Senior Everton staff member leaves club ahead of new season

Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell gave his “sincere thanks” after first-team goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly departed the club after seven years.

The Toffees posted on X (13 August) to confirm that Kelly would be leaving the club he first joined from Sunderland in 2017, having been the senior first-team goalkeeping coach at Finch Farm since 2019.

A former international for the Republic of Ireland, Kelly’s seven-year tenure spanned 170 first-team matches at Goodison Park and saw him work alongside five different managers on Merseyside.

In a statement on the club’s website, Thelwell said: “We would like to place on record our sincere thanks and appreciation to Alan for his significant contribution to Everton.

“Alan is a much liked and trusted member of the Everton family and he departs with our very best wishes, safe in the knowledge that he will always be welcome back at the club.”

Everton must find new goalkeeper coach ahead of new season

While the club statement regarding Kelly’s departure didn’t disclose where the Irishman is heading in the next stage of his career, they also didn’t announce whether or not he’d be immediately replaced.

Most clubs who make such announcements will likely have a new face ready to step into the breach, but the Toffees are hardly akin to ‘most clubs’ these days so it remains to be seen if they will do the same.

With just two first-team goalkeepers currently on the Goodison Park books in Joao Virginia and number one Jordan Pickford, more development is needed for youngsters like Harry Tyrer to break through.

Tyrer was one of several academy players who were given run-outs by Sean Dyche in pre-season, albeit he and the likes of Billy Crellin are hardly likely to make a dent in the hierarchy any time soon.

They’ll be less likely to do so without a first-team goalkeeping coach in place to bring them through and nurture their talents – thus the Toffees need to bring in a replacement for Kelly as soon as possible.

In other Everton news, a Goodison-linked England striker has spoken out on the possibility of leaving his club this summer.

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