THE LOWDOWN (Conor Walsh)

Mark McGettigan or better known as FPL General within fantasy league circles is an avid player of Fantasy Football and has regularly finished within the top 500 over the past decade. This was an interesting chat with Mark getting to hear his story and some of the foundations behind his success. What's more if you are an avid or casual fantasy league player like me you will enjoy hearing more from Mark on his tactics, plans and strategies for GW4 and beyond. Also listen closely to the dilemna Mark has this week as a certain high valued player makes his long awaited return to the game. Expect to hear more about;

- How he got involved playing the game?

- Building a foundation for fantasy success.

- Try not to get ownership% influencing you.

- How many high value assets can you get in one team?

- Who are the key players in fantasy football this season?

- Personal v Professional conflict in fantasy football.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 07:46 - Intro

07:47 - 13:44 - Fantasy success

13:45 - 16:57 - FOMO

16:58 - 21:37 - Wildcard

21:38 - 24:21 - Professions that do well?

24:22 - 30:19 - Future

Mark's Twitter; https://twitter.com/FPLGeneral?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Mark's Podcast; https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-ronaldo-worth-taking-a-points-hit-for/id1341747815?i=1000534581959

A lot of people think; “Wow you work in football!” but what does the reality actually look like? Recently I had the pleasure to sit down with Chris Rush as he reflected upon his 15 years working in professional football at clubs such as Middlesbrough, Manchester City and most recently Blackburn. The interview focuses on the realities working as support staff in the professional game and the circumstances surrounding his recent departure from Blackburn. We discussed topics such as;

- Working as support staff in football

- What did the weekly routine look like?

- When does a passion become a profession?

- Can universities do a better job at raising awareness among students?

- Cultural reform

Pacey Performance Survey; https://www.strengthofscience.com/pacey-performance-academy-performance-staff-survey/

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:17 - 15 years in football

03:18 - 11:30 - Reasons for leaving professional football

11:31 - 15:15 - Pacey Performance Survey

15:16 - 17:35 - Is it just football?

17:36 - 19:38 - What does a typical week look like?

19:39 - 26:36 - Can universities do better?

26:37 - 31:04 - Reforms

31:05 - 35:30 - What's next for Chris?

“Be authentic, don't conform”

Sally Needham's career has been a never ending quest as to how to better understand the how & why behind kid's behaviour. After honing her craft as a coach & coach educator within the FA for 13 years Sally left to pursue her area of passion in the psychological and social aspects of the game through the lens of neuroscience. She has certainly got lost in the learning and is one of the game's go to experts in areas such as neuroscience and child development. Sally now works at Sheffield United where she puts many of these practices into place throughout the academy. Here in this episode she unpacks her career to date and as to how we can apply some of these teachings into practice. A must listen for all coaches and educators alike. Furthermore we discussed;

- Living in the moment versus pursuing your goals.

- The turning point in Sally's coaching career.

- Common misconceptions surrounding Sally's work?

- “Getting in the green zone” - what is the polyvagal theory?

- Practical examples as to how to apply Sally's teachings on the pitch.

- How to stress and stretch players approapriately within the challenge-skills sweetspot?

- What can coaches do now to begin providing for the future player?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:46 - Coaching Pathway

06:47 - 14:34 - Neuroscience

14:35 - 19:38 - Application

19:39 - 28:23 - Challenge-Skills Sweetspot

28:24 - 35:45 - Future Player

35:46 - 39:55 - Sheffield United

39:56 - 44:22 - Advice

Today's episode is an enlightening conversation with world respected football journalist Ben Jacobs.

In today's age of bottomless content and ITK's galore it can be often tough to identify the signal amongst the noise. However we have no such problem with today's guest. With a punditry career spanning 15+ years Ben takes us through many of the principles which have fuelled his ascent and enabled him to build reciprocal relationships in the game.

With the added scrutiny of a large social media following, Ben's world can be an often a precarious place at times. So how does he deal with this?

Learn as to how "the work in a transfer window is done before the transfer window", how Ben recovers from setbacks and how his preparation remains his separation.

Listen to find out more including;

- Behind the scenes of a journalist's life in a transfer window.

- Developing genuine relationships within the industry.

- Being an early adopter of the digital age and the advantages which ensued.

- How to be adaptable without sacrificing the end goal?

- Getting the story out versus getting it right.

- Having a solid foundation and maintaining it even during running transfer sagas such as Messi and Mbappe?

Ben Jacobs website; https://www.ben-jacobs.com/

Ben Jacobs X; https://twitter.com/JacobsBen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"Vision as a doorway to performance"

Okkulo use the eyes as the doorway to improve an athlete's economy of movement. Having the vision the turn the marginal gains of athletes into exceptional gains, CEO & Founder Mel O'Connor offers us insight into their work. Learn more as to how Okkulo was shaped in and outside of the lab over a 20 year period with innovation and a willingness to succeed at the forefront. Already operating amid a range of sports including football, basketball, cricket, Mel and I spoke about the technology's functionality and where he sees technology and sport intersecting in the future.

Listen to find out more including;

- How it took 20 years for Mel to realize his calling.

- Teambuilding at the speed of change.

- The relentless pursuit of overcoming obstacles.

- How the technology impacts performance ?

- What has been the major hurdle in entering the football industry?

- Taking on feedback and working in tandem with clubs.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:50 - Intro

05:51 - 11:27 - Vision

11:28 - 16:52 - Exceptional Gains

16:53 - 26:40 - Innovation

26:41 - 29:26 - Advice

Okkulo YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@okkuloltd1973

Okkulo Website; https://www.okkulo.com/

“If something means everything to you, then you go above and beyond”.

Marc Pugh is one of very few footballers to have played and scored in all top five tiers of English football. From the National League to the Premier League with Bournemouth Marc reached the pinnacle of top flight football. Moving up through the divisions Marc soon discovered the consistent key differentiator was an investment in his own performance.

Embarking down the path of a continuous education and investigating his own curiosities regarding nutrition Marc never stood still and ensured he remained playing at the top. Now in his current guise as “The Foodie Footballer” here he is paying forward the lessons of a career to the next generation.

Furthermore we discussed;

- Secrets behind a successful career in the game?

- The percentages to getting to the top and staying there?

- How exactly recovery is linked to nutrition?

- “Feeling better at 34 than he did at 22”.

- The birth of “The Foodie Footballer”.

- Compound effect in the power of investing in your own performance.

- The one biggest nutrition belief Marc has changed his mind on?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:50 - Intro

04:51 - 08:02 - Nutrition

08:03 - 14:52 - Accountability & Routine

14:53 - 21:36 - Foodie Footballer

21:37 - 30:47 - Football Fuel

30:48 - 36:06 - Evolution

36:07 - 39:24 - Advice

Marc's Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/thefoodiefootballer/?hl=en

Marc's Twitter; https://twitter.com/marcpugh7

Juan Delgado is the Academy Director of Austin FC. As his academy travelled to Dallas for a youth tournament Juan joined me to explain how the project is progressing to date. Juan's experiences at Villarreal, Valencia and Aspire Academy have provided him with tremendous context as to what the future player may look like. In our conversation Juan discusses how we can examine youth development objectively in this increasingly complex era. Moreover we discuss how this process is shaped, refined and adapted to the player's needs. Whether you are building a game model, defining your principles of play or looking for inspiration this is a must listen. Check out below to learn more about;

- What does football mean to Juan?

- What's the most challenging part of building an academy?

- The power of knowing where you want to go.

- Bypassing fear in youth development.

- Why any philosophy should start with the player?

- What does the future game look like?

- The influence of Marcelo Bielsa on his beliefs.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:55 - Valencia, Villarreal & Aspire Academy

05:56 - 11:07 - Austin FC

11:08 - 15:25 - Culture

15:26 - 19:43 - Game Model

19:44 - 26:07 - The future game

26:08 - 32:11 - Principles of Play

32:12 - 36:14 - Advice

36:15 - 41:01 - Success

South London rightly generates a lot of clamour in recognition of the players it produces but what about it's coaches? Harry Watling joined me this week as we dove in deep into the secrets behind the rise of one of the UK's top coaching exports. At 31 Harry was appointed as the head coach of USL team; Hartford Athletic, in the process becoming the league's youngest. Coaching at prestigious academies such as Chelsea, Millwall & West Ham provided Harry the ultimate education in talent development. His experience as an elite developer alongside a healthy dose of emotional intelligence with some old school values added into the mix stacked the odds in his favour. Not knowing when the opportunity is coming but doing everything to be ready. This is Harry's journey to date and there is something here for everyone to take away. Among what we discussed included;

- What did Harry do in his first off season in management?

- Learning the art of balancing performance and education within Chelsea's academy.

- The rising tide of young English coaches breaking down barriers to enter the game.

- How understanding business dynamics smoothed Harry's transition from coach to manager?

- The steps taken to achieve buyin amongst a new group of players before inspiring the execution.

- Generalist v Specialist coaches (and the art of delegation).

- Where Harry looks for inspiration?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:14 - A coach's life

05:15 - 13:25 - Breaking down walls

13:26 - 16:30 - Talent development

16:31 - 22:57 - Management

22:58 - 29:26 - Generalist v Specialist

29:27 - 36:16 - Inspiration & Advice

Harry's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-watling-060623123/

Harry's Instagram ; https://www.instagram.com/h_watlingcoach/?hl=en

“The aim of Football Coach Evolution is not to change the world but to develop coaches based on more objective & reliable information”.

Raymond Verheijen is the owner of Football Coach Evolution providing a best in class coaching education to coaches all over the world. Having served as an assistant in four World Cups & Euros alongside being mentored by the likes of Louis Van Gaal & Guus Hiddink there are few better equipped to guide the next generation. Utilizing evolutionary knowledge to explain tactical principles & methodology, Raymond has created a universal football language to better equip coaches for the challenges ahead. Yet knowledge is only the starting point and we gain insight as to the challenges faced when we begin to apply this objective knowledge in our respective environments. In this episode which is the longest I have recorded to date I believe there is something here for everyone no matter what level of the game you are involved in. An openness to learn, collaborate and falsify our opinions are the only way we can hope to evolve and further grow the game. Thank you Raymond for a wonderful and thought provoking chat.

Listen to find out more including;

- Raymond's coaching origin story.

- How Raymond turned his biggest disappointment into his biggest opportunity?

- Why has there been a “pollution of football language & methodology?”

- Top down control v Top down guidance.

- Guus Hiddink's mastery in change management.

- How to ensure your tactical principles are built on solid foundations?

- Can we change the conversation at boardroom level?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:30 - Intro

04:31 - 14:51 - Universal Football Language

14:52 - 25:37 - Application

25:38 - 32:47 - Change Management

32:48 - 45:38 - Clarity of Role

45:39 - 1:00:22 - Knowledge or Experience?

1:00:23 - 1:14:32 - Intelligence or Consciousness?

1:14:33 - 1:24:25 - Advice

Raymond's Website; https://www.fcevolution.com/

Raymond's new book; https://www.fcevolution.com/winkel/books/tactical-principles/

There are few who know how challenging the role of Sporting Director is better than Mike Rigg. Having worked the role at a number of clubs including Man City, Fulham, QPR and Burnley, Mike is now educating the next generation of the perils and prospects involved alongside his colleagues at the Association of Sporting Directors.

Fit & alignment in finding the right job, being able to link the business with the football, managing player recruitment amidst the noise, you can tell it is not easy to go travel this path which often changes. However with a bit of purpose and clarity you might just not only survive but triumph. What we discussed included;

- How has the role of Sporting Director evolved over the years?

- The three different hats of a Sporting Director.

- What Mike's apprenticeship looked like at Blackburn in the pre-data age?

- Fit & Alignment in finding positions.

- Which two things are important to succeeding in the job?

- Playing long term but being judged short term.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:20 - What is the role?

06:21 - 11:16 - Apprenticeship

11:17 - 20:36 - Fit & Alignment

20:37 - 27:06 - Income v Outcome

27:07 - 33:12 - Recruitment

33:13 - 37:09 - Advice

Association of Sporting Directors; https://associationofsportingdirectors.com/

“What is football?”

Marcel Lucassen is the technical director of the UAE FA. Marcel is a firm advocate that better players need better coaches and it is within this lens Marcel views the game. In this episode we speak about coaching and how it has evolved through the lens of his experience in the game. Marcel's evolution as a coach has coincided with him taking top leadership positions at the likes of the DFB, KNVB and Arsenal. Here he takes us through how he has successfully managed to instigate change and ignite new processes within a host of different cultures.

Listen to find out more including;

- How early moments of intrigue led him down the coaching path?

- Innovating and achieving buyin amongst staff.

- Coaching the individual player within the team context.

- What is football?

- Why do football coaches need constant evolvement.

- Leading change at the DFB and raising awareness at Arsenal.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:24 - Intro

09:25 - 19:00 - Evolving

19:01 - 28:07 - What is Football?

