IAIN Brunskill has left Wanderers after two years to take up a role as head coach of Jordan’s Olympic team.

The former development squad coach was one of several first-team backroom staff given notice at the end of last season and officially left the Macron on Wednesday.

Brunskill heads to the Middle East in July after an invitation from his former Liverpool colleague Stuart Gelling, who is currently technical director of the Jordan FA.

“It’s an exciting move for me,” said the Runcorn-born coach. “Jordan just missed out on the World Cup this time around and had Harry Redknapp coach a couple of games.

“They are really passionate about their football and my first remit is to look towards the Tokyo Olympics with the Under-23 team.

“The job will involve some work with the first team, which will also be a great experience, and providing coach education.

“The team has just risen in the rankings to eighth in Asia, so it’s a good time to be getting involved.”

Brunskill has been assistant academy technical director at Liverpool for a decade before his successful spell with Wanderers, and has also worked for the English FA, with Blackburn Rovers and Maltese club Floriana.

At the point he arrived the development squad was regarded as something of a stagnation point for younger players who were struggling to get a chance in the first team.

But things changed in his time with the Whites, and Brunskill was soon being relied upon to push the likes of Rob Holding, Tom Walker, Tyler Garratt and George Newell towards the senior ranks.

“It’s a wonderful club,” he said. “The fans are really loyal and the backing they give the younger players makes such a lot of difference.

“I have been at places where the supporters don’t have half the passion they do at Bolton, and the new ownership has clearly hooked on to that.

“What has happened here in the last 12 months is unprecedented. I am very proud of the players who made their mark but the circumstances have not been ideal.

“Would you have sacrificed a couple of the chances given to younger players for the first team to have been more successful in the league? Of course you would. But it was a case of needs must at times.”

Brunskill leaves the club in an uncertain time for the academy, with much debate about whether it will be downgraded for a second summer in succession.

It looks increasingly likely Wanderers’ ownership will divert funds towards the first team in the short term, although no decision is expected until next month.

“My remit when I came in was to establish links between the first team and the academy and I think I’ve achieved that,” said Brunskill. “I have a great relationship with them and it’s no coincidence that the likes of Rob Holding and Zach Clough have come through because they are very good players.

“It sounds a bit clichéd but when you are singing off the same hymn sheet things have a tendency to work better.

“It wasn’t necessarily the case when I came in – the first team wasn’t happy with the academy and vice-versa.

“And it’s a shame that we don’t know what the club is going to do now. Finances are stretched and it seems like the money will be pushed towards the first team which, from a football point of view, you can accept.

“There are some very good players coming through at the moment at under-15s and u16s and we had one on the bench at Hull City a few weeks back who came on and got 20 minutes.

“There has been a great continuity and I’ll look back and say that was a success in my time at Bolton Wanderers.”

Brunskill embarks on a new chapter in his career next month and is banking on forging a good working relationship with his international players.

“The federation runs the game over there and they dictate what goes on at the clubs, when players are available, etc.

“It means we could potentially work with the u23 players two times a week, which is incredible.

“Can you imagine an international side being able to do that over here? Never in a million Sundays.

“I’m leaving my family behind for now but it’s a great challenge for me. I wish Bolton Wanderers all the best and I’d love to see them get some success to reward the fans with in the future.”