Tuesday 16 June 2015 13:00, UK
Swansea City have appointed former Accrington Stanley boss James Beattie as a first-team coach with specific responsibilities for assisting the team’s forwards.
The 37-year-old played with the Welsh club’s manager Garry Monk at Southampton and spent a week observing training sessions at Swansea’s Fairwood base during the season.
Beattie has been out of work since leavingLeague Two Accrington by mutual consent last September after 16 months in the post.
The former striker won five caps for England, making his debut against Australia in February 2003, and was the Premier League’s leading goalscorer the same season.
In seven years with Southampton, he scored 76 times in 233 appearances and also featured for the likes of Everton, his hometown club Blackburn, Stoke City and Rangers.
Monk said: “James will come in as a first-team coach alongside Kristian O’Leary and Alan Curtis but will be given specific responsibility to work on a technical level with our attacking players.
“He is intelligent, has a great knowledge of the game from his experiences as a player, coach and manager plus he thinks about the game in the same way as myself.
“I’ve known James for a long time. He has some bright ideas and, despite already having a fantastic knowledge of the game, he is still looking to learn at every opportunity.
“I’m constantly trying to create and improve all areas of the first team environment with young, talented and up-and-coming staff. That’s not just the playing squad, but the backroom staff as well.
“James fits that criteria perfectly and with the experience he’s gained over the years, I’m sure the players will benefit greatly by tapping into his knowledge.”
