Take your coaching career to the next level

I’m often asked for advice on how to get into coaching (football), or progress from a fledgling start in the game so I thought I’d share some ideas on this platform that I can offer to curious aspiring practitioners, and perhaps interest to some of my connections.

Firstly, I think it’s important to establish why you want to coach. For each person, this could be different. In my case, it was a combination of several factors:

• I wanted to work in the game I loved;
• I wanted a role where I could, take responsibility and where necessary effect change.

Get on the grass!

The obvious first step is to get on the grass (or 4G!). This for me was two-fold. Firstly, ensure you have as much experience as possible at the level where you can coach. Not pick up cones, or support a lead coach, but plan, deliver and review sessions. This gives a platform to apply the learnings picked up in the second part: observations. Utilise any opportunity to observe, shadow, or volunteer at the level you’re aspiring to coach at next. This helps provide clarity and purpose to your work while offering invaluable insight into what may lie ahead. When opportunities arise to progress, you’re well-informed on the level and well-placed to move seamlessly into the next role. Ignore those in the game who suggest you should be happy at the level you’re at. They aren’t, or they’ve already done it. In any other industry, it’s normal to be ambitious and express a desire to progress. You’re doing it one step further by volunteering your time to upskill yourself to make it happen. It should be commended, not criticised.

Deliver with purpose, every time, in every environment.

Remember, it’s the players who make the game. I was once advised by a great friend and mentor, Steve Foley, that the players really worth investing in are the ones who do the extra work when nobody is watching. They give their best, consistently. The same applies to us as coaches. Deliver each session with the care and attention you would want to be shown as a player. As the well-known saying goes, the players only care what you know when they know you care. Occasionally I’ve heard coaches refer to ‘standards’. I’ve always considered it lazy when coaches demand standards from players. What is the ‘standard’? Is it even achievable? There is nothing wrong with being demanding, or setting high expectations, but they must be relative. I’ve preferred the approach of demanding players reach the best level they can. This will look different for each player but it individualises the ‘standards’. It inspires the striving players in the particular area of focus to challenge themselves and sets attainable outcomes for those finding it more challenging. I’ve found this approach shifts attention from either the one or two players finding it more difficult, or the group as a whole, to the individual. Every individual. This can equally be applied to group objectives.

Be a great thief - but think about the ‘why’!

One thing that’s stuck with me from my first coaching course through to the present day, is an obsession with writing everything down that I want to remember. I’ve advised many aspiring coaches to write down what they see and hear that they would like to replicate. I often find the process thought-provoking and new ideas are generated from simply focusing on something while it’s recorded. In my case, this stretches from particular practices to messages given to players, from body language to learnings of colleagues and a great deal more. The key I find, is not to copy delivery. I often refer to Steve Foley, a coach renowned for bringing an incredible sense of humour to the game. I distinctly remember on one occasion delivering a session and copying a joke Steve had brilliantly told a group earlier in the day. You guessed it; my copy bombed. I instantly lost some credibility because I compromised my authenticity. It was a valuable lesson. I became aware early in my journey that I was highly impressionable. While the term ‘coaching philosophy’ was several years from becoming fashionable, I realised my preferred operating style changed frequently depending on what, and specifically who, I observed. I’ve been lucky to have an underlying confidence throughout my life to fall back on and retaining authenticity in delivery is everything. Particularly in today’s game, there are a vast number of coaches working in a very similar way, delivering very similar practices. The ‘new generation’ as the old sweats will call it. Embrace your uniqueness and be comfortable being slightly different. Establish who you are and who you want to be, and work consistently in that profile. The main issue with blindly copying another coach is the lack of understanding of the ‘why’. It’s critical to understand why you are doing what you are doing. In an industry of high scrutiny, having a well-thought and clear rationale will aid your progression.

Find great mentors!

In such a competitive world, where very little separates a vast number of coaches, a commitment to self-development and a genuine open mind can accelerate your progress. From the beginning of my journey, I have had the incredible fortune of several excellent mentors who have played a significant part in some of the great moments I have enjoyed. In the beginning, I had parents who encouraged hard graft, putting the hours in to improve and support where necessary to facilitate my endeavours. I had the great pleasure of meeting the late Johan Cruyff and Bert van Marwijk as a young coach and enjoyed incredible exposure to many elite environments, including working with the Dutch National Team as a result of their influence. More recently I met the brilliant Steve Foley who has offered honest advice, told me at times where I am going wrong and allowed me to learn from his vast experience, becoming a great friend in the process. Pete Trevivian demonstrated the importance of considering practice design with the most appropriate method of coaching in a given situation for the greatest and most sustainable return. Latterly I had the fortune of working with my Fiancé, who is a master of detail in developing players and inspired me to build the habit of planning effectively and thinking outside the box. There are many others, too many to name but the principle is key. Surround yourself with people who will inspire you to go that extra step further and open your eyes to what you may have not seen.

The second part of this is equally important. Many coaches want to progress and will consider themselves open-minded. However, it can be really beneficial to ask colleagues and decision-makers what you need to do in order to reach your goals. Make them answer the question and then listen. In a previous organisation, Lee O’Neill was great for my development in this respect. His role gave him a broad understanding of the bigger picture so could offer genuine and objective feedback, particularly when my role evolved to become more management and operational, away from the grass. There’s nothing wrong with hearing something you don’t like! That’s probably the bit to pay attention to!

Work with great people!

I generally tried my best to work closest with others who had skills I wanted to develop. Sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you’re recruiting staff to work with you. Be clever and use this as an opportunity to enhance your club or programme and add new pieces to the jigsaw. At a non-league management level, I had three great friends in Ste, Tricks and Dan involved. Each offered something different and a uniqueness from my strengths. We recognised the role each other played and left each job to the person who would do it best! In another space, I enjoyed working with Jason Dozzell. Jason has a brilliant ability to make an environment fun and connect with players while getting the best out of them. These experiences - and countless other experiences with other colleagues - were invaluable to shaping the coach I became by stealing principles they adopted while trying to retain authenticity in my delivery style.

Qualifications

For me, there’s no debate on this one. Qualifications are key to opening doors and essential to your progression. They help to validate you as a coach. I did them as early as possible and often one or two people say “Take some time to coach at a certain level before trying to get the next badge”. Garbage. It you can get it, get it, and worry about building experience with it when you have it. There can be unhealthy jealousy in football - don’t be a victim of it!

Summary

In summary, hard work, authenticity and an open mind is key to creating a sense of fulfilment in coaching. Be prepared to make a decision when necessary and when you believe in something, have the conviction to put your name to it. Surround yourself with the best people you can, especially those who bring something you’re lacking and avoid negativity like the plague.

It’s been an interesting exercise reflecting on my route into, and progression through, the world of football. I’ve had the incredible fortune to work with everyone from grassroots children to senior international players in the Netherlands. I’ve travelled around the world and I enjoyed every moment, and while my path moved away from the grass it’s a world i would recommend to anyone at any level if they have the passion for it. My DMs are always open for anyone interested in discussing the topic!

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