England Netball name Dan Ryan as head coach of the national U21 side

England Netball has announced the appointment of Dan Ryan as head coach of the national U21 side.

The Manchester Thunder coach will take up his role with immediate effect and remains in charge of the Superleague franchise.

England's youngsters are currently working towards the World Youth Netball Cup, which will be hosted in Botswana next summer.

"I feel incredibly privileged and fortunate to be entrusted by England Netball to lead the U21s to the World Youth Cup," said Ryan.

I cannot wait to start working with the group and see what we can achieve together over the next two years.

"The WYC is a once in a lifetime opportunity for underage athletes and I'm really committed to making this a successful experience for them.

"I cannot wait to start working with the group and see what we can achieve together over the next two years."

The Thunder coach is focused on raising expectations within the U21 set up.

"One of my first priorities is to make sure that these young athletes in the program believe that anything is possible," he said.

"I want to transform the mind-set from focusing on finishing on the podium, to aiming and preparing to be best in the world."

Ryan has vast experience in coaching and moved over to the UK following a spell as assistant coach in the ANZ Championships at Adelaide Thunderbirds.

"My philosophy is very much focused on hard work, intensity and an uncompromising approach to doing the basic things well," he said.

"I've been fortunate enough to be exposed to some really successful high performance environments during my time in Australia and the ANZ Championship and that experience has played a huge role in my overall development as a coach.

"There is some incredible young talent in this country, so from my point of view there is so much opportunity for this group to be really successful, and that's what we will be working towards every time we step on the court."