Lee Congerton

Lee Congerton is a former Welsh football player. He was also the former Sporting Director at Sunderland A.F.C..[1]

Playing career

Congerton is the son of Rhyl player Dave Congerton. While being educated at Rhyl High School he played youth international football for Wales. He signed a semi-professional contract with Rhyl, before a professional trial at Wrexham where he met Brian Flynn.[2]

However, realising that he enjoyed coaching more than playing, Congerton signed a semi-professional contract with Colwyn Bay, allowing him to study for a degree. He then spent a spell at Weymouth, before signing a professional contract at Crewe Alexandra.[2]

Coaching

His career at Crewe was blighted by injuries. It was then that Flynn, by then manager of Wrexham, offered Congerton a coaching position as Youth System Director. After Denis Smith took over as Wrexham manager Congerton joined the coaching team at Liverpool in 2002,[2] before leaving the club in 2005 for Chelsea.

At Chelsea, he was initially appointed youth team coach by Jose Mourinho. However, after the appointment of Frank Arnesen as Sporting Director, Congerton was appointed chief scout, alongside Brendan Rodgers as reserve-team coach, and academy manager Neil Bath.[1] The team's purpose was to scout and then coach young players into the first team, which included: Ryan Bertrand; Daniel Sturridge; Gael Kakuta; Jeffrey Bruma; Scott Sinclair and Fabio Borini. The team worked through various Chelsea first team managers, including the appointment of Andre Villas Boas.[1]

After the sacking of Villas Boas, the entire sporting and youth team were dismissed.[3] After Arnesen was appointed Sporting Director of Hamburger SV in 2011, he appointed Congerton Technical Director,[4] where he worked alongside head coach Thorsten Fink.[1]

In October 2012, West Bromwich Albion approached Hamburg to request to appoint Congerton to replace their former Technical Director Dan Ashworth; this was immediately turned down by Hamburger SV.[5]

On 12 March 2014, Sunderland A.F.C. appointed Congerton as their Sporting Director.[6]

Personal

Lee is married to Keiley and they have two daughters.[7] Lee is the son of David Congerton & Susan Howsam. He has two sisters, Sara and Laura.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Gareth Bicknell (7 July 2012). "Lee Congerton – the Rhyl man who's worked with Rodgers, Mourinho and AVB". Daily Post Wales. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Gareth Bicknell (7 July 2012). "I owe my success to Wrexham FC". Daily Post Wales. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  3. ↑ Matt Barlow (16 March 2011). "Lee Congerton on the way out of Chelsea with scout to follow Frank Arnesen to Hamburg". Daily Mail. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  4. ↑ Stuart James (21 May 2012). "Lee Congerton: 'I would love to see this role grow in England'". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  5. ↑ Stuart James (8 October 2012). "West Bromwich's approach for Lee Congerton rejected by Hamburg". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  6. ↑ Sunderland A.F.C. (12 March 2014). "Sporting director appointed". Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport-news/liverpool-fc/2012/07/07/lee-congerton-the-rhyl-man-who-s-worked-with-rodgers-mourinho-and-avb-55578-31341909/
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