The successor to long-term ECB Performance Director Mo Bobat has been appointed. Ed Barney, who previously worked as Talent Identification Scientist with the ECB from 2010 to 2013 before moving to his role with England and Great Britain Hockey in 2016, has been selected for the position. During his time with the hockey teams, Barney oversaw significant successes, including Olympic gold for the GB women in Tokyo in 2021 and the England women’s team winning their first ever Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham 2022. He also helped the men’s hockey team achieve their highest world ranking in 20 years and win silver at the European Championships, their first medal at that level in 14 years.
Barney’s previous stint with the ECB coincided with that of his predecessor, Mo Bobat, who held the position for 12 years before moving to a new role as director of cricket at Royal Challengers Bangalore. Barney expressed his excitement about returning to the ECB and taking on the role of Performance Director, stating that he looks forward to building on the exceptional work in place and supporting talented players to excel on the world stage.
Rob Key, Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, commended Barney’s outstanding record in high-performance sports and highlighted the importance of his role in increasing the depth of talent and preparing players for international cricket. Key also emphasized Barney’s readiness to continue the significant work being done at the ECB.
