[Jamie] 00:00:09.179
Hello and welcome to a special episode of CoachCast by England Football Learning, the coaching podcast that brings you insight from people across the game.

[Louise] 00:00:16.160
Today we'll be chatting to three learners from this year's Pro Licence course. We'll be talking to them about their role in the game, the key skills that they think coaches need and hopefully getting some top tips from them.

[Jamie] 00:00:27.088
Well sounds good, let's get started.

[Louise] 00:00:30.240
So we're delighted to be joined by Amy Merritt, who is Brighton & Hove Albion Women's Assistant Manager. So, first of all, welcome to CoachCast. How are you?

[Amy Merricks] 00:00:39.326
Thank you for having me. I'm well, thank you. Excited to be here.

[Louise] 00:00:42.620
Good. We're excited to have you. So, You've been in Brighton since 2015, but before that you've had multiple different coaching roles. Could you tell us a bit about those roles and then also what the role is that you've got at the moment?

[Amy Merricks] 00:00:55.680
Absolutely. Firstly, I grew up with a real love for the game. Two older brothers, so played in the garden with them 24-7. Grandad, a real lover of football as well. So that got me into football initially and then I was a part of Crystal Palace's women's team as well as their college program and they had the coaching course as part of that program. From the start of that course I was totally engaged by coaching when I stepped onto the grass and knew it was what I wanted to do. And from there I went out to America, to Texas, to coach all different abilities, boys, girls, really good experience. I feel like out there I really learnt my craft in being able to improvise with what you have in that moment, how to engage young children and older children. And then from that experience I came back, had a bit of time with Gillingham Reserves, play a coach type of role, which was different. Back out to America, came back and then found myself with multiple roles at the same time. So Millwall Lionesses, Under-17s and the Development Squad at the same time as doing soccer schools during the day and Chelsea Boys Foundation. So running from one to the other but the the grass time was huge in that moment in my career and I think that really helped me get different experiences, work with different people, pick up different ideas, really found myself as a coach and what I believed in and then Brighton, the opportunity at Brighton came up which initially wasn't with the first team. Initially that was with the under 13s, with the reserves and the college team. So again lots of coaching time and then after a year things changed and I fell into the interim role as assistant. It grew from there really so it's been a bit of a roller coaster but thoroughly enjoyed it - really passionate about coaching.

[Jamie] 00:02:35.824
Yeah so many different wonderful experiences there what was it like for the first time actually getting out and coaching?

[Amy Merricks] 00:02:41.640
Probably a bit daunting at first because I did it alongside my peers at college so and I you know to the mick a bit because I so I loved it so much so bit daunting - you want to get it right, you want players to enjoy the sessions. But I think you, you know, when you feel so passionately about something, it becomes quite natural when you start to learn how to bring it to life really, make it like the game, engage players and ultimately develop them and the team.

[Jamie] 00:03:07.980
Have you got any advice for that first coaching experience? You say it's a little bit daunting, what would you say to a grassroots coach who's going out there to coach for the first time?

[Amy Merricks] 00:03:15.780
I think we tend to make the game complicated at times and I think you have to keep it simple, specific, it needs to look and feel like the game, it needs to be enjoyable. I think the more you can put yourself in the role of the player and think about the session that you're designing and whether it's going to be high contact time, you know, a lot of movement involved, a lot of touches on the ball, then you're along the right path. I think we tend to complicate things sometimes and try and you know, rewrite the wheel when it's not necessary.

[Louise] 00:03:44.424
Definitely. Well, if we jump to kind of where we are today, what's your experience of the Pro Licence course been like so far and what's been your favourite part?

[Amy Merricks] 00:03:52.740
Really enjoyable. I think it's been very much high challenge, high support. It's a great network of coaches and managers on the course as well, so a really good opportunity to hear real life experiences, a good opportunity to upskill. We have speakers that come in from all different industries, so we had the head of creativity at Google last time, which was brilliant. Been out to France, that was probably one of the most enjoyable weeks because completely different environment, as well as that you have a really dedicated week block where you're almost in a bubble and we got a very difficult task around recruitment where we had to present back to a board in limited time. So it was realistic in terms of the world that you live in in pro game but like I said high challenge, high support in that moment because the tutors are there and they're guiding you through, you get instant feedback so you're able to take it back into your world straight away. So really enjoyable course and I think it's certainly stretched me.

