The Coaches Network Podcast Episode 380: Liam Bloye | Identity, Experience & Leading Coach and Player Development
In this episode, Coach Yas is joined by Liam Bloye, Head of Coach & Player Development at Cambridge United FC. With experience across England, the US, and Australia, Liam shares honest reflections on leadership, learning through experience, and what it really means to support coaches, players, and parents within an academy environment.
This conversation explores the balance between professional identity and personal life, the value of varied experiences over time served, and the ongoing challenge of creating alignment without complacency in coach development systems.
💡 Key Talking Points
- Liam’s journey through coaching roles across different clubs, countries, and cultures.
- Why identity beyond coaching matters — fatherhood, perspective, and balance.
- The difference between years of experience and quality of experience.
- Why complacency is one of the biggest threats to development in football organisations.
- How exposure to different environments shapes adaptable, reflective coaches.
- Measuring whether coaching is actually “working” — beyond assumptions and tradition.
- Creating aligned identities without stifling individuality in coaches.
- Supporting parents as stakeholders in the player development process.
- Finding better ways to genuinely impact coach growth while keeping players at the centre.
🧠 “You can have 20 years of different experiences — or 20 years of doing the same thing over and over.” – Liam Bloye
📣 Whether you’re leading coach development, working in an academy environment, or reflecting on your own coaching journey, this episode will challenge you to think more deeply about experience, identity, and how we truly know development is happening.
👉 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
💬 Join the conversation — how do you know your coaching is actually working?
#CoachDevelopment #FootballCoaching #CoachEducation #LeadershipInSport #PlayerDevelopment #ReflectivePractice #TheCoachesNetwork
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