Idiakez replaces Carss as Aston Villa Under-21s boss
Inigo Idiakez came through the youth ranks at Real Sociedad alongside Villa boss Unai Emery
Written by Training Ground Guru — July 24, 2023
INIGO IDIAKEZ has replaced Tony Carss as Aston Villa’s Under-21s Head Coach.
The Spaniard, 49, joins from Mexican Second Division side Cancun, where he was Head Coach last season. The appointment again shows the power and influence that manager Unai Emery wields at Villa Park.
Emery was instrumental in Monchi being hired as the club’s ‘President of Football Operations’ last month, having previously worked with him at Sevilla, and also has a long-standing relationship with Idiakez.
The duo came through the youth set-up at Real Sociedad together and went on to become team-mates in the club's B team for three years and then the senior side for one season.
Idiakez knows England well, having played for Derby County and Southampton and then coached in the Academies at Leicester City (as Youth Development Phase Lead) and Luton Town (as Professional Development Phase Coach).
Carss, who joined Villa from Blackburn last season as U21s boss, takes on the new role of Emerging Talent Programme Manager. Loans Manager Mile Jedinak left the club earlier this summer to become assistant to Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.