[Jamie] 00:04:48.700
Looking at that experience but then also other coaching and course experience, how do you feel they've helped you to develop as a coach?

[Amy Merricks] 00:04:55.160
I think the opportunity I just touched on it to network with other coaches because You can get trapped in your day-to-day role with the same people around you and maybe you end up doing things that you always do, but just the opportunity having those conversations, being challenged on maybe why you're doing something, help you think from different angles, I think that's good. It's also very energising, you know, you come away from it and you get almost a bit of reset, re-guidance back into where you want to be, as well as the opportunity to learn new ideas, take new ideas away from it and try them out. I think that's really important. Something that I really like about the courses is the tutors. I think they, you know, without the tutors and that one-to-one support outside and away from the course, I'm not sure you'd maximise your time, but the way that that support is there, certainly for me, that's been significantly helpful for me, especially during the interim period and stuff like that. So, yeah.

[Louise] 00:05:47.864
Is there any specific insight that you've got from the course that you think you're going to take back into your role or you've started to already?

[Amy Merricks] 00:05:54.840
Yeah, one thing for me would be, I touched on the head of creativity from Google and he speaks about more Options equals better decisions. And I think the more that I can step back, give other people a voice, consider other ideas, and be comfortable with taking them, will only make the teams work better. So I think, you know, how can I bring other people into conversations, make sure we have that cognitive diversity? That would be something that I really want to ensure I do moving forward.

[Jamie] 00:06:22.440
What would you say you enjoy most about coaching?

[Amy Merricks] 00:06:24.940
Connecting with people. I think I truly believe and I'm very passionate about ensuring that people fulfil their potential, whether that is staff or players, and that starts with connecting with them first, understanding them, and then ultimately trying to create a pathway where they can amplify their strengths but then learn and develop as they go. I think fulfilling potential of the team and the individual is certainly my goal.

[Louise] 00:06:49.820
What advice do you have for coaches who are working in the top end of the game?

[Amy Merricks] 00:06:53.940
I think it's very easy to get caught up in, I almost keep it, I call it a washing machine, you know, game, you review, you go again, you go again. And I think it's important sometimes to zoom out, take time, think about the long-term as well as the short-term projects and prioritise what you're going after because the reality is you can't hit everything at one moment, which I think sometimes we can get drawn into but to get real high quality work we have to take time, prioritise what we're looking to achieve.

[Louise] 00:07:21.500
Those in some cases, that also works for people who are just starting out as well, you can't do everything to kind of like focus on some key things.

[Amy Merricks] 00:07:29.180
Absolutely, and I think you know nature of coaching, we want to go from one course to another and another. And some of the best advice I've had from the likes of Hope is to step back, you know, it's a marathon, not a sprint. Go on to the course and then try and learn and apply that in your day to day before thinking about what's next.

[Jamie] 00:07:49.280
You mentioned about key priorities and a lot of planning. What would you say the key priorities are that you keep in mind when you're planning out session design?

[Amy Merricks] 00:07:57.440
Absolutely the players. What are they going to get out of it? It's not about me as the coach, it's about the players and it's about the team. Where we want to be, what is the key outcome, the overriding if you like, of the session. Do I want them to come away with a specific principle in mind or is it just a feel-good moment or is it I'm going to really put them under challenge today, but ultimately it's about the players. We coach for the players, not for us.

[Louise] 00:08:21.280
So you've been Brighton's assistant for over six years now, so what top tips do you have for people who are working at any level of the game, but as part of a coaching pair?

[Amy Merricks] 00:08:30.760
I would say the more you can connect with the head coach if you're an assistant, understand them and what they want to get out of certain elements of the game, what that looks like for them, the better you can support. I think the closer that relationship and connection can be, the better the work will be. And you've got to flex in and out of different areas. So I always try and think if the head coach is trying to maybe push a bit more, challenge a bit more, then I have to maybe provide a different angle at certain times. Sometimes it might be a case of I'm saying nothing and observing. Instead of filling the space all the time, that might be the best way to support and then provide some insight later. So you're really just trying to listen, see, hear, trying to impact some key elements, but you have to understand what the head coach is going after to be able to support them effectively.

