Lovelady returns from Turkey to take up Cardiff City role
Written by
Ian Westbrook
August 13, 2025
Kieron Lovelady has been appointed as First Team Coach and Analyst at Cardiff City.
The 27-year-old returns to the UK after half a season working as First Team Coach of Turkish Süper Lig side Adana Demirspor for the Bluebirds’ first season in the third tier for 22 years.
As far as TGG was aware, at the time of his appointment at Adana in January this year, he was the youngest English coach working at first-team level in any of Europe’s top 10 leagues.
Before moving to Turkey, TGG Member Lovelady worked as an Academy Coach at Manchester City where he was a colleague of both current Cardiff Head Coach Brian Barry-Murphy, with whom he is now reunited, and Mustafa Alper Avci – the manager he went to work for in Turkey. Like Lovelady, Avci also left Adana this summer.
The UEFA Pro Licence holder was previously Head of Youth and Academy Coaching at Chorley and Academy Coach at Rochdale and Preston North End. He also took charge of Southport’s Under-18s, leading them to the North West Youth Alliance League title.
Lovelady is one of a number of backroom appointments made by Barry-Murphy at Cardiff since he was appointed in June.
Lee Riley left a role in Manchester City’s Academy to become his Assistant and Kevin Gibbins arrived as Head of Performance from Rochdale, where he had previously worked with both Barry-Murphy and Riley, while there were two appointments in the Analysis team. Luke Foulkes was named Lead First Team Analyst and Rob Clarke joined as a Data Analyst.
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