Football: Dan Johnston brought in for major Northland FC role

Dan Johnston is the new director of football for the Northland Football Club. Photo / Dan Johnston

Northland Football Club have brought Dan Johnston into the role of director of football for 2018.

He joins from the Northern Football Federation, having worked primarily as football development officer for the Far North region.

General manager Owen Liiv said Johnston would perform a new and important role.

"This is a strategic new role at the club, one that will help bridge our youth and senior squads following the merger with the Northern Football Federation Talent Centre," he said.

The 34-year-old has been living in Kerikeri since he arrived in New Zealand but will be moving closer to Whangarei to ease the burden of travelling for his new role.

Johnston has his Level 3 coaching certificate and is studying towards his A-Licence, the highest qualification a coach can obtain in Oceania.

"We have to make sure we can provide as many opportunities for our talented and developing players - from the top of the Brynderwyns to Cape Reinga - to excel as possible because everything is there, we just need to put it together," Johnston said.

The move from the NFF means Johnston will be focused on Northland's representative football teams (with the exception of the 12th-grade Weir Rose Bowl teams) alongside continuing with his role as men's first team coach.

'It's a big challenge. I want to thank Dave Alabaster and NFF for providing me with the opportunity to develop my skills as a coach," he said.

"I can't wait to do my bit in taking the club forward and working with the best players and coaches in Northland.

"Training doesn't stop at the end of the season although the trainings are a little less intense they are still valuable and a chance to improve yourself. Soon it will be time for us to start getting ready for 2018 and we will be off again."