[Jamie] 00:09:20.740
And does that change with who the head coach is? So obviously you worked with the wonderful Hope Powell for many years. How have you then worked with, obviously, the new manager now?

[Amy Merricks] 00:09:29.380
Yeah, it changes. Different head coaches have different styles and that's where I have to say you know you have to understand what they want and also what your role is. So my role with Hope would be very different to what it would be with Jens compared to George Paris you know so you have to what is my role and responsibility What are my key priorities that they want from me? How can I best support them? And they're different personalities as well. So being able to understand that will help you guide your work and build that relationship with them and help the players.

[Jamie] 00:10:00.400
Have you got any top tips for building that relationship with somebody?

[Amy Merricks] 00:10:03.900
I think it's communicating, communicating a lot every day with the staff as well as the head coach. You're trying to bridge the staff, the players, the head coach, blend it all together, Make sure that everyone's on the same page. You know, I think the role of the assistant is making sure that everyone is moving in the same direction, has real clarity and can execute the strategy or the philosophy or the methodology that we're going after. That's the role of the assistant. So communication is key.

[Louise] 00:10:33.700
And do you have any, again, specific advice for anyone up and down the game to help people improve their communication?

[Amy Merricks] 00:10:40.526
Speaking, questions, listening. I think It can be quite daunting that you're going to have to go and maybe ask someone, Did that go the way we wanted it to today? How can we make it better? How can I best support you? But I think sometimes the best question of the assistant is, is there anything else I can do to help you in this area? Or, You know, if you don't ask, you don't know. So the questions are key.

[Jamie] 00:11:05.740
Earlier on you talked about your past coaching roles and many of those involved working with younger players. So we're wondering, do you have any coaching tips to help people at all levels, like coaching teenage players at all?

[Amy Merricks] 00:11:16.620
Yeah, I would say make it realistic, realistic to the game. Make it engaging. I'm about high energy. I think it needs to be fun. That's why we play the game. So engaging, realistic to the game, competitive, but good competition, you know, so any ideas to bring out, I don't know, maybe you're a goal down, you've got five minutes to win the game, how do you go about it? You know, different little elements to bring that competition, bring the energy up, bring the fun up, the engagement, I think then you're going to get a win-win.

[Jamie] 00:11:47.860
It has been great chatting to you and we're sorry that we've taken you away from the course, but it's been really great to hear about your journey and get some top tips. But we do have one thing just before we let you go and that our regular listeners will know before we finish the show, we'll have a little SWIFT session for you,

[Louise] 00:12:04.220
Yep, so the SWIFT session is basically, we give you 30 seconds and we ask you to come up with a coaching idea and explain it to us in those 30 seconds. So I've got a timer if you're ready to go. little alarm at the end to let you know when your 30 seconds is up. Okay, you ready? Yep. Time starts now.

[Amy Merricks] 00:12:23.860
Okay, so I recently used a function practice, two big goals he've run, octagon shape split into thirds, 8v8 and I was working on build up against a 4-4-2 press, high press. But what I did instead of locking players into zones is I gave the full backs the option, if you drop into the zone where the 2v2 of the centre backs and the forwards are, the wingers may or may not come with you. So then they think about the different patterns. I allowed the central defensive midfielder to drop in and create a free V2.

[Louise] 00:12:55.787
Time's up.

[Jamie] 00:12:56.760
That's really good. You did really well that one.

[Louise] 00:13:00.040
Do you want to finish that off now that the time has stopped?

[Amy Merricks] 00:13:03.040
I would just say, think about the shapes, think about whether you lock in the players or give them the option. And if they take that option, what that then entails. So if you take that option, you could come up against high pressure. What does that mean for everyone else. So you're not trying to limit them, but you're painting the picture of these decisions may mean this and what changes in the way you receive or the way the teammates support you off the ball. And then looking ahead of that midfield into the attack in third. If you're working an octagon shape it funnels. So we're changing the players decision making. It's not really going to involve crossing. It's going to be about quick combinations to finish. In that practice the wingers wouldn't be in it. It would be more about the nine, the ten and the eight, etc, etc. Do I allow more players to enter that third or do I keep it an under load make it really challenging so yeah try not to lock players in but it's if you do do this this may happen they can come with you or they might not come with you and and how you deal with that.

