We recently did our second MSC Club visit to New York Red Bulls to interview Academy Director, Sean McCafferty. Our last conversation with Sean was during lockdown in 2020, and we wanted to follow-up and get his insights on the evolution of the Red Bull system and the growth of US professional player development over the last 2-3 years. Sean was ex…

Gary is joined by one of the leaders in worldwide player development over the past 10-15 years. Romeo Jozak was a pioneer as Technical Director for Croatia and now works as Technical Director for Saudi Arabia. He also holds a UEFA PRO License and is author the phenomenal book,“CFF Development Curriculum.”In this interview, Romeo outlines the challe…

Gary is joined by UEFA Pro Licensed Coach, Mick McDermott, to discuss his experience alongside Carlos Queiroz and Iran at the 2018 World Cup, managing Glentoran, and working in Saudi Arabia. Mick provides ideas and methods for coaches on navigating the hiring process and managing ownership, as well as elite level players.…

Last week we took our first MSC road trip to visit Richie Ryan at FC Cincinnati Academy. Richie has a fascinating football journey, coming through Sunderland's academy system and then making his first team debut in the big derby game with bitter rivals, Newcastle United. After stops in Belgium, League of Ireland and the US, Richie recently moved on…

Gary is joined by Anthony McCann, personal/professional coach who works with the Irish FA and specializes in Adult ADHD, Burnout, and Recovery. There's no secret that there is more stress and pressure in every level of coaching than ever before... but not a lot on how we can deal with it. Anthony provide's phenomenal insight on a powerful topic, an…

How does Tactical Periodization and Sport Science connect? This week on the MSC Podcast, we are joined by Ian Coll, current Head of Performance at Las Vegas Lights (USL). Ian has extensive experience in the professional game working with distinguished clubs such as Hadjuk Split and Glasgow Celtic. He is also experience in Tactical Periodisation, le…

This week we are excited to be joined by Philadelphia Union U18 head coach Peter McDonnell. He discusses what makes the MLS club so unique when it comes to player development and how the club has created alignment from first team to all youth levels. The complexity of professional development is also a key topic as Peter shares how players balance …

This week on the MSC Podcast, Gary is joined by Temisan Williams to discuss youth curriculums and academy methodologies. Temisan has coached professionally at 3 Premier League Academies (including Arsenal FC, Tottenham FC. Fulham FC) and also is the founder of the Excellence Academy. In this interview, Temisan discusses the effectiveness of a curri…

We are joined by Real Salt Lake (MLS) assistant coach, Anthony Pulis. With extensive experience in the game, as well as both UEFA Pro Licence and US Soccer Pro Licence, Anthony has worked as both head coach with Miami FC and St Louis FC. He's also held assistant roles at Inter Miami and Orlando City. #coaching #soccer #football #anthonypulis #succe…

We were recently joined by Ged Quinn, Academy Director of Barca Residency Academy in Arizona. The Barca style of play has become world renowned over the years, but how do you teach that methodology at the younger ages and, more important, what does it look like when an individual professional pathway is the ultimate goal. Ged provides outstanding i…

Gary is joined by jAFC Wimbledon Academy Manager, Michael Hamilton to discuss player development and club culture. Michael is a forward thinking leader, who is passionate about empowering players to lead and constantly finding ways to make the journey more fulfilling for the player. As you learn in the interview, ideas are not enough for Michael. H…

Gary is joined by David Tenney, High Performance Director at Austin FC (MLS), former Master’s Student and Certified Graduate of the Official School of Tactical Periodisation. David discusses the following: - Tactical periodisation versus periodizing tactics- Linear thinking and coaching- Understanding mental load- Designing exercises to create focu…

Gary is joined by Jaymes Monte from StatsBomb to discuss the role of attacking throw-ins including: - Is there a difference between a long throw and a possession throw? - How can we measure the effectiveness of throw-ins in different areas of the pitch? - Why are Arsenal better than Man City at throw-in efficiency? And much more!!You can read his a…

Gary is joined by Bernat Mosquera, a coach and analyst who has worked at two Spainish tiers and in China, as well as the aspect of individual development. He discusses the complexity of Positional Play, along with ideas on how coaches can teach it more effectively in their own environments.You can follow Bernat here:www.linkedin.com/in/bernat-mosqu…

Gary is joined by Experienced Leader in Elite Performance, Matt Willmott. His experience includes Head of Physical Performance at Swansea City Football Club and consultant physical performance coach at football association of Wales (FAW). Head of Fitness and Conditioning at MK Dons and Lead Strength and Conditioning Coach at Leicester City Football…

Gary is joined by Nick Levett to discuss building, improving and even measuring club culture and youth environment. With 14 years at the English FA and professional academy experience, Nick has outstanding insight into the complex landscape of youth and coach development.Nick is currently a director at Rivers of Thinking:riversofthinking.com…

