A FOOTBALL coach who helped develop the likes of Wayne Rooney, Ross Barkley and Jack Rodwell has taken over the running of Kendal Town's Youth Development Centre.

Tony 'Tosh' Farrell is a former coach for Premier League club Everton.

He was responsible for the partnerships with Everton FC America and the Ontario Soccer Association - and was also instrumental in setting up the Indian Football Association academy in Haldia, India.

Tosh is held in high regard by his peers and is invited globally by various soccer associations to present his philosophies on youth development.

In 2010 he left Everton and, with the aid of his business partner Ted Dipple, founded Tosh Farrell Soccer in Amesbury near Boston, Massachusetts. The program, focussing on individual player development, proved very successful within Amesbury and the surrounding towns, with his coaching methods and philosophies being adopted by a number of organisations.

Throughout his time in the USA Tosh was frequently asked to return to the UK and present theoretical and practical sessions to the UK's largest soccer convention 'Grass root live soccer show'

In 2013 and 2014 Tosh was guest clinician at the NSCAA the worlds biggest soccer convention as well as the Scottish Football Association presenting practical coaching sessions on his methods.

2015 saw the Tosh Farrell Soccer program being sold and Tosh then returning to England to settle with his wife at their new home in Kendal.

The centre, based at Dallam School, Milnthorpe, is tasked with establishing an elite under 21 team, offering progression directly from the under 18s and a clear route for local footballers to step up into the first team.

Club chairman George Gudgeon: "I've got to know Tosh well over the last few months and his considerable experience and undoubted expertise will help propel the club forward."