‘I have made the call’ – Reason why Man City head coach resigns in the wake of two new appointments

Manchester City has disclosed their new coaching structure for the academy in 2024/25. Brian Barry-Murphy, the chief coach of the Elite Development Squad, has departed the club.

The outgoing Brian Barry-Murphy will be succeeded by Ben Wilkinson as the new head coach of the Elite Development Squad at Manchester City, the club announced today.

Barry-Murphy was instrumental in the development of a lengthy roster of players who were prepared for first-team football after his three-year tenure at the City Football Academy. He was able to secure back-to-back Premier League 2 titles in his first two seasons. He coached a number of players who are now regulars in the Championship or above, including Liam Delap, James McAtee, Oscar Bobb, Carlos Borges, and Shea Charles.

The young EDS squad finished 23rd in the 26-team league, winning four games all season, and City’s string of titles was cut short by a controversial format change to the PL2 last year. Barry-Murphy has achieved the maximum potential of the academy, which is why he has decided to depart from City.

“I have some news to share with you.” He posted on Instagram, “I have decided to resign from my role as Head Coach of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad.” “I have had the privilege of working with some of the world’s most talented coaches and players over the past three years, and I am immensely proud of the accomplishments we have made. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such an exceptional organisation.”

Nevertheless, I believe that I have fully embraced the role and am prepared to tackle a new challenge. Anticipating the subsequent installment. I will see you at that location.

Barry-Murphy, who previously served as the manager of Rochdale, a League One team, may be considering a return to senior management. Last summer, he shared with the Manchester Evening News how the new PL2 system had presented him with a new challenge, which had both advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, his squad was plagued by injuries and frequent calls to the first team.

He achieved success in the UEFA Youth League; however, the under-19 squad was eliminated in the knockout phases of the last two seasons due to hostile environments in Croatia and Germany.

Oliver Reiss, the former coach of Hertha Berlin, is anticipated to be appointed as the new under-18 coach, reuniting with academy director Thomas Krucken, following Wilkinson’s promotion to EDS head coach.