New role for Vince as Dobbo reshuffles

Last updated : 14 October 2008 By Tony Scholes
Vince Overson
The club are gearing towards academy status and Dobbo has made what he considers to be key changes to the set up. Vince Overson, previously Head of Youth Development, will now head the Centre of Excellence whilst Terry Pashley gets the title of Head Youth Team Coach with Andy Farrell as his assistant.

The roles for Pash and Farrell don't change but Vince's role will now be with the lads up to the age of sixteen. Meanwhile Jeff Taylor who was both the Centre of Excellence administrator and child protection officer will take on the role of head of recruitment with Pat McKiernan, former deputy head teacher of Blessed Trinity, arriving to become the new education and welfare officer.

Dobson said: "The important thing is getting the blocks in place, as in the people that are going to be responsible for certain things. Before there was a lot of overlapping between roles, and no doubt in the first few weeks following the changes there will be until it is all ironed out.

"The key thing is that the youth team players are allowed to just concentrate on the football, and we can take all the pressures away to give them the best chance."

The club cannot go academy status until such time as the facilities are upgraded at Gawthorpe, but Dobson said this was part of the process. "These changes are for the here and now," he added. "I would like to think the chairman and directors are committed to getting Academy status, and they have gone on record with the redevelopment of Turf Moor and the training ground that around £2million will be pumped into the training facilities at Gawthorpe.

"But these kind of appointments are necessary if we do want to get there eventually anyway. We have to take it one step at a time, but they are defining lines.

"I feel the area of child protection is so important, and Jeff Taylor was doing a terrific job there, but he was also responsible for scouting and recruitment. From that point of view he was taking too much on board, but he can now put all his efforts into recruitment.

"This is the area of utmost importance; bringing quality kids into the football club and competing with all the other clubs in our area. We are building development centres because we can't just rely on kids coming in from a five-mile radius of Burnley Football Club.

"Even 12-13 year olds can be an hour-and-a-half drive away now, so that takes in Manchester, Liverpool and parts of Yorkshire. You've got to keep moving forward and assess every age group all the time."