BEN STRANG RE-JOINS CAMBRIDGE UNITED IN NEW ROLE
Cambridge United are delighted to announce that Ben Strang will return to the club in an important new role as the Club's Head of Football Operations.
Strang is highly regarded at Cambridge United, having been instrumental in building the squad that gained promotion to the Football League and won the FA Trophy.
Since leaving the U's in December 2014 to join Norwich City, he has gained more experience through his role as Head of Academy Recruitment and is highly respected throughout football.
Cambridge United's CEO Jez George, who previously filled the role, believes that Ben's appointment and role is a vital component in the Club developing its football operations moving forward.
He said: "Ben's departure in December 2014 left a massive hole in our football operations regarding the recruitment of senior players.
"Greg Abbott took the reigns as Head of Recruitment last season but since he left the club in June, we have been looking at the best way forward. Rather than simply try to fill that role, it was more important to recruit someone to build a recruitment department and manage all the functions of the football operations. The job demanded a person of the highest calibre, who we know and trust. Ben fits the bill perfectly."
"His remit covers all elements of our scouting and recruitment process, our performance department, which includes sports science, medical and analysis, all football logistics and our academy. These all have a critical role to play in the long term development of the club."
Jez continued: "We always want to be an innovative and forward thinking club, in both our business and football operations. Ben's appointment is a crucial part of the process. We believe this is the right structure in modern football, with so many functions of the football operations, to create stability and a totally integrated approach from the academy to the first team. Shaun has been involved throughout the process and he fully embraces both the role and Ben's appointment.
"This structure ensures that we have a totally joined-up, consistent and long term approach across all elements of our football operations. Ben's initial focus will be recruitment, both in terms of identifying targets for January and next summer, as well as developing the structures, processes and personnel to ensure we can continually improve the squad in the future."
"We have really talented staff within the academy and first team. Ben will have responsibility for developing all of these support structures so that Shaun, with Joe Dunne's assistance, can concentrate on leading, managing and coaching the first team playing squad. Football management is no longer a one-man job and this structure will be a massive help to Shaun."
Cambridge United First Team Manager, Shaun Derry, also welcomed Ben to the Club and commented: "This role will help us to enhance the football operations so that we can achieve our ambition of success for this Club.
"This system works well for a lot of football clubs at a higher level and I'm delighted to have Ben joining us. It is impossible, as a manager, to oversee everything and my main focus must always be the players within our first team squad. Ben will come in to take responsibility for the recruitment processes and take that legwork away from me. He will also look at ways of developing all other areas of the operation. I see that he's here to help me.
"I have met Ben on several occasions and we see football in a similar way. Jez and I will work with him closely and we both feel that Ben is the perfect man for the role. It's a great appointment by the club and I am looking forward to him coming on board."
George concluded, "Ben is extremely talented, shares our vision for the development of the club and has the qualities required to implement that vision. This is a fantastic addition to our senior staff and a really key appointment to our ongoing progress as a club."
An interview with Ben will follow when he starts his role, which is anticipated to be later this month.