Kevin Hodges Leaves Academy Director Role

I guess its linked to the Dewslip fella being brought in?

KEVIN Hodges has left Plymouth Argyle, stepping down from his position as Academy Director with immediate effect.

Kevin, 59, has also served Argyle as a player and manager in an association with the club that goes back more than 40 years.

He made his first-team debut in 1978 and went on, over the next 14 years, to play 620 first-team games, 129 more appearances than any other Pilgrim in the club’s history.


Kevin managed the club between 1998-2000, a period which will be more remembered for the introduction of players like Steve Adams, Martin Phillips and Ian Stonebridge than it will for two mid-table League Two finishes.

He returned to work in the club’s Football in the Community project in 2008 and, two years later, moved to the club’s Academy. Initially, he was Under-18s coach, becoming head coach in 2012 and then Academy manager before, in 2017, being appointed Academy Director.

We wish Kevin well in his future endeavours.

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hope its not as ryan lowe shouldnt be dictating youth academy policies considering he wont be here long term.

Our youth system needs a shake up and step up in level so we dont have players coming through and crashing out of pro football soon afterwards.
All the best Kevin in whatever it is your intending to do.

Steve Adams the Gary Sawyer of yesteryear.

Whatever’s happened - and something clearly has happened, it’s a shame that a true club Icon has now left with little more than a few paragraphs worth of lukewarm obituary.

True dat. I can't help thinking that Hallett wanted a total clear out of the Brent hierarchy but has to do it slowly to avoid total chaos.

Guess will be interesting to hear what KH eventually has to say on the matter.

Earwegoagain wrote:

True dat. I can't help thinking that Hallett wanted a total clear out of the Brent hierarchy but has to do it slowly to avoid total chaos.

Could be, but I reckon it’s more of breakdown in the relationship with this new fella that has been brought in. Don’t get me wrong, if Hallett is on a mission to thoroughly cleanse the club of its amateur backbone then that can only be a good thing. But I just think true club legends should be afforded a little more respect.

There's a suggestion on pasoti that there was an incident that was filmed involving Hodges and another. Both haven't been performing their duties for about a month. Anyone heard anything about this?

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

It's a shame but hopefully this moves the academy on a bit.

Lowe not being here long term should have nothing to do with it.

The academy breeds players then its up to lowe or who ever if they meet the standards.

Too much is being read into this

Shame for Hodges a great player for the club but not a good coach or developer of first team standard youth players, also i heard that Gary Johnson, and his assistant Ian Holloway, want a new youth team setup when they takeover after the Bolton defeat.

The dream team Suffs!

Hugh Watt wrote:

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

I can identify what’s needed and that’s money brent starved it for years it needs massive investment to bring it Up to standard and a bit more to compare or even get near Exeter’s academy

RegGreen wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

I can identify what’s needed and that’s money brent starved it for years it needs massive investment to bring it Up to standard and a bit more to compare or even get near Exeter’s academy

that doesn't happen overnight.

takes alot of work to put 8 years of bent right again.

RegGreen wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

I can identify what’s needed and that’s money brent starved it for years it needs massive investment to bring it Up to standard and a bit more to compare or even get near Exeter’s academy

My nephew wasn't the only decent young footballer from the Plymouth area that looked to Exeter to get in their acadamey. They all say the same thing that the award winning Argyle community football scheme is all about getting you to pay for courses, that's its purpose.

Earwegoagain wrote:

RegGreen wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

I can identify what’s needed and that’s money brent starved it for years it needs massive investment to bring it Up to standard and a bit more to compare or even get near Exeter’s academy

My nephew wasn't the only decent young footballer from the Plymouth area that looked to Exeter to get in their acadamey. They all say the same thing that the award winning Argyle community football scheme is all about getting you to pay for courses, that's its purpose.

Was that always a thing or a product of the previous owner?

Earwegoagain wrote:

RegGreen wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

I don't think there is much to read into. The academy is substandard, we're brought in someone presumably to identify what needs to be done and a revamp of the coaching staff is one of those things.

I can identify what’s needed and that’s money brent starved it for years it needs massive investment to bring it Up to standard and a bit more to compare or even get near Exeter’s academy

My nephew wasn't the only decent young footballer from the Plymouth area that looked to Exeter to get in their acadamey. They all say the same thing that the award winning Argyle community football scheme is all about getting you to pay for courses, that's its purpose.

That not the first time I've heard this. it would be almost forgivable if any of the youngsters were getting got into either our first team or going on to make a career as a professional elsewhere but they aren't so its a massive liberty.

In fact the only player in the last few years I can recall who has made it as a professional is Christian Walton.

exeter city are miles ahead of us in terms of a youth academy set up, coaching and recruiting.