28:08 - 42:30 - German Football

42:31 - 52:14 - Leadership

52:15 - 1:12:48 - The next evolution

Dave Reddin was one of the key cultural architects responsible for the overhaul in English football after his appointment as Head of Team Strategy & Performance back in 2014. Here in this episode he outlines in remarkable detail the vision and steps which the FA undertook to make them a key player on the world stage once again. A first principles approach coupled with lessons from being part of successful English Rugby and Team GB teams helped Dave to pioneer performance. Furthermore Dave gives his thoughts on "what is winning?" and "what is next for the England team on the Hillary step of Everest?" In addition listen to hear more about;

- Working with investors to disrupt the status quo at Pitch 32.

- The breadth of experience every young Sports practitioner should seek?

- Lessons from England Rugby & Team GB?

- The unique recipe which is winning.

- Why organisations sometimes fail despite having the right people & capabilities?

- Remarkable insight into the cultural & strategic change within the FA.

- How a weekend away in a forest helped shape the future of English football?

- Why behavioral changes sometimes make for better benchmarks over data?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:16 - Intro

04:17 - 21:32 - England Rugby & Team GB

21:33 - 35:05 - The FA

35:06 - 49:24 - Cultural Change

49:25 - 54:11 - Newcastle United

54:12 - 59:02 - Legacy

59:03 - 1:02:32 - Advice

"There is always a next step..."

Darren Powell's mantra for player development is too something which he holds close to his heart. Now the Director of Player Development for Inter Miami Darren is responsible for overseeing the transition of players from their MLS Next side into the professional game.

Understandably and not entirely an exact science, Darren and Inter Miami have received plaudits galore for their shrewd judgment in the ascent of as many as 6 homegrowns to the pro ranks recently.

Listen to find out more including;

- College soccer as a character building experience.

- Creating a player's IPP through understanding their motivational trigger points.

- How Darren envisages the composition of MLS squads will evolve?

- Understanding the not so exacts science as to when to accelerate a player's pathway?

- What Darren learned by studying how the greats get to top in their chosen field?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:44 - Intro

04:45 - 11:06 - USA

11:07 - 18:01 - Inter Miami

18:02 - 26:43 - Modern Player

26:44 - 28:27 -Advice

Larry Sunderland is the Director of Player Development at FC Cincinnati. Having worked previously within US youth national team set ups alongside the academies of Chicago Fire & Portland Timbers, Larry knows exactly what it takes to make it as a professional footballer. During our wide ranging conversation we discussed all the internal and external factors which go into shaping young talents. Listen to this episode to learn more about;

- The importance of self-regulation in youth development?

- How he narrows the gap between what someone is and what they can become?

- What it is like to build an academy from the ground up?

- Why it is important to look past the low hanging fruits of success?

- The psycho-social components of establishing an identity?

- Which soft skill must all player's possess if they are to become professional?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:00 - Early beginnings

05:01 - 08:58 - Self-Regulation

08:59 - 12:55 - “Working in the gap”

12:56 - 17:42 - Environment

17:43 - 29:37 - Philosophy

29:38 - 33:10 - Identity

33:11 - 40:26 - Embracing Adversity

40:27 - 47:14 - Coach Development

47:15 - 49:36 - Legacy

Sonny Cobbs is the Founder & CEO of Precision Football. It sits as the flagship Football Tech Centre of the Middle East at less than a few years old. With 25 staff and 3,000 people coming through the doors each week it is a paradise for anyone in love with the sport.

Even more remarkable than the very idea of its existence have been the milestones the organisation have hit in such a short space of time. This “overnight success” is not a surprise to many who know it’s founder Sonny Cobbs. Faced with the many trials and tribulations blighting many a young entrepreneur Sonny shares the story of how he lost everything only to bounce back and do it even better.

Winning 10 out of their last 11, with a run embodying the very grit the club was built on Precision recently achieved promotion in their maiden season. Speaking to Sonny we learn about how Precision has set a new standard for the Dubai region, how they plan to cement their place as a key stakeholder in the tech boom storming football, plans for international expansion and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- Sonny's journey to Dubai.

- Amongst a mix of factors how did one trip to America inspire the design behind Precision?

- Foundations and thought process behind the use of Precision's advanced football technology.

- Balancing the passion of a dream with the realities of being a young entrepreneur?

- The story as to how Precision achieved promotion in their first season.

- Plans to expand internationally and what role will Precision play in this latest tech boom?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:46 - Intro

06:47 - 16:05 - Dubai

16:06 - 26:07- Precision

26:08 - 31:08 - First Team

31:09 - 41:13 - The Main Thing

41:14 - 42:32 - Advice

Website; https://www.precisionfootball.com/

Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/precisionftbl/?hl=en

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Currently the allure of investing in Premier League football is as strong as ever. This has coincided with a rise of American investment into English football with 50% of Premier League clubs having some form of American investment. To understand this growing trend who better a guest to invite on than one of the leaders responsible for attracting the best talent into the boardrooms and also Head of Capital Investment for the UK government in North America; Richard Albert.

Working to support the deployment of strategic capital to a variety of industries stemming from tech to social sciences and sport Richard's role is encompassing and certainly not for the faint hearted. The nature of private capital investment, the battle for streaming rights and impact of MCO's are all noteworthy topics and part of a rapidly changing investment climate.

Listen to find out more including;

- The multitude of experiences and roles which help shaped Richard's trajectory?

- What foreign investors commonly overlook when investing in UK sport?

- How US investors best generate unrealised value in UK football?

- The fine balance between regulating investment in football and remaining attractive investment wise.

- How investors are factoring the potential creation of a European Super League into their decision making ?

- What changes in investment dynamics Richard is excited to see in the forthcoming years?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:57 - Intro

08:58 - 20:02 - The Role

20:03 - 28:30 - Investor's Leverage

28:31 - 37:52 - Decision Making

37:53 - 50:19 - Governance

50:20 - 56:07 - Investment Trends

56:08 - 1:00:27 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

As the 2023 Mina Cup gets underway this weekend I was delighted to sit down with it's founder; Chris Brown for a wide ranging chat on it's inception and place within Dubai football. Chris is someone who has had a front row seat at the heart of Dubai's growth and it's footballing industry over the past 19 years. In our 40 minute chat learn more about the origins of the Mina Cup, what the UAE can do better in relation to youth development and the growth of CBF.

Listen to find out more including;

- Transitioning into life post playing.

- Building a business in Dubai and the challenges which that entails.

- What fans can expect to see from the Mina Cup this April?

- The growth of CBF and it's footing within UAE football.

- How the UAE can reform youth development within the region?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:21 - Intro

06:22 - 12:14 - Dubai

12:15 - 20:06 - CBF

20:07 - 30:09 - Mina Cup

30:10 - 36:55 - UAE Football

36:56 - 40:16 - Advice

Chris' LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-brown-57139b14/

CBF; https://cbfootballmanagement.com/

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"There is no point in being a creative when you are fearful."

Today I am joined by the magical Pat Nevin. The former Scottish international who amassed 850+ appearances playing for the likes of Chelsea, Everton and Tranmere.

Known widely today for his work in broadcasting Pat was a player beyond his time and an influential figure in his playing days.

His latest book "Football & How to Survive it" is a memoir regarding the second half of his playing career and into the boardroom. From the boardroom at Motherwell to dealing with Cantona's kung-fu kick as PFA Chairman.

This game will try to change and test you however Pat continued to preserve the true essence of"loving it for the purity of the art". An inspirational and equally timely listen.

Listen to find out more including;

- Feeling an outsider in professional environments and surviving it.

- How college nearly scuppered a move to Chelsea in the 1980's?

- Pat's novel idea for dealing with fame?

- Would such longevity be possible without a strong sense of identity beyond the white lines?

- Keeping your self worth as a player intact amid a never ending turnover of managers.

- Dealing with Eric Canton'a kung-fu kick as PFA Chairman.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:57 - Intro

05:58 - 09:57 - Childhood

09:58 - 15:34 - Overcoming Fear

15:35 - 26:17 - Chelsea

26:18 - 32:45 - Longevity

32:46 - 49:16 - Boardroom

49:17 - 52:01 - Broadcasting

52:02 - 1:04:14 - Football & How to survive it

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"If you do the work, know yourself, know your team, then you can grow your team."

Orlando SC have undergone quite the transformation over these past few years and have become known as a perennial title contender in the MLS.

Today's guest David Cosgrave has played a huge part in redefining service excellence for the Florida outfit in their quest to build a top class culture. "Find a Way" has become the motto of the "The Lions". You don't build community by chance and with social cohesion at the heart of the squad with players and staff empowered alike, Orlando earned plaudits this season for achieving a near perfect availability rate of 97%.

The following episode is a superb case study of how one leader leverages "culture as a competitive advantage."

Furthermore learn as to how winning deep begins with happy staff, how HR can be cross pollinated with sporting performance, how you can test your culture today with a "stinky fish" and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- The transformative impact which a trophy win can have on a community?

- The influence of Pippa Grange on building out the culture framework in Orlando.

- Why real culture happens underneath the iceberg?

- How David and the club win the "the war for talent"?

- Identifying areas of hidden potential and creating structures for opportunity within it.

- What goes into David's sense making work to reflect on the past season and to plan ahead?

- What brings David joy from the game itself?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 02:01 - Miami

02:02 - 08:17 - Road Warriors

08:18 - 18:52 - Culture

18:53 - 22:58 - Copenhagen

22:59 - 30:44 - "Brain Trust"

30:45 - 43:20 - Winning Deep

43:21 - 52:36 - Self Reflection

52:37 - 57:30 - Mental Models

57:31 - 59:13 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

“You are not there to tell people what to do, you are not an expert in sports science, in video analysis, your job is to recruit those best people for the role. “

With a lot of uncertainty over the role of Sporting Director, Chris Casper of Salford City joined me recently to clarify the job, it's function and how it's evolved. Graduating from the “Class of'92“. Chris has taken the best principles and applied it within his own guise. Whether it has been playing, coaching or now at executive level he has taken ownership of his own pathway whilst holding the torch for many others. Not being afraid to adapt & change, embracing the new whilst remembering the old listen to how Chris marries up the short and long term to stack the odds in Salford City's favour.

Among what we discussed included;

- High performance lessons from Sir Alex Ferguson & “The Class of 92“.

- Are support networks best equipped to enable players to make the transition out of football?

- How Chris defines his role as Sporting Director?

- Insights into how Salford City navigated GB permit changes post Brexit ?

- Has a Sporting Director time to switch off from the game?

- How will the role of Sporting Director evolve ?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 10:25 - Class of '92

10:26 - 16:27 - Resilience

16:28 - 19:26 - Coaching

19:27 - 27:45 - Sporting Director

27:46 - 31:42 - Recruitment & Academy

31:43 - 35:49 - Identity

35:50 - 40:57 - Advice

Chris' LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-casper-msc-8501b5157/

Just over one month ago Bolton had won 7-0 at home in front of 25,000 people continuing their promotion push to the Championship. It is a far cry to a club just over a few years prior who had just come out of administration, straggled at the bottom of League 2. When a situation is as ground zero where do you even begin?

For the new Sporting Director; Chris Markham it was quite the remit however fear not Wanderers had found a professional very equipped from his time at Huddersfield Town and the FA. A few years later and with an expansive playing style, aligned leadership and savvy recruitment Bolton have rightly earned plaudits on their way to being "a league of one".

I was fortunate Chris joined me today to share more about the old school values and modern methods propelling Bolton up the EFL.

Listen to find out more including;

- The masters on the grass at Huddersfield Town which kickstarted Chris' career?

- What an analysis culture looks like and lessons from heading up the game insights department at the FA?

- The meticulous planning and detail which goes into placing Bolton in a position to thrive and not just survive.

- How Chris and Bolton encourage risk taking not only in players but staff?

- The use of the loan market in Bolton's squad building.

- How has his leadership style had to evolve between managing a department to managing a club?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:27 - Huddersfield Town

09:28 - 14:43 - The FA

14:44 - 21:58 - Bolton

21:59 - 24:37 - Innovation

24:38 - 28:46 - Sporting Director

28:47 - 36:49 - Squad Building

36:50 - 43:52 - Leadership

43:53 - 46:00 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

David Mayer is one half of the Gold Dust podcast and co-author of the book; 'Gold Dust: How to Become A More Effective Coach, Quickly'. The book and podcast is terrific for anyone wishing to improve their communication and coaching skills. David is a lifelong learner and this certainly shone through in our conversation. Here we strip it back from the 'X's and O's' and speak about what you can do today, tomorrow and in the future to coach and inspire future generations. As David said your journey is all about; 'learning, unlearning and relearning'. Expect to hear us speak about;

- What does gold dust mean?

- The set of skills which will set you apart as a coach?

- The three things athletes want to know from coaches?

- Why the process of writing a book is similar to the art of coaching?

- The importance of cross pollinating from different walks of life.

- Learning v Execution.

- 'Listen to learn before attempting to help.'

