England recruit Kerr to help them win a major tournament
Former Scotland Women’s manager Shelley Kerr has been recruited to work in the technical department of the English Football Association.
The 51-year-old, who led Scotland to the 2019 World Cup finals in France, joins the technical department where she’ll oversee the implementation of England’s ‘How We Play’ strategy.
She’ll also be responsible for overseeing the development of women’s national coaches to make sure they remain at the required standard.
A statement on the England Football website added: “Working within the women’s technical department, Kerr will inform and evolve England Women’s technical practice, developing coaching playbooks to support the delivery of the ‘How We Play’ philosophy and approach across all women’s teams.
“She will seek to deliver a technical competitive advantage in support of our aims to win a major tournament.”
The ‘How We Play’ strategy is
implemented throughout the age groups of both men and women’s football south of the border. It demands teams be dominant in possession and play with high intensity in order to quickly win the ball back once possession is lost.
Kerr left her position as head coach of Scotland in Decemberlastyearafterfailurebythe national team to reach a third successive international tournament.
Scotland were No 1 seeds in their qualification group for the next Euros but were eliminated with two matches to play having been defeated to a last-second goal against Finland at Easter Road.
A centre-back during her playing days, Kerr earned 59 caps for her country despite taking a nine-year break during her career.
Kerr will report into the FA’S head of women's technical, Kay Cossington. Cossington said: "I am delighted to welcome Shelley to the FA. She is an individual with outstanding experience at the highest levels of the women's game as a player, coach and mentor and I am excited by what she can achieve with us."
England have a new head coach in Sarina Wiegman, who succeeds Phil Neville. Wiegman’s first ghame is at home to North Macedonia in September.