Manchester United launch Academy coaching recruitment drive

• Four coaches for a new Individual Development arm that will operate throughout the age groups.
• A new Youth Development Phase Lead.
• Academy coaches to work through the schoolboy phase.

The overall objective is to enhance the skills of the existing coaches in the Academy, as well as hiring the best possible new coaches.

The Individual Development Coaches will be responsible for “designing and delivering position-specific and individualised development programmes.” The role will focus on “accelerating player progression through tailored coaching” that aligns with the club’s playing philosophy and long-term player pathway.

The remit of the YDP Lead is to “lead and deliver a high-quality player development programme that identifies, recruits, develops, and retains high-potential players.”

The Academy Coaches will lead designated player groups within the Academy, “delivering the holistic development of high-potential players in line with the club’s Academy curriculum.”

Working closely with the multi-disciplinary team, they will “promote the club’s playing philosophy and report directly to the Head of Academy Development & Football Methodology.”

That person is Darren Hughes, who has moved to Carrington with responsibility for long-term player and coach development, methodology and coaching programmes.

Hughes joins after almost 12 years at Manchester City, where he held a range of positions before becoming Head of Coaching, responsible for driving coach development and overseeing the Academy’s coaching philosophy.

Before that, as Head of Individual Player Development, he built and implemented a coaching curriculum with a focus on individual development. He first joined City in 2014 as Under-11s Lead, and was also U16s Lead and U18s Assistant, having spent the previous seven years across Liverpool’s Academy pathway.

Among the players he has helped develop are Curtis Jones, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Oscar Bobb and Jarrell Quansah, and he is regarded as an outstanding coach developer.

Hughes reports into Academy Director Stephen Torpey (pictured above with Director of Football Jason Wilcox), who joined United from Brentford in August 2025.

Torpey said “I want this to be the greatest Academy ever” in an interview with The Athletic in March, adding “United need to be the greatest developers of football excellence.”

• Torpey will be speaking at TGG Live on an Academy Director panel alongside David Rainford (Brentford) and Jonathan Hunter-Barrett (Wolves) on September 30th. The draft agenda has just been released and tickets are available HERE