Andy Reid has been appointed as the new head coach of the Republic of Ireland Under-18s, replacing Jim Crawford, who has linked up with Stephen Kenny in the Under-21 set-up.
Reid, who played 29 times at senior level, had been working with Crawford since March of last year and has been pursing his coaching qualifications with the FAI in since retiring from football in 2016. He is also currently part of the UEFA pro license group, alongside the likes of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Jim McGuinness .
Speaking on his appointment, Reid said:
It is a real honour and privilege to have the opportunity to be appointed the Republic of Ireland Under-18 Head Coach.
Having played underage football for my country, I understand the pathway these young players are taking. It will be a real pleasure to help them along the way.
The former Sunderland player knows all about underage success, having won the UEFA European Under-16 championship in 1998 under Brian Kerr, before making the move to Nottingham Forest where he would kick-start his professional career.
FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter said:
I am delighted to see Andy as the new Head Coach of the Under-18s. He brings a wealth of experience from his playing days and has gone through the pathway from Under-15 all the way up to the senior team.
Andy is currently participating on our Pro Licence course and managing the Under-18's is a great opportunity for him to develop further as a manager/coach. I am sure the players will benefit from his passion and great knowledge of the game.
Reid has previous coaching experience having served as assistant first team coach at Nottingham Forest in 2016, prior to hanging up his boots.
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