Steve Wigley has been appointed as a coach by the Football Association to help develop English talent.

The 45-year-old former Saints boss and academy chief will work closely with club academies, specifically looking at the 17-21 age group.

FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking said: "Steve's appointment completes the restructuring of our coach education and national coach set-up.

"We are now well-equipped to support both the grassroots and the professional game in working to change and improve the way we develop our young players.

"Steve will be travelling the country to get much closer to the clubs and help agree the changes we believe the professional game needs to make".

Wigley - boss of Saints between August and December 2004, was assistant to Stuart Pearce at Manchester City and for the European Championship finals with England Under-21s.

With Pearce now full-time boss for the under-21s, Wigley will continue as his assistant for the Euro 2009 campaign as well as his other duties.

Their qualifiers start next Friday with the trip to Montenegro before travelling to Bulgaria for a clash in Sofia the following Tuesday.

The under-21s will then have another four qualifiers before the end of November, with Montenegro and Bulgaria playing in England and also away games against the Republic of Ireland and Portugal.