ANDY REID HAS stepped down as head coach of Ireland’s U18s in order to begin a full-time role at Nottingham Forest. 

The 38-year-old will take over the Championship club’s U23s on a permanent basis, having acted as interim boss since Chris Cohen’s exit in September. 

Dubliner Reid, capped 29 times for the Boys in Green, has been in charge of Ireland’s U18s for the past 22 months, and previously worked as a coach with the same age group under Jim Crawford. 

He joined Forest from Cherry Orchard as a teenager and came up through the ranks before making his senior debut in November 2000 — enjoying two spells at the City Ground as a player prior to his retirement in 2016.

Forest’s first team are currently managed by former Ireland international Chris Hughton. 

“It is with great regret that I am leaving this position but the opportunity to work full-time at Forest was just too good to turn down,” Reid told FAI.ie. “I want to thank the FAI for appointing me to the U18 international job last year. I enjoyed every minute of it and I know the experience will stand to me for the rest of my career.

“I would especially like to thank the FAI’s High Performance Director Ruud Dokter and his staff and the Coach-Education Department for all their support. Finally, I would like to wish all the players well.

“We didn’t get a lot of time together because of the Covid-19 pandemic but I know how much playing for their country means to every one of them and I look forward to seeing them in the green jersey again in the future.”

Reid, speaking to Forest’s website, added: “I am delighted to have accepted the role. Everyone knows my affiliation with this club, so to now become head coach of the U23s is really special for me.

“We had a fantastic season last year and myself and all of the staff connected to the academy are determined to achieve parallel success this season and to see the continued development of these fantastic young players.

“It’s obviously an exciting time for the club with plans and ambitions to move the academy into the category one status. There’s a lot of work to be done in order to achieve this, but we are all determined to see it through and give our players the best possible chance of going on to have successful careers.”

FAI High Performance Director Ruud Dokter said: “Having played at the highest level, Andy understands our pathway and his expertise has benefitted all those who played under him.

“On behalf of the Association, I want to thank him for his time with us and wish him well with this new job at Nottingham Forest and for his future in management which I know will be a bright one.”