We discuss coach innovation and development philosophy with Stuart English, Head of Coaching at the Brentford FC Academy, and one of most exciting young coaches in the game. PDP: Why is it important that long-term player development programmes have a clear philosophy? SE: A clear philosophy is of paramount importance within a long-term development programme because it allows the players, parents and coaches to have a shared understanding of the planned pathway ahead. It makes sure that everybody involved is aware of the demands and […]
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In this Masterclass Discussion, PDP Editor Dave Wright hosts Birmingham City Assistant Academy Manager, Stuart English. Stuart has vast experience in player development having worked at Luton Town FC, Brentford FC and Birmingham City. In his role at BCFC, Stuart is responsible for overseeing not only the player development program alongside Academy Manager, Kristjaan Speakman, but developing coaches, supporting staff and constantly looking for trends and ways of innovating. In this discussion, Stuart shares his coaching story and gives shares some superb advice for coaches […]
Coaching across age groups requires subtle skills and in depth understanding. In this Masterclass Webinar replay, PDP Co-hosts Dave Wright and Dan Wright host Assistant Academy Manager at Birmingham City FC, Stuart Engish for an in depth discussion on age appropriate coaching. Stuart shares some brilliant insights into the academy at Birmingham City FC and his former club, Brentford FC where he held a similar role. The conversation focusses on the differences of coaching delivery and player development across all of the age phases […]
Check out this Live Webinar replay with some of the best coaches in England as we host our second ever Masterclass Webinar. Filmed in 2016, we welcome, Mick Beale (Liverpool U21 Manager), Stuart English, (Brentford FC Head of Coaching) and Jon De Souza, Brentford FC U21 Manager to a live webinar discussion with the PDP team. All of these coaches have since moved onto leadership roles and senior coaching positions at Glasgow Rangers, Birmingham City FC and Colchester United. PDP Editor, Dave Wright will lead a […]
When we picture a proactive approach to player development, many people see structure and methodical organisation as a sign of effectiveness. Stuart English, Birmingham City’s Assistant Academy Manager, outlines the importance of allowing players to take initiative and solve problems on their own if they are going to become truly unique and creative on the field. Chaos is the monster we seek to contain within our structured lives. Chaos is adversity in ordered environments and can be defined in the dictionary as: ‘complete disorder and confusion’. […]
[…] to base the development process on ‘play’… With enough positive experiences early on, there is a good chance young players will become motivated to engage in training… and be motivated enough to self-train.” “We need to remember they are still kids,” adds Stuart English, Assistant Academy Manager at Sunderland AFC, emphasizing the need to create an inclusive, challenging environment that remains as positive as possible, “where players are keeping their love for football at the forefront of everything.” Take a holistic approach to soccer coaching […]
[…] become physically confident now, we can set them up for a lifetime of physical activity that will benefit their long-term health. Social Soccer provides a great framework for teaching children about things like sharing, teamwork, socializing, and forming relationships with others. As Stuart English, Head of Coaching at Sunderland AFC, explains, a holistic approach to coaching means caring about the kid, not just the soccer player, understanding them as an individual, and knowing what’s going on in their life. It’s our responsibility to get to […]
[…] play without fear, and work with parents to avoid the trap of premature professionalism. No matter what a child’s ambitions, the road to technical excellence always starts with a love of practice. Picking the right drill and using different game formats As Stuart English, Head of Coaching at Sunderland AFC, explains in PDP’s webinar on Age Appropriate Coaching, “The most important thing at this age is time on the ball… the less players there are, the more opportunities they’re going to get on the ball, […]
[…] a crucial aspect of any good football academy. Rettig elaborates, “Much is quite rightly said about the individualisation in training, therefore it is also logical to transfer this individualisation to education and professional training.” In a recent article in The Guardian by Stuart James, he spoke to Freiburg FC’s coach Christian Streich about his visit to Aston Villa and the surprise they expressed at the amount of time players get to spend on education and schooling. James writes, ‘Freiburg place great emphasis on academic work, […]
[…] skills centred on decision-making are equally important. As such, we should encourage players to be creative problem solvers and give them plenty of opportunities to try new things during exercises with the ball. “That means focusing on intent rather than execution,” says Stuart English, Head of Coaching at Sunderland AFC. “If you focus on execution instead, players can stop trying new things because, ultimately, they want praise and success.” Sometimes, a player making good decisions but struggling to execute them may only need encouragement to […]
[…] fun and engaging, placing an emphasis on enjoyment. Picking the right games and game formats In England, the format for U6 games is 5v5 matches, played on small pitches. “The most important thing at this age is time on the ball,” explains Stuart English, Assistant Academy Manager at Birmingham City FC. “The less players there are, the more opportunities they’re going to get on the ball… by manipulating that, you’re giving the players more opportunities to learn.” This philosophy should also be applied to training […]