Portsmouth recruit former Chelsea and Watford Academy coach
Pompey have recruited a Watford Academy coach to bolster their youth production line.
Piero Mingoia has quit Vicarage Road to become the under-18s’ new assistant coach, filling the role vacated by Michael Doyle in December.
The Blues once again favoured appointing a candidate with Football League playing experience to work alongside Academy lead professional development phase coach Sam Hudson.
That has brought Mingoia to Fratton Park this summer, having featured for Watford, Accrington, Cambridge United and Morecambe in his playing career.
After choosing a coaching pathway, he spent two years working in Chelsea's Foundation, before last season serving as Watford under-13 and under-15 coach in their Academy.
And Hudson is delighted with the appointment of the 32-year-old.
He told The News: ‘We felt that, alongside my coaching experience and my coaching background, we needed a bit of playing experience as well in the coaching staff.
‘Obviously Piero has that in abundance, having played for a number of Football League clubs, and he’s also worked in youth coaching for several years.
‘He has settled in really well and can look at it from a playing lens and an ex-playing lens, like the first-team staff, who provide their playing knowledge as well as their coaching knowledge.
‘I have my coaching hat on and, as a pair, we’ve hopefully got all bases covered.
‘We are preparing players for the Football League as a minimum and Piero has been there and done it, as have all the first-team staff, so it’s just a little more playing experience in the coaching set-up.
‘At Watford, he worked with the youth development phase, in and around the under-14s, under-15s and under-16s, and has hit the ground running here. Piero will be a really good addition for us.’
Mingoia started his playing career at Watford, making seven appearances, including two Championship starts.
His most successful period was at Accrington, totalling 156 games and 15 goals over three spells, and being named their 2013-14 Player of the Season.
He also made 74 appearances for Cambridge United and turned out for Morecambe, before finishing his career at Boreham Wood in the summer of 2021 and focusing on coaching ambition.