THE LOWDOWN

Currently the allure of investing in Premier League football is as strong as ever. This has coincided with a rise of American investment into English football with 50% of Premier League clubs having some form of American investment. To understand this growing trend who better a guest to invite on than one of the leaders responsible for attracting the best talent into the boardrooms and also Head of Capital Investment for the UK government in North America; Richard Albert.Working to support the deployment of strategic capital to a variety of industries stemming from tech to social sciences and sport Richard's role is encompassing and certainly not for the faint hearted. The nature of private capital investment, the battle for streaming rights and impact of MCO's are all noteworthy topics and part of a rapidly changing investment climate.Listen to find out more including;- The multitude of experiences and roles which help shaped Richard's trajectory?- What foreign investors commonly overlook when investing in UK sport?- How US investors best generate unrealised value in UK football?- The fine balance between regulating investment in football and remaining attractive investment wise.- How investors are factoring the potential creation of a European Super League into their decision making ?- What changes in investment dynamics Richard is excited to see in the forthcoming years?Timestamps;00:00 - 08:57 - Intro08:58 - 20:02 - The Role20:03 - 28:30 - Investor's Leverage28:31 - 37:52 - Decision Making37:53 - 50:19 - Governance50:20 - 56:07 - Investment Trends56:08 - 1:00:27 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"Football needs to go back to the creative players, football is entertainment, if you cannot entertain the spectators what do you got?"Today's guest is Al-Wasl Head of Youth Development; Michel Mommertz. Meeting Michel time aplenty in Dubai over coffee I thought it was just time to host him and share his wonderful story to date.Michel doesn't do half measures, the youngest professional footballer still in Dutch history with a fervent love for the game had his playing days curtailed short by injury. Yet this did not stop Michel in his tracks, meeting the infamous Wiel Coerver pre-empted a 20 year relationship of working with one of the most famous developers to grace the sport.Armed by lessons and experience aplenty Michel joined me on the show to discuss all things coaching, creativity and keeping the joy in development.Listen to find out more including;- Meeting Wiel Coerver and the direction in which that shaped Michel's journey.- What is the "right way" to develop?- Creativity in coaching and breaking past copy to create.- Why cultivating the personality is one of the most important parts of development?- What the future of youth development looks like in Dubai and the Middle East?Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Today's episode is an enlightening conversation with world respected football journalist Ben Jacobs.In today's age of bottomless content and ITK's galore it can be often tough to identify the signal amongst the noise. However we have no such problem with today's guest. With a punditry career spanning 15+ years Ben takes us through many of the principles which have fuelled his ascent and enabled him to build reciprocal relationships in the game.With the added scrutiny of a large social media following, Ben's world can be an often a precarious place at times. So how does he deal with this?Learn as to how "the work in a transfer window is done before the transfer window", how Ben recovers from setbacks and how his preparation remains his separation.Listen to find out more including;- Behind the scenes of a journalist's life in a transfer window.- Developing genuine relationships within the industry.- Being an early adopter of the digital age and the advantages which ensued.- How to be adaptable without sacrificing the end goal?- Getting the story out versus getting it right.- Having a solid foundation and maintaining it even during running transfer sagas such as Messi and Mbappe?Ben Jacobs website; https://www.ben-jacobs.com/Ben Jacobs X; https://twitter.com/JacobsBen?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5EauthorGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"Put yourself on the path to the career you always wanted"In today's episode I am joined by Daniel Geey who here details his rise from car parts lawyer to one of the most respected and trusted lawyers in the game. An inspiration to many with his book "Done Deal", he has followed it up with his latest book; "Build the Invisible".At the top of the iceberg people see only the deals and success. Here we focus on what lays below the water. In his own words Daniel's sheer stubbornness and obsessiveness kept encouraging him to lay the foundations of his football career brick by career necessitating doing the thing nobody else could see, without expecting anything back.Creating that roadmap and doing that work can be quite a daunting experience. Luckily for us Daniel has reflected and distilled many of the core principles which helped him and you too can follow him on his journey of turning your side hustle into a main job.Listen to find out more including;- Principles for sustaining a career in sport.