Andy Reid enjoyed two successful spells at Nottingham Forest as a player, and now he spends his time coaching the next generation of City Ground stars.
The Irishman was a fan favourite amongst the Forest faithful, making 288 appearances for the club over two stints.
Following retirement in 2016, the former midfielder has since turned his hand to coaching, with Reid returning to Forest four years later as an academy coach.
Reid was part of Steve Cooper’s staff before leaving upon Nuno Espirito Santo’s arrival, but has again returned to the club as a ‘transition coach’, a role aimed at helping Forest’s youth stars take the step.
It is in this role which Reid has started working closely with talented youngster Zach Abbott.
Andy Reid speaks on Zach Abbott development
It is fair to say that Abbott has enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks at Forest.
Abbott impressed in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, before going on to score the winning penalty in Forest’s International Premier League Cup final win against Lyon.
Still only 18 years old, the defender is still taking his first steps into senior football, and Reid has since revealed what measures they are taking, to make the transition as smooth as possible.
“We’ve got a young player coming through named Zach Abbott, who played in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City at Wembley and did really well in that match,” Reid told the Sunday World.
“Zach is very much in the transition space at the moment. He trains with the first team every day and then I have to try and find ways to get his individual development in there as well. That can be with the first team or back with us over at the academy.
“I also manage his calendar to make sure that he is getting games in.”
Abbott could become Forest first-team regular next season
Given Abbott’s recent success, it seems like Reid is doing an ample job in helping the youngster adapt to first-team life.
With that being said, next season could bring even more success for the defender as further opportunities arise under Espirito Santo.
| Forest centre-back options |
| Murillo |
| Nikola Milenkovic |
| Morato |
| Willy Boly |
| Zach Abbott |
Forest’s qualification for Europe means the Tricky Trees will be playing twice a week – a busy schedule that will no doubt lead to more squad rotation.
Espirito Santo praised Abbott after the Man City defeat, and the Portuguese may be tempted to use the youngster in European games, potentially providing some vital experience for the defender.
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