-One thing David would bring from the UK to the US and from the US to the UK?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:50 - Intro

03:51 - 13:20 - Gold Dust

13:21 - 19:55 - Book & Podcast

19:56 - 30:10 - Hidden School of Learning

30:11 - 34:09 - US v UK

34:10 - 43:43 - The Future Coach

43:44 - 47:10 - Advice

Gold Dust Twitter; https://twitter.com/golddustpodcast?lang=en

David's Twitter; https://twitter.com/djmayer3

Gold Dust book; https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Dust-Effective-Quickly-communicator-ebook/dp/B082357NW5

"The future of football is going faster and faster, scanning becomes so important..."

For those who are curious, life often serves the best returns. What was a deficiency in Karl Aksum's playing career became a topic of fascination for the newly turned coach in his early days.Studying thousands of game situations Karl soon became inspired to put pen to paper on some groundbreaking research on visual perception in elite football.

Collaborating with clubs such as Ajax and Southampton, organisations such as UEFA and under the mentorship of Arsene Wenger Karl was soon able to translate into actionable tangible insights serving not only his coaching but the wider football community.

As someone who is not against departing from popular convention this is an insightful and inspiring listen on what the future of football could look like.

Listen to find out more including;

- The difference between looking and seeing when it comes to scanning?

- How visiting Arsenal and Arsene Wenger helped Karl iterate upon his studies in scanning ?

- What huge differences Karl noticed between the U17 and U19 age groups in his studies?

- The everyday impact on Karl’s training from his research.

- How colours and movements change how Karl trains?

- Why coaches need to fall out of love with rondos ?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 01:47 - Intro

01:48 - 07:24 - Scanning

07:25 - 12:49 - Training Methodology

12:50 - 20:18 - PhD

20:19 - 33:40 - Results

33:41 - 39:35 - Rondos

39:36 - 44:49 - Relationism

44:50 - 48:53 - Evolution

48:54 - 51:25 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Interview with Smarterscout's Dan Altman on football data's revolution covering topics such as;

- The origins of Smarterscout

- Moving from economics to football

- What we can do v What we can implement

- Differences between roster building in the Premier League & MLS

- Insight into Wayne Rooney's move to DC United

- Rise of US private equity firms in European football

Smarterscout Twitter; https://twitter.com/smarterscout?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Dan's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/altmandaniel/

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:27 - Smarterscout

03:28 - 11:01 - Growth of data within football

11:02 - 14:10 - City Football Group, D.C United & Swansea City

14:11 - 17:18 - Premier League & MLS Roster Building

17:19 - 20:13 - Inside Wayne Rooney's move to DC

20:14 - 25:29 - Translating data into practice

25:30 - 28:02 - Rise of US Private Equity firms in European football

28:03 - 30:22 - Future of data within football

Interview with Ben Lyttleton, author of 'Twelve Yards: The Art & Psychology of the Perfect Penalty' & ‘Edge: What Business Can Learn from Football’ covering all topics including;

- Football as a tool for education & self-improvement

- How to measure success?

- The next frontier of talent development

- Tuchel, Deschamps & developing the individual

- How Lionel Messi can improve at penalties?

- Resilience going forward

Ben's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-lyttleton-053a981/

Ben's Twitter; https://twitter.com/benlyt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Twelveyards substack; https://twelveyards.substack.com/

Football School; https://www.footballschool.co/

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:25 - Football as a tool

08:26 - 10:10 - Next frontier of talent development

10:11 - 20:48 - Cohesion, measuring success & Tuchel

20:49 - 26:50 - Deschamps & developing the individual

26:51 - 38:18 - Red Bull, Liverpool & defining talent

38:19 - 46:31 - Penalties

46:32 - 51:10 - Football School

51:11 - 57:15 - Resilience

"It is in destabilization and movement and not stability and fixedness that reality finds opportunities to develop in interesting and unpredictable ways".

Argentina's recent World Cup success represented a shift in the eco system of World Football. Football after all is a cultural expression however lately the local forces in which the game emerged have been usurped by global idealism as to how the game ought to be played. "Without a vibrant, bubbling multiplicity of footballing realities interacting with each other the game becomes stagnant, mineralised in its current state, fossilised and frozen in time." The Argentine's crowning glory saw the universalization of the European positionist approach meeting "La Nuestra" (our way) of the Argentinian's and came up short.

Is this triumph of localism a one off success?

Is it happening elsewhere?

Have we reached Year Zero and the dawn of a new beginning?

Esteemed tactics writer and football coach; Jamie Hamilton joins me to discuss all the above and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- The issue with treating football tactics as a problem to be solved.

- Juanma Lillo and the homogenisation of football.

- How people misconstrue Total Football?

- Fluminense, Napoli and the dawn of a new era.

-Messi, Van Gaal and the altercation which encapsulates the tension between two counter schools of football.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:43 - Intro

05:44 - 11:42 - Theory v Practice

11:43 - 15:55 - Consumption of Football

15:56 - 23:15 - Total Football

23:16 - 31:30 - Relationist Approach

31:31 - 43:02 - La Nuestra

43:03 - 49:41 - New Age

49:42 - 58:04 - Coaching

Jamie's Twitter; https://twitter.com/stirling_j?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Jamie's Medium; https://medium.com/@stirlingj1982

Doug Lemov is the author of 'Teach Like a Champion' & 'The Coach's Guide to Teaching'. Doug has a track record of going into underprivileged schools and turning them around. How he did so and why this can help sporting organisations and their coaches is what we delve into during the blockbuster conversation. During our talk Doug gives the lowdown on a range of subjects varying from performance v learning to the inverse relationship between resources and success. This will be a podcast which I'm sure you and I will be returning to frequently. What we discussed also included;

- Key differences between the classroom & the locker room?

- What is the most efficient way for players to learn in the long haul?

- The concept of the 'quiet eye'?

- Separating the wheat from the chaff in the cognitive revolution.

- Why in Doug's experience there's an inverse relationship between resources & success?

- Retrieval practices for building up long term memory.

- How to improve coach efficacy in delivering feedback?

- What Doug learned about player interaction from Eddie Jones & England Rugby?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:16 - Coaching v Teaching

09:17 - 18:53 - Cognitive Revolution

18:54 - 26:46 - Cultural & Resource Constraints

26:47 - 39:00 - Performance v Learning

39:01 - 47:00 - The future player

47:01 - 54:56 - Burnout

From appointing Mauricio Pochettino to signing Virgil Van Dijk and working alongside Ryan Reynolds it’s fair to say Les Reed has seen it all in football. Being one of few coaches to coach all underage England teams before managing Charlton in the Premier League he was well versed in understanding the organisational ebbs and flows of a top flight sports group prior to making the jump to the Sporting Director role. Here Les takes us through the journey of helping bring Southampton from League One to a regular top 10 side in the Premier League. A journey built on personality and credibility, Les is now passing on the lessons of his top flight experience to the Hollywood custodians at Wrexham.

Listen to find out more including;

- The evolution of the Sporting Director role.

- Changing recruitment strategy at Southampton.

- The art and science of succession planning.

- Inside Mauricio Pochettino's interview process.

- "Turning potential into excellence".

- Inside the Wrexham boardroom.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 27:14 - Sporting Director

27:15 - 47:39 - Southampton

47:40 - 1:01:43 - Van Dijk & Mane

1:01:44 - 1:16:30 - Pochettino

1:16:31 - 1:27:16 - Wrexham

1:27:17 - 1:29:21 - Advice

Peter McDonnell is the U17 head coach of Philadelphia Union. A true student of the game and committed developer, Peter has strived to ensure he has passed on the many fruits of a path shaped by football.

Coaching in Ireland, at Seacoast United and Minnesota all preceded a move to Philadelphia Union in the last year. Winning this years U17 GA Cup proved to be one of many highlights Peter has had since joining the Union.

With an illustrious history of bringing through home talent Peter’s mission is to continue this trend. Inspired by what’s possible the Killala man has to tap deep into his philosophy of limitless development to get the most out of his talented squad.

A true storyteller this episode is to be sat back to and enjoyed.

Listen to find out more including;

- Is there a perfect way or environment to develop a player ?

- Why Philadelphia Union have such a successful track record in youth development ?

- How to challenge & support amid raising expectations?

- Building a team culture in the era of the individual.

- What’s the most difficult part of coaching?

- How jiu jitsu has helped shape Peter as a person, coach & leader?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:26 - Intro

06:27 - 16:43 - Vocation

16:44 - 33:58- Philadelphia Union

33:59 - 39:38 - Evolution

39:39 - 49:18 - Jiu Jitsu

49:19 - 52:12 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

How does someone find their way into football via studying consciousness, dopamine systems and magic mushrooms?

Today's guest is Jes Buster Madsen, Head of Research & Development at FC Copenhagen.

One of the most innovative and productive academies in world football constantly striving for percentages in understanding and shaping the next frontier of youth development.

What begun as a passion to explore the finer edges of how reality is experienced has evolved to a commitment to understanding "the pandora's box of football".

One of the most inspirational podcasts recorded to date painting a very optimistic picture as to how youth development will evolve. Without question it cements the view of how sports can be used as a tool for understanding the big questions in life.

Listen to find out more including;

- A broader view of game intelligence.

- The prerequisites for making decisions on a football field.

- Building a cognitive model which is football specific.

- Which cognitive functions are correlated with future success in football?

- What are the future implications on technology resulting from Jes' latest research?

- Moving towards a future where academia and elite sport can co-exist.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:51 - Neuroscience

09:52 - 15:16 - Intelligence v Consciousness

15:17 - 28:16 - Cognitive Potential

28:17 - 37:47 - Testing

37:48 - 48:52 - Evolution

48:53 - 51:42 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

A coaching masterclass with the technical director of the world famous Le Havre Academy; Mickael Bunel. One that I will be reverting back to for a long time to come. Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez, Dmitri Payet are just a few famous alumni that have graduated from Mickael's school. This episode is a deep dive into his coaching philosophy, cultivating intelligence within players and building out a wider game model. Mickael's excellent work on scanning is a prominent topic of discussion in our conversation too. For anyone aspiring to work at the top of the game, in leadership positions or just your local grassroots club there are nuggets of gold to take. Listen to hear more about;

- How does he define his role?

- 'Coaching the player & not the exercise'.

- Building a diverse game model.

- What is football intelligence?

- Why scanning is the key differentiator & how to coach it?

- Growing out your game model with cues for fundamentals per position.

- What is success in his role?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:54 - His role

05:55 - 09:55 - Philosophy

09:56 - 17:07 - Player Development

17:08 - 28:53 - Football Intelligence

28:54 - 36:22 - Scanning

36:23 - 47:52 - Game Model

47:53 - 53:35 - Success

53:36 - 56:28 - Advice

Interview with Andrei Angelescu of UEFA & the Romanian Football Federation on all things fan engagement and TV rights in football including;

- The commercialisation of today's fan

- 2021 trends

- Premier League TV Rights

- La Liga's international growth strategy

- European Super League

- Challenges in staging the 2020 Euro's

Andrei's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreiangelescu/

Mihai Neşu Foundation; https://www.mihainesufoundation.com/ro/

“Rendez-vous” Newsletter; https://mailchi.mp/fffce7b7c5d8/discover-the-digital-trends-of-10066329

Timestamps;

00:00 - 07:54 - Fan Engagement

07:55 - 10:07 - 2021 Trends

10:08 - 18:29 - TV Rights

18:30 - 20:40 - La Liga

20:41 - 25:20 - European Super League

25:21 - 32:46 - Mihai Neşu Foundation

32:47 - 34:27 - Euro 2020

34:28 - 39:52 - Romanian Football Federation & “Rendez-Vous”

David Clancy is the CEO & Co-Founder of Nxt Level Group.

Creating a vision, discovering one's purpose, intentional reflection, planning for the future - all important right? Yet how often do we create the space and time to unpack and discover? At Nxt Level where their clients are the teams behind the team they help individuals position themselves not only for success right now but also in the future. A career steeped in curiosity & purpose David unpacks practical insights from mentors and experts alike whilst also drawing upon anecdotes from his own career to provide us with an episode full of gold.

Listen to find out more including;

- How to be both intentional and open minded as to what is next ?

- Insights from recording 200 episodes of a podcast exploring David's interests ?

- David's take on the generalist v specialist debate?

- Why everyone needs a "Mount Rushmore"?

- The big questions everyone need to ask to navigate the unknown?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:10 - Curiosity

05:11 - 11:42 - Career Planning

11:43 - 17:56- Nxt Level

17:57 - 24:45 - Identity

24:46 - 31:03 - Advice

The Essential Skills Book; https://www.eu.elsevierhealth.com/essential-skills-for-physiotherapists-9780443111280.html?nosto=nosto-page-search1

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

“You want to be a builder...”

Mark Cartwright is the Sporting Director of Huddersfield Town. Mapping out his pathway from player to agent and now the current day, he joined us to distill some of his most pertinent learnings to date.

Navigating change, working across every facet of the organisation Mark has learned to adapt and evolve quickly across his time at Stoke City, USL and now Huddersfield. Learn as how to Mark built out his own pathway, how he continually humbles himself, principles for winning in the boardroom and how he envisages his field changing.

