Project Footballer

Social media is prevalent in youth football. Parents are starting accounts for their children at younger and younger ages, but what are the impacts of this?  Does it put pressure on the child? Does it make the child focus on the wrong parts of the game?  Is there money to be made from your child generating thousands of followers?  We speak to Shane O'Brien, a social media expert who...

Isa is regarded as one of the best technical coaches in the world. From his demonstrations, to the explanations and his passion for the game, this is a great listen for anyone looking to help their child become the best player they can be.

In this episode, we recap what we have learned from the previous 8 episodes. We push to find the answer to discover 'What is the formula to making a footballer