THE LOWDOWN

Today to celebrate the special 50th episode of 'The Lowdown' I was joined by Jonathon O'Neill who was back by popular demand after his last appearance where he unpacked emotional intelligence and as to how we can better harness it in football. Today we decided to just press record and let the mind wander with nothing off limits. For those of you that enjoy a good old fashioned football chat this one is for you. Some of what we discussed included;- whether today's sport is still the game we fell in love with as kids?- how Jon has been preparing himself for the next challenge? - how the 'Art' of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal and the 'War' of Sir Alex Ferguson's United shaped modern football?- our theory as to why generational teams maybe a thing of the past?- Jon's 2017 thesis paper on the future player and which predictions have come to pass?- the importance of inspiration and what it means for evolving your game model?- the art of 'tactical interference'Jonathon's Twitter; https://twitter.com/headcoach_app?lang=enJonathon's Email; jonathon@headcoach.appHead Coach App; https://www.headcoach.app/

This week I had the pleasure of speaking with one of football's greatest storytellers; Tim Vickery. 'Legendinho' was on top from in this wide ranging chat. From investigating the local domestic game to examining the wider cultural implications of the modern game we digressed. We left no stone unturned and I suspect there are few other football shows this week where Hemel Hempstead, Rio and John Coltrain all get a shoutout. I am sure you will enjoy listening to this as much as I enjoyed recording it. Furthermore we touched upon;- The wide impact of football on Tim's youth.- Exploring the sights and sounds of Brazilian football in the 90's.- Why Brazil 'is not for beginners'?- Is watching a game as a broadcaster a desensitizing experience compared to a fan?- Has modern day football left Brazil behind?- The myth of 'Samba Soccer'?- Is football entertainment or sport?Timestamps;00:00 - 12:30 - Early beginnings12:31 - 19:17 - Brazil19:18 - 22:45 - Life as a broadcaster22:46 - 36:19 - Modern day football v Brazil36:20 - 39:36 - Memorable moments39:37 - 50:59 - Entertainment or Sport?51:00 - 58:18 - Closing thoughts

“Tactics are repeated movements and processes that reflect the way a team sets out to win a game.”TIFO Football is one of the world’s largest football media outlets with over 1 million subscribers. Their novel way of depicting the game merged with tactics, history and art has seen them go from strength to strength. Producer; Alex Stewart joined me to chart their incredible journey to date. We discussed a wide variety of topics including;- Alex' unconventional pathway into football.- Exploring the intersections between football history and tactics.- The origin of TIFO Football and it's growth.- Navigating the challenges and pitfalls of being a huge football media outlet?- Finding your niche v Exploring widely?- What exactly are football tactics?Timestamps;00:00 - 05:39 - Early start05:40 - 20:15 - TIFO20:16 - 28:42 - Tactics28:43 - 33:16 - Positional Play & Pressing33:17 - 41:50 - Producing Content41:51 - 45:25 - Advice

It was a real privilege to have spent over an hour in the company of one of Europe's most esteemed player developer's; João Tralhão. The former academy manager of Benfica has enjoyed a coaching path which has taken him from U6 to First team coach. From being involved in the growth of Ruben Dias and João Cancelo to coaching Rui Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Radamel Falcao at first team level, João is not short of anecdotes. As always we look behind the curtain and João gives us the full lowdown on some of the methodology, coach development practices and periodisation he has employed at various stages. In addition listen to hear more about;- Building your football methodology upon solid foundations.- What it was like being thrown into the deep end coaching Benfica's first team at 27?- Changing the culture surrounding youth development at Benfica.- Reflecting upon failures in player development as much as successes. - The art of turning pro.- How João Cancelo's development changed his opinion on early specialisation?- Cultivating an identity and the formula behind it?- Working alongside Thierry Henry at Monaco.Timestamps;00:00 - 10:00 - Coaching Career10:01 - 17:40 - Benfica First Team17:41 - 25:18 - Benfica Academy25:19 - 34:19 - Managing Expectations34:20 - 40:52 - Turning Pro40:53 - 47:56 - Methodology47:57 - 57:20 - Generalisation v Specialisation57:21 - 1:08:32 - Thierry Henry & Monaco1:08:33 - 1:18:20 - Advice

Dave Reddin was one of the key cultural architects responsible for the overhaul in English football after his appointment as Head of Team Strategy & Performance back in 2014. Here in this episode he outlines in remarkable detail the vision and steps which the FA undertook to make them a key player on the world stage once again. A first principles approach coupled with lessons from being part of successful English Rugby and Team GB teams helped Dave to pioneer performance. Furthermore Dave gives his thoughts on "what is winning?" and "what is next for the England team on the Hillary step of Everest?" In addition listen to hear more about;- Working with investors to disrupt the status quo at Pitch 32.- The breadth of experience every young Sports practitioner should seek?- Lessons from England Rugby & Team GB?- The unique recipe which is winning.- Why organisations sometimes fail despite having the right people & capabilities?- Remarkable insight into the cultural & strategic change within the FA.- How a weekend away in a forest helped shape the future of English football?- Why behavioral changes sometimes make for better benchmarks over data?Timestamps;00:00 - 04:16 - Intro04:17 - 21:32 - England Rugby & Team GB21:33 - 35:05 - The FA35:06 - 49:24 - Cultural Change49:25 - 54:11 - Newcastle United54:12 - 59:02 - Legacy59:03 - 1:02:32 - Advice