Listen to find out more including;

- How comparable are the skillsets of Agent & Sporting Director?

- Embarking upon a career path that did not even exist.

- "You don't have to be an expert in every field but you have to have knowledge."

- Modernising Stoke City's recruitment process and what "Premier League ready" looks like?

- Mark's process for identifying and navigating bottlenecks.

- Influencing thought process at the USL with 40+ clubs to manage.

- How will the modern Sporting Director have to evolve their skillset?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 02:54 - Intro

02:55 - 07:07 - Agent

07:08 - 10:20 - Gaining an edge

10:21 - 14:20 - Stoke City

14:21 - 19:36 - Evaluate & Adapt

19:37 - 32:28 - USL

32:29 - 35:31 - Huddersfield Town

35:32 - 38:00 - Evolution

38:01 - 40:39 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Little under two months ago, our guest today Chris Docherty took the helm as Sporting Director of FC Akron; a second division team in Russia, at the tender age of 29. Despite his whirlwind start to life in Russia, Chris was kind enough to share some time with me to speak about his intriguing career arc to date. What followed was a fascinating yet intricate conversation on multiple subjects ranging from the different types of sporting directors to how various visible and invisible factors can influence youth development. Chris' journey to date is a shining example to many as to what can be achieved when you merge an insatiable hunger to improve with a first class network whilst adopting a patient approach. Umpteen personal and professional lessons to take from this one. Some of what we discussed included;

- The long road between apprenticeship & mastery.

- Implementing versus discarding research at football clubs and the cultural considerations in between.

- Opportunity amongst the managerial chaos at Hajduk Split.

- Remarkable insight into the factors behind Croatia's successful youth development record.

- The different types of sporting directors and considerations.

- FC Akron's data driven approach to challenge the elite of Russia.

- Building foundations for future success at FC Akron.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 13:55 - Apprenticeship

13:56 - 17:38 - Passion meets Reality

17:39 - 25:13 - China

25:14 - 32:35 - Hajduk Split

32:36 - 52:02 - Croatian Youth Development

52:03 - 1:08:35 - FC Akron

1:08:36 - 1:16:04 - Advice

"I believe we can teach people anything but we cannot teach them culture".Sharona Friedman is the President of the Global Institute of Sport (GIS).Now partnered with UCFB, Sharona was part of the team that launched the world's first football university. In the space of 11 years it has grown from 53 - 3,000 students with multiple campuses in the UK such as Wembley and the Etihad. Furthermore it has staged summits worldwide including the likes of New York, Toronto and Melbourne. Sharona and her team have been relentless in their efforts turning GIS into a global leading educational institution.On the back of their recent Melbourne summit it was apt time to interview Sharona and learn more about the secrets behind GIS continued success. In a changing world how have they managed to stay on top and more so continue to innovate? What started as solving an initial supply and demand problem has transformed into an entire eco-system dedicated towards bettering the education of sporting professionals worldwide.Listen to find out more including;- The reasons behind UCFB's early success?- Solving the accessibility issue of third level education.- Navigating change and GIS' plans to "remain ahead of the puck"?- The legacy of the recent Women's World Cup?- Authenticity and building long term relationships and partnerships. - How students can future proof their careers in the game?Timestamps;00:00 - 04:30 - Intro04:31 - 12:49 - UCFB12:50 - 16:12 - Culture16:13 - 21:38 - Accessibility21:39 - 30:01 - Evolution30:02 - 42:50 - Women's World Cup42:51 - 47:14 - Partnerships47:15 - 53:26 - AdviceSharona's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonafriedman/GIS; https://gis.sport/

“Don't always chase the dream, work hard and things will happen for you”.

Willie McNab is the Head of Children's Football at Celtic Football Club. With 20+ years in the game he has accumulated experience coaching at all ends of the spectrum. It was so insightful to hear Willie reflect upon his wide ranging coaching pathway with plenty of anecdotes and lessons to boot. Priding himself on a football philosophy built on beliefs and values, Willie has helped foster a process driven culture within Celtic's academy. A lifelong learner, he speaks fondly of his time being back in the classroom completing a MSc in Performance Coaching and the importance of being inquisitive and asking good questions. An episode not be missed.

Listen to find out more including;

- A senior coaching debut at 18!

- The interviewing tactics of the great Tommy Burns.

- Building a philosophy beyond the x's and o's.

- Overcoming challenges in the pursuit of creating robust players (and coaches).

- Why having a coaching strategy is a better alternative than a pre described coaching style?

- What is so unique about the environment and the player/coach relationships at Celtic Football Club?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:36 - Intro

09:37 - 14:56 - Reflection & Progress

14:57 - 21:53 - Celtic

21:54 - 26:50 - Head of Children's Football

26:51 - 35:31 - Holistic Development

35:32 - 47:50 - Robust players & coaches

47:51 - 57:52 - Lifelong Learning

57:53 - 59:20 - Advice

I was delighted to sit down recently and record with one of my favourite authors; Sam Walker. Sam’s extensive research on leadership has reshaped many peoples thoughts including my own on sculpting a team. 'The Captain's Class' is a book which will certainly stand the test of time. Here in this hour long conversation Sam debunks the myths and fallacies over what true leadership looks like, describing some of the characteristics we come to eulogize Tier One captains by. Furthermore we also discuss how his research has influenced important decisions taken by Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel in recent times. Expect to hear more about;

- How this was the outcome of 14 years of extensive research!

- Sam's consensus as to why there is such a diverse range of Tier One teams?

- How much at odds is this idea of leadership with today's individual powered society?

- Can a star player also be the key leader?

- Insights into the selection process of Harry Kane as Gareth Southgate's captain.

- Why exactly are dynasties so rare?

- How transferable are these lessons to the business world?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:42 - Intro

06:43 - 15:49 - Carrying Water

15:50 - 23:48 - Intelligent Fouls

23:49 - 36:26 - Leadership Vacuums

36:27 - 41:48 - Why dynasties fail

41:49 - 51:30 - Intentional Leadership

51:31 - 58:48 - Sport v Business

Sam's Twitter; https://twitter.com/samwalkers?lang=en

Sam's Website; https://bysamwalker.com/

Meeting Frazer pitch side in Philadelphia last summer it was clear that he has been on a special journey with an upward trajectory evidenced further since which is showing no signs of slowing down.

Going through the ages and stages of development, Frazer has left no stone unturned in his quest to better himself as an individual. Luckily for us some of those lessons cascaded into coaching and today he joins us to reflect and share anecdotes regarding some of the key experiences from his journey to date.

From an all encompassing apprenticeship in Scotland to becoming the First Team Coach of a top European side it has been some ride for the Scotsman. Some special experiences at Right to Dream in Ghana and Philadelphia Union in the USA have only served to reinforce Frazer's faith in the long term development process.

Listen to find out more including;

- The importance of working every age group throughout your coaching journey.

- How soft skills may not get you in but certainly ensure you stay there?

- Why joining Right to Dream was the best decision he has ever made?

- The invisible benefits of residential academies?

- Knowing the person before developing the player.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:45 - Intro

04:46 - 07:54 - Ages & Stages

07:55 - 10:46 - Attributes

10:47 - 22:17 - Right to Dream

22:18 - 27:01 - Philadelphia Union

27:02 - 31:22 - Standard Liege

31:23 - 34:18 - Pathways

34:19 - 36:40 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Blaine McKenna is a UEFA A Licensed coach who's currently working in Phuket, Thailand. He has been on quite the adventure to date coaching in 11 countries over 5 different continents. In our discussion we focused on Blaine's twin passions, football and psychology. For young coaches out there this is an important conversation about the long road ahead and the challenges you will inevitably encounter. Yet Blaine is here to tell the tale and provides plenty lessons as to how we can all adapt and overcome. Expect to hear more about;

- The power of networking

- Why is storytelling important?

- How to live more in the moment?

- Looking at the holistic picture as a coach

- What's it like to deliver a coaching session through a translator?

- Blaine's evolution as a coach.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:22 - Inspiration

04:23 - 10:02 - Perspective

10:03 - 20:22 - Blaine's journey

20:23 - 26:50 - Coaching practice

26:51 - 33:24 - Evolution

Blaine's Twitter; https://twitter.com/BlaineMcKenna77?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Blaine's Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/bmck77/?hl=en

Danny Maye is the lead senior youth phase coach at Southampton. This discussion is very insightful for anyone who wishes to learn more about the intricacies of working within a Premier League academy. Danny & I take a deep dive on his career to date which at times serves to be a brutally honest self-assessment. Nevertheless Danny imparts plenty of guidance as to how he and Southampton have evolved over time, successfully navigated change, refined their approach and always strive to be better. I really enjoyed this conversation with Danny and know you will too. Expect to hear more about;

- The formative experiences behind his coaching career.

- Why what value you contribute will always trump which background you come from?

- What is so unique about the Southampton way?

- The 95% v 5% rule.

- What does an interdisciplinary process of working look like?

- The common denominator between those that make it as professionals?

- Cross pollinating from other sports & industries - is it relevant or effective?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:50 - Intro

05:51 - 09:13 - Coaching Pathways

09:14 - 16:30 - The Southampton Way

16:31 - 22:56 - Holistic Development

22:57 - 27:57 - Reflection

27:58 - 34:29 - Character

34:30 - 42:02 - Change & Evolution

Eric Gottschalk is the President & CEO of United City Football Club, a Philippine football powerhouse. Last year Eric was part of the MMC Sportz Asia ownership group which acquired “Ceres Negros” a club on the brink of insolvency. Close to a year and a Philippine Championship later Eric sat down with me to discuss the ins and outs of owning and running a football club. We discussed topics such as;

- What does the ownership process looks like from due diligence to acquisition?

- A blueprint for building Philippine football

- Why you cannot give assurances to fans?

- Why some ownership groups fail?

- Eric's advice for those wishing to enter the industry

Eric's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-gottschalk-0b774315/

United City Football Club Website; https://www.unitedcityfootballclub.com/

United City Football Club Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/unitedcityfootballclub/?hl=en

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:31 - Philippine Football

04:32 - 09:16 - Acquiring a club

09:17 - 11:44 - Ownership concerns

11:45 - 14:07 - Vision

14:08 - 20:52 - Changing the club's name

20:53 - 26:51 - The big picture

26:52 - 29:56 - The day to day

29:57 - 31:43 - Legacy

31:44 - 34:23 - Elevator pitch

“You cannot see something right or wrong, there are observations of tactical patterns, it's about being more effective than the other side in the way you want to play.”

Max Bergmann of Hallescher FC made headlines earlier this year becoming one of the youngest coaches ever to manage a coach in German football history at 24 years old. Here he discusses his (young) career to date detailing how he found his passion for football in the form of analysis. Taking on multiple responsibilities has only supercharged his development in the game. Beginning as a writer for Total Football Analysis Max produced outstanding tactical content whilst in the same process educating himself and others. Fascinating listen with a coach I am sure we will continue to hear more of in the coming years.

Listen to find out more including;

- Building integrity as a young coach.

- Creating tactical content to educate self and others.

- What Max looks for in analyzing a game?

- Maximizing out on roles and responsibilities in the third division.

- Why there is a continuous pipeline of young German coaches?

- Overcoming stereotypes in professional football.

Max' Twitter; https://twitter.com/maxbergmnn?lang=en

Interview with 'Wings of Change' author Karan Tejwani on all things Red Bull including;

- Origin of Red Bull's relationship with football

- How exactly does a multi-club model work?

- Ralf Rangnick and his influence on German football

- Recruitment & Succession Planning within Salzburg & Leipzig

- Julian Nagelsmann & Jesse Marsch's futures

- The next evolution for RB Salzburg & RB Leipzig

'Wings of Change'; https://www.amazon.ae/Wings-Change-Biggest-Manufacturer-Football/dp/1785317296

https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/shop/wings-change

Karan's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/karan-tejwani-45a52414a/

Karan's Twitter; https://twitter.com/karantejwani26?refsrc=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Timestamps;

00:00 - 02:30 - Intro & why write a book on Red Bull?

02:31 - 06:04 - Multi-club models & how do they work?

06:05 - 14:26 - Ralf Rangnick & Youth Development

14:27 - 19:50 - Recruitment Model & Succession Planning

19:51 - 22:00 - Julian Nagelsmann & Jesse Marsch

22:01 -24:28 - Red Bull's footballing future

22:49 - 25:46 - Karan's future projects & closing credits

Fresh from World Cup qualification I was delighted to be joined by the leadership & team dynamics coach of the USMNT; Travis Thomas. How can improvisation help professional sports teams? Travis has cross pollinated his love of improv and team sports over the past 20 years to serve a wide range of sports and corporations all over the US. Here we unpack how he is faring in his current challenge within the USMNT setup. His is an amazing story full of anecdotes which went full circle after a late camp cancellation one Florida Winter. Luckily for us Travis was present to provide some hearty advice on pursuing your passion and trusting the process even when it does not make sense.