- How to create the cascading effect in of endless opportunities?- How to build knowledge and relationships coincidingly?- Why consistency is the biggest barrier to entry in the sporting industry?- How identity based outcomes elevated Daniel's habits?- The power of surrounding yourself with different motivational climatesTimestamps;00:00 - 03:51 - US v UK03:52 - 07:39 - Side Hustle07:40 - 16:10 - Cascading Effect16:11 - 20:05 - Identity Based20:06 - 25:13 - Long Term Games25:14 - 30:01 - Inspiration30:02 - 33:20 - What's Next?33:21 - 35:57 - AdviceDaniel;s book; https://www.danielgeey.com/build-the-invisibleGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"If you do the work, know yourself, know your team, then you can grow your team."Orlando SC have undergone quite the transformation over these past few years and have become known as a perennial title contender in the MLS.Today's guest David Cosgrave has played a huge part in redefining service excellence for the Florida outfit in their quest to build a top class culture. "Find a Way" has become the motto of the "The Lions". You don't build community by chance and with social cohesion at the heart of the squad with players and staff empowered alike, Orlando earned plaudits this season for achieving a near perfect availability rate of 97%.The following episode is a superb case study of how one leader leverages "culture as a competitive advantage."Furthermore learn as to how winning deep begins with happy staff, how HR can be cross pollinated with sporting performance, how you can test your culture today with a "stinky fish" and so much more.Listen to find out more including;- The transformative impact which a trophy win can have on a community?- The influence of Pippa Grange on building out the culture framework in Orlando.- Why real culture happens underneath the iceberg?- How David and the club win the "the war for talent"?- Identifying areas of hidden potential and creating structures for opportunity within it.- What goes into David's sense making work to reflect on the past season and to plan ahead?- What brings David joy from the game itself?Timestamps;00:00 - 02:01 - Miami02:02 - 08:17 - Road Warriors08:18 - 18:52 - Culture18:53 - 22:58 - Copenhagen22:59 - 30:44 - "Brain Trust"30:45 - 43:20 - Winning Deep43:21 - 52:36 - Self Reflection52:37 - 57:30 - Mental Models57:31 - 59:13 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Just over one month ago Bolton had won 7-0 at home in front of 25,000 people continuing their promotion push to the Championship. It is a far cry to a club just over a few years prior who had just come out of administration, straggled at the bottom of League 2. When a situation is as ground zero where do you even begin?For the new Sporting Director; Chris Markham it was quite the remit however fear not Wanderers had found a professional very equipped from his time at Huddersfield Town and the FA. A few years later and with an expansive playing style, aligned leadership and savvy recruitment Bolton have rightly earned plaudits on their way to being "a league of one".I was fortunate Chris joined me today to share more about the old school values and modern methods propelling Bolton up the EFL.Listen to find out more including;- The masters on the grass at Huddersfield Town which kickstarted Chris' career?- What an analysis culture looks like and lessons from heading up the game insights department at the FA?- The meticulous planning and detail which goes into placing Bolton in a position to thrive and not just survive.- How Chris and Bolton encourage risk taking not only in players but staff?- The use of the loan market in Bolton's squad building.- How has his leadership style had to evolve between managing a department to managing a club?Timestamps;00:00 - 09:27 - Huddersfield Town09:28 - 14:43 - The FA14:44 - 21:58 - Bolton21:59 - 24:37 - Innovation24:38 - 28:46 - Sporting Director28:47 - 36:49 - Squad Building36:50 - 43:52 - Leadership43:53 - 46:00 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

The year John Stones had the most amount of successful dribbles in a Champions League Final since Lionel Messi, 2023 was a year for the ages.From Gateshead to Nice the universal search for control took on a new level and has appeared in many shapes and forms.Box midfields, hybrid pressing are on the menu today as we go through some of the tactical innovations and setups which have caught our eye.Liam Tharme joins me to dissect the past year and cast an eye as to what maybe on the horizon for 2024.Listen to find out more including;- Roberto De Zerbi and the principles of play in his Brighton side.- The many different iterations of the box midfield.- Manchester City's evolution out of possession on their way to a historic treble.- Hybrid pressing and why it is more important than ever?- Girona, Nice, Leverkusen - the year of the underdog?- What to keep an eye out for in 2024?Timestamps;00:00 - 05:49 - Brighton05:50 - 12:46 - Box Midfield12:47 - 16:51 - Clash of Styles16:52 - 21:59 - Man City22:00 - 28:56 - Hybrid Pressing28:57 - 35:05 - Nice35:06 - 37:11 - Leverkusen37:12 - 44:07 - 2024Get in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

