Premier League side Newcastle United have added Ipswich Town’s Chris Hogg to their ranks as their U23 lead development coach, as reported by the club’s official site.
Hogg will be taking over the reins after Neil Redfearn vacated the position last November. Since Redfearn’s departure, Hogg will take over from caretaker-boss Ben Dawson, who has guided the young Magpies to seventh place in the Premier League Group 2 table, four points outside the play-off positions.
Hogg, 34, had been involved with the Ipswich academy since retiring in 2013 and had been progressing throughout the ranks within the academy age groups, most recently assisting U23 manager Gerard Nash.
The former Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender has had brief opportunities working in the first team environment during his time with the Suffolk club. Hogg assisted Bryan Klug during his role as caretaker-boss in 2018 before being involved again under the brief stewardship of Paul Hurst.
Speaking on Hogg’s departure, Ipswich Town’s general manager of football operations, Lee O’Neill, told the club website: “Chris has gained a lot of experience here working at all levels in the Academy and with the U23s.
“He is well-liked by the players and staff at the Club. We are obviously sorry to see him go but understand that it’s an opportunity for him to develop his career.
“We may see him back at the Club one day in the future. Who knows in football but we wish him the best of luck.”
Our View
Hogg is a very very highly rated coach and he has played a huge part, alongside Gerard Nash, in the development of youngsters such as Flynn Downes and Luke Woolfenden.
The move is an attractive one for Hogg, a move back to the north-east which is where he was born, coupled with the opportunity to lead Newcastle’s U23s. A move which would certainly fall into the ‘no-brainer’ category.
As for Ipswich fans, this is another key coach leaving their academy. Earlier on in the season, former player Kieron Dyer moved on, citing a lack of first-team opportunity as his main reason for departing and is reportedly set to join Anderlecht working under Vincent Kompany.
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