Among what we discussed included;

- How US Soccer has evolved generation to generation?

- Cross pollinating his love of improv with his passion for team sports.

- What exactly does “Live, Yes, And” mean?

- The series of events which led to Travis saying yes to Gregg Berhalter & the USMNT?

- What are some of the non-negotiable behaviours in the US setup?

- The criteria for evaluating a successful camp.

- Why should we be on the lookout for the USMNT in this year's World Cup?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:02 - Intro

08:03 - 15:29 - Live, Yes, And

15:30 - 22:56 - USMNT

22:57 - 29:38 - Non-Negotiables

29:39 - 36:56 - Advice

Travis' Twitter; https://twitter.com/liveyesand

Travis' Book; https://linktr.ee/travislthomas

The name Sean O'Shea is synonymous with Dubai Football. Beginning in the academy scene as many coaches Sean quickly climbed through the ranks, becoming head of football at NAS working under Sheikh Hamdan. Soon Sean was hosting training camps for the likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid whilst also privately coaching the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Luke Shaw. Becoming assistant coach at AIK, he was soon scaling the likes of Celtic Park on European nights mixing it up with elite of European football. Having recently left his posting Sean joins me here to reflect on his journey to date and what he's learned throughout all his experiences. Sean's story is full of ambition and a guiding example to many young coaches out there looking to break into the pro game. What we discussed included;

- Repurposing his passion for football in the form of coaching.

- Goal setting versus doing it for the love of the game?

- Stepping outside his comfort zone and getting on the professional ladder in Norway.

- Sheikh Hamdan's vision which saw him step away from Huddersfield.

- IDP coaching versus being a first team coach?

- Considerations and reflections going forward in the future game.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:02 - Intro

09:03 - 16:47 - Norway

16:48 - 23:52 - Dubai

23:53 - 27:38 - IDP Coaching

27:39 - 34:20 - AIK

34:21 - 42:36 - UEFA Pro

42:37 - 46:06 - Advice

David Tenney is the High Performance Director for Austin FC and has spent almost two decades in elite performance roles in the MLS and NBA. David has worked for two MLS expansion franchises helping build high performance units alongside working in the NBA and completing a PhD on organizational leadership. In this episode we speak about building the preconditions to adapt at the speed of change, how US soccer has evolved and the future of high performance.

Furthermore what we discussed included;

- The Dutch influence on his football beliefs.

- How David defines high performance?

- Evolving at the speed of change with Seattle Sounders.

- The 80/20 rule when it comes to analysing and application of football data.

- How organisational leadership differs between sports and demographics?

- Inside Austin FC's successful season.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:56 - Periodisation

05:57 - 11:52 - Seattle Sounders

11:53 - 20:02 - Building a team

20:03 - 28:00 - NBA

28:01 - 33:21 - Austin FC

33:22 - 36:49 - Advice

David's Twitter; https://twitter.com/davetenney

It would not be an understatement to say Jonathan Harding authored one of my favourite football books to date in “Mensch” which appraised the story of the German coaching revolution and the person behind the coach. However as Jonathan explains here once he began to scratch an itch he discovered the longing for plenty of coaches to discover a connection that runs deeper than just winning or losing. In his new book “Soul” Jonathan grapples with the idea that maybe professional sports can care a lot more for their people. Although the concerns we speak of are unwelcome guests there ought to be an urgency to address these now before they tear down the remaining value structures of the game which we adore. What followed was a conversation that perhaps both of us did not want but was ultimately needed. Among what we discussed included;

- The origins of Mensch.

- What exactly is a “menschenfanger”?

- Are Klopp, Tuchel & Nagelsmann unrealistic ideals to aspire towards for young German coaches?

- Are the traditional German values such as hard work & commitment to achieving excellence good or bad virtues?

- What is prohibiting innovation in German football?

- Does professional sport care about people?

- Character development beyond 90 minutes.

- The over professionalisation of children in academies.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:05 - Mensch

08:06 - 15:17 - Grand Expectations

15:18 - 24:58 - Rulebreakers

24:59 - 33:22 - Soul

33:23 - 44:16 - Player Welfare

44:17 - 51:36 - Managerial Recruitment

51:37 - 55:11 - World Cup

Mensch; https://www.amazon.com/Mensch-Beyond-Cones-Jonathan-Harding/dp/1910906182

Soul; https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1910906255/ref=dbs

Jon's Twitter; https://twitter.com/JonBloggs66?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

"All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town". - Leonard Tolstoy

Today's guest is one of football's expert storytellers. Throughout time Guillem Balague has shared the stories of many of football's greats, expertly sharing insights and humanizing the person behind the performer.

So it was about time I figured to turn the tables on Guillem and ask him to share his story.What was originally meant to be a conversation about Lionel Messi turned into an intimate story about Guillem's move to Liverpool as a young student, the early days of Revista De La Liga, the emotions which sustain his love for the game and so much more.

The first of five big episodes recorded in Miami and one which is not to be missed.

Listen to find out more including;

- The inspiration behind taking over at Biggleswade? 

- The story as to how Revista De La Liga came to life?

- His relationship with David Beckham alongside unique insight into the early days at Real Madrid.

- How Guillem broke the news of Messi moving to Inter Miami.

- Behind the scenes of Argentina's World Cup Win and how Messi evolved as a leader in Qatar.

- Who does Messi turn to in his lowest moments?

- How breaking the Fernando Torres move to Chelsea changed Guillem's relationship with social media forever?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:00 - UK Early Days

09:01 - 14:07 - Emotion

14:08 - 19:48 - Biggleswade

19:49 - 30:48 - Revista De La Liga

30:49 - 36:42 - Beckham

36:43 - 1:01:30 - Messi

1:01:31 - 1:06:30 - Social Media

1:06:31 - 1:08:21 - Advice

Guillem's Book; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Messi-must-read-biography-champion-Balagues/dp/1399619136/ref=asc_df_1399619136/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=658789276035&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4549027146112015269&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006524&hvtargid=pla-2197207796556&psc=1&mcid=68ef9cc52c083a86941091bee9d2d85a&th=1&psc=1

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Interview with Liverpool's throw in coach Thomas Gronnemark on all things including;

- His footballing journey

- Overcoming obstacles & using failure as feedback

- Similarities between Liverpool, Ajax & RB Leipzig

- That phonecall from Jürgen Klopp

- How to coach world class players

- What a typical throw in session looks like

- Pursuing your passion

Thomas' Website; https://thomasgronnemark.com/

Thomas' YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/user/Succeskultur

Thomas' Instagram; https://www.instagram.com/thomas_throwin/

Thomas' LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-gr%C3%B8nnemark/

Thomas' Twitter; https://twitter.com/thomasthrowin?lang=en

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:50 - Intro & how to cultivate a passion

04:51 - 08:44 - Multi-disciplinary approach & Mental routines

08:45 - 15:05 - Overcoming obstacles & setbacks

15:06 - 19:50 - Breakthrough moment

19:51 - 22:18 - The power of environment

22:19 -26:26 - Klopp, Liverpool & Inside Melwood

26:27 - 32:33 - Player buyin & Session structure

32:34 - 34:31 - Memorable games

34:32 - 40:21 - Work outside football & pursuing your passion

40:22 - 41:34 - Closing credits

In 1995 Bruno Costa was a budding 15 year old intern departing home with the aim of working in professional football.

What ensued has been a story of movie like proportions taking us from the Amazon rainforest to Silicon Valley featuring a supporting cast of Brazilian legends.

Amid political turmoil and public scrutiny in his early years as a leader Bruno has succeeded in helping proliferate the Brazilian of young talent and spearhead several projects to International, Olympic, Continental and Domestic success.

Now in his role as Director of Scouting & Recruitment at the San Jose Earthquakes he joins us to open up candidly about his story.

Listen to find out more including;

- The trials and tribulations working as Chief Scout for the Brazilian federation.

- Learning to lead as a 26 year old Technical Director at Fluminense.

- Recouping $100m+ in sales over a 3 year period at Fluminense.

- Building the 4 year project which ended in Brazilian gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

- How San Jose Earthquakes protect player & coach pathways through fit & alignment?

- Altering identification practices in the MLS to acquire undervalued talent.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 12:39 - The Journey

12:40 - 17:00 - Mentors

17:01 - 33:23 - Leadership

33:24 - 41:07 - Fit & Alignment

41:08 - 1:05:09 - Pathways

1:05:10 - 1:08:15 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

How do you envisage retirement? Setting off sail into the sunset? Winning the lottery?

For professional athletes that idyllic image can feel far removed and it can be quite a messy process.

And what if it's taken from you overnight?

Gareth Farrelly's life was turned upside down by a serious illness at just 32. Afterwards the former Everton, Aston Villa, Bolton and Ireland international was set down a path all too familiar with those in the footballing world which all made for a inconspicuous exit away from the game several years later.

Being strategic, leveraging lessons learned from challenging times Gareth soon came out the other side. Now Gareth leads a life of purpose in his new identity as a solicitor. Throughout this episode you too will be able to hear the never ending journey of education Gareth is on which permeates through our conversation. It was fascinating and a genuine privilege to hear Gareth's nuanced perspective on the game. Furthermore we discussed;

- A breakdown of the external and internal challenges which footballers face?

- Football as a reflection of society.

- Starting at the bottom of the right ladder.

- The concerted need to think beyond 'low resolution' in footballing circles.

- Why we need to ask ourselves is the view worth the climb?

- The fantastic work of Player 4 Player.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:43 - Early Years

03:44 - 10:52 - The Industry

10:53 - 24:28 - Retirement

24:29 - 27:35 - Law

27:36 - 31:08 - Values

31:09 - 38:49 - Player 4 Player

38:50 - 41:09 - Future

41:10 - 45:07 - Advice

Gareth's Twitter;https://twitter.com/garethfarrelly1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Interview with Casey Evans of the Stretford Paddock on all things including;

- The Sir Alex Ferguson years

- Why he's the Darren Fletcher of the Paddock

- Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's future

- VAR, Peter Walton & Irish Dolphins

- Ed Woodward & Technical Director's

- Preview of Sunday's Manchester Derby

Casey's Twitter; https://twitter.com/caseyevans?lang=en

Casey's YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJXpVLFOVET7YatIMTL2Cjg

Stretford Paddock: https://www.youtube.com/user/FullTimeDevils

Timestamps;

00:00 - 11:25 - The Sir Alex Ferguson Years

11:26 - 14:39 - Death of fan culture

14:40 - 19:07 - United this season

19:08 - 29:08 - VAR, Peter Walton & Dolphins

29:09 - 33:37 - Struggles against low blocks

33:38 - 41:41 - Ed Woodward & Technical Director's

41:42 - 46:05 - Jack Grealish & Transfers

46:06 - 58:27 - Ole's future & Styles of play

58:28 - 01:06:34 - Future of football

01:06:35 - 01:13:52 - Manchester Derby & Football media

01:13:53 - 01:15:05 - Closing Credits

“Strategy in the absence of culture gets you nowhere.”

A must listen for all coaches steeped in youth development.

Tom Byer's journey into the football world is a familiar one for many a coach. Unsatisfied with what football had to teach him in his formative years he embarked upon a journey to find experts within their field. What ensued has been over 40 years of learning, growth and constantly itching away at the forever moving target of youth development. Here Tom is kind enough to distill the insights behind what he has learned and manage to share with some of the best clubs and federations in world football. These range from winning the battle at entry level to closing the gap between best in class and least developed. At the heart of it all is a deep spirit of collaboration. Yet why does Tom feel he is more welcomed by the greats and not the minnows?

A lot to get through and unpack. Furthermore we discussed;

- Discovering football growing up in upstate New York.

- The set of circumstances which brought him to Japan.

- The common denominators taken from thousands of hours researching the most successful players and countries?

- How technical competence should be a pre-requisite before organised play?

- Designing emotionally charged environments which support deep learning and long term memory.

- What implications does the latest groundbreaking neuroscience research have for skill development?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:45 - Intro

06:46 - 13:01 - Japan

13:02 - 46:11 - Football Starts at Home

46:12 - 56:04 - Football Ecosystems

56:05 - 1:07:56 - Collaboration

1:07:57 - 1:12:54 - Advice

Tom's Twitter; https://twitter.com/tomsan106?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Tom's Book; https://soccerstartsathomebook.com/

Bostonians hold their sports teams to a very high standard. To compete against some of America’s successful franchises could be seen as a terrible weight to burden however for New England Revolution they see it as a competitive advantage. Cathal Conlon is todays guest on “The Lowdown”. As MLS has continually grown to become a league of choice there have been changing expectations to contend with. With the Apple TV deal, 2024 Copa America and a 2026 World Cup all on the horizon listen to how Cathal's role as Vice President has evolved since taking the helm. Furthermore we discuss a range of topics from fan identity, the changing sphere of players attracted to the league, MLS growth in untapped markets and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- Fan identity & Boston Sports.

- MLS becoming a league of choice.