Meeting Frazer pitch side in Philadelphia last summer it was clear that he has been on a special journey with an upward trajectory evidenced further since which is showing no signs of slowing down.Going through the ages and stages of development, Frazer has left no stone unturned in his quest to better himself as an individual. Luckily for us some of those lessons cascaded into coaching and today he joins us to reflect and share anecdotes regarding some of the key experiences from his journey to date.From an all encompassing apprenticeship in Scotland to becoming the First Team Coach of a top European side it has been some ride for the Scotsman. Some special experiences at Right to Dream in Ghana and Philadelphia Union in the USA have only served to reinforce Frazer's faith in the long term development process.Listen to find out more including;- The importance of working every age group throughout your coaching journey.- How soft skills may not get you in but certainly ensure you stay there?- Why joining Right to Dream was the best decision he has ever made?- The invisible benefits of residential academies?- Knowing the person before developing the player.Timestamps;00:00 - 04:45 - Intro04:46 - 07:54 - Ages & Stages07:55 - 10:46 - Attributes10:47 - 22:17 - Right to Dream22:18 - 27:01 - Philadelphia Union27:02 - 31:22 - Standard Liege31:23 - 34:18 - Pathways34:19 - 36:40 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"The future of football is going faster and faster, scanning becomes so important..."For those who are curious, life often serves the best returns. What was a deficiency in Karl Aksum's playing career became a topic of fascination for the newly turned coach in his early days.Studying thousands of game situations Karl soon became inspired to put pen to paper on some groundbreaking research on visual perception in elite football.Collaborating with clubs such as Ajax and Southampton, organisations such as UEFA and under the mentorship of Arsene Wenger Karl was soon able to translate into actionable tangible insights serving not only his coaching but the wider football community.As someone who is not against departing from popular convention this is an insightful and inspiring listen on what the future of football could look like.Listen to find out more including;- The difference between looking and seeing when it comes to scanning?- How visiting Arsenal and Arsene Wenger helped Karl iterate upon his studies in scanning ?- What huge differences Karl noticed between the U17 and U19 age groups in his studies?- The everyday impact on Karl’s training from his research.- How colours and movements change how Karl trains?- Why coaches need to fall out of love with rondos ?Timestamps;00:00 - 01:47 - Intro01:48 - 07:24 - Scanning07:25 - 12:49 - Training Methodology12:50 - 20:18 - PhD20:19 - 33:40 - Results33:41 - 39:35 - Rondos39:36 - 44:49 - Relationism44:50 - 48:53 - Evolution48:54 - 51:25 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie

"The football we want, the football we need."This Tuesday December 12th and Wednesday December 13th World Football Summit (WFS) will run their annual Asian event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.WFS see themselves as "a community of leaders who share knowledge and ideas to drive the evolution of the industry both business and values". At the heart of this is co-founder Jan Alessie who alongside Marian Otamendi have ran events all over the world since 2016. What begun as a think tank is now one of the largest yearly football exhibitions, Nonetheless with fewer industries containing a bigger voice than football there is an acknowledgement that "with a strong voice comes a strong responsibility."Listen to find out more including;- The advantages of not coming from a football background.- Internationalising WFS and the challenges which ensued.- Why the demand for long form content in football outstrips the supply?- WFS' growth strategy and how Jan foresees future events evolving.- What can people look forward to in Jeddah?Timestamps;00:00 - 04:42 - Intro04:43 - 07:39 - Origins07:40 - 13:14 - Long Form Content13:15 - 19:17 - Win-win Partnerships19:18 - 23:21 - Jeddah23:22 - 24:47 - AdviceGet in touch;Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conorwalsh1995/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwalsh95?lang=enYouTube; https://www.youtube.com/@TheLowdownPodEmail: cwalsh95@outlook.ie