RICHARD MONEY has taken over as head coach of Cambridge United, with Jez George becoming the club’s director of football.
George was appointed caretaker manager of the U’s following the departure of Martin Ling in February 2011 and was asked to continue in the role on a permanent basis at the end of the 2010/11 season.
He was persuaded that by staying on he could “reduce the playing budget, impose an individual wage ceiling to prevent excess spending, develop young players and change the culture of the first team”.
The 42-year-old successfully fulfilled those objectives last term, while guiding the club to ninth despite a number of bad injuries to key players.
However, the U’s have won just three of their opening 12 Blue Square Bet Premier fixtures this time around and George feels it is no longer prudent for him to be in charge of first-team affairs.
In a statement on the club’s website, he said: “When the first team fails to win football matches, implementing the long term vision for the club becomes very difficult and almost impossible to combine with the short-term demands of first team management.
“This situation has crystallised for me since the first week of the season. If first team results and performances fail to meet expectations, it cannot be allowed to de-rail the long term project for the club.
“Ensuring continuity, defending the principles and values of the club, demanding high standards and seeing through the vision of community, youth development and financial stability is more crucial than the day to day management of the first team.
“Therefore I see my role more important to the club as the director of football than as first team manager.”
The man to fill George’s boots has plenty of experience as a first-team boss.
Money, 56, has previously been in charge at Scunthorpe United, Swedish sides AIK and Västerås SK, Australian outfit Newcastle Jets and more recently, Walsall and Luton Town.
Commenting on the arrival of the ex-Liverpool defender, George said: “In appointing Richard Money, we have identified a man who ticks all of our boxes and shares our vision for the way forward.
“He has a track record in management, experience in this league, knowledge and experience in developing young players, has worked previously in this structure and brings a myriad of qualities to the role.
“Most importantly, he will strengthen the club and is the right appointment to work within our structure and to focus on the development and future success of the first team squad.
“Richard’s role will be hands on. He will have sole responsibility for the first team and the fact that he is such an accomplished and experienced coach was a major consideration in this appointment.
“We would only have made this change if the right person, who fitted every aspect of our profile for this role, was available.
“Once we identified Richard as the right man for the job it became obvious that it was the right decision for the club, making it the right time to split my roles.”
Money’s first game in charge of the U’s, who sit 15th in the league, comes at home to Mansfield Town on Saturday afternoon.
