Modern Soccer Coach Podcast

Gary is joined by Director of Football and Head Coach at Alliance United and University of Toronto, Ilya Orlov. In this interview, Ilya delves into the intricate background of his innovative football ideas, providing a comprehensive overview that is deeply rooted in the principles of the Football Theory approach. He articulates how this theoretical framework serves as a foundation for his understanding of the game, emphasizing its significance in shaping modern football strategies. We are excited to team up with Soccer Coach Weekly for this episode. Since 2006, they’ve helped over 50,000 coaches, parents, and teachers around the world — and now they’ve redesigned everything with U.S. volunteer coaches in mind. Each week, you’ll get proven practice plans, fun small-sided games, and coaching advice that’s easy to use, right off your phone or laptop. Modern Soccer Coach listeners get 50% off a full year of premium access with the code GARY50. Click below to take advantage of the offer! https://www.so

Gary is joined by Adi Viveash, who recently joined Middlesbrough first team coaching staff and also spent eight years at Chelsea as assistant Academy and assistant reserve team coach before being named Under-18 manager in July 2011. He was promoted to development squad manager in 2014, which saw him lead Chelsea’s Under-21s. During his time at Chelsea, among the players Adi had a key hand in developing were Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount and Reece James. His departure from the Blues was confirmed in May 2017 but two months later he was back in work having been named assistant manager at Coventry City. In this interview, Adi gives a unique perspective on life at Chelsea, how the game has changed in the last 10 years, the variables that coaches must take into consideration, how coaches manage elite level players who are on the verge of the first team, plus the difference between first team coaching and development. An extra special thanks to SportsLab360 for teaming up with us o

Gary is joined by Coastal Carolina University head coach, Jo Chubb, to discuss the progress that the team has made in recent years and where she is targeting to evolve for the upcoming fall season. Pre-season preparation is often focused around the physical side of the game, but Jo believes that the tactical and individual development areas must take center stage in order to compete at the elite level of college soccer. Jo also discusses how she has used player feedback to facilitate ownership of the process, plus how she delegates and works alongside her staff to make sure that their contribution is valued and maximized. We are excited to team up with Soccer Coach Weekly for this episode. Since 2006, they’ve helped over 50,000 coaches, parents, and teachers around the world — and now they’ve redesigned everything with U.S. volunteer coaches in mind. Each week, you’ll get proven practice plans, fun small-sided games, and coaching advice that’s easy to use, right off your phone or laptop. Modern Soccer Coac

Gary is joined by Academy Director and 1st team coach at Chicago City FC, Conor Walsh. They discuss Conor's experience at the Barca academy, his approach to personal development, how coach and player development align, and the north American player development model. Listen to Conor interviewing Gary on The Lowdown Podcast below: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lowdown/id1553685531?i=1000718893788

Gary is joined by Laurent Courtois to talk about the details behind his back 3 system. Laurent was most recently head coach at CF Montreal (MLS) and has also worked at Columbus Crew 2 and LA Galaxy. In this interview he talks about: - Balancing patience with verticality - When freedom enters attacking principles versus structure - Player profiles of each position - Training flow and planning Please check out SportsLab360 below: https://sportslab360.com/

Join MSC Insider Here: modernsoccercoach.mimentorportal.com/subscriptions Gary is joined by Ruben Santos to discuss how to align set-piece frameworks and training into the Game Model. Ruben has worked at a number of Portuguese clubs including CD Trofense, FC Porto, and Torreesnse. His presentation for MSC is around "dividing Set-Pieces into Sub-Phases, the aim is not to remove the complexity of Football but to create a Conceptual Framework to engage with that complexity more effectively" He also believes that "we can view these Sub-Phases as Fractal in nature, from Set-Pieces in particular, but also, from the Game as a whole. In this sense, dividing them is not reductionist, it’s integrative."