[Jamie] 00:14:02.125
Brilliant, thank you very much. Some great ideas there for coaches. Thank you very much and good luck with the rest of the course.

[Amy Merricks] 00:14:08.180
Thank you. Thank you so much. Cheers. No worries.

[Jamie] 00:14:10.920
Right, well next on the show we're delighted to be joined by Ipswich Town's first team coach, Lee Grant. Lee, how are you?

[Lee Grant] 00:14:16.418
I'm very well,

[Jamie] 00:14:17.120
thank you. Thank you very much for joining us Lee. Now you've recently transitioned from player to coach after a career that saw you make over 500 appearances in goal for the likes of Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley. Can you tell me how that transition from player to coach has been for you?

[Lee Grant] 00:14:33.205
Relatively smooth actually. I've been really fortunate that there's not been any downtime actually between being a player and being a coach. So I suppose that's rare in most cases or some cases but I feel very fortunate that I've been able to, like I say, transition directly into another role. I'm one that I'm obviously excited to be challenged by every day. I'm one that I was really hopeful to get involved with. So, yeah, really exciting times and just enjoying it at the moment.

[Louise] 00:15:01.620
Can you give us a brief glimpse of what life is like as a first-team coach and kind of what your roles and responsibilities are?

[Lee Grant] 00:15:08.000
Yeah - firstly being there for the players and supporting the manager in whatever it is he may need. Of course setting training up, being a part of training, driving training, coaching on the grass. I predominantly work with the forwards at our football club, so - we're fortunate that we've got three first team coaches plus the manager, so we split our group into forwards, midfielders and defensive units. I'm fortunate that I drive the forwards so working with the strikers, our 10s and wide players which can look like leading team meetings, leading particular sessions or practices with a focus on scoring and attacking play And then all the other stuff that comes along with it. So just being a coach, whether that's on the grass or off the grass, video analysis and all that stuff. So lots going on and a little bit different to the role I was in previously, where it's very much focused on yourself and what do I need to do to be ready to play and to perform. But yeah, as I say, really, really enjoying that role currently.

[Jamie] 00:16:05.320
What insight and experiences have you taken from your playing career into this role?

[Lee Grant] 00:16:09.734
All of it, in short, all of it. So everything that I've done as a player has helped, you know, put me in a position where I felt comfortable that I've got a good level of understanding of what a player is likely to experience or could experience or is currently experiencing. So I try to draw on those experiences that I've had and they've been important really, I would say, in the early stages because of course I'm in a new role and you have to rely on something and a lot of that is, as I say, what's gone on before and what I've seen and how I've seen other coaches deal with things. So I'm relying on that stuff heavily but also trying to find my way and be creative and add new things in as well. But yeah, it's been really important. I'm glad that I've had that to be able to look back on and really sort of assess and look at what could be right and what could be good for players going forward.

[Louise] 00:16:58.380
Do you have any advice for coaches or new coaches that are kind of settling into that role?

[Lee Grant] 00:17:03.520
Advice, I feel, I'm not sure I'm ready to give advice at my stage but the biggest thing I could probably say and the biggest thing that I've done in this sort of early part of my coaching career is just to try and be authentic and as authentic as possible. So really just be honest with the players and really try and use my own personality and lean into that as much as possible. So that's the thing that's helped me the most and I've found that I've had success in just being myself and not having to worry too much about trying to be fantastic at this or fantastic at that I'm really just very much relying on my own interpersonal skills and those sorts of things that are helping me be more natural in my role on a day-to-day basis I would say.

[Jamie] 00:17:42.260
How would you say your early coaching experiences and also your experiences on courses have helped you to develop as a coach?

[Lee Grant] 00:17:48.368
I try to bring all of it into what I'm doing on the grass. So the work that I'm doing here on the pro licence course, the work that I've done on my A&B licence, on my LMA diploma, all of that at some time or another will come out. A lot of that is done you know subconsciously so it's just things that are in there that I'm not even sure that's happening but it's just happening so yeah it's all - it's all in there and it's all supplementing the work that I'm doing on the grass with the players on a daily basis.

