Football Coaching: Creating An Effective Pre Season Programme

In this episode, we sit down with Tony Colbert. A former Arsenal First Team Coach and current consultant at FIFA in a Technical Expert role.Tony brings a wealth of elite experience to the show, reflecting on his storied career working under Arsène Wenger and preparing world-class talent at the very highest level of the game. He shares valuable insights into how his work with FIFA's global development initiatives—including the ⁠FIFA Talent Development Scheme⁠—is helping empower coaches worldwide.For coaches at all levels, Tony also delivers practical, actionable advice on structuring an effective preseason, sharpening player coordination, and applying professional standards to grassroots environments.In This Episode, We Cover:Life Under Arsène Wenger: What it takes to train world-class footballers at Arsenal Football Club.Global Coach Education: How Tony's work as a FIFA Technical Expert supports coaching development across the globe.Building a Preseason: Practical advice for grassroots and youth coaches on structuring an impactful, well-rounded preseason.Technical Activation & Coordination: Key principles behind preparing players physically and technically for peak performance.Explore Tony Colbert's Work At FIFA:Check out Tony's ⁠FIFA Technical Activation Series⁠ for structured circuits designed to sharpen player movement, technical quality, and coordination.Learn more about his drills and educational resources available on the ⁠FIFA Training Centre

In this episode, we're joined by experienced sports nutritionists Kate Shilland and Fran Taylor from Performance Canteen to discuss one of the most important aspects of youth player development—football nutrition. Whether you're a coach, parent or young footballer, this episode is packed with practical, evidence-based advice to help players fuel their performance, recover effectively and develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.Kate and Fran work with young athletes and their families, simplifying sports nutrition and helping parents feel confident about making the right food choices around training and match days. Together, we explore common nutrition myths, hydration, recovery, tournament advice and how to build realistic routines that fit around school, football and family life.We also discuss two fantastic resources they've developed to support families. Their book, How to Feed a Footballer: A Parents' Handbook to Feeding Young Footballers, provides expert answers to the questions parents ask most, making sports nutrition easy to understand and apply. Kate & Fran have also created The Game Ready Fuel System™, a practical 12-week programme that brings elite sports nutrition principles into everyday family life with just 10 minutes of learning each week.Check out both these resources at performancecanteen.co.uk.If you're looking to help young footballers maximise their potential on and off the pitch, this episode is full of actionable advice that every football family can benefit from.

Our guest on the podcast this month is Amy Kay. Amy is a well established and respected figure in Youth Development, currently working as the Lead Foundation Phase Coach at Brighton & Hove Albion Academy. Following an impactful career as captain and Academy Lead at Lincoln City, Amy joined Brighton in 2024. Renowned for her high-energy leadership and exceptional ability to connect with young players, she joins the show to discuss her journey, how to coach effectively across age groups in the Foundation Phase as well as the main theme of the episode, the value in varying game formats for players of all ages and how this can benefit their learning and long-term development.Check out Football DNA today for hundreds of live and animated practices and sessions, analysis articles, coach education courses as well as our brand new 3v3 curriculum, ready for U7s in the 2026-27 season, and much more.

Mike Melvin is the Founder and Managing Director of 3v3 UK, one of the leading organisations driving the growth of small-sided football across the UK. Through his work with clubs, leagues, County FAs, the Premier League, and The FA, Mike has helped introduce thousands of young players to the benefits of the 3v3 format.Over the past decade, he has organised major grassroots and academy events, delivered player development programmes, and played a key role in the growth of 3v3 football both nationally and internationally. His work has contributed to the increasing recognition of 3v3 as an effective way to develop technical ability, decision-making, creativity, and enjoyment in young players.In this episode, Mike shares the story behind 3v3 UK, explains why small-sided football is transforming youth player development, and discusses the future of grassroots football as The FA prepares to introduce 3v3 as the mandatory format for U7s. Expect practical insights, real-world experiences, and plenty of discussion around creating better environments for young players to learn and thrive.

Trophies are great, but individual development is the real prize. In this episode, we welcome special guest Ross O'Kane, former Foundation Phase Lead at Luton Town FC Academy, to break down the strategic value of tournament football in youth player development. Drawing from his extensive experience in the elite academy space, Ross shares how coaches can navigate pressure, fatigue, and rapid tactical shifts to transform weekend tournaments into massive growth opportunities for young players.

In this episode we are joined by sport psychologist Sarah Murray to discuss The Value Of Sports Pyschology In Grassroots Football.Sarah has over a decade of experience working in professional sport, education and business. 9 years of which include a full time role overseeing performance psychology at a premier league football club. Sarah has a passion for working with people, hence she can be found with elite and non elite teams, athletes, coaches and across sport, education and business to enhance human performance and develop understanding of what a healthy high performance cultures look and feel like.For more info and to contact Sarah: https://www.performance-edge.org/

In this episode of the Football DNA podcast we speak with Co-Founder & Director of the Football Fun Factory Jonny Martin. Jonny is a UEFA A Licensed Coach and previously worked at Cambridge United Academy for 9 years. He now is on a mission to support young people across the country. The Football Fun Factory was created to provide incredible childhood football experiences, for boys and girls of all ages and ability levels, eliminating barriers to opportunity. We use the nation’s passion for football as a vehicle for child development, delivering truly unique experiences to make memories that last a lifetime.

In the first episode of 2026, we are joined by David & Keith Mayer to discuss How To Become A More Effective Coach, Quickly. Insights are taken from the book they both published as co-authors. Keith has an extensive coaching background around the world and for the last decade with Liverpool FC Academy. David has also coached around the world as a UEFA A Licenced Coach, currently at Utah Red Wolves Academy. For even more insights, check out their book Gold Dust: How to Become a More Effective Coach, Quickly, available on Amazon and major bookshops.

In the ninth episode of 2025 our host Paul Barry is joined by Ross Embleton to discuss Talent ID & Recruitment In Grassroots FootballRoss is a highly respected English football coach, currently serving as Academy Head of Recruitment at West Ham United. With a background in youth development at clubs like Tottenham and Norwich, he is best known for his time at Leyton Orient, where he held roles including Head Coach and helped lead the club through a period of transition.

In the eighth episode of 2025 our host Paul Barry is joined by Ben Bradford to discuss grassroots goalkeeper coaching.Ben Bradford is an experienced and sought-after goalkeeping coach, who is a former academy Goalkeeping Coach for West Ham United Football Club. He has numerous qualifications, including FA Level 2 goalkeeper, FA Level 1 in Talent Identification, and FA Emergency First Aid. His coaching philosophy prioritises attacking-minded play with both feet and developing his goalkeepers' organisational skills and positive attitude. Ben was also the former Essex Regional Goalkeeping Scout for Cambridge United.Under Ben's guidance, many of his students have signed for professional football clubs, such as Man Xity, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Southend United, Colchester United, West Ham United United and Milwall.