Blues boss Mick McCarthy says U18s coach Gerard Nash is likely to take charge of the U21s, replacing Mark Kennedy who has moved to Manchester City where he will be working with their U15s.

Kennedy is far from the first Playford Road employee recruited from Town by a Premier League club in the last year or so.

“We’re doing really well aren’t we?" McCarthy said. "We got Krausey [James Krause] to Arsenal, an academy analyst. We got Jordan Miles, our [first-team] analyst, has gone to West Ham.

“We got [academy coach] Liam Manning to West Ham [last summer] and we got Sparky to Manchester City. So we’re really filling Premier League teams with good quality staff.

“I always think it’s good for them. I’ve been there at their age. I wanted to progress and do as well as I can and if me and TC and us as a club can help them and they go on and better themselves, isn’t that great? That’s part of it as well.

“[Academy analyst] Will Stevenson will take Jordan’s job and Nashy will probably do Sparky’s job.

“We’ll promote from within because we’ve got loads of lads who come and do the academy, they’re doing the U12s, U13s, U14s every weekend and I think it’s right that we should bump them up, to be honest. They’re generally all lads who have an affinity with Ipswich.”

Irishman Nash, who celebrates his 30th birthday today, became an academy coach after his fledgling playing career as a centre-half was ended in 2006 after he suffered cruciate knee ligament injuries, having made one senior sub appearance for the Blues in addition to spells on loan at Hartlepool and Southend.

Photo: Action Images

Mr_Evans added 09:01 - Jul 11 Nash is a very talented coach, only 30 but has 10 years worth coaching experience. Will go into become a good manager
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gerard1947 added 09:20 - Jul 11 Glad to hear. Must have seemed like the end of the world having to pack up playing at such a young age. Hopefully he'll do very well.
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BrettenhamBlue added 11:19 - Jul 11 I wonder who will be the new U18!coach then?
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phillo added 15:06 - Jul 11 Mick starting to get the whole Ipswich acadamy/promote from within/develop our own thing at last I think ....... bodes well for the future Imo
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bring_back_Wickham added 16:00 - Jul 11 Our U18's are looking like good players right now so he must be pretty good
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 16:12 - Jul 11 Aged. I like the fact that this will be "one of our own " filling the position.
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cats_whiskers added 17:25 - Jul 11 After the dismal record of powder puff Kennedy's regime The youngsters could do with some extra aggression So having 'Nash'er in charge should hopefully help instill these lads with some much needed bite But Why not Alan Lee???
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Seasider added 19:15 - Jul 11 When Sparky left I speculated about promoting from within,which I thought would come about as it is a cheaper option;and lo and behold. Expect the 'invisible man' will be pleased as it will save him a bit more money,as fighting and losing the Court case must have cost him a fair bit,and now financing an appeal! Will be surprised if he splashes any more money out like he did on Webster,especially as Mick is talking loans again,which I expect will be augmented once again by other clubs rejects.I hope I am proved wrong,as with cheap season ticket option about to end,expect few will have resigned who hadn't committed on the original deadline date in April.

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Seasider added 19:16 - Jul 11 Good luck to Gerard Nash though,didn't realise he was only 30!
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