Gary is joined by Habersham Central HS head coach, Ric Wallace, to discuss teaching tactics at high school level. From game model fundamentals to leadership development, Ric discusses the unique and complex world of high school coaching and also provides tips on connecting and engaging that age group. Check out the MSC High School Coaches Special O…

Gary is joined by Ben Bartlett (Director of Methodology at Houston Dynamo) to discuss the current direction of coaching development and whether we should be asking better questions around how we are learning and communicating the game. As a thought leader in the game, Ben has written two outstanding books called Constraining Football and Connected …

Gary is joined by Tim Keech, co-founder of MRKT Insights, a data-focused football consultancy with clients in the UK and abroad. Tim works alongside clubs to help in a number of areas around data, one of which includes the impact and effectiveness of coaching.Tim shares ways that coaches can be measured, how they can help facilitate the use of data…

Gary is joined by St. Mirren (Scottish Premiership) and Northern Ireland assistant coach, Diarmuid O'Carroll to discuss the multi-faceted challenges of elite coaching. Diarmuid talks about: - Working with young players in pro environments- What separates Conor Bradley- Building relationship with head coach- Getting most out of coach education- Cons…

Gary is joined by Fulham FC academy coach Sherlen Lindsay to discuss mental health and coaching. How do you balance the competition with your personal life? Is happiness really attainable? How do you get that energy back? Does coach education help or hinder the process? June is Men's Mental Health Awareness month and Sherlen provides many ideas and…

Gary is joined by Jez George, Director of Football at Lincoln City FC,who provides a fascinating insight into the role and culture at the club including: - Long-term planning in a results oriented industry - Recruitment of head coach process- Incorporating data and analysis - Managing relationship with head coach- Creating a game model that engages…

Gary is joined by Liam McCartan, coach analyst at Swindon Town FC. Although Liam works in analysis, he also brings an element to the coaching side, focusing on Player Development and extra work on the training pitch. In this interview, Liam discusses how individuals can thrive in a team environment, ways to engage young players with technology, the…

Gary is joined by Head of Coach Education and Methodology at Czech Football Association, Martin Vlk, to discuss the unique aspect of coaching methodology and the following: - What exactly is it?- How do you improve it? - Where do you start? - What levels need coaching methodology the most?And much more!!!Big Announcement: The first ever Modern Socc…

Gary is joined by first team scout at AFC Bournemouth, Francisco Lorenzo. He is a Data Analyst - based in Uruguay, who discusses the following: - How to identify Premier League talent - Bringing data and football together- Art and science of scouting and recruitment- Role data analyst at a professional club- How can a coach incorporate data effecti…

Gary is joined by former Tottenham and Queens Park Rangers Head of Player Development, Chris Ramsey, to discuss how coaches can shape elite environments to support and develop the next generation of players. With a phenomenal experience in the game including head coach at Premier League and USL in the United States, Chris outlines his philosophy fo…

Gary is joined by Eamon Devlin, founder of Minute9 where he specifically advises sports teams and coaches on how best to structure and manage the half-time period. Eamon discusses the art and science (research based) half-time insights and answers if they are they under-utilized? Ineffective? And how do coaches improve that critical 15 minutes?Our …

Gary is joined by Rob McKay, Head Coach of Women's Football at University of Manchester, who discusses all the aspects a coach should consider before putting on an effective session: from space to players to equipment, right down to the weather! He also talks about his new book, which provides an in-depth look at how to create your own principles o…

Gary is joined by Jake Henry, Head of Coach Development at Notts County, to discuss the role of overseeing coach development within a club framework.Having also worked at Nottingham forest as Coaching and Development Lead in recent years, Jake share his perspective and insight on:- Providing feedback for coaches- Creating a development plan for coa…

Gary is joined by Flamengo analyst and coach, Caique Andrade, to discuss the process of player development in Brazil and the role analysis plays. In this interview Caique talks about: - What areas are prioritized with talent identification- Positionalism and Relationism: will it move to youth levels?- Freedom versus Structure in youth environments-…

Gary is joined by UEFA Pro coach, Alex Clapham,to discuss his experiences at the highest levels of the game in Italy, Brazil, Spain, England and Sweden. Alex shares his recent experiences at Vasco da Gama and Genoa, as well as his philosophy around specialization and set-piece coaching. Alex is currently a Tactical Advisor with 777 Partner and also…

We are joined by Atlético Madrid academy coach, Simon Goodey, to discuss life at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Having previously worked at Fulham, Bournemouth, Southampton, and Palace, Simon shares his views on player development, coaching curriculums and cultural differences in Spain. Alongside player development, Simon shares his unique …

Gary is joined by Kristopher O'Hare, who has a unique coach and psychology role at Villarreal CF Academy in Spain. He discusses the role of culture, psychology, and how we can learn to understand and impact both in an elite environment. In addition, Kris discusses life at a La Liga academy and compares it to UK/USA youth development models. To regi…

