Rangers coach leaves to join Hearts in a key role

Rangers coach Laurie Ellis is leaving the club to join Hearts in an overseeing role at the Riccarton youth academy. A childhood supporter of the Tynecastle side, Ellis is set to become head of academy coaching and will work closely with the Hearts academy director Andy Webster.

The 45-year-old has been lead coach of Rangers’ under-15 and under-16 age-groups since July 2022. He guided them to third place at this year’s Alkass International Cup in Qatar behind Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Ellis now gets the chance to work for his boyhood club and help develop their coaching staff whilst also working closely with players.

Hearts are keen to install an experienced figure to enhance their academy staff and Ellis meets their criteria. He holds a UEFA Pro Licence qualification and previously managed Queen’s Park after first-team coaching roles at Dundee United, Queen of the South and Raith Rovers. He also worked for the Scottish Football Association performance schools.

Ellis’ new position will mostly be behind the scenes alongside Webster and technical development manager Shelley Kerr at the club’s training base. His role will help teenagers make the transition from academy football to the B team and then, potentially, first team. His leadership skills were evident throughout a playing career in which he captained Raith Rovers and also represented St Mirren, Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion. Raith granted him a testimonial match against Hearts back in 2012, and now he is poised to join the club’s staff.

READ MORE: Watch new Hearts signing score goals for fun in 2024 and 2025

Producing home-grown talent is one of Hearts’ main priorities. They invest more than £1m each year at Riccarton. Players who recently graduated from the academy there include James Wilson, Macaulay Tait, Adam Forrester, Aidan Denholm and Finlay Pollock. Those youngsters are now part of the first-team squad and will begin pre-season training next month under newly-appointed head coach, Derek McInnes.

Youth football pathway at Hearts leads to first team

The club website details the pathway for young players, who can join the Hearts youth programme from as young as six years old. It explains: “We work with players from as young as six years of age and the curriculum becomes progressively more demanding as the players advance through the academy.

“The players focus mainly on technique, passing, movement and possession during their early years in the academy, learning new turns, new tricks and they are encouraged to demonstrate their skills in match situations. As the players progress through the academy system they learn the Hearts principles of play and enhance their knowledge of the tactical aspects of the game.

“Each player is developed with the very best input from the coaches, the sports science team, the performance analysts, supported by a first-class medical team. Heart of Midlothian FC works closely with our partners Heriot-Watt University to deliver the very best academy programme.

“The success of the philosophy at Heart of Midlothian Football Club is dependent upon the teamwork, dedication and effort from every member of staff. There is a genuine belief in the purpose, objective and philosophy of the academy by staff at all levels of the club from manager right down to the junior academy coaches.”

READ MORE: Kabangu speaks on his Hearts future