Kevin Thelwell
Encyclopedia
Kevin Thelwell is an English
football coach
who is currently the academy manager at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
Thelwell previously held similar positions at Derby County
- where he was also acted as caretaker manager for a brief period - and Preston North End
respectively. Prior to this Thelwell was Director of Coach Education for the Football Association of Wales Trust where he was responsible for the UEFA Advanced Licence and Pro Licence courses.
before moving to Shrewsbury Town
where he gained an apprenticeship and progressed into the professional ranks. He failed to make a senior appearance for the club though and instead led semi pro career with clubs such as Northwich Victoria
, Winsford United
and Congleton Town
.
, North Wales in 1998. In the same year he became one of the youngest coaches to successfully complete the FA
/UEFA
Advanced Licence at 25 years of age. Thelwell also holds the FAW
/UEFA
Advanced Licence and UEFA Pro Licence. Thelwell has also successfully completed a Bsc (Hons) degree in Sport Science and is currently completing the LMA
/PFA
Certificate in Applied Management at Warwick University.
In 2002 he was appointed as Director of Coach Education with the responsibility of coordinating and developing coach education at all levels in Wales. This included the organisation and delivery of the prestigious FAW
/UEFA
Advanced Licence and Pro Licence courses accessed by coaches and managers working within the professional game.
In the summer of 2005, Thelwell was appointed by Billy Davies
as Director of Youth at Preston North End
and in his first season saw his youth team win the Football League Youth Alliance National Cup. At the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Davies left Preston to become manager of Derby County
and made Thelwell his first appointment as Academy Manager, becoming the youngest academy manager in the country, aged 32.
He combined this academy role with that of acting first team coach, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in his first season via the play-offs
. After an unsuccessful start to their top flight campaign, Billy Davies left the club by mutual consent in November 2007 and Thelwell was appointed as caretaker manager in the interim (two day) period before the appointment of Paul Jewell
as their new manager.
In April 2008 he left Derby County and was appointed academy manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers
, replacing Chris Evans
. The club have since reached the Premier League.
Thelwell is also the author of several coaching books including "Coaching the European 3-5-2".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
who is currently the academy manager at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Thelwell previously held similar positions at Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
- where he was also acted as caretaker manager for a brief period - and Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
respectively. Prior to this Thelwell was Director of Coach Education for the Football Association of Wales Trust where he was responsible for the UEFA Advanced Licence and Pro Licence courses.
Playing career
As a schoolboy Thelwell progressed through the academy at Crewe AlexandraCrewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
before moving to Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
where he gained an apprenticeship and progressed into the professional ranks. He failed to make a senior appearance for the club though and instead led semi pro career with clubs such as Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
, Winsford United
Winsford United F.C.
Winsford United Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Winsford, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1883 and is nicknamed The Blues...
and Congleton Town
Congleton Town F.C.
Congleton Town F.C. is a football club based in Congleton, Cheshire, England. They currently play in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division and are full members of the Cheshire County Football Association...
.
Coaching career
Thelwell began his coaching career with the Football Association of Wales Trust following his appointment as the Football Development Officer for DenbighshireDenbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, North Wales in 1998. In the same year he became one of the youngest coaches to successfully complete the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
/UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
Advanced Licence at 25 years of age. Thelwell also holds the FAW
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
/UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
Advanced Licence and UEFA Pro Licence. Thelwell has also successfully completed a Bsc (Hons) degree in Sport Science and is currently completing the LMA
League Managers Association
The League Managers Association is the organisation which collectively represents all Premiership and Football League managers in English football...
/PFA
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
Certificate in Applied Management at Warwick University.
In 2002 he was appointed as Director of Coach Education with the responsibility of coordinating and developing coach education at all levels in Wales. This included the organisation and delivery of the prestigious FAW
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
/UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
Advanced Licence and Pro Licence courses accessed by coaches and managers working within the professional game.
In the summer of 2005, Thelwell was appointed by Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
as Director of Youth at Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and in his first season saw his youth team win the Football League Youth Alliance National Cup. At the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Davies left Preston to become manager of Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and made Thelwell his first appointment as Academy Manager, becoming the youngest academy manager in the country, aged 32.
He combined this academy role with that of acting first team coach, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League in his first season via the play-offs
2007 Football League Championship play-off final
The 2007 Football League Championship play-off Final, also known as the 2007 Coca-Cola Championship play-off Final due to sponsorship from Coca-Cola, was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 2007, at the end of the 2006–07 season...
. After an unsuccessful start to their top flight campaign, Billy Davies left the club by mutual consent in November 2007 and Thelwell was appointed as caretaker manager in the interim (two day) period before the appointment of Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
as their new manager.
In April 2008 he left Derby County and was appointed academy manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, replacing Chris Evans
Chris Evans (footballer)
Christopher Brian "Chris" Evans is a Welsh former footballer who is assistant manager at Sheffield Wednesday.Evans started his career at Arsenal, before joining Stoke City in 1981. After failing to make any appearances he joined York City in 1982, where he made over 100 appearances. He joined...
. The club have since reached the Premier League.
Thelwell is also the author of several coaching books including "Coaching the European 3-5-2".