Boss Hasselbaink says '˜modern coach' Pemberton will improve Cobblers players

The 53-year was unveiled as the newest member of the Sixfields backroom staff on Tuesday morning, and he got straight to work alongside Hasselbaink, assistant manager Dean Austin and goalkeeping coach Jim Hollman on the Moulton College training pitches.

The Cobblers boss revealed he has always wanted to bring in another coach, with one of the reasons being the size of the Sixfields squad, which is 29 strong.

Another reason, and the main one, is that he believes Pemberton is simply a quality coach who will improve the Cobblers players, and that he will complement what Hasselbaink and Austin have already been doing since they joined the club in September.

“I know John from my time at Nottingham Forest, and when I was doing the first team there he was doing the youth,” said Hasselbaink.

“He brought Lewis McGugan through from when he was 10 or 11, and also Brendan Moloney when he came over from Ireland.

“I have known him a few years, and he is a good man, a good coach, and I always wanted to bring in another coach so I am happy with this addition.

“Nobody has been moved around, Dean Austin is still assistant, but I always wanted to bring in a first team coach to help the players more, and to try and give a little bit more quality.

“We missed somebody around the place as the group is quite big, and I think John coming in and his experience will help.”

Pemberton’s most recent job was as assitant head coach at Championship side Bristol City, working under Lee Johnson, and he also had two spells as caretaker manager at Ashton Gate.

Prior to that, Pemberton was the Academy manager at one of the club he used to play for, Sheffield United, a job he took on after 10 years at Nottingham Forest.

The Oldham-born coach also had a stint as caretaker boss at the City Ground when Colin Calderwood was sacked as manager in December, 2008, and he has also coached at Crystal Palace.

He is well regarded in the game, has a lot of experience with young players, and Hasselbaink said that was another key reason for his appointment at Sixfields.

“John has been developing players his whole career,” said the Cobblers boss.

“He is hands on, he’s a very good coach, a very modern coach, and he will help the players to get better, together with Dean Austin.

“I think it’s very important, if we want younger players at the club that we work with them to make them better, and he is that kind of coach, as is Dean as well.

“We are trying to do things right, we are trying to make steps forward, and I think with this addition, and together with Dean and the staff that was already here, I think hopefully things will keep on going in the right direction.”

Hasselbaink also believes Pemberton’s personality is going to fit right in at Sixfields and at the club’s Moulton training ground base, although he admits he might at times struggle to catch what his coaching team is saying!

The Town boss joked: “John’s a notherner, Dean is a Cockney, and I am the Dutch one in that room, and sometimes I have a lot of difficulty understanding them!

“But it’s fun, and you have to come to work and come into a good environment and be able to smile.

“You have to have people around you who can make you smile as well, because we have to enjoy it, we have to try to enjoy it, and we do.

“It is easier when you are winning games and things are going well, but these are good people with good philosophies and good structure, so we can then give the players and the club good structure to move it forward.”