[Louise] 00:18:14.020
What's your experience of the Pro Licence course been like and what's your favourite bit been so far?

[Lee Grant] 00:18:18.705
It's been excellent, you know a lot of it has come, a lot of the really highlights for me have come from some of the wonderful people we've had in on the course.
We've had you know the England Men's First Team Manager come in so Gareth Southgate came in and spoke to us we've had hostage negotiators, communications experts, media experts, interesting people from other industries as well so we've had, yeah, Le Miz come in from the theatre group so that was excellent so all this stuff has just helped, I don't know, create an environment where it's like lots of ideas coming in, lots of creativity and yeah, for me that's the bit that I've really enjoyed the most, getting to really hear from those people, those experts in those other fields.

[Jamie] 00:18:57.464
So loads of experiences and loads of experienced people coming in to chat to you. What piece of insight would you say you may be taking from the course that you've applied to your role today?

[Lee Grant] 00:19:06.220
That's a tough one. We had one very recently from Kevin Taylor who was a hostage negotiation expert, he's also a teacher on the courses for the police and one of the things that he mentioned was being comfortable with silence when we're listening and when we're talking to individuals whether that be a player or whoever but actually allowing them to really empty the tank - he called it and I really like that phrase and that'll probably be one that will stick with me in terms of asking a question and sitting back and actually letting that person fully unload and being comfortable with a bit of silence in there to perhaps encourage them to talk a bit more and to get to the real heart of the matter. So that's something, yeah, I think I'll take with me.

[Louise] 00:19:46.100
So really useful and to take on. Can you tell us what you enjoy most about coaching and what key skills you think that people need to become a coach?

[Lee Grant] 00:19:55.240
What do I enjoy the most? Most definitely the players. So I enjoy working with players that are motivated and hungry and open to learn. So when I come across players like that, which we've got plenty of at Ipswich, so I'm very fortunate that that's the thing that makes me think - yeah, I'm in the right job and I've made the right decision to become a coach because as a former player, We often talk about trying to get back to that feeling of, you know, that excitement of playing and for me It's not necessarily that, but having that closeness with players and the relationship and watching them develop is something that I certainly take huge enjoyment out of - so for me that's the bit that has probably driven me into being wanting to be a coach but yeah now I'm in here that's the bit that excites me the most and you know really I enjoy the most.

[Jamie] 00:20:41.180
What would you say the key skills are that somebody needs to get into coaching?

[Lee Grant] 00:20:44.920
Well, there's lots - there's lots of skills. I think just having good interpersonal skills, though, is one of the best things. So if you're a good communicator, I know from being a player very recently that if you're a good communicator, players appreciate that because players, you know, we strive for clarity and openness and fairness and all of that stuff and a lot of that stems from good communication so if you're a good communicator and you're able to do that with ease then I think you'll have a good chance.

[Louise] 00:21:13.260
It's really good to have that insight from both sides of it. I think we're almost out of time so it's been really good chatting to you and I hope that the rest of the course goes really well - but before you leave potentially we'd like to give you a little challenge if you're up for a little challenge.

[Jamie] 00:21:27.980
Yeah, are you up for it?

[Lee Grant] 00:21:29.440
Sounds interesting.

[Jamie] 00:21:30.520
so basically we always challenge our guests to give us a session idea, but they've only got 30 seconds to give it a go So - quite a lot to pack in - in that time, but do you feel like you up to that?

[Lee Grant] 00:21:40.760
I can give it a go

[Louise] 00:21:44.340
Okay, I've got 30 seconds on the clock and there'll be a little alarm after to let you know when your time is up.

[Lee Grant] 00:21:48.818
Alright, okay. Good challenge.

[Louise] 00:21:50.080
So time starts now.

[Lee Grant] 00:21:52.800
Okay, 30 seconds. We do a speed finishing drill that I really enjoy. Really simple. Two teams, let's say 20 players, split into two sets of five. So five on one corner of the box, five on the other corner of the box, five here, this five working with this five, and they're going down the sides, crossing, attacking, really simple, but variations on crosses, there's loads more to it that I can't really get in in 30 seconds, but we use it for crossing variations, finishing, all that good stuff.

[Louise] 00:22:24.520
Perfect!

