Meeney excited by new challenge

AFTER fulfilling one dream job at Worthing Football Club, Jon Meeney embarks on a new adventure in his football career next week when he travels to Finland to take up a coaching role, funded by the Finnish FA.

Meeney, 24, who was assistant manager at Worthing Football Club last season, will be employed by Abo IFK as head talent coach to work with the club’s elite young players aged from 12 to 19.

The role came up after Meeney impressed when he went out to Finland with some other coaches three weeks ago. Informal discussions took place then, before Meeney went back to Finland on Thursday when he accepted the offer of a 18-month contract.

Meeney officially starts the job on July 21, although he is flying out to Finland early next week to get familarised with his surroundings. He said: “I’m really looking forward to it. I’m flying out early next week, so I can really hit the ground running.

“My role is funded by the Finnish FA but I’m working for Abo IFK and it will be my responsibilty to work with their elite young players – to develop them and progress them throughout the club.

“It really is exciting. Youth development is a big part of how I see things within my coaching.”

On how the opportunity came about, Meeney said: “I went out there with Andrew Walsh, Tobi Hutchinson and Will Hendon as Mark Hendon has contacts over there, through his role as chief scout at Brighton.