Gradi set for new role
20 Apr 2007 - 12:04:03
Dario Gradi, the longest-serving manager in the Football League, will leave his post in the summer and become Crewe Alexandra's new technical director.
Gradi, 65, took over at Gresty Road in 1983 and has been at the helm of the Railwaymen for more than 1,200 games.
However, in a shake-up at the League One club, Gradi will move upstairs to a new role, while current academy boss Steve Holland will become the first-team coach and current number two Neil Baker, will continue as assistant manager.
Gradi will still have overall control of the club's first team, but the veteran boss is looking forward to reducing his day-to-day involvement with the players.
"I don't think we have made the secret of the fact that we were looking to introduce Steve (Holland) gradually into the first-team picture," he told the club's official website.
"We felt we had to do something because Steve had a very good opportunity to go elsewhere in the summer.
"He will have more responsibility with that, but I will still oversee the football side of things and we will both continue to work with the academy, because it is something we enjoy.
"I didn't want to be a 75-year manager and working seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.
"That is not healthy for the future of the club. I will probably drop dead doing the job at some point, but I wanted to put that day off a bit!"