The Lowdown

"Control the controllables to survive, influence the uncontrollables to thrive."Today I am delighted to be joined by Olympic gold winning coach Mehdi Kordi. Despite never riding competitively Mehdi went on to win an incredible six Olympic gold medals as coach.Here he shares with us his journey which took him from researching CPR techniques in Space to an Olympic podium. A great episode on what truly moves the needle in elite sport and what happens when winning is all that counts.Listen to find out more including;- Why leadership conversations get sanitized? - Transitioning from Sports Scientist to Head Coach and what buyin looked like?- Is "What It Takes To Win" still relevant?- What Mehdi learned from leading the People's Republic of Derbados?- How to lead athletes more powerful than ever who also communicate less than ever?Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

Today I am delighted to be joined by esteemed football executive Adrian Bevington.In today's episode we cover Adrian's 10 lessons in leadership from building sporting departments throughout his career. Drawing on his experience working at the FA, FAW, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough we delve into what it truly takes to work at the top.Listen to find out more including;- What does operational excellence look like?- The logistical demands of a World Cup and how change is navigated.- Inside the appointment of Gareth Southgate as England manager.- What macro / micro leadership looks like for Adrian?- Adrian's current work in M&A with Revolution Sports Investment.Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

Today I am delighted to be joined by Red Bull Bragantino Academy Director; Victor Passeri. I have been fortunate to get to know Victor as part of this years MBA cohort with the ASD.This episode provides brilliant insight into technical leadership within a Brazilian context. From an early apprenticeship at FC Porto and Palmeiras Victor explains how he’s able to apply a generalist’s frame to his day to day work within the Academy.Listen to find out more including;- How different roles shaped his understanding of leadership?- Finding a competitive edge in South American scouting- What adaptability looks like within the Red Bull methodology ?- What player evaluation looks like in their environment ?- Decision making in player pathway management.Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

Today we celebrate the 200th episode of The Lowdown with a special World Cup episode with David Garcia & Bernat Mosquera. With 106 games down and fresh from watching Brazil v Japan we review the action thus far,Listen to find out more including;- Has the move to a 48 team competition made for a better watch?- Why we all see Colombia as potential dark horses?- The mid block and attacking transition strategies that are defining this World Cup.- How the favorites approach squad usage and what that means for building rhythm throughout the tournament?- The difference between progression and danger and where teams fall short.- Why the sudden increase in set piece goals in this year's World Cup?David's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-garcia-a043794b/Bernat's LinkedIn; https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernat-mosquera/Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with Oliver Denhardt to explore his journey from the early days of performance analysis and scouting to helping shape the future of football intelligence. Having worked within leading environments including AFC Ajax and FC Copenhagen, Oliver shares the lessons he learned from talent identification, recruitment processes, and understanding what separates elite decision-making from the rest of the industry.We also dive into the growth of Eyeball, a platform now covering thousands of clubs across dozens of countries, and discuss how technology is changing scouting, recruitment, and football operations. From video scoring and market expertise to the democratization of data and analysis, Oliver provides a fascinating perspective on where clubs can still create competitive advantages and what problems football will need to solve next.Listen to find out more including;- What were the biggest lessons Oliver learned from his time at Ajax and FC Copenhagen?- What Oliver sees as the biggest challenges facing clubs in recruitment and analysis?- Why has Eyeball been able to scale successfully across so many countries and clubs?- Why succeeding in a new market requires an extreme level of focus and specialization?- What are the biggest mistakes clubs make when trying to adapt to new technology?Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

