Paul Tait to leave Everton with more academy changes on the way
Paul Tait, Everton‘s Under-21 manager, is set to leave.
The 51-year-old has been in the role since July 2022, when he was promoted from his position as Under-18 manager.
Tait led the young Blues to an 18th-place finish in the Premier League 2, with seven wins in 20 matches this season.
However, a report from reliable Toffees news source, Bobble, claims that he will depart as part of the internal restructure of the academy set-up.
Tate’s departure may be a surprise to Everton fans, as he has done brilliant work with the youngsters.
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Tait exit set to lead to more change
The Friedkin Group have been very interested in Everton’s academy, hiring several staff members to improve the set-up.
The report claims that additional changes are expected at Finch Farm, with the key Under-21s figure on the way out.
| Tait’s roles at Everton | Duration |
| Everton Under-18 manager | July 2017-June 2022 |
| Everton Under-21 manager | July 2022-now |
| Everton (caretaker) | January 2023-January 2023 |
It will be interesting to see how the American ownership and the senior management handle the exit and replace the veteran coach.
What is next for Everton’s academy?
The Blues need to get more from the academy if they are to taste success, as all successful sides include homegrown stars.
Players who have come through the system, know what it means to play for the club, and they can resonate with supporters, more than signings can.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Harrison Armstrong are the only academy stars to be in and around the first-team on a regular basis at the moment, and that needs to change very quickly.
| Everton’s academy graduates (League) | Branthwaite | Armstrong |
| Matches | 10 | 13 |
| Pass accuracy | 83.8% | 80.6% |
| Tackles per 90 | 1.72 | 2.22 |
| Ball recoveries per 90 | 3.83 | 4.26 |
| Clearances per 90 | 5.42 | 1.36 |
| Ground duels won | 68.8% | 54% |
| Aerial duels won | 78.9% | 46.2% |
The Friedkins have recognised this, bringing in Dean Rastrick from Norwich to oversee the academy, and appointing Neil Dewsnip, who coached the likes of Wayne Rooney and Leon Osman, as a consultant
Nick Cox, who has previously worked heavily in academy football, is also expected to help revolutionise the Blues’ youth system, with the likes of Braiden Graham, Shea Pita and Luca Davis looking to break through.
The owners are clearly taking it seriously and want to bring through more talent, so the L3 club can have a heartbeat of players that they produced, rather than relying on outside additions.
Hopefully, we will see youth talents getting a chance in the near future, and the work that the sporting structure has been doing will pay off on the pitch.
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