Specialisms
Cross-cutting technical and tactical modules — goalkeeper development, set pieces, pressing systems, tournaments, and deep-dives that apply across age groups.
Goalkeeper development
The player nobody coaches — from U8 to U18
Set piece coaching
Corners, free kicks, throw-ins — the phase that decides matches
Game day — the match playbook
Arrival to handshake — formations, subs, in-game calls
Mental performance
Coaching the inside of the game — composure, mistakes, pressure
Physical preparation
Warm-ups, growth-plate injuries, concussion, load management
Coaching girls & the female athlete
PHV, ACL risk, periods, drop-out, kit, the female-coach pipeline
Navigating the academy pathway
EPPP, scout day, the parent call, release, and the alternatives
Small-sided formats & transitions
5v5, 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 — four different games, and the cliff between them
Coaching defending
Individual, unit and team — a framework, age-banded progressions, six drills
Coaching attacking
Build-up, progression, finishing — six principles, age-banded progressions, drills
Coaching transitions
The four moments of football — the six-second rule, counter-press, rest defence
Tournament weekend management
Five matches in a day, parents on tour, knockout pressure — pre-tournament prep
Coaching restarts (defensive)
Half your conceded goals start with a restart — kick-ins, throw-ins, goal kicks
Rondos, positioning games & triangles
Every elite training ground starts here — 4v1, 5v2, 7v3 progressions
Coaching pressing systems
Heights, six triggers, zonal vs man, rest defence, six-second counter-press
Substitutions and bench management
Four sub types, format-specific rules, the 60-second sub conversation
Heading and head safety
FA regulations by age band, seven-stage technique progression, concussion recognition
Mid-season player integration
Trialists, new joiners, return-from-injury, mid-season transfers — paperwork, squad conversation
Scouting and opposition analysis
The grassroots-scale discipline — three questions from 90 seconds of warm-up
Working with the referee
The 90-second pre-match handshake, in-match body-language, care for young referees
On-pitch first aid and medical emergencies
DRSABC primary survey, eight emergency protocols, kit contents, 999 call script
Pre-match warm-up design
Four-phase structure, age-banded templates U6 to U18, FIFA 11+ and 11+ Kids
Coaching the multi-sport athlete
"Should we drop rugby?" — the evidence-led answer, and the parent conversation
Reflective practice
The two-minute walk, the three-line journal, and the phone on the fence
Coaching interventions
When to freeze, when to let it play — the four interventions, the 20-second rule
Coaching through results
The 7-0 loss, the 7-0 win, the tournament weekend — what the huddle actually says