Lee Cattermole Appointed First-Team Coach at Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers has named former Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole as a first-team coach. This appointment follows manager Matt Taylor’s statement that “huge improvements” are necessary for the team’s set-piece performance. Cattermole concluded his playing career with Dutch club VVV Vento in 2020. The 39-year-old Cattermole has joined the League One squad, with a club statement specifying his role will have a “focus on the development and implementation of set pieces.” He retired from playing in 2020, having accumulated 272 Premier League appearances over a 15-year career. Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Taylor stated, “We all feel there’s room for improvement in terms of set piece attacking and defending.” He continued, “Maybe this group of players needs fresh ideas and new voice. I’m not sure because we’ve tried everything twice over in terms of our attacking set pieces and we’ve also had chances at times. But there’s also been a feeling that there’s huge improvements to be made.” Taylor described Cattermole’s hiring as a “club appointment” and mentioned that their initial meeting took place on Thursday. Taylor remarked, “Looking forward to working with him. Got a fantastic reputation in the game, seems the right type of character this club wants to build around in the future.” He added, “We’re looking forward to what he adds to the group and what he adds to this group of players.” Cattermole’s playing career concluded with Dutch team VVV Vento, though his final season was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic during the 2019-20 period. He had previously indicated his ambition to transition into coaching, subsequently rejoining Middlesbrough (Boro) to work within their academy system before taking charge of their under-18s side, a position he departed in February 2023. Furthermore, he was a member of the interim management team that oversaw operations at Riverside Stadium for five matches after Chris Wilder’s dismissal in October 2022. Cattermole commented, “Having spoken to the guys here and George Friend [director of football], I very quickly got excited about the project being developed here at the club.” He added, “Everything I’ve heard about Bristol Rovers tells me it’s an exciting time to be part of things here, and I’m looking forward to getting going.”