Youth Soccer Coaching Player Development Podcast

🎙️ EPISODE 160 | SESSION DESIGN AT FIRST-TEAM LEVEL ⚽ What really goes on behind the scenes at the highest level of professional football? In this episode of the MPFC Youth Soccer Podcast, Saul is joined by Ryan Maye, former Assistant Head Coach at Swansea City and Head of Coaching and Development at Aston Villa. Ryan spent many years working in elite academy football before making the transition into first-team coaching, most recently working alongside Vítor Matos at Swansea City. Saul and Ryan take a fascinating look behind the scenes of first-team football, exploring how coaches design and deliver training sessions to bring a manager’s playing philosophy to life. How do you get players to understand and execute the manager’s vision? How do you translate tactical ideas into effective training sessions? And what are the key differences between coaching in an academy and working with senior professionals? A fascinating insight into the demands of coaching at the highest level, with valuable lessons for coaches working at every stage of the game. 🎧 Episode 160 — Out Now! Available on YouTube, Spotify and all major podcast platforms. 👇 What do you think is the biggest challenge when moving from academy to first-team coaching? #FootballCoaching #SessionDesign #CoachDevelopment #SwanseaCity #AstonVilla #FootballPodcast #MyPersonalFootballCoach

🎙️ **INSIDE RB LEIPZIG: HOW DO YOU DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION?** ⚽ How do you develop young footballers at one of Europe's leading academies? In this episode of the MyPersonalFootballCoach Podcast, I'm joined by Max Ruhner, Head of Methodology (U8–U14) at RB Leipzig, to explore youth player development and the importance of effective coaching methodology. We discuss developing young players, building strong technical foundations and creating the right learning environment for long-term development. A must-listen for academy coaches, grassroots coaches and parents passionate about developing young footballers. 🎧 Listen to the full episode — link in bio. 🔥 **Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass:** https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ #FootballCoaching #RBLeipzig #YouthDevelopment #PlayerDevelopment #AcademyFootball #MyPersonalFootballCoach

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ Inside the Crystal Palace Academy South London is one of the best talent hotbeds in world football, and Crystal Palace sit right in the middle of it. Nathan Thomas, Head of Coaching at the Crystal Palace Academy, joins Saul to talk about his work there and how the academy makes the most of one of the richest recruitment areas in the game. Nathan has worked across the academy system, as Foundation Phase Lead at Sunderland and MK Dons, with spells at Arsenal and Brentford too. We get into: The role of Head of Coaching at Crystal Palace Why South London produces so much talent How Palace recruit and develop players from their area Lessons from Sunderland, MK Dons, Arsenal and Brentford What coaches at every level can take from academy football Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this one is not to be missed. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ Why is there such a lack of quality centre-backs in English football? Steven Caulker came into academy football late. He was only scouted by Tottenham Hotspur at 15, as a centre-back. He went on to play for Spurs, Liverpool and England, and he's now a coach who specialises in defending. Steven joins Saul to talk about why defending matters so much, how to coach it through the age groups, and why England is producing so few top-quality centre-backs right now. We get into: Being scouted late, at 15, and still making it to the top Why defending is an under-coached part of the game How to coach defending at every age group What makes a top-class centre-back Why English football is short of quality centre-backs Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this one is not to be missed. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ COACHING FAMILY SPECIAL What's the best way to develop your players if you only have them for one hour a week? Whether you're a foundation phase coach or working in the youth development phase, time with your players is limited. So how do you make every minute count, and still develop the players who make the difference in games? Former Arsenal Academy coach Alex Nichols joins Saul again to look at the best ways to maximise the short time you have with your players and develop the game changers of the future. We get into: What to prioritise when you only have one hour a week Planning a session that makes every minute count The differences between the foundation phase and the youth development phase Developing the individual inside a group session How to develop players who change games Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this one is not to be missed. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ COACHING FAMILY SPECIAL Why are rondos Barcelona's secret weapon? For decades, the rondo has sat at the heart of how Barcelona develop players, and it has shaped the way the Spanish national team plays too. But why is it so effective, and how do you get the same outcomes from it with your own players? Jordi Condom Aulí, formerly a coach at Barcelona's academy, joins Saul to explain why rondos accelerate learning, the best way to set them up, and how to coach them so they deliver real outcomes rather than just keeping the ball. We get into: Why rondos became Barcelona's secret weapon How they shaped the Spanish style of play Why they accelerate a player's learning The best way to set up a rondo How to coach them to get real outcomes Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this one is not to be missed. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ ⚽ See Michel live with the Surrey Football Coaches Association in December. Join the SFCA: https://www.surreyfootballcoachesassociation.com COACHING FAMILY SPECIAL What does a good ball mastery session look like? If you only have your players for one hour a week, what's the most effective way to develop them? Michel Hordijk, formerly of the Ajax Academy, joins Saul to talk about ball mastery: what it actually is, how to do it properly, and how to make it count when time is short. They also challenge some of the biggest misconceptions around this work, including the argument that ball mastery has no context. We get into: What ball mastery really is, and what it isn't How to deliver it properly The common misconceptions, including whether it has context How to link ball mastery to the game Getting the most from one hour a week with your players Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this one is not to be missed. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 Get my Developing the Game Changer masterclass: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-developing-the-game-changer/ COACHING FAMILY SPECIAL Which academy is best for your child? For parents lucky enough to have a choice, it's the million-dollar question. Which academy should they join? Which one will help them fulfil their potential? And how do you even begin to compare them? Former Arsenal Academy coach Alex Nichols joins Saul to talk about the academy environment from the inside, and to help parents answer one of the toughest decisions they'll ever face. We get into: What really makes one academy better than another Why the "biggest" club isn't always the best choice What to look for in the coaching, the environment and the pathway The questions every parent should ask before signing How to choose the academy that's right for your child Whether you're a parent facing this decision, a player weighing up your options, or a coach advising families, this is one you need to hear. Master the ball. Master the game.

🔥 The 121 Coaching Course is £399 until 31 October: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-121-coaching-course/ Are English players as good as the French and Spanish? For years, France and Spain have been held up as the gold standard of player development. Technically sharper, tactically smarter, better prepared for the top level. But has England caught up? Alex Nichols, formerly of Arsenal's Academy, joins Saul to debate it. They look at how English players compare with their French and Spanish counterparts, what each country does differently in its academies, and where England still has work to do. We get into: How English players compare technically and tactically What France and Spain do differently in development The strengths English academies have that others don't What still needs to change in the English system What coaches at every level can take from all three countries Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this is a debate every coach will have an opinion on. Master the ball. Master the game.

Get 20% off the 121 Coaches Course now: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/mpfc-121-coaching-course/ 🎙️ NEW PODCAST What really goes on behind the scenes at one of the best academies in European football? Feyenoord U21 coach David Toxopeus joins Saul to take you inside. Feyenoord has a long history of developing players who go on to play in Europe's top five leagues, and David has worked through the academy, including winning the national championship with the U15s. They talk about how Feyenoord identifies and develops players, what the pathway from academy to first team really looks like, and what young players have to do to make it at the top level. We get into: The Feyenoord way of developing players What happens day to day behind the scenes at the academy Technical and Tactical Periodisation How they set up on game day Whether you coach grassroots, run 1-2-1 sessions, or work in an academy, this is a rare look inside one of Europe's top player development factories. Master the ball. Master the game.