Wolves appoint Bastian of youth

4:40pm Tuesday 26th August 2008

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WARRINGTON Wolves have pulled off a coup by recruiting the mastermind behind Leeds Rhinos’ successful youth set-up.

John Bastian will become the club’s new director of youth development when he leaves a similar role at Headingley at the end of the season.

The appointment has delighted Wolves, who have admired Bastian’s work at Leeds.

The Rhinos are regarded as the best in Super League for youth development and won the Academy World Club Challenge at the end of 2007.

Bastian has helped several players progress through the club’s Academy into the Yorkshire club’s first team.

After five years with Featherstone Rovers as a player and a brief spell with Dewsbury, he went into youth coaching in Leeds and moved up the ladder in the Rhinos’ Academy set-up before becoming head of youth development in 2006.

Bastian’s role with Wolves will be to direct and manage the club's young player pathway systems and environments from 12 to 21 years old to produce the best quality home grown players for the first team.

He said: “I’m looking forward to the new challenge.

"It will be good to experience a different environment and work with new people.

"I’m looking forward to overseeing a new generation of young players making the first grade squad.”

He added: “I want to work with the amateur clubs within the town and with the Service Area squads to help develop the talent we have here.

"It’s an exciting challenge.”