Former Wakefield and Ireland coach Andy Kelly has joined Huddersfield as their new head of youth performance.
Kelly, who will take up his new position in early February, arrives at the Giants with an impressive CV having coached at Wakefield, Gateshead, Featherstone, Dewsbury and Ireland. His most recent role has been with the RFL working in the North East.
Giants Managing Director Richard Thewlis was please to appoint Kelly: "Andy has built up an incredibly impressive CV and has worked towards his goal of a Head of Youth position in excellent fashion. His experience with the RFL in the North East and the outcomes of his work over the past few years are outstanding. He now comes into (with all respect) a more traditional heartland environment for elite rugby league and there is no doubt that he will do a superb job for our Club and those youngsters who will be mentored by him over time.
"His enthusiasm to get back into a club was evident throughout the recruitment process and his passion for/and contacts in the local area will bring a new impetus to us. He knows he has a strong base here to work from with some great staff and volunteers alongside some genuinely talented players and his remit is not only to produce good young players who ultimately play professionally but also it is to produce elite Super League players for the claret and gold.
The path for younger players to reach the very top is a difficult one and I am very confident that Andy Kelly will put his stamp onto our youth environment and be the perfect leader for that area of the club to prosper, grow and deliver some superb players to the first team over time." Andy Kelly was delighted to be joining the Giants
"I am very excited about this opportunity with the Huddersfield Giants having watched them become one of the top five Clubs in Super League. "My aims are really to build on the ethos and culture of the club and having spoken with Paul Anderson he is a big believer in the connectivity and consistency that the youth structure needs to have alongside the first team players and coaches. I am really looking to developing this along with broadening our horizons with regards to recruitment and development of the younger players.
"The environment is very competitive even down to the youth levels where we will be trying to secure the best players available to us. It probably as competitive as playing on the field and I am looking forward to the challenges that club rugby league brings.
"I have worked with the RFL for the last four years and without their support I possibly wouldn't have been in a position to take up this role. I would like to place on record my thanks especially to Chris Chapman for his support and the development that he has given me."
