Sammy looks to repay Whites in new academy role
11:10am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Latest By Marc Iles
SAMMY Lee has a rich history with Wanderers – but it is with an eye on the future that the popular Liverpudlian has taken up his most recent role with the club.
It is four years since Lee’s only stint in management ended in disappointment at the Reebok, when he was sacked just 10 games into the 2007/8 season.
Inheriting a club reeling from the departure of Sam Allardyce and a host of backroom staff, the Whites sat second bottom with just one league win to their name when the axe came down on his brief reign.
But on being sworn in as head of Academy coaching yesterday – his fourth role with the Whites – the 53-year-old declared immediately that he owes a debt to the club he has served as player, coach and manager.
“I was disappointed when it didn’t work out as a manager, but that’s football,” said Lee, two days into his new job. “But the fans were great to me even through the hard times and I want to give something back.
“I’ve still got some unfinished business here to do, so hopefully I can take it on.”
Despite his abrupt exit as manager, after which Lee returned to Liverpool as right hand man to Rafa Benitez, no bridges were burned between himself and the club.
And it was a testament to his relationship with the Whites that Phil Gartside offered him the newly-created post, working under the guidance of Academy director Jimmy Phillips.
“There were no hard feelings whatsoever and I fully understood the decision had to be taken,” he said of his dismissal. “We didn’t have a very good start.
“We tried to play some good football and the fans recognised that, but it’s a results-based game and when you had the start we did, I knew it was inevitable.
“But it was done in the best of tastes. It’s never nice to lose your job but there is a right way, and Bolton Wanderers certainly did it in the right way.
“I’ve kept in touch with a lot of people here, including the chairman, and I’ve spoken many times with Owen, who’s a great manager.
“I wanted to make sure he was okay with me coming back, and he was, and that was very important to me.”
Wanderers turned to the Liverpool legend in their efforts to meet criteria set down by the Premier League in their overhaul of the youth development system in English football.
The Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) aims to improve coaching, access and education in top flight football and has been gradually introduced over the last two years.
It is hoped that Lee’s experience at club and international level can improve the flow of young talent to Owen Coyle’s first team through the Academy.
“It’s a role that has been created because of all the new regulations from the reserves downwards, so it was an opportunity for me and one I jumped at,” he said.
“I think everyone knows I have got an affinity with this football club. There have only really been two in my life – Liverpool and Bolton.
“I played here, albeit not for that long, I was assistant manager and then manager – again, not for that long.
“But it’s just great to be back again because it’s a fantastic football club with a great bedrock of supporters.
“I’ll reporting to Euxton every morning under the guidance of Jimmy Phillips, getting to know the coaches, getting to know the players. But even just in the two days I have been here I have seen some great quality.
“It’s new, it’s exciting and I like a challenge. I can only promise people that I’ll give 100 per cent.”
Lee will join David Lee, Tony Kelly, Nicky Spooner and Gavin McCann in the youth coaching system, which has been radically overhauled in recent years to kickstart a worrying slow down in the number of homegrown players produced by the club.
Guidelines being set down in the EPPP include increasing the amount of coaching time given to clubs with their younger players, bringing them into line with the likes of Holland, France and Spain.
And Coyle has high hopes that Lee’s introduction will benefit his own job in the longer term.
“I know Sammy will bring a great deal of top level coaching experience and a great deal of enthusiasm and that can only be of huge benefit for our youth players,” he said.
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