WELCOME EVERYONE: My name is David, I am an experienced soccer coach based in the UK. I have over 17 years of coaching experience within the elite academy system. I work for a category one premier league academy club. During this time I have worked across a number of phases and continue to coach in the pre-academy and foundation phases.

I have worked with pre-academy groups of U7 and U8. These are talented young players who have been identified as having the potential to be an elite academy player. The focus at this age is on creating a fun learning environment and developing a player’s love for the game. I have worked in this phase for around 12 years.

Another phase I currently work in is the foundation phase which is aimed at the U9 to U12 age group. The focus at this level is very much on technical development and becoming a good decision-maker. Lots of conditioned and small-sided games are used to improve a player’s ability to play under pressure in tight areas. I have spent the last 7 years working in this phase.

Prior to working in the foundation phase, I spend a large chunk of my coaching journey working in the youth development phase of the game. This is with the age groups U12 to U16. This is where players are starting to play the game on 11 v 11 pitches and tactical elements are taught to the players. I spent around 10 years working in this phase 7 years with U13 and 3 years with U16.

Out of season in the U.K. I have worked in Scandinavia for 6 consecutive years delivering coach education and soccer camps for Coerver Norway. This has been such an enjoyable experience, learning and sharing experiences whilst meeting some amazing people and making many friends along the way.

Around coaching, I also work in a further education college as a lecturer in sports coaching science and development. I have done this role alongside soccer coaching for the last 16 years. It has been really challenging at times, juggling my day job as a teacher alongside my evening job as a soccer coach.

I love coaching and it is something that has always motivated me. Helping players develop and improve is my passion. It has been great to have been coaching long enough to see players I coached as children playing premier league and championship soccer. I have completed my level 4 UEFA ‘A’ license with the English FA. This is one of the highest academic qualifications outside of the professional game.

Away from football, I am a family person with a wife and a happy child. My main hobby is coaching soccer although I love to learn, exercise and stay healthy through eating well and physical activity. I love spending time with friends and family. I am based in the north of England so the weather for coaching is often cold, wet, and windy which is challenging but refreshing.

The aim of this site is to share. I hope my ideas or opinions will trigger inspiration in others. I want to help coaches improve their technical understanding of the game and provide a resource they can use to learn, educate and support. The site will offer some general insights around all things soccer coaching, from delivery to practices and tactical insights for a range of age ranges.

I hope you enjoy the articles on this site and would love you to share your ideas, thoughts, and opinions in the comments sections. I look forward to seeing your responses.