PAUL HART: THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE

PAUL HART: THE RIGHT PLACE TO BE

New Head of Academy gives his first interview after taking the job...

Paul Hart has described "the excitement and the thrill" at returning to Leeds United after being appointed as the club’s new Head of Academy this week.

Hart spent five years at Elland Road as a player before going on to take charge of the Academy during the nineties, famously guiding the youngsters to FA Youth Cup glory in 1993 and 1997.

He is credited with playing a key role in developing the likes of Jonathan Woodgate, Harry Kewell, Paul Robinson and Alan Smith among others, during a prolific period for the club in terms of youngsters progressing to the first-team.

Hart, who is now back in position at Thorp Arch after starting work on Friday, spoke exclusively to leedsunited.com at the end of his first day to offer his thoughts on returning to the club which he says took his breath away the first time around.

 “I feel very privileged to be back at Leeds United,” he said. “I drove in this morning and it felt like 17 years ago where every day was a real pleasure.

“The excitement and the thrill I got this morning took me back a bit. That’s been a fantastic feeling.

“My role is to head up and help everybody that’s here in the Academy and hopefully continue the line of players coming through to the first team.

“I’m very fortunate to have worked with Adam Pearson before in his first time at Leeds. He’s a person I hold in high regard and I trust him implicitly.

“It was clear through the conversations I had with him, and then latterly with Mr Cellino, that the club is destined to get back on the right lines.

“I didn’t need much persuasion but it was good to hear and that convinced me that this is the right place to be.”

Hart, a defender during his playing days, first joined Leeds from Blackpool in 1978 and amassed over 190 appearances for the club during his five-year spell. Now back for a third time, he is well aware of the support and expectation levels that come with the territory.

“Leeds United is a massive club, it took my breath away when I first came here as a player in 1978,” he said.

“I still see Leeds United and I still talk about it as a massive club, a club that people don’t understand how big it is.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of underestimation of what it is and the support that it’s got. The support is phenomenal.

“It’s not a surprise to me and this is the third time I’ve been employed at Leeds United. I’ve never underestimated the support, the size of the club and what it can be.”

As part of his role, Hart will take charge of United’s in-form Under-21s team alongside overseeing the entire Academy set-up at Thorp Arch, with the aim of seeing players progress into the senior squad.

“I know the manager Uwe Rosler thinks the same way as I do,” he said. “To have such an organised coach at the head of the ship is comforting for everybody.

“We won’t be working in each other’s pockets but it only works for me with input from the manager.

“I’m hands on, I have to oversee most things and get involved with the Under-21s, predominantly. That’s the bridge between the first team and the Academy.

“This is a very well-run Academy with some great people. I spent today meeting everybody that’s attached to it and I’ve been really impressed.

“What I bring in, how big or small, might just help us to improve a little bit. We all know in football that a little bit can be quite a lot.

“I’m really excited about it; I know there’s a lot of work to do but good work.”

Hart returns to the Academy at a particularly promising time for the club’s youth teams, with the U21s having made it back-to-back victories earlier in the week and the U18s having started their new season with four consecutive wins.

“The first team are doing exceptionally well and people do develop in a winning environment,” he explained.

“At certain ages you have to know how to win – winning becomes important. Everybody likes to win.

“When you win you have a smile on your face, you work better and you’re more receptive.

“Hopefully we can improve all the players who are here technically. I’ve yet to see them but I’ve heard good things about them.

“I have to get a quick overview inside the next month or so and derive opinions from that.”

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