Read Slawomir Morawski's Article FREE Below: https://www.modernsoccercoach.com/post/guest-article-the-art-of-first-touch-collecting-information-in-football Gary is joined by Analyst at Bolton Wanderers Football Club and coach Slawomir Morawski to discuss the first touch in football. Slawomir argues that first touch is not just a technical action, but instead a cognitive one where decision making dictates so much. He discusses the most effective ways to teach this and also some traditional coaching methods that may be out-dated with this approach. Join MSC Insider Below: https://modernsoccercoach.mimentorportal.com/subscriptions

Check Out Sportslab360 Below: https://sportslab360.com/ Gary is joined by Professor, Soccermatician and co-founder of Twelve, David Sumpter. He has worked with some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Barcelona and Ajax, and his company Twelve are helping support professional clubs all around the world with data solutions. David's approach is certainly unique. He has studied and researched the behavior of birds and fish as it relates to football tactics. He also has looked at scanning behavior and measuring motion, cues, co-ordination and decision making. This interview is guaranteed to make you think outside the box! Please leave a comment if you enjoy it!

Join MSC Insider For Exclusive Content: https://modernsoccercoach.mimentorportal.com/subscriptions Gary takes a trip to Atlanta to watch Lionel Messi live for the first time. He talks to Chicago City FC Academy Director and 1st team head coach, Conor Walsh about the impact of Messi, the tactical work of Luis Enrique and the player profile of Cole Palmer.

Join MSC Insider Here: https://modernsoccercoach.mimentorportal.com/subscriptions Gary is joined by Coventry City Head of Recruitment, Dean Austin to discuss the current landscape of player development in England. The rise of the game at the highest level is potentially impacting the youth game and Dean gives his expert opinion why. He also discusses his role as Head of Recruitment at Coventry and talks Deadline Day, role of Data, and importance of Processes!

Gary is joined by Andreas Schumacher to talk about his new book, 'Two Versus One' and the complexity of coaching attacking football. Andre has written the book alongside Bernhard Peters and is challenging coaches to get into more detail and context when coaching teams to score goals. Andreas has a masters degree in Sports Science and has worked at a number of professional clubs including Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, and St. Louis City SC. You can order a copy of the book below: https://www.amazon.com/TWO-VERSUS-ONE-Strong-Decision-Makers/dp/B0F6PJ6N33/ref=sr_1_1?crid=APUJI6V6DMKO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7gBqIGhQ1P5SP6Mm89g59njE-mOwXTysqhbd7cVAJvBBLTeA2XyS0uZfYmWYhGmuo7RTlK5vDWDRq1rr08toFP3GFzhgWeGaHrG53BM91vNZIZI0iZCiISD1Ya0MSSLmuP86m6NkCllMC0uhBEe99to8Ig0KQ01E1mKOTtsVjNQZ1S0qMPkV5eR-3TQyrsh12ts2hyANqmOetmXPVAt6yDt1j584d1Yx1iMN9Gb7GHM.m1D-0d3IQbBfHtJhXKH3DP0Y_LYVWQyHa6WNSXVDoR8&dib_tag=se&keywords=two+versus+one&qid=1750188112&sprefix=two+versus+one%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1

Gary travels to Ipswich Town to speak with assistant coach Lee Grant (since then he's been appointed head coach at Huddersfield Town) to talk about his unique journey in the game, plus his insights to individual development. Lee was a pro goalkeeper at Manchester United and then joined Kieran McKenna's staff as a forwards coach, before recently taking the job at Huddersfield. Player development is often associated with the youth game, but Lee explains how the staff at Ipswich approach the detail and how elements like science, data, analysis and psychology are incorporated along the way. Phenomenal insight and an inspiring journey!!

Join the MSC Insider for more Exclusive Content: https://modernsoccercoach.mimentorportal.com/subscriptions Gary recently travelled over to England to meet Dan Micciche for a coffee and a chat about the progress they have made in the area of player development. In addition to his passion around the game, Dan has worked in some outstanding environment's (England FA, Tottenham, Arsenal and Everton) and shares his views on the following: - Impact of the 2014 England FA's DNA - Teaching Winning Alongside Development - Managing Individual Success in a Team - Facilitating Player Buy-In to the Process And much, more! If you are passionate about player development, you will love this one!