Gary is joined by Lead Academy Scout at Preston North End FC, Darren Rhodes to discuss building an elite level scouting report. Darren is also a current UCFB Student studying Talent Development and talks about: - Where do you start when building a report? - How do you manage subjective and objective information?- How much information is too much? -…

Gary is joined by an officially FIFA recognized 'street footballer', Daniel Cappellaro. Having travelled the world as a professional futsal player, Daniel has specialized in 1v1 creativity and discusses how we can bring that back to the game from a youth development standpoint. - Can street football exist in a youth environment? - Is individual coa…

We were recently joined on the MSC Podcast by JP Nerbun. He is a bestselling author, leadership coach, and founder of TOC Culture Consulting, a leading global sports-consulting and leadership coaching business. His mission is to support leaders and their teams to achieve their full potential through 1:1 coaching, consulting, and community.Check out…

We were recently joined on the Modern Soccer Coach Podcast by Oly Town FC head coach, Liviu Bird, to discuss the implementation of Game Models. The focus of the discussion is around the complexity of a model and how best to implement it when a season is condensed, like perhaps a summer development league or a college season. In the interview, Liviu…

Gary is joined by Michael Quinn, a former professional goalkeeper and lead author from Dublin City University, who has proven for the first time that goalkeepers perceive the world very differently from both outfield players and individuals with no football experience.Their groundbreaking study - which has just been published in the international j…

Gary is joined by football coach and writer, Jamie Hamilton, to discuss a topic which he has written extensively about in recent months.... and has had a huge effect on the coaching community.Is Fernando Diniz system at Fluminense exactly what football fans and coaches need at the moment? What are the differences between positionism and relationism…

Gary is joined by Ted Suihkonen, Director of Player Development of ice hockey side EVZ in Switzerland, to discuss the differences in player development and decision making between soccer and hockey. With a unique approach to player development and extensive experience at the professional and youth ranks in Russia, USA and Sweden, Ted discusses the …

Gary is again joined by Ally Bain, an academy coach who has also recently moved onto the analysis side and scouting side with Insight Analysis (see info below).This week we discuss a popular coaching challenge:How do coaches deal with the pressure of youth soccer? Please check out Ally's Insight Analysis work below:insightanalysis.net/Check out new…

Gary is joined by Ally Bain, an academy coach who has also recently moved onto the analysis side and scouting side with Insight Analysis (see info below).This week we discuss a popular coaching challenge: How to deal with different ability levels in a team?We are excited to team up with SportsLab360 for this episode. As a coach, it feels like you a…

Gary is joined by Jack Cassidy to discuss ways that coaches can add a little more detail and relevance to the preparation on their training sessions. Jack's current role is as Senior Professional Development Phase Coach (U21) & Pathways Manager at Cambridge United FC and he recently created a document where he researched all the goals scored in the…

Gary is joined by highly acclaimed sport psychologist Dan Abrahams, to discuss something that is often overlooked in coaching: How should you manage game day messaging?Dan discusses ways that coaches can optimize their time with their time prior to the game itself and shares techniques that coaches can use with their players on match day. Please ch…

Gary is joined by Ivan Militar, Academy Director at El Paso Locomotive, a professional club in the USL. With his experience at the prestigious Barca Residency Academy in Casa Grande, Ivan discusses the process of building and implementing a similar playing philosophy in a different culture. He also talks about...- 'Personifying' Values as a Leader-…

Gary is joined by current Borussia Dortmund Talent Coach, Otto Addo, to discuss the pathway at the club and the processes that go into developing a first team player at the club. A former player with Dortmund, Mainz and Ghana, Otto, was also on the sideline as head coach for Ghana in the recent World Cup in Qatar. In the interview he discusses: - R…

Gary is joined team facilitator, Molly Grisham, to discuss an aspect of the leadership that is so critical, but often overlooked: conflict. Molly presented some ideas and ways that coaches can improve their ability to embrace these difficult moments, facilitate solutions, and guide individuals through personal development at the same time. In her w…

Gary recently hosted a live webinar discussion to cover one of the greatest challenges for coaches at all levels: how to get everyone aligned to the collective goals of the team, both on and off the pitch. We were joined by John O'Sullivan (Founder of Changing the Game Project) and Jerry Lynch (Founder of Way of Champions), who shared insights and …

Gary was recently joined by Stevie Grieve on the tactical webinar alongside Association of Professional Soccer Analysts (APFA). This was the Q&A interview after the presentation. Stevie has experience at the professional level and is currently working at SJK Akatemia (Ykkonen) in Finland, Stevie shared insights around how coaches can integrate matc…

Having a game plan to manage yourself in the online world could be one of the most under-rated skills that a coach needs to develop in 2023. Communicating, connecting, and engaging with others can help grow coaching careers and improve your staffing. We are joined in this interview by Football Careers director, Piero Carrino, to discuss some of the…