A coaching masterclass with the technical director of the world famous Le Havre Academy; Mickael Bunel. One that I will be reverting back to for a long time to come. Paul Pogba, Riyad Mahrez, Dmitri Payet are just a few famous alumni that have graduated from Mickael's school. This episode is a deep dive into his coaching philosophy, cultivating intelligence within players and building out a wider game model. Mickael's excellent work on scanning is a prominent topic of discussion in our conversation too. For anyone aspiring to work at the top of the game, in leadership positions or just your local grassroots club there are nuggets of gold to take. Listen to hear more about;- How does he define his role?- 'Coaching the player & not the exercise'.- Building a diverse game model.- What is football intelligence?- Why scanning is the key differentiator & how to coach it?- Growing out your game model with cues for fundamentals per position.- What is success in his role?Timestamps;00:00 - 05:54 - His role05:55 - 09:55 - Philosophy09:56 - 17:07 - Player Development17:08 - 28:53 - Football Intelligence28:54 - 36:22 - Scanning36:23 - 47:52 - Game Model47:53 - 53:35 - Success53:36 - 56:28 - Advice

Simon Kuper is the author of “Barça - The inside story of the worlds greatest football club” and is one of the most respected authors in the football world. Recently I was honoured to sit down and speak with him about his new publication. We discussed the triumvirate of Cruyff, Guardiola and Messi, La Masía, the current day among many other topics of discussion. Listen to hear more about;- What is so unique about Barça?- The change Simon has personally witnessed at the Camp Nou over the years.- What drives decision making within the club?- How revelatory were Cruyff's methods at the time?- The differences between Guardiola & Cruyff?- How not everybody took to Guardiola's philosophy!-Barça plans for life after Messi.Timestamps;00:00 - 07:19 - Inside the club07:20 - 13:52 - Cruyff13:53 - 20:05 - Guardiola20:06 - 29:46 - Messi29:47 - 32:15 - AdviceSimon' Twitter; https://twitter.com/KuperSimon?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorSimon's book; https://www.waterstones.com/book/barca/simon-kuper/9781780724744

David Mayer is one half of the Gold Dust podcast and co-author of the book; 'Gold Dust: How to Become A More Effective Coach, Quickly'. The book and podcast is terrific for anyone wishing to improve their communication and coaching skills. David is a lifelong learner and this certainly shone through in our conversation. Here we strip it back from the 'X's and O's' and speak about what you can do today, tomorrow and in the future to coach and inspire future generations. As David said your journey is all about; 'learning, unlearning and relearning'. Expect to hear us speak about;- What does gold dust mean?- The set of skills which will set you apart as a coach?- The three things athletes want to know from coaches?- Why the process of writing a book is similar to the art of coaching?- The importance of cross pollinating from different walks of life.- Learning v Execution.- 'Listen to learn before attempting to help.'-One thing David would bring from the UK to the US and from the US to the UK?Timestamps;00:00 - 03:50 - Intro03:51 - 13:20 - Gold Dust13:21 - 19:55 - Book & Podcast19:56 - 30:10 - Hidden School of Learning30:11 - 34:09 - US v UK34:10 - 43:43 - The Future Coach43:44 - 47:10 - AdviceGold Dust Twitter; https://twitter.com/golddustpodcast?lang=enDavid's Twitter; https://twitter.com/djmayer3Gold Dust book; https://www.amazon.com/Gold-Dust-Effective-Quickly-communicator-ebook/dp/B082357NW5

There is a lot of new research coming out now on Emotional Intelligence and how it deeply impacts our lives. As a coach I am intrigued to learn about what this means not only in my professional but personal life. Luckily for me, Jonathon O'Neill is a coach who is quite an expert in this field. Recently he has brought the football and EI worlds together with his new app; 'Head Coach' which promises to be a game changer. If this is your first time listening to Jony, sit back and enjoy listening to a masterclass not only on EI but on goal setting, self actualisation and more. I will certainly be listening back to this one a few times. Expect to hear us speak about;- What is EI and what does it look like in football?- How does EI differ from culture to culture ?- Important considerations when goal setting.- The conflict between who you are versus who you want to be?- Practices to improve EI on the pitch.- Why is there no separation between who you are on and off the pitch?- Details regarding Jonathon's new 'Head Coach' App.Timestamps;00:00 - 03:00 - Intro03:01 - 09:30 - What is EI?09:31 - 14:34 - Cultural differences14:35 - 20:11 - Transcendence20:12 - 31:59 - How to implement EI?32:00 - 36:06 - Head Coach App36:07 - 42:05 - Future plansJonathon's Twitter; https://twitter.com/headcoach_app?lang=enJonathon's Email; jonathon@headcoach.appHead Coach App; https://www.headcoach.app/

Kieran Maguire or best known as the Price of Football is one of the go to football finance guys. So after a tumultuous year of Covid, Super League, FFP worries and fears over modern day sponsors who best to get the lowdown from than Kieran? After this 40 minute chat I feel a lot more educated but concerned over the future of the industry. Within this in depth exploration of football's finances, expect to learn more about;- How he carved out a nice career?- How Covid was a convenient excuse for certain clubs?- Should football be viewed through an ethical and moral lens?- The creation of wealth gaps within football.- The FFP fallacy.- Kieran's take on football's relationship with sponsors.- Will PSG make their money back on Messi shirt sales?Timestamps;00:00 - 07:58 - Intro07:59 - 13:06 - Covid13:07 - 15:48 - Wealth Gaps15:49 - 19:12 - FFP19:13 - 22:55 - Super League22:56 - 29:45 - Sponsors29:46 - 34:04 - Legacy Fans34:05 - 37:44 - Messi37:45 - 43:52 - AdviceKieran's Twitter; https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorKieran's Blog; http://priceoffootball.com/Kieran's Book; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Price-Football-Kieran-Maguire/dp/1911116908/ref=as