North Village have confirmed the appointment of Richard Todd as their head coach on a two-year contract.

The former Bermuda Football Association National Academy director expressed his excitement yesterday about joining the Premier Division heavyweights.

“I am delighted to return to North Village,” Todd said. “I came through the youth ranks of Village and the club was very influential in terms of my development as a player and ultimately my continued growth within the game of football.”

Todd replaces Ralph Bean Jr, who has been the club’s player-coach for the past 2½ seasons after taking over from Shaun Goater in January 2013.

Stephen Coddington, the North Village president, believes Todd will be a good fit for the club.

“In Richard I believe we have a head coach who, with his high energy passion for attacking football, will embrace the style of play we associate with our club,” he said.

“He has a proven ability to develop each player as an individual, while building great team spirit and a winning mentality. We have a talented squad that Richard is excited to be coaching next season.”

Todd left Bermuda to attend Alabama A&M University where he played for four years and later captained the team. He then spent a year as a student-graduate assistant at the university while also playing in the United Soccer Leagues for the Chattanooga Express, gaining experience playing as a semi-professional both indoors and outdoors.

After graduating from university, Todd worked at a private school and ran its football programme, which included varsity boys and girls from middle to high school.

These teams had several successful state championship wins. Todd later spent two years in Birmingham, Alabama, as the academy director for Vestavia Hills Soccer Club before returning to Bermuda.

The former St George’s coach has completed several football courses and has a Brazilian football coaching licence, an NSCAA Advanced National Diploma and has received the NSCAA Director of Coaching Diploma.

Todd resigned from his position at the BFA last month at the end of a three-year contract.