Premier League appoint former Team Sky director to help development of home-grown players

Dan Hunt has switched to football from cycling as the top flight's new head of elite performance

The Premier League has confirmed the appointment of Dan Hunt as its new head of elite performance.

Hunt has switched to football from cycling, having previously been the sports director at Team Sky.

He will support the Premier League and its clubs in the implementation of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) - the youth development system that was launched at the beginning of last season with the aim of developing more and better home-grown players.

"It is clear that the delivery of the Elite Player Performance Plan is a huge priority for the Premier League and for clubs," Hunt said on the Premier League's official website.

"I am looking forward to helping at this very exciting time, using the knowledge and skills I have gained from working with some of the top athletes and coaches in cycling, and from being involved in global competitions like the Tour de France and two Olympic Games."

Hunt, who coached Great Britain's men to Olympic team pursuit gold at the London 2012 Games, only took up his sports director post with Team Sky in January.

Since then, Team Sky rider Chris Froome has won the 2013 Tour de France, following on from his fellow Briton and team-mate Sir Bradley Wiggins' triumph in the event a year earlier.

Hunt was also employed by Team Sky as a race coach in its inaugural season in 2010, dovetailing his work on the road with his coaching position on the track within British Cycling, before focusing on the latter as London 2012 drew near.

He worked with the GB women's track endurance team that enjoyed gold medal success at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and, prior to that, in coaching and sports science roles at the Welsh Institute of Sport and University of Bath.

Regarding Hunt's new role, Premier League director of youth Ged Roddy said: "The Premier League and the clubs are in the process of developing a world-leading academy system through the implementation of EPPP and the continual assessment and improvement of performance is a hugely important part of that.

"Dan Hunt has been closely involved in one the highest performing elite environments in world sport.

"He has made significant contributions to the recent successes of Team Sky, and British Cycling at both the London and Beijing Olympic Games.

"He has first-hand experience of applying science, psychology, medicine and nutrition to sports development and we look forward to him bringing his skills and experience to the Premier League as we continue our work with clubs."

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke believes action is needed to address what he has described as a "frightening trend" of the reduction in the number of English players in the Premier League, and is heading a commission that has the aim of improving the England national team's long-term prospects.

The Premier League turned down an offer from Dyke for its chairman Anthony Fry to take up a seat with the group but insists it is part of the commission, engaging with it as a collective.

PA