The countdown is almost over as the biggest FIFA World Cup in history arrives across the United States, Canada and Mexico. With 48 teams, three host nations and an expanded format, the 2026 tournament promises to be unlike anything football has seen before. Liam Tharme and I discuss whether the scale of the event will elevate the spectacle, the challenges presented by travel, climate and scheduling, and how the never-ending football calendar continues to fuel the debate around player workload and the balance between club and international football. Alongside our predictions, we explore the tactical trends, key group-stage fixtures and knockout permutations that could define the road to the final.Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with Tomasz Cybulski, co-founder of ProTrainUp, to explore the evolution of sports technology, performance analysis, and building a startup within elite sport. Tomasz reflects on the early stages of ProTrainUp, where the company began, and how the original vision has evolved through years of working directly with clubs, coaches, and federations across different countries and sporting environments.The conversation dives into the realities of scaling a sports tech company in a rapidly changing industry, the importance of understanding club workflows and operational culture, and how co-design with practitioners has shaped the platform’s development. Tomasz also shares his perspective on product differentiation in an increasingly competitive market, the future role of AI and meaningful insight in sport, and the lessons he has learned building technology that must adapt across different cultures, structures, and performance environments.Listen to find out more including;- The journey into sports analysis and founding ProTrainUp.- Early startup growth: challenges, successes, and lessons learned.- How the company’s original vision evolved over time?- Selling technology into clubs and understanding staff workflows.- Co-designing products through feedback from clubs and practitioners.- The future of sports tech, AI, and creating meaningful product differentiation?Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, Carsten Dohm shares lessons from over 30 years in coaching, from his earliest football memories to building a philosophy centered on developing the person before the player. He explores what it takes to produce “A+ players,” while emphasizing the importance of long-term development over early performance outcomes. His approach focuses on creating environments for accelerated learning, deliberate practice, and maximizing the “golden window” of development.Drawing on his experience helping shape San Diego FC, Carsten reflects on the challenges of youth development in the U.S. and the importance of designing integrated learning ecosystems that combine education, culture, and football. He discusses building a “third culture” that blends global expertise with local identity, the growing importance of coaching skills like attention design and the need to prioritize potential, character, and adaptability.Timestamps;00:00 - 10:21 - Person First10:22 - 30:04 - USA30:05 - 48:48 - A+ Players48:49 - 1;00:54 - Compass1:00:55 - 1:27:31 - Path to Mastery1:27:32 - 1:33:56 - FutureGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

"Is football becoming less of a spectacle?"On his return to the show Paul McGuinness explores whether modern football is losing its creative edge, drawing on his experience developing elite players at Manchester United and working across the Premier League. The conversation examines the effects early specialization, results-driven environments and increasingly structured tactical systems are having on player development.Paul also dives into how coaching can either nurture or suppress creativity, emphasizing the importance of “flow” in player development and the challenge of balancing structure with freedom in academy environments. He reflects on the risks of a win-focused culture, the pressures of modern evaluation systems, and whether these issues extend beyond elite clubs into grassroots football worldwide.Listen to find our more including;- Where the education of young players is going?- How Paul is adapting his coaching for today's generation?- How the link between midfield and forward players is evolving at the top level?- Paul's view on the shift from fixed positions to prioritizing player characteristics.- Having coached top Premier League talent, is there truly a decline in creative players coming through?Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]

In this episode, we sit down with coach developer Russell Earnshaw, whose work spans elite environments including Liverpool FC, England Rugby, the Premier League, and New Zealand Sevens.This conversation explores what it really means to optimize for impact in coaching—moving beyond busy work to focus on the moments that truly matter. Russell shares how coaches can better plan their weeks around energy and time, rather than just schedules, and why treating CPD (continuous professional development) like a second job is essential for long-term growth.We also dive into the role of playfulness and experimentation in high-performance environments, challenging the idea that structure and creativity are opposites. Russell unpacks his perspective on what “better” actually looks like in coaching, and how that definition evolves over time.Finally, we explore the shifting skillsets required as coaches transition into leaders—including noticing, designing environments, and creating cultures where people can truly belong and thrive.Timestamps;00:00 - 05:35 - Coaching05:36 - 14:33 - CPD14:34 - 25:44 - Energy25:45 - 45:57 - Leadership45:58 - 56:42 - Mindset, Skillset & Structure56:43 - 1:03:35 - FutureGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: [email protected]