[Lee Grant] 00:22:25.140
Sorry, not easy in 30 seconds, there's a little bit more detail to it.

[Louise] 00:22:28.260
We sprung that on you. Yeah.

[Jamie] 00:22:31.940
Yeah, thanks, Is there anything else, any other context you want to add to that at all?

[Lee Grant] 00:22:36.560
Not really, if I've got diagrams and a pad of paper and all that I could maybe jazz it up but yeah it's a session we use that we enjoy, I know the players enjoy it. Saying 5-5-5 doesn't really explain it very well, not a lot of context to it but yeah it's a finishing session around the box, speed finishing, The players enjoy it. We enjoy watching it as a coach.

[Jamie] 00:22:56.690
Everyone loves working on finishing don't they?

[Lee Grant] 00:22:59.440
That's right.

[Jamie] 00:23:00.360
Brilliant, well thank you very much for your time today Lee, enjoy the rest of the course. Thank you very much. Cheers guys. And finally joining us on Coachcast today is Lommel SK's head coach Steve Bould, how are you?

[Steve Bould] 00:23:10.760
I'm good thank you, I'm good yeah, we're having a good week.

[Jamie] 00:23:13.578
Great to hear, well now After a long and successful spell at Arsenal, you've recently made the move into first team management in Belgium. How have you found that move and the transition into the role?

[Steve Bould] 00:23:24.240
Quite difficult actually. Being a head coach comes with far more responsibilities than I ever imagined actually. I thought it was just - I could command what we do on a football pitch on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and obviously the game day so but there's so much more to do managing staff when you've got problems within the group - managing that so yeah it's it's been a tough gig.

[Louise] 00:23:47.100
Is there any advice that you can give to coaches who are looking to step up into first team management?

[Steve Bould] 00:23:52.540
Yeah, well, I think the biggest thing is I took the job and I didn't know any member of the staff. And - actually, I mean, I'm saying this as advice. I think either way it can work, but I think at the beginning I thought, ooh, maybe I should have come with somebody. Subsequently, six, seven, eight months down the road, I've actually got over that hurdle and it didn't matter. But I think if I'd have been under immense pressure at the time, I think the first thing, maybe somebody who I knew deep down would have helped.

[Jamie] 00:24:23.480
Looking at today, why you're here for the pro licence, how has your time on the pro licence developed you as a coach?

[Steve Bould] 00:24:29.960
Immensely actually, The breadth of things that we cover, I mean there's things you just don't think about that, you know, the way you can influence a conversation for example like we did yesterday, I mean it's enormous, - of enormous help.

[Louise] 00:24:45.060
And I guess spending time with lots of other peers and stuff like that has been important. How important do you think it is for coaches to share ideas?

[Steve Bould] 00:24:52.161
Yeah hugely, I think the actual, besides the stuff that we're doing in the day-to-day camp as such, just chatting to lads about the experience that they're having, you know, when they've been sacked or you know the troubles they're having with the player or whatever it might be and you sit around having a drink in the bar and that's a real learning time.

[Louise] 00:25:09.760
Really helpful, do you think that it's something that you'd recommend to any other coaches?

[Steve Bould] 00:25:14.660
Yeah I mean look you know I've been a bit of an idiot because I should have done this 10, 12, 15 years ago and always put it off because I have to be honest, I never really wanted to manage. But if I'd have done it, I wished I'd done it. And my biggest thing I'd say to anybody listening that you know get on the course as early as you can. Learn as much as you can now because the rest of your career is far better for it.

[Jamie] 00:25:39.531
Looking at coaching in general what would you say is your favourite part of coaching and what would the key skills be that you think people need to be a coach? My favourite part, surprisingly, would be defending. But I've actually enjoyed, I've really

[Steve Bould] 00:25:54.060
enjoyed, I think the game's changed in terms of coaching over the last 10, 15 years and it's far more tactical than it ever was. So I've had to learn that side and I've really enjoyed that side, you know, playing different ways even within the same structure. You know, it's been a challenge at times but one I've really enjoyed. I think absolutely you've got to enjoy being on the grass. If you don't enjoy being on the grass and trying to help somebody get better, then it's a teaching skill. I think that's where the real enjoyment comes in. Certainly for me, when I started working with youth, you know, I love that element of it, just seeing people get better.

