ACADEMY coach Luca Gabriel is providing tactical support for Worcester City’s caretaker boss John Snape.

Gabriel, who is the club’s head of youth development, was on the pitch for the warm-up ahead of Worcester’s 2-1 defeat to Brackley Town on Tuesday night.

Snape, who has been in temporary chance since Carl Heeley’s departure in late January, said Gabriel offered him with a “different voice” as 19th-placed City bid to avoid relegation from Vanarama National League North.

And he gave him the opportunity to “bounce off ideas” in games when captain and interim assistant boss Danny Jackman was in action.

“Luca has come in to give us a hand on the training ground,” Snape said.

“He works with the kids at the football club and is a smashing guy.

“He just provides me with a different pair of eyes and a different voice to just give me opinions when Danny is on the pitch, so I will be bouncing off ideas with him from now until the end of the season.”

Gabriel has previously worked in West Bromwich Albion’s academy and arrived at City three years ago to head up their junior set-up.

“Luca wants to help the club as much as he can and he is promoting the youth along with Mark Owen as we have got lads coming in,” Snape added.

“He knows his stuff, he knows his players and he knows how we are going to set up, so hopefully he can give us a few rewards before the end of the season.”