It has been confirmed by the Football Association that Chelsea assistant coach Steve Holland, will leave Stamford Bridge this summer to become England's assistant manager on a permanent basis.

Ultimate honour

Holland began his career with the Blues back in 2009, originally brought in as the reserve team manager in which he tasted success with the side becoming national champions in 2011.

Holland was then promoted to assistant first-team coach, beginning life under Andre Villas-Boas and went onto much success under the likes of Roberto Di Matteo, Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink.

Holland and new manager Antonio Conte seem to be working well with the Blues comfortable at the top of the table, though he insisted that it is an honour to be joining the England set-up the focus is still on Chelsea.

Holland told Chelseafc.com: "It is the ultimate honour to be asked to work with your national team into a World Cup campaign."

"My immediate focus is on continuing to support Antonio and the Chelsea team," he stated. "And doing everything possible to finish the season with success."

"The summer will be the time to look forward," Holland concluded. "To an exciting future with Gareth and England and to reflect on the best eight years of my life at Chelsea."

A crucial appointment

This won't be Holland's first experience of working with the national side, having worked very closely with new first-team manager Gareth Southgate over the years.

They both worked with the under-21's before taking the senior's on a interim basis after Sam Allardyce's departure. Holland will assist with March's games against Germany and Lithuania before joining on a permanent basis, and Southgate insisted that Holland is a crucial appointment to his backroom staff.

"To be able to bring Steve in as assistant manager is a crucial appointment for me," Southgate told FATV. "Steve is somebody I worked with for the U21s for the last three years."

"He’s a coach that has won every trophy there is to win at club level," he stated. "I couldn’t be bringing in somebody with more experience."

"He’s worked with five or six of the top managers in the world in his time at Chelsea," Southgate concluded. "We’ve developed a way of working where our personalities and strengths complement each other really well."

Chelsea FC will take on AFC Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Monday, December 26 with kick-off at 3pm GMT.

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About the author
Danial  Kennedy
Award-winning sports journalism graduate. Currently studying a PR Masters at the University of Sunderland. Writing for VAVEL since August 2014. Twitter - @ddkjournalism.