Kemp named England Head of Performance after Cavanagh joins Chelsea
Steve Kemp: Has worked with England for the last 11 years
Written by Training Ground Guru — July 26, 2023
STEVE KEMP has been promoted to Head of Physical Performance, Medicine and Nutrition at the Football Association following Bryce Cavanagh’s appointment as Chelsea’s Head of Performance.
Australian Cavanagh will be the strategic lead for Chelsea's performance department, with fitness coach Jesus Perez working specifically with Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino and the first team (as he has throughout the Argentine's managerial career).
Cavanagh was appointed Head of Performance and Nutrition by The FA in November 2016 and was promoted to the new role of General Manager of Performance this March.
The 46-year-old had a close working relationship with Gareth Southgate and famously introduced floating unicorns to help England's players wind down at the 2018 World Cup.
Head of People and Culture Pippa Grange told TGG: “I need to say first of all I did not do the unicorns; that was Bryce Cavanagh, who’s a physical prep guy. “He’s a genius and that was his idea. The basis for anything like that is, ‘Can you create the conditions for somebody to have a laugh?’”
Kemp has worked for The FA for 11 years and is also held in high regard by Southgate and his staff and players. He joined The FA as one of the England physios before being promoted to replace Gary Lewin as Lead Physio in February 2016. His time with the side has taken in five major tournaments, as well as several at youth level.
Prior to working with England, Kemp had six years with Wolves in two separate spells, mainly alongside manager Mick McCarthy.
“Working within the England set-up is always going to be the pinnacle for so many people involved in football and that is the same for me," Kemp said in an interview in 2021.
“There weren’t many clubs or opportunities I would even have considered leaving Wolves for, but I feel really fortunate to now be involved in one of the most successful phases of English international football in history.
“I have enjoyed working with all the managers at England but I think the culture that Gareth and (assistant) Steve Holland have developed within the senior squad is as good as any I have known.”
Earlier this summer England Performance Lead Ben Rosenblatt stepped down after seven years to start work as a consultant.
