Bolton Wanderers Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Irfan Kawri as the Club’s Recruitment Co-ordinator.
The Bolton-born coach will be responsible for delivering the Club’s overall recruitment strategy across the First Team and all age groups within the Academy.
Irfan will work alongside manager Keith Hill and assistant manager David Flitcroft as well as the Academy and Community Trust to ensure a consistent approach for recruitment that aligns with the Club’s identity and vision for success.
Irfan, who attended Sharples School, has spent all his life involved in football and was previously on the books of Rochdale as an aspiring schoolboy footballer whilst also having youth team trials at Bradford City. He played semi-professional football at Leigh RMI under Whites legend Roy Greaves and represented Zambia at under-20 level.
Having coached at non-league level, where he was first team coach at Stalybridge Celtic, he also had a spell as a scout for neighbours Wigan Athletic.
He also spent time with Burton Albion, working under then coach Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, as well as helping to guide Zambia to the quarter finals of the African Nations Championship in 2016.
More recently he worked in opposition scouting and player recruitment at QPR under ex-Wanderer Les Ferdinand and former England manager Steve McLaren and also, for the past 18 months, was involved in the Under 23s set-up as a coach at Loftus Road.
Irfan has taught Physical Education at local schools and is currently studying for his UEFA A coaching license.
Speaking about his appointment, Irfan said: “Being a Bolton lad, I spent many Saturday afternoons on the terraces at Burnden Park. I loved watching Sasa Curcic going on his amazing dribbles and I spent most of my time playing football with my mates.
”Like Hilly and Flicker I know how much Bolton Wanderers means to our town and I am so proud to call myself a Boltonian.
“It’s imperative that the club connects with the community and that stronger links are forged. We want everybody in the town to be proud of their football club and to support us, and for youngsters to aspire to one day put on the famous white jersey.
“I’m really looking forward to making a positive impact at our football club and working closely with our community.”
Assistant Manager David Flitcroft added: “Irfan has vast experience in scouting and understands the importance of the community.
“He also understands the grassroots clubs in Bolton and will build strong relationships between them and the club.
“He has the right qualities as a person and will unearth the talent that is hungry to want to play for Bolton Wanderers.
“Irfan can drive this vision and we are looking forward to working with him.”
Wanderers CEO Emma Beaugeard said: “Upon meeting Irfan it was immediately evident that his values echo those of the Board and of both Keith and David.
“We all want to maximise the local talent we know is out there and reconnect with the Bolton footballing community in a positive and meaningful way.
“Irfan has the experience and passion to make this happen.”