised 5.30pm clash of the titans against Liverpool at Anfield.
Pochettino’s side go into the clash second in the Premier League, although they are a distant nine points adrift of runaway leaders Chelsea.
In other Tottenham news, Daniel Levy has lined up the next Spurs arrival as the deal is all but done.
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