Former Leeds United hero joins Premier League side in new coaching role in return to English football
A former Leeds player has become a Premier League side’s new goalkeeping coach.
Former Leeds United stopper Casper Ankergren has landed a new role as a Premier League side’s new goalkeeping coach.
Now 45 years old, Danish keeper Ankergren joined Leeds from Brondby back in January 2007, initially on loan before making the move permanently in the summer.
The Dane was part of the Leeds team that were relegated from the Championship to League One but Ankergen ultimately helped the Whites back up as League One runners-up two years later in his final season with the Whites.
Ankergren also put in a heroic performance between the sticks to help Leeds to their famous 1-0 victory against Manchester United in the FA Cup tie of January 2010.
After being released by the Whites, Ankergren joined Brighton for whom he later became first team assistant goalkeeping coach. The ex-Whites man then moved back to Denmark and Brondby to become first team goalkeeper coach in September 2021.
Back to English football after four years away
Ankergren, though, has now made a move back to English football to become the new lead first-team goalkeeper coach at West Ham United.
A statement from West Ham United read: “During his time in Copenhagen, Ankergren oversaw the development of goalkeepers Mads Hermansen, who is now with Leicester City, and current Brøndby No1 and Austria international Patrick Pentz.
“He will now take charge of the goalkeeping department at the Hammers and work closely with fellow new arrival, First-Team Goalkeeper Coach Linus Kandolin, who arrived recently from Swedish club IF Elfsborg.
“Everyone at West Ham United would like to welcome Casper and his family to the Club and wish him every success in his new role.