Gary is joined by Rui Faria this week. Rui had seventeen years working with Jose Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United with phenomenal success during this time. He is credited with the tactical methodology that has had a dramatic impact on the world of coaching. Here he discusses: - What is the REAL starting point for a tactical methodology - How did Rui and Mourinho create different styles in variety of cultures, but keep consistent - Has coaching lost it's way alongside science? - Why did he take away GPS monitoring at Manchester United? And much more!! Please leave a rating and a review if you enjoy it!

Gary is joined by Ashley Gumbrell to discuss ways that coaches can create an optimal environment for young players to love and learn the game. Ashley is a Coach Developer and also a lecturer at St. Mary's University. He also discusses the role of coach education along with his work with Eamon Devlin at Minute9. The St Mary’s University Performance Football Coaching master’s is a unique opportunity to learn from world renowned academics and industry experts, whilst making significant strides to develop your career and bolster your knowledge of coaching theories. https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/performance-football-coaching Their course content has been tailored to reflect the diverse football coaching environments across the world. We have worked with industry experts, alumni, and designated football partners, who have contributed to module design that ensures you are always gaining industry relevant knowledge. Our students are coaching across the world, from Mexico City, Iceland, India and

Check out Jack's Game Changer online course below - https://thecoachinglab.org/pages/game-changer-2025-online-sports-coaching-course Gary is joined by Jack Rolfe, founder of The Coaching Lab, to discuss ways that coaches can improve and challenge some traditional behaviors during training session. Jack has worked extensively with coaches around the world to improve training environments and maximize enjoyment levels of the players. In this interview, he also shares ideas on how coaches can grow and build effective habits to help sustain a career in coaching.

Gary is joined by Jack Winter, who most recently worked at Stanford University as an assistant coach, to discuss the current landscape of college soccer. In this interview, Jack gives his views on the following: - Impact on the Portal and NIL in the college game - How high transfer rates impact team culture - Why soccer programs should be compensated if players move to advance their careers - The 'transactional' nature of college recruitment - Experience working with Jeremy Gunn And much more!

On the recent Modern Soccer Coach Podcast, we spoke to Dr. Konstantin Sonkin about the role of neuro training in the world of elite player development. Dr. Sonkin is a DeepTech entrepreneur with a blend of business acumen and technical expertise in Neuroscience and AI. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of i-BrainTech, a SportsTech company that is leveraging the power of applied science and neuro training to radically enhance cognitive functioning, unlock human potential, and solve real-world issues. Some of the clubs they work with include: Benfica, Juventus, Philadelphia Union, Leganes. They also won the 2023 Innovation of the Year Award for their collaboration with Juventus. In this episode, Dr. Sonkin joins MSC to discuss their progress in cognitive training and how it is positioned in the marketplace for coaches. Find more information below: https://www.i-brain.tech/

Coaches: You can read Jake's full article here: https://theraumdeuter.sport.blog/2024/12/14/boxed-in-how-the-thirds-of-play-impact-creativity-in-football-development/ Gary is joined by former Premier League Academy Coach, Jake Pickles, to discuss and challenge a common approach to possession football: the thirds model. Jake believes that, rather than educating players on the tactical principles of the game, it limits creativity and individualism. What are your thoughts? Please let us know!

In this episode we visit ACF Fiorentina in Italy to talk to Mirko Mazzantini (ACF Fiorentina Technical Director U8–U15) who discusses the youth methodology at the club. It's a fascinating insight into structure vs. freedom, development vs. winning, and even how coach compensation is structured within the academy. The St Mary’s University Performance Football Coaching master’s is a unique opportunity to learn from world renowned academics and industry experts, whilst making significant strides to develop your career and bolster your knowledge of coaching theories. https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/performance-football-coaching Their course content has been tailored to reflect the diverse football coaching environments across the world. We have worked with industry experts, alumni, and designated football partners, who have contributed to module design that ensures you are always gaining industry relevant knowledge. Our students are coaching across the world, from Mexico City, Iceland, India an