- Engaging fans through the logo changing process.

- Impact of Apple TV deal on MLS finances and scheduling.

- What will the defining legacy of the 2026 World Cup on North American soil?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:20 - Intro

04:21 - 07:03 - Boston Sports

07:04 - 14:55 - MLS

14:56 - 22:31 - New Markets

22:32 - 26:17 - Growth

26:18 - 34:15 - Future

34:16 - 36:42 - Advice

Michael Brown is the Head of Performance at FK Bodø/Glimt where he is embarking upon the start of his fourth season at the club. Here he lifts the lid on their fairytale, how one club in the Artic Circle has managed to defy the odds and consistently compete with some of Europe's best. Lifting the lid on what happens behind the scenes, we are offered a glimpse into how strongly knit together the club and community is. Learn how what some may perceive as a weakness has been embraced by the club as a competitive advantage and how alignment and consistency of message has guarded their ascent.

Listen to find out more including;

- Considerations upon taking a new job.

- What unique constraints to High Performance are posed by their location?

- Intricacies behind support staff management.

- Purposeful planning for domestic and continental fixtures.

- What high performance and culture means to Michael?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:00 - Intro

03:01 - 10:04 - Bodø/Glimt

10:05 - 19:37 - Adapt & Overcome

19:38 - 27:10 - High Performance

27:11 - 32:51 - Advice

There has been a lot of debate surrounding the recent changes by UEFA to FFP and their reformatting of the Champions League. With so much noise and little certainty who better is there than Alex Phillips, former head of governance and compliance at UEFA to give us the inside scoop on what these changes actually mean. Being part of several projects that include the creation of the Deloitte rich list, the European Clubs Association and Supporters Direct, Alex' industry expertise is undisputed. We tackle a whole host of topics in this one including;

- Has the European football landscape changed over the years?

- Inside the formation of and the purpose behind the European Clubs Association.

- In what sense do European clubs need to be protected from themselves?

- Can UEFA be both the tournament organiser and regulator?

- Why the changes to the Champions League format are nothing more than a “rebadging”?

- Alex' proposed regulatory changes in response to the latest from UEFA?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 07:45 - Intro

07:46 - 16:14 - European Football

16:15 - 19:51 - ECA

19:52 - 26:02 - Proposed changes

26:03 - 33:24 - The clubs

33:25 - 41:05 - Competitive Balance

41:06 - 47:42 - UCL Format Changes

47:43 - 50:36 - Advice

Kieran Maguire or best known as the Price of Football is one of the go to football finance guys. So after a tumultuous year of Covid, Super League, FFP worries and fears over modern day sponsors who best to get the lowdown from than Kieran? After this 40 minute chat I feel a lot more educated but concerned over the future of the industry. Within this in depth exploration of football's finances, expect to learn more about;

- How he carved out a nice career?

- How Covid was a convenient excuse for certain clubs?

- Should football be viewed through an ethical and moral lens?

- The creation of wealth gaps within football.

- The FFP fallacy.

- Kieran's take on football's relationship with sponsors.

- Will PSG make their money back on Messi shirt sales?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 07:58 - Intro

07:59 - 13:06 - Covid

13:07 - 15:48 - Wealth Gaps

15:49 - 19:12 - FFP

19:13 - 22:55 - Super League

22:56 - 29:45 - Sponsors

29:46 - 34:04 - Legacy Fans

34:05 - 37:44 - Messi

37:45 - 43:52 - Advice

Kieran's Twitter; https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Kieran's Blog; http://priceoffootball.com/

Kieran's Book; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Price-Football-Kieran-Maguire/dp/1911116908/ref=as

We have a special episode this week as we gear up for the EURO 2020 Final between Italy & England. We discuss everything including;

- Why this maybe our favourite international tournament ever?

- The tactical trends which have defined Euro 2020.

- How top level football is increasingly becoming more and more about systems?

- Which key spaces Italy & England will look to dominate on Sunday?

-What is so special about this group of England players?

- Our picks for moment, performance, player & team of the tournament.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:57 - Tactical Trends

09:58 - 23:53 - Final Preview

23:54 - 33:05 - England

33:06 - 46:16 - Moments of the tournament

46:17 - 56:49 - Team of the tournament

Hugo Scheckter is the founder of “The Player Care Group” who are the UK’s first consultancy group focused on Player Care, Team Operations and Player Wellbeing within sporting environments across the world. Yet what exactly is player care? Hugo joined me to reflect upon his career to date and discuss his journey which has included successful periods with Southampton and West Ham. As Hugo begins a new chapter, we sat down to discuss everything including;

- Running a six figure budget as a student

- Helping to build Indy Eleven from the ground up

- How to reduce the risk of a new signing not settling?

- Why player care is a good investment?

- How does football compare to other sports?

- What does it feel like to win at Old Trafford?

Hugo's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugoscheckter/

“The Player Care Group” Website; https://www.playercaregroup.co.uk/

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:45 - What is player care?

03:46 - 11:03 - Indy Eleven & College in the US

11:04 - 14:39 - Southampton

14:40 - 21:01 - How is player care perceived?

21:02 - 23:05 - Onboarding process of a new signing

23:06 - 30:04 - “The Player Care Group”

30:05 - 33:53 - Staff burnout in football

33:54 - 37:02 - Legacy

37:03 - 40:09 - Elevator pitch

"The world is not lacking in expertise and knowledge, it's lacking in the imagination in what to do with it." - Kevin KellyKirk Vallis is the Global Head of Creative Capability Development at Google. For years Kirk has worked in various different environments unlocking people's potential. However it was at Google where he faced a novel challenge where in their own words; "brilliant at being the smartest people, not always good at unlocking the smartest thinking".Fast forward 11 years, Google and it's employees have undergone quite the transformation. Not quite all plain sailing however through a first principles based approach combined with a desire for people to be at the centre of everything Google's slick operation has iterated once more. Learn as to amongst other things as to why expertise is overrated?, the difference between creative thought and eccentric thought, and one tool coaches can integrate into their training periodisation.Listen to find out more including;- The techniques and frameworks which you can start implementing to disrupt your thinking?- "Behaviour eats process for breakfast."- What is a "smart creative" at Google?- How has Kirk's creative process evolved?- Why ideas are overrated?- "You don't have to be serious to solve serious problems."Timestamps;00:00 - 03:16 - Intro03:17 - 06:00 - "Smart Creative"06:01 - 12:30 - Google12:31 - 21:49 - Changing the Problem21:50 - 33:27 - "To Think About Lists"33:28 - 43:17 - Football43:18 - 48:36 - AI

Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"Football is not just about a result, it is a way of living."

On December 2nd Juan Roman Riquelme will run against Andres Ibarra for the Boca Juniors presidency. Today's guest Gustav Salvestrini is a Boca Socio and member also of Ibarra's party. Ibarra's campaign push centres around the need to commercialise Boca, modernise revenue structures and return Boca to one of the top 5 clubs in World Football.

Listen to find out more including;

- The cultural significance of Boca Juniors within the community.

- What distinguishes Argentine football from the rest of world football?

- How club elections are ran in Argentina?

- "Passion y Gestion" and plans to revolutionalise Boca from a new stadium to it's internationalisation.

- How the recent appointment of Javier Milei as President may potentially impact the Boca elections?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 02:17 - Intro

02:18 - 07:07 - Boca Juniors

07:08 - 11:19 - Elections

11:20 - 17:15 - "Passion y Gestion"

17:16 - 22:51 - Milei

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Phil Denton is the co-author of The First 100 Days: Lessons in Leadership from the Football Bosses. When school headteacher Phil Denton bumped into Tranmere Rovers boss Micky Mellon, the two started swapping stories about their own leadership roles and they knew they had a lot to learn from each other. Thereafter the pair embarked on a journey of discovery interviewing top managers including Manchester United's Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and West Ham’s David Moyes who reveal the inside story of their first days in the job and explain the secret strategies that enabled them to lay the all-important foundations for success. Expect to hear more about;

- What it was like to run a school like a football club?

- The three p's; Purpose, People & Position

- Why did Ole Gunnar Solskjaer literally knock down the walls at Carrington?

- The 'burning platform' which David Moyes gave his West Ham players.

- How to properly analyze the leadership challenge you walk into?

- What are the key differences between coaching and management?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:05 - Intro

05:06 - 09:57 - Purpose, People & Position

09:58 - 21:17 - Solskjaer

21:18 - 26:00 - Dyche

26:01 - 31:26 - Moyes

31:27 - 36:20 - School Fire Alarm

36:21 - 41:50 - Reflections

Phil's Twitter; https://twitter.com/phildenton81?lang=en

The First 100 Days; https://www.amazon.ae/First-100-Days-Leadership-Football/dp/1911613979

Adam Mooi is the Technical Director of Newfoundland & Labrador Soccer.

As a young leader Adam has been responsible for designing and implementing game models, coaching education, building out games programmes, elevating current programmes, formalising player development processes amongst so much more.

A journey which has took Adam across his homeland working in a vast array of different markets, here he shares with us his thoughts and processes on the multi-faceted nature of his job whilst unpacking so much more. For any young coach on the path or transitioning to a leadership position this is a must listen.

Listen to find out more including;

- Developing the coaching bug at an early age.

- Finding people as curious & as passionate.

- Navigating the balance of making programmes accessible amongst the competitive landscape.

- Change management as a young leader.

- Embracing culture & Adam's process for meeting people where they are at.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:18 - Intro

05:19 - 10:38 - Coaching

10:39 - 23:04- Management

23:05 - 32:24 - Leadership

32:25 - 35:08 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

“Tactics are repeated movements and processes that reflect the way a team sets out to win a game.”

TIFO Football is one of the world’s largest football media outlets with over 1 million subscribers. Their novel way of depicting the game merged with tactics, history and art has seen them go from strength to strength. Producer; Alex Stewart joined me to chart their incredible journey to date. We discussed a wide variety of topics including;

- Alex' unconventional pathway into football.

- Exploring the intersections between football history and tactics.

- The origin of TIFO Football and it's growth.

- Navigating the challenges and pitfalls of being a huge football media outlet?

- Finding your niche v Exploring widely?

- What exactly are football tactics?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:39 - Early start

05:40 - 20:15 - TIFO

20:16 - 28:42 - Tactics

28:43 - 33:16 - Positional Play & Pressing

33:17 - 41:50 - Producing Content

41:51 - 45:25 - Advice

“In your building, if the level of conversation is good the level of conversation goes out on to the pitch.”

Michael Beale is well known to many for his work as first team coach. However it is his track record in youth development which initially caught the eye. 15 years of an apprenticeship at Charlton, Chelsea and Liverpool working alongside some future Premier League managers helped shaped some of Michael’s strongest views of the game.

From South London to São Paulo Michael speaks here with a fervent passion as to what’s possible when development is intentionally tailored towards the individual. Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Trent Alexander Arnold are just few of tens of names which Michael has played a key role in their development.

Reflecting on recent jobs at QPR, Rangers and Sunderland have only hardened Michael’s desire to place development at the forefront.

Listen to find out more including;

- How early did Michael realise coaching would be his vocation?

- Why tactics are overrated?

- Getting the balance right between play and structure.

- The three fundamentals essential to building any footballers hard drive ?

- The transition to management from coaching.

- Why the game always comes back to relationships and feelings ?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:13 - Futsal

04:14 - 13:26 - Development

13:27 - 21:13- Chelsea & Liverpool

21:14 - 29:50 - Sao Paulo

29:51 - 35:15 - Gerrard

35:16 - 49:10 - QPR & Rangers

49:11 - 56:04 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Dave Clarke has been head coach of Quinnipiac college soccer for over 20 years.His journey to this point has been wholly encompassing and one in which he has left no stone unturned. Retaining that childhood passion for the game blended with a hunger for growth has ensured his longevity in the game on American shores.On his pathway to becoming a leading coach educator with US Soccer he has gained profound insight as to why he coaches and as to his own unique method of leadership. Advocating a life skills approach, Dave likens his overarching role within college to that of "surrogate parent" with no student athlete left behind. I was very fortunate to spend time in Dave's company hearing raw insight regarding his profession.Listen to find out more including;- Inside college soccer culture- How wholly encompassing is the life of a college soccer coach?- Leading as a player v leading as a coach.- How Dave guides players and staff through complexity and change?- What is of the utmost importance to get right in college recruitment?- Remaining curious as a coach educator and what his work is currently teaching him about himself?Timestamps;00:00 - 02:12 - Intro02:13 - 08:45 - US08:46 - 20:03 - College Soccer20:04 - 30:56 - Recruitment30:57 - 38:22 - US Soccer38:23 - 43:08 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Professor Simon Chadwick is the a Professor of Sport & Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School in Paris. Throughout his career he has studied the impact of geopolitics on the beautiful game. Increasingly over the past decade and as part of his studies he has spent a lot more time outside of Europe exploring regions where there is government involvement and football is used as "nation building". Ahead of the World Cup kickoff Simon joined me to discuss how football has evolved over the last 30 years to the point now where it is now unrecognisable to the game which he found in his youth.