[Louise] 00:26:36.400
So match day is what everybody looks forward to,

[Jamie] 00:26:39.440
but it can be quite hectic.

[Louise] 00:26:44.660
So do you have any top tips to give people to help them coach more effectively on a match day?

[Steve Bould] 00:26:50.560
I think to be as calm as you possibly can, and it's difficult I have to say, since I've stepped up and you know, I'm at quite a lower level and fortunately in my job I'm not under enormous pressure to win games but I put myself under pressure of course but I find when I get a little bit too pressurised that I don't think straight. I think the most important thing is to take a step back, try to be as calm as you can because it's a hectic day and the result can change everything. A win is just you're sky-high, a bad result is bad for everybody and the whole week's ruined and it's, yeah, it's not nice.

[Jamie] 00:27:35.910
And just one more question really before we let you go back to the course, because I appreciate the time you're giving us. Just kind of following on from that is like the emotions of the game. How do you help players and then how do you deal with it yourself like the emotions of winning and losing?

[Steve Bould] 00:27:50.900
Well, I think I couldn't have learned off anybody better than Orson Wenger And I was privileged to be in the private area with him and I saw the enormous pressure and stress that he had behind the scenes. He came in the public view where the players were, the players would never ever have known. I didn't know that he was like this until I was very privileged and got to see behind the scenes. So the thing I think I've learned or tried to do is that there's two faces. There's a private face where you're worried, you're trying to work out solutions to problems. But when you come this side, the problems are solved with the players. They're very clear where you can. All the instructions is clear and they see that you're not that nervous, Norris, behind the camera or the doors. To round things off, this is something that we've kind of sprung on you so feel

[Jamie] 00:28:46.400
free to say no to it but whenever we have a guest on the podcast singing, don't worry he's not singing. Whenever we've had a guest on the podcast we always get them to kind of provide us a swift session is what it's called so a session idea in 30 seconds do you feel like you'd be up for the challenge?

[Louise] 00:29:02.200
Basically you've got to describe a session idea to us in 30 seconds. So we put a little timer on and you kind of just describe it to us. Any that you've had a go at that you really like doing.

[Steve Bould] 00:29:11.520
I'll have a go at a back four one.

[Louise] 00:29:13.260
Okay, we'll give it a go. So I'll get my timer.

[Jamie] 00:29:15.720
Sorry for putting you on the spot here.

[Steve Bould] 00:29:17.880
Yeah, well I've just been on the spot in there.

[Louise] 00:29:21.060
Right, so I've got 30 seconds. There'll be a little alarm to let you know when that time's up. Time starts now.

[Steve Bould] 00:29:27.040
So I'm going to do a back four session with only four players. Five mannequins on half a pitch. So I'll set the mannequins out as a front five basically, but the three central are actually two players, so you're moving with them. I dictate the pace of the session with the ball. It might be a header and they've got a minute or I might be running out and I might be trying to hit the space behind. It's really about

[Jamie] 00:30:00.480
the shape.

[Louise] 00:30:03.180
But we will let you finish because this sounds like a really good one.

[Steve Bould] 00:30:07.540
So the whole session is based on distance between body shape. Really the body shape is the most important. You know, your chest is facing the ball where you can, your feet are on 45 degree angles. So when your movement's going, it's off the back foot. You've got, you're not wasting time sprinting, you're not turning around yourself, so you know that split second is gone because the game's moved on and it's so much quicker than it was. And that's really the premise of the session. It's a body-shaped back-fall session.

[Jamie] 00:30:37.540
Brilliant. Thank you very much. Yeah, thank you very much. Good luck with the rest of the course. Thank you. Right, that's all we have time for today, but don't forget to check out the episode description for the transcript of today's show and for all the links to our platforms. There you'll be able to find the link to the England Football Community and this is where you can post your coaching questions for us to discuss on

[Louise] 00:30:56.920
the podcast or simply just to chat to loads of wonderful coaches. Yep we'd love to hear all of your coaching questions, so please do go and check it out. We'll be back soon with another episode of CoachCast, So if you haven’t already, hit subscribe to make sure you don’t miss an episode. From all of us at England Football Learning – thanks for listening.