Carlisle United Football Club are delighted to announce that experienced and highly respected coach Chris Beech has today joined the club as Head Coach on an 18-month deal which will keep him in charge of first team affairs until the summer of 2021.
Beech, 45, will work with the current backroom staff as he takes charge of the football department and will be in the dugout for the first time for the Blues at the New Lawn for the Emirates FA Cup second round meeting with Forest Green this weekend.
Chairman Andrew Jenkins said: “We have conducted a very thorough process and we would like to thank everybody who contacted us to show interest in this position.
“We are very pleased that we have a reached a successful conclusion with the appointment of a coach who has gained a lot of experience as assistant manager at Rochdale, where he worked closely with the first team and youth squads through what was a very long spell at Spotland.
“His enthusiasm when speaking to us was fantastic to see, and he was very clear in how he wants to approach the job, both in the short-term and the long-term. We’re looking forward to seeing him put his plans into action and we are all looking forward to working with him.”
Speaking about the position of Head Coach, the chairman added: “We’re taking a new approach for the club in defining the position, with us in the past having appointed managers.
“We see the Head Coach role as being specific to the football department, from first team through to youth team. Chris will pick the team, coach the squad and organise the day-to-day routine as he prepares for each game.
“Looking ahead, he will identify the players he feels will enhance the squad and he will then work with the director of football on the recruitment side of the process. The contractual side of that process will be with the director of football, but it will be the Head Coach who will identify the players he wants to bring in.
“Chris has already stated that he has a huge belief in the development of young players and it goes without saying that he will work closely with Eric Kinder and Mark Birch going forward as they look to establish a clear and structured pathway, and as we look to continue the success we have had in that area recently.
“He has a proven track record in the identification and recruitment of players [note - Dale Stephens, David Worrall, Will Buckley, Scott Hogan, Jamie Allen and Andy Cannon £25 million] and he was known at Rochdale for strengthening the squad under budget to replace those players sold at a premium.”
Midfielder Beech started his playing career with his hometown club Blackpool where he made over 100 senior appearances. He then spent two years with Hartlepool before moving to join Huddersfield Town, where he played under Steve Bruce as the Terriers pushed for promotion from the Championship.
His long association with Rochdale started in 2002 where he enjoyed time as a player, youth team manager, assistant manager and caretaker manager before parting company with the club in March this year.
We’ll have more reaction to this breaking news on the official website later today.