Listen to find out more including;

- Where did football and "nation building" begin?

- Brazil and how football can shape a global narrative.

- Insight into FIFA's navigation through the complexity of a changing world.

- Where is transnational governance headed to combat the hyper-commercialization of football?

- Baking a bigger cake to satisfy the voracious appetite for football.

- Is football beyond repair?

"The objective is to win but at what cost...."

Jonathon O'Neill is the co-founder of HeadCoach.

Turning potential into performance HeadCoach is an app which allows you to master your mental, emotional and social skillsets. At a time where coaches and players bandwith have never been as stretched the app seeks to optimize and enhance your ability to reflect, realign and refocus.

A tool which we must constantly develop, there is no arrival point or time at which we master EQ. Integrating the game of sport within the game of life indeed there is no separation between performance and wellbeing. Through a range of features varying from a habit tracker to a wellness journal the app seeks to minimize that gap.

Learn more as to why coaches should be concerned with EQ, the distinction between confidence and competence, the flipside of the Dunning-Kruger effect, why coach burnout is on the rise and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- What does scalability look for coaches who are already overloaded?

- Managing competition and cooperation within sport.

- Distinguishing between "d needs" and "b needs" and understanding how this impacts your EQ strategy.

- The intersection between the "Dunning-Kruger effect" and Imposter Syndrome.

- What does a healthy relationship with technology look and feel like?

- Coach development sitting at the top of the ultimate self-actualisation.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:54 - HeadCoach

05:55 - 10:23 - Chimp Empire

10:24 - 19:04 - Cooperation

19:05 - 30:25 - Team Development

30:26 - 45:59 - Confidence v Competence

46:00 - 53:47 - Wellbeing

53:48 - 57:35 - Coaching

57:36 - 1:03:26 - Evolution

1:03:27 - 1:07:42 - Technology

1:07:43 - 1:15:01 - Advice

HeadCoach App; https://www.headcoach.app/

Jonathon's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathon-o-neill-3b0a95b9/

Transcend book; https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Self-Actualization-Scott-Barry-Kaufman/dp/0143131206

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Following eight years leading the "personal" side of professional and academy football, both male and female, at Brighton & Hove Albion, Sue Parris now works mainly with elite athletes, and their support networks, facilitating their emotional and mental health development. Recently she co authored a paper alongside Paul Mortimer called "The Boy in the Man’s Mask" which is the analysis of a collection of voices from inside the football Academy environment, U18s, U23s and staff, who shared their experiences with through face-to-face interviews. The results of which were intriguing to say the least.

What we discussed included;

- Unique characteristics of young footballers in comparison to their sporting peers.

- Is there a misunderstanding of what development means in academy environments?

- The fear and anxiety which young players feel living in the future.

- At what level does the prevention work need to be done?

- Should the role of coach be redefined?

- What is the side of football which comes to threaten to destroy what we love?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 12:23 - Research

12:24 - 22:03 - "Fear in Football"

22:04 - 26:56 - Coaching Cultures

26:57 - 36:17 - Unheard Voices

36:18 - 45:05 - Pre-Care

45:06 - 52:07 - Future

52:08 - 54:26 - Advice

Sue's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-parris-b2120666/

"I don't want to know everything of one thing, I want to know one thing of everything."

Jeroen Peters is today's guest on "The Lowdown". As someone who is responsible for overseeing the high performance department at FC Utrecht the job is becoming increasingly more and more cross disciplinary. As the game evolves continuously through innovation and technology there has been sometimes a disregard for the humane element of the game. The small steps to change a culture begin in house and the energy transferred amongst colleagues. Discomfort is inevitable yet there is magic going through it as a team. With a shared end in mind there is no limit to what a group can achieve.

Listen to find out more including;

- Detaching self from the bigger picture and see the nitty gritty details.

- Where you begin bringing a performance philosophy into a team?

- A performance culture invested in developing the professional and the individual.

- Why and how the process of 1% gains emanates from working together towards a shared goal?

- Why the art of good conversation looks hard on content soft on people.

- How in house departments are preparing for the next evolution of the game.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:12 - Intro

06:13 - 09:30 - High Performance

09:31 - 17:00 - Culture

17:01 - 23:15 - GRIT

23:16 - 33:15 - 1% gains

33:16 - 42:01 - Game demands

42:02 - 44:16 - Advice

Omar Chaudhuri is the Chief Intelligence Officer of the Twenty First Group. The Twenty First Group provides ground-breaking sports intelligence to drive sporting success and unlock commercial value. Omar gave me the lowdown on his story to date. From beginning a blog in his bedroom to sharing the boardroom with some of the sporting world's most powerful stakeholders, Omar has a unique perspective on how to forge a niche within the industry. From playing a role in three Premier League managerial hires this season to redressing the competitive balance of European football there are no shortage of topics to discuss. Listen to hear more about;

- The number one thing to do to enter the football industry?

- Inside Omar's role within Twenty First Group.

- Playing a role in three Premier League managerial hires this season.

- Key differences between player and managerial recruitment?

- The impact of fixture congestion on playing styles?

- Redressing the issue of competitive balance within European football?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:40 - Intro

05:41 - 09:32 - Prozone

09:33 - 12:15 - Twenty First Group

12:16 - 17:24 - Recruitment

17:25 - 28:25 - Current Affairs

28:26 - 32:26 - Governance review

32:37 - 38:40 - Season Predictions

38:41 - 40:23 - Advice

As Chelsea travel to Madrid in the hope of overcoming a two goal deficit in their Champions League Quarter Final tie, Stamford Chidge of the award winning Chelsea Fancast joined me to speak all things Chelsea. In these 40 minutes we unpack Chelsea's historical past, tumultuous present and uncertain future. Approaching the business end of the season and in the midst of a protracted takeover there is no shortage of talking points.

Among what we unpacked included;

- The origins of the award winning podcast?

- What does Chelsea look like post Abramovich?

- The role and function of the Chelsea Supporters Trust in moments like this?

- Analysing all takeover bids.

- Could Thomas Tuchel turn out to be the greatest manager in Chelsea Football Club's history?

- What is the Chelsea identity?

Chelsea Fancast ; https://chelseafancast.com/

Recently I was delighted to be joined by The Athletic's Liam Tharme to breakdown the current Premier League campaign. From changes in the dugout to on the field, the narrowing quality gap and the ever evolving nature of the game there are no shortage of talking points. Listen to learn out why there has been a huge dropoff in the number of throughballs, which new manager has already conceded his philosophy for the greater good and so much more. We also discussed;

- What Chelsea fans can expect to see of Graham Potter?

- How soon should a managerial reign be evaluated?

- How have Man City have adapted to Erling Haaland?

- Why Liverpool have stagnated?

- Has the quality gap ever been as narrower in the Premier League?

- Who is most likely to break into the top 6?

- The trends which characterise the evolution of football.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:31 - Intro

03:32 - 09:08 - Potter

09:09 - 14:55 - Ten Hag

14:56 - 19:34 - Man City & Haaland

19:35 - 23:30 - Liverpool

23:31 - 29:11 - Quality Gap

29:12 - 35:20 - Evolution of Football

35:21 - 40:36 - Death of the Throughball

40:37 - 43:35 - World Cup

43:36 - 45:14 - Advice

Liam's Twitter;https://twitter.com/LiamTharmeCoach?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Ryan Baldi is author of “The Dream Factory; Inside the Make-Or-Break World of Football's Academies”. The book is a journey deep into the heart of English youth football, revealing in gripping detail how home-grown Premier League stars such as Marcus Rashford and Trent Alexander-Arnold are created, and at what cost. Ryan introduces a rich array of characters behind talent production lines at several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City, zooming in on the stories of Alexander-Arnold's unique development, how Rashford's sense of social responsibility was nurtured, and how Phil Foden has become a beacon to City’s young hopefuls. Nonetheless the book also explores the harsh realities of life away from the big academies, yielding unrivalled insight into the machine that manufactures these stars and everything it spits out in the process. Expect to hear more about;

- Why some clubs do not see the academy process as viable?

- How clubs are increasingly taking an individual stance towards development?

- What the process of creating a Marcus Rashford on and off the pitch looks like at Manchester United?

- Why support networks like Mason Mount's are all too rare?

- The La Masia of the lower leagues

- The Phil Foden v Dele pathway

- If Ryan believes a World Cup or European Championship win would vindicate the process?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 12:10 - English Academy System

12:11 - 17:25 - Individual Development

17:26 - 23:41 - Cultural Architects

23:42 - 33:40 - The role of parents

33:41 - 43:40 - Breaking tradition

43:41 - 47:15 - Foden v Dele pathway

47:16 - 53:23 - Fear

53:24 - 01:04:43 - Future Solutions

There are few people better qualified to give an insight into top flight recruitment than David Webb. Having initially begun his career with sights on an academy manager's role a trip to Germany changed all of this. Not long after David moved into recruitment roles at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur & Bournemouth where he helped achieve a historic promotion to the Premier League. After this unprecedented success David soon moved into the boardroom with spells as technical director at Östersunds and most recently head of football operations at Huddersfield Town. David's story is one of lifelong learning and here he shares many of the lessons behind his success. Listen to learn more about;

- What is required of the modern day technical director?

- How a trip to Germany caused him to pivot?

- What does a high performance environment look like?

- What it was like to work daily with Mauricio Pochettino & Eddie Howe?

- How to use resource constraints to your advantage?

- How to compliment data alongside traditional scouting processes?

- Why David is continuously adapting and refining for his next challenge?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:38 - Career path

08:39 - 12:33 - Modern Technical Director

12:34 - 16:44 - Common recruitment mistakes

16:45 - 23:46 - Southampton & Mauricio Pochettino

23:47 - 29:48 - Bournemouth & Eddie Howe

29:49 - 33:10 - Data

33:11 - 41:35 - Huddersfield Town

41:36 - 48:28 - The next challenge

48:29 - 52:03 - Advice

Today's guest Jon MacKenzie is the face and voice of TIFO Football.

He has been regarded as one of the finest minds on football tactics in recent years. It was fascinating to spend an hour in Jon's company going in depth on his topic of choice.

Here we cover everything from hybrid pressing, Jon's fascination for the out of possession phase, Liverpool's evolution, Michel's new age football at Girona, what makes Xabi Alonso fascinating to study and TIFO's plans going forward.

Listen to find out more including;

- How his studies of philosophy shaped his views on football?

- How Jon's consumption of the game varies from fan to analyst?

- When did Jon start following coaches as opposed to teams?

- Why Relationism v Positionism is not a question of either or?

- An argument for viewing football as one phase.

- Who is leading the tactical evolution and why these evolutions happen in a dialectical manner?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:24 - Intro

09:25 - 19:29 - Relationism

19:30 - 30:19 - Analyst v Fan

30:20 - 42:09 - Out of Possession

42:10 - 46:28 - Rest Defence

46:29 - 51:29 - Girona

51:30 - 53:33 - Xabi Alonso

53:34 - 1:00:59 - Evolution

1:01:00 - 1:03:00 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Ravi Ramineni is the co-founder and CEO of src | ftbl. He has also been at the forefront of the football analytics boom over the last decade.A former employee of Bing and Microsoft Ravi played a huge role in the success of the Seattle Sounders organisation rapidly ascending from analyst to VP in the organisation.

In his own words the journey has been “a steep learning curve” and here Ravi reflects on what brought him here to the present day. From leaving building data pipelines out of a Starbucks or leading a multi million dollar sporting department Ravi has taken the long road. With football at the source and Ravi is still adamant that we are still at the infancy of the football analytics boom.

Here there are insights galore for everyone.

Listen to find out more including;

- Ray Hudson, dial ins and the early days forging a career in football

- Building data pipelines and early days working on GPS data at Starbucks.

- Understanding what skill sets are “low supply & high demand”.

- Founding SRC FTBL and what he believes the knock on impact this will have for the worldwide analytics culture?

- The ideal coach - analyst relationship.

- Quantifying your game model and the significance this has throughout the organisation.

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Nice have earned plaudits aplenty this season for their bold, courageous and unrelenting style of football. Led by Francisco Farioli they have a staff who live and breathe these core values on and off the pitch.

Today I was joined by the very special; Jarkko Tuomisto, their goalkeeping coach. The following conversation with Jarkko lends to some fascinating insight as how he ascended to the top of his profession. In his own words, on the road to "climbing the second mountain" Jarkko juggled multiple jobs as a barman, youth worker and musician upon deciding to go all in on his passion.

Applying lessons from all these roles, living on the edge of his craft, success soon became a byproduct. Many people speak of the transformational impact Jarkko has had on players and colleagues alike in Finland, Italy, Qatar, Ecuador and now France. What you got you here won't necessarily get you there and it is within that frame we explore Jarkko's inspirational tale. An episode for the ages.

Listen to find out more including;

- Building coaching stamina and how to fail forward quicker?

- The leap of faith moving to Italy with a backpack.

