New Town assistant excited to try and bring the youngsters through at Kenilworth Road

New Town assistant Richie Kyle is excited about grasping the opportunity of helping the next generation of players come through the ranks at Kenilworth Road.

The 38-year-old is in a good position to do just that too, having started his coaching career primarily in an academy position, when he worked at Blackburn Rovers, before moving to a similar role with Premier League side Everton.

From there, he went to Blackpool as head coach of the U18s, helping to bring a number of players through to the Seasiders first team, eventually moving to the senior set-up himself.

It was there that the FA came calling, as Kyle was soon working with the England age groups, part of the team behind the Three Lions’ World Cup wins at U17s and U20 level, plus the U19s European Championship triumph in 2017.

With the Hatters themselves having a proud record of producing their own talent over the years, the likes of James Justin now plying his trade in the Premier League, and Casey Pettit having been on the bench for a number of Championship clashes this season, it's something that Kyle knows is important in his new role.

He said: “At the start of my coaching journey at Everton and Blackburn, it was about developing the youth and working with players individually to try and get them better and improve.

"That’s my background and I was unbelievably fortunate enough when I was at Blackpool doing the U18s to get moved into the first team.

"Part of my remit was to try and produce players for the first team, that was why I was in the position I was in and I had a great time there as we won promotion.

"There’s nothing better, and I know that, than seeing a player come through the set-up, a local boy, and then play on the pitch.

"It’s the best feeling, even as a coach.

"You get a connection with that as you want to see young players develop and you want to see young players playing at this level, and what an opportunity to get at a club like this.

"I can see it already, there’s a good link with the academy which is important and we want to work with players and make them get better and help them get better.

“If that means we’ve got a young player that’s good enough then brilliant.

"Rob’s already shown in the past, we give players opportunities to go and perform, go and play, and if you’re good enough you’ll get that opportunity I’m sure.

"It’s exciting, it gives you a drive to work with young players as they’re they love to be coached.

"There’s a new breed, they definitely love to be coached and that’s something that we’re all positive about.”

Although Kyle has his background rooted in bringing through youngsters, he isn’t just purely about working with the next generation of players.

With Town having the likes of Cameron Jerome in their ranks, who at 36 is in the twilight of his career, then the former Forest Green and Watford assistant is confident he can have an impact on any member of the Hatters squad.

Kyle added: “I actually said to the lads, I don’t really care if you’re 16 of you’re 34 years of age, I still think you can improve and get better and learn.

"Hopefully the experience I’ve had throughout my coaching journey I can help any player get better, whether that’s a young lad or an experienced one.

"I love coaching, I enjoy being on the grass with the players, that’s my passion and it always will be.

"Alongside the hunger and passion to win on a Saturday, which means implementing gameplans, studying the opposition, thinking of ways we can get a result, as that’s all you need to do, get a result, get the three points on a Saturday.

"That’s as important to me as developing players, that’s why I think I’m doing the luckiest job in the world.”