LONDON: Sir Trevor Brooking is to retire from his role as the Football Association’s director of football development after returning from the World Cup.

Ex-England international Brooking, 65, will leave his position on 31 August after more than 10 years in the job. He was heavily involved in the planning and development of St George’s Park, England’s national football centre.

He said: “Under the leadership and guidance of Dan Ashworth and Gareth Southgate, we have now put in place a strong, credible, elite structure to support the professional game.”

Brooking, who played more than 600 games for West Ham, won 47 caps for England and was part of the selection panel who appointed Roy Hodgson as manager after Fabio Capello resigned in 2012.

FA chairman Greg Dyke said: “Sir Trevor’s great legacy will be the development of the Skills programme. It now has more than 160 full-time coaches working to teach children the benefits of playing football for fun, while being taught skills that will keep them enjoying the game for many years to come.

“We’ve been lucky to have benefited from his vast experience.”

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