- How Jarkko's experience as a youth worker helps him break down walls with players?

- Why does "creativity needs boundaries"?

- How Jarkko relates building out from the back to values?

- Why the future goalkeeper needs to be ready for any action?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 06:55 - Intro

06:56 - 13:14 - Coaching Stamina

13:15 - 24:28 - Leap of Faith

24:29 - 37:11 - Ecuador

37:12 - 43:28 - Soft Skills

43:29 - 52:42 - Qatar

52:43 - 1:00:00 - Awareness

1;00:01 - 1:08:12 - Buildup

1:08:13 - 1:14:32 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Germany has recently launched new regulations that will transform the way football is played in the country. The emphasis will be on fun and a player-centred approach, with Ronny Zimmermann, DFB Vice President responsible for children’s and youth football, saying: “We need to think like children, not like adults. Only children who develop fun and joy in the game will stay in football.” Some of the key changes revolve around small sided games and the introduction of festivals.

One man who has been advocating this change for a long time has been Matthias Lochmann. Matthias is a friend and colleague of the late Horst Wein who pioneered Funino which promotes the game intelligence approach. Doing less as a coach & players doing more, rules do the work for you, quality is independent of the coach. It is quite clear as to why there was such aversion to change for a long time. However through adopting a relentless attitude, covering thousands of air miles and lobbying from a few famous friends that change was realized over the past few weeks. Here Matthias gives us the lowdown on what the future of football can look like within Germany and beyond.

Among what we discussed included;

- Meeting Horst Wein for the first time.

- Detailed insight into the game intelligence approach.

- How to design a learning environment led by “rules of provocation”?

- Insights into how Hansi Flick implemented the game intelligence approach with Bayern Munich & Germany training sessions?

- What are the most common mistakes Matthias sees in youth development?

- Lobbying DFB head; Oliver Bierhoff for change and insights into how the DFB finally relented.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:50 - Intro

04:51 - 13:39 - Funino

13:40 - 23:58 - Change

23:59 - 31:57 - Criticisms

31:58 - 41:09 - Hansi Flick

41:10 - 48:27 - Common mistakes

48:28 - 51:59 - Advice

"Football needs to go back to the creative players, football is entertainment, if you cannot entertain the spectators what do you got?"

Today's guest is Al-Wasl Head of Youth Development; Michel Mommertz. Meeting Michel time aplenty in Dubai over coffee I thought it was just time to host him and share his wonderful story to date.

Michel doesn't do half measures, the youngest professional footballer still in Dutch history with a fervent love for the game had his playing days curtailed short by injury. Yet this did not stop Michel in his tracks, meeting the infamous Wiel Coerver pre-empted a 20 year relationship of working with one of the most famous developers to grace the sport.

Armed by lessons and experience aplenty Michel joined me on the show to discuss all things coaching, creativity and keeping the joy in development.

Listen to find out more including;

- Meeting Wiel Coerver and the direction in which that shaped Michel's journey.

- What is the "right way" to develop?

- Creativity in coaching and breaking past copy to create.

- Why cultivating the personality is one of the most important parts of development?

- What the future of youth development looks like in Dubai and the Middle East?

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Todays guest James O'Connor is a man who has seen it all in football. The Louisville City President amassed over 500 appearances in first team football before beginning his coaching career in America. Seeking the pull of making an impact at a higher level James jumped at the chance to become Club President.

Overseeing the building of a $50m training complex, $75m stadium and the expansion of the women's team it is hard to underestimate his impact on the club and city. An insightful episode taking us through the foundations of building a leading USL club.

Listen to find out more including;

- How to build a community presence as a new club?

- Leveraging the blue-collar mentality permeating throughout the city as a competitive advantage.

- In what ways did James mentality shift after retiring as player?

- What systems and processes James uses for managing his staff?

- The mindset which keeps James one step ahead and enables him to continue to grow and develop.

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Over 25 years ago Marc Nicholls arrived in the US from the UK with a suitcase and aspiration to coach in football full time. All these years later he is held in high regard as one of the most esteemed player and coach developers on the North American continent.

Wearing many different hats he soon became aquainted with the North American game and his work was recognised being named U.S. Soccer Academy Coach of the Year twice preceding his move to the Seattle Sounders to become their Academy Director.

As he climbed the leadership ranks at Seattle Sounders and Charlotte he always retained the belief in providing talent with a pathway. Now located in the "spiritual home" of US Soccer he serves as Technical Director for the Columbus Crew leading their "One Club" project.

Here we dive into everything from the MLS' continued rise, how to best maximise returns on academy prospects, the work that goes into protecting player pathways and so much more.

Listen to find out more including;

- Creating a culture of development at the Seattle Sounders.

- Protecting player pathways as the league grows into becoming "a league of choice".

- Altering strategy to remain competitive with the best of the league.

- How to be strategic and maximise your return on academy prospects?

- How his leadership style has had to evolve between clubs?

- Columbus Crew "One Club Project" and inside the club's recent evolution.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:00 - Intro

04:01 - 09:05 - USA

09:06 - 15:00 - Seattle Sounders

15:01 - 24:54 - Strategic Gap

24:55 - 32:23 - Columbus Crew

32:24 - 41:40 - Leadership

41:41 - 44:06 - MLS Future

44:07 - 46:09 - Advice

Get in touch;

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=en

YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPod

Email: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Delighted today to share the 100th episode of “The Lowdown” with a special recording with the Academy Director of New York Red Bulls; Sean McCafferty. One of the world's leaders in youth development sharing insight regarding their work. In this conversation find out why their identity won't be a crutch as the game evolves, their methodology behind developing young players and Sean's own investment in the area which he believes lies the largest room for growth in the game.

Being an expert in patience without sacrificing the Red Bull identity of intensity.

Listen to find out more including;

- Their methodology behind youth development

- The unique competitive advantages behind the economies of scale of a multi club network.

- How they accelerated development through the professionalisation of the environment?

- What steps are they taking to ensure the programme evolves to develop more whole rounded players?

- Why we will return to player on the street?

- The next big frontier for youth development.

Timestamps;

00:00 - 03:54 - Intro

03:55 - 08:27 - Barca

08:28 - 12:11 - Red Bull

12:12 - 24:05 - Training model

24:06 - 32:49 - Cognitive development

32:50 - 36:47 - Game demands

36:48 - 41:40 - Old wine in new bottles

41:41 - 43:50 - Advice

“Bet on yourself” , was Brian Walsh's simple advice to me in response to examining his success to date.

Arriving in the US nearly 20 years on a college scholarship Brian has continued to fulfill that promise to himself rising through the ranks to launch and spearhead youth programmes at NY Cosmos and now NYCFC. Leveraging critical thinking, navigating change successfully and being prepared to go above and beyond have been at the heart of Brian's career to date. With over 25,000 kids passing through NYCFC youth programmes over the past 5 years it's hard to argue against it's success and sturdy foundations. Unprecedented interest and growth in football combined with a home World Cup on the horizon allowed for us to have a timely conversation about youth football and it's rise in one of the largest metropolitan areas on Earth. Among what we discussed included;

- 20 years in the United States from college scholarship to youth director.

- The Monday evening in downtown New York which altered Brian's path?

- Building the youth development programmes at NY Cosmos & NYCFC from scratch.

- Insights into running a youth development programme the sheer magnitude and scale of NYCFC's?

- Advantages of working within a multi-club network?

- Impact of the monumental growth and interest of the game in shaping the eco-system around a player?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 05:04 - Early Beginnings

05:05 - 09:09 - Change of Path

09:10 - 15:45 - NY Cosmos

15:46 - 31:45 - NYCFC

31:46 - 39:06 - Advice

Brian's Twitter; https://twitter.com/nycsoccer1?lang=en

Tim Keech is the co-founder of MRKT Insights; a data focused football consultancy who supply data science, technical scouting, and recruitment services to football clubs and ownership groups. 90% of the clubs they have worked with have improved their league finishing position in the subsequent season. Tim joined me recently to explain how clubs can win infinitely and why and how an aligned strategy can springboard your club to success. Listen to this episode to learn more about;

- The inefficiencies of football's labour market

- Why this summer could increase the chasm between Europe's elite and the chasing pack?

- How a multi-club model can save Europe's elite?

- How strategy can bridge the revenue gap?

- What the due diligence process looks like for acquiring a club?

- Implications of Brexit on this summer and beyond?

Tim's Twitter; https://twitter.com/SBunching?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

MRKT Insights website: https://mrktinsights.com/

Timestamps;

00:00 - 08:03 - Intro

08:04 - 10:40 - Sustainability catalysts

10:41 - 17:28 - Differential models

17:29 - 20:40 - Wage Expenditure

20:41 - 29:56 - The Ownership process

29:57 - 36:04 - Sushi & Chocolate Cake

36:05 - 41:46 - Club Partnerships

41:47 - 45:22 - Transfer Market

45:23 - 51:34 - Elevator Pitch

Interview with Valencia Academy Director; Sean Bai covering all topics on youth development including;

- Integrating ideas from other industries into football

- Sean's advice to growing academies

- Behind the scenes into the organizational change at Valencia

- Building a culture during Covid

- Their process in identifying and developing a youth player

- Academies as an immune system to FFP & European Super League

Timestamps;

00:00 - 07:59 - Sean's role at Valencia

08:00 - 15:32 - Individual first Player second

15:33 - 23:07 - What does the support network around a player look like?

23:08 - 35:25 - Building a culture during Covid

35:26 - 42:34 - Recruitment

42:35 - 47:52 - Pathway to Pro

47:53 - 55:07 - FFP & European Super League

55:08 - 57:18 - Sean's version of success

“Making something beautiful out of the simple.”

Where the path seemed unclear to others to Johnathan McKinstry it seemed plain and obvious. Being a youth football coach in Northern Ireland, role models were few and far between so John became his own. Turning a perceived disadvantage into an advantage, combined with an insatiable desire to learn has led to John scaling the highest mountains of the professional game. In 2013 he became the then youngest manager in International football coaching Sierra Leone at just 27, bringing them to the top 50 of the FIFA World Rankings. Since then John has continued to work at the top echelons of the game spanning four continents. Now as John comes back to base for a brief sojourn he he has some reflections which he would like to share.

What we discussed included ;

- John's onboarding process upon taking a new job in a new culture.

- Identifying and developing skillsets that are crucial to staying in the game.

- Why starting as an international coach can be a better introduction to senior management rather than the club game?

- Managing emotions in the high pressure cooker of professional football.

- Constantly reassessing the mountains you can climb and further insights into John's goal setting process.

- Why learning how to network effectively is a key pillar to any coaching success?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 09:05 - Intro

09:06 - 14:22 - The Path

14:23 - 17:36 - Adaptation

17:37 - 24:50 - Sierra Leone

24:51 - 31:58 - Management

31:59 - 35:56 - Goal Setting

35:57 - 42:12 - Coaching

42:13 - 49:47 - Advice

John's Twitter; https://twitter.com/johnnymckinstry?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

John's Website; http://www.johnnymckinstry.com/

Dennis Lukens is the technical director of FC Dynamic in Ukraine and he has quite the story to tell. Furthermore he is the second ever American to hold a UEFA Pro License. This podcast was a pleasure to record with Dennis as he took us from his childhood playing football in 1950's New York to coaching in the professional game in North America and Europe. Tune in to hear more about Dennis' love for Irish football and his plans to one day be an owner of a League of Ireland team. Expect to hear more about;

- Football in 1950's New York

- Dennis' move to Ukraine and getting lucky at the 33rd time!

- Doing his UEFA Pro Licence with Andriy Shevchenko

- Dennis' quest to become an owner of a League of Ireland club

- Dennis' advice for anyone chasing after their football dream

Timestamps;

00:00 - 12:28 - USA

12:29 - 23:26 - Ukraine

23:27 - 26:55 - Ireland

26:56 - 32:42 - Advice

My guest today needs no introduction. Stephen Constantine is a familiar name in coaching circles with a coaching career spanning over 20 years having coached five different countries and numerous clubs on four different continents. As he returns home briefly from his call to adventure he joined me to discuss his career in detail. With countless lessons ranging from team building to adapting to new cultures, amid all the organisational hurdles to navigate in between Stephen has been kind enough to provide some eye opening truths about the beautiful game. Was the route quite as scenic as promised? Nonetheless it is evident that the hunger which took Stephen from Delhi to the Den still remains. What's next? Find out more here including;

- How Stephen's childhood influenced his ability to adapt to new surroundings?

- Building your game idea from solid foundations.

- Asking Michel Platini why he did not become a coach?

- The differences in buy in between club and international football.

- Why you cannot separate long term development and short term results?

- Why consistency is the key to high performance?

Timestamps;

00:00 - 04:36 - Intro

04:37 - 09:35 - Adapting

09:36 - 18:22 - Foundations

18:23 - 27:43 - India

27:44 - 32:45 - Hiring Bias

32:46 - 36:46 - Empathy

36:47 - 42:36 - Reflections & Progress

42:37 - 44:35 - Advice