Steve Kean has quit his post as Hibs’ academy director to take over as manager of Georgian side Torpedo Kutaisi.

The former Blackburn Rovers boss joined the Easter Road outfit 18 months ago, during which time restructured the academy, introducing a development squad with the main aim of producing players for the first team.

Over the last year-and-a-half, six academy graduates have gone on to make their top team debuts: Murray Aiken, Jacob Blaney, Kevin Dąbrowski, Robbie Hamilton, Oscar MacIntyre and Josh O’Connor.

Alongside this, the academy also won plaudits on the pitch by winning the CAS Elite U18 League, the cinch Reserve League and progressed to the play-off round of the UEFA Youth League where they lost narrowly to Borussia Dortmund.

Kean said: “This has been a really tough decision for me. I have absolutely loved my time with Hibs and the last 18 months.

“We have achieved a lot of different milestones within the academy during that time which the club can be proud of. However, sometimes these opportunities come your way and you have to take them when they arise.”

Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell said: “As a club, we would like to sincerely thank Steve Kean for the enormous impact he’s had on Hibernian FC and the development of the club’s academy.

“Through his strategic decisions, we have been able to increase the standard of academy coaching, provide specific player development plans and bridge the gap towards the first team. Whilst we’re very sorry and disappointed to be losing him, we understand his will to manage first-team football again. We wish him all the best at Torpedo Kutaisi and for the future.”