Club expands its youth soccer programme in US

Tottenham Hotspur is delighted to announce a partnership with New England Futbol Club (NEFC) as part of a continued drive to support the development of the game at all levels in North America.

The Club has signed an initial three-year agreement whereby former Spurs player and FA UEFA Pro Licensed coach, David Kerslake, will be based at NEFC for six months of the year to work alongside their staff to help drive player development. Kerslake played 44 games for the Club between 1993 and 1997 and has a wealth of coaching experience at all levels, including a stint as assistant and caretaker manager of Cardiff City in the Premier League.

NEFC players and coaches will benefit from authentic coaching methods developed within the Tottenham Hotspur Academy and also have the chance to visit London and train at the Club’s world-class Training Centre, Hotspur Way.

NEFC is the leading youth football club in New England, developing and training youth football players aged between six and 21 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. NEFC’s Academy uses specific methods that are designed to maximise player development, creating a pathway for players to progress from grassroots to elite level.

They are the second US youth soccer organisation to partner with Tottenham Hotspur this year following the announcement of a three-year agreement with Florida Elite Soccer Academy, one of the largest and most progressive youth football academies in the USA.

Andy Rogers, Head of Global Football Development at Tottenham Hotspur, said: “As we continue to expand our presence in the US through this unique and innovative partnership, we are thrilled to have someone of David Kerslake’s calibre join the team. He will use his experience as a player, coach and manager within the English Premier League to work with NEFC to develop their young players and continue to influence the next generation of footballers in America.”

Brian Mazar, President of New England Futbol Club, said: “We are delighted to partner with one of the top football clubs in the world. Tottenham Hotspur is globally recognised for its development of young players and this partnership fully supports our mission to develop youth players to the next level in an elite environment.”

The Club has enjoyed a strong and growing presence in the United States over the past decade. During our recent Tour of the USA, the first team competed in the International Champions Cup (ICC) playing matches in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and San Diego to over 100,000 fans. The Club has 66 official Supporters’ Clubs in the United States - more than any other Premier League football club - and, over the last five years, the Global Football Development team has coached over 12,600 players in 18 different US cities including Florida, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.