Popular former Derby County midfielder Inigo Idiakez has joined Nigel Pearson’s coaching staff.

The Spaniard has made the move back to Derby from Premier League champions Leicester City, where he had been working in their Academy set-up as their Lead Youth Development Coach, and has taken up the position of First Team Coach.





Pearson took Idiakez to Leicester to help nurture their talent for the future and, after being impressed with his coaching skills, has opted to add him to his staff to work with Derby’s first-team squad alongside Chris Powell, Kevin Phillips and Pascal Zuberbühler.





Idiakez, who is now 42, made 96 appearances for Derby between the summer of 2004 and August 2006 after joining from Rayo Vallecano.





He starred for the Rams under George Burley and scored 11 times in 46 appearances in the 2004/05 season as the side came narrowly close to gaining promotion, losing out to Preston North End in the Play-Off Semi Finals.





In that very same season, he was voted, by the supporters, as the club’s Player of the Year.





A further 11 goals in 44 appearances followed in 2005/06 before he joined Southampton, after making six appearances at the start of Derby’s 2006/07 promotion-winning campaign.





In total, he found the net on 22 occasions for the Rams and proved to be a fans’ favourite.





Speaking on re-joining the club, Idiakez told Rams Player HD: “I am where I want to be, which is working at this football club again.





“Three years ago, I signed a contract with Leicester City in the Academy, but this is a great opportunity for me to come here and develop as a coach as well as learn from Nigel (Pearson) and Chris (Powell).





“I felt that it was time for a change and I now have this great opportunity because of Nigel.





“I have missed Derby County and I always said that this is my club and I have that feeling at the moment that I am back at home.”





Speaking about Idiakez’s arrival, Pearson said: “I’m delighted to welcome Inigo Idiakez onto my coaching staff.





“He will bring different ideas and different coaching methods to what we've already got here on the staff - and I think that's important for us.





"He was a popular here as a player, but that is not why we’ve brought him back, it’s because he is a very good coach. He's somebody I've worked with as a player at Southampton and as a coach at Leicester City.





"We want the best people available to be the team behind the team – and I’m very happy with the individuals that are around me.”





Idiakez will begin work with immediate effect at the Training Centre in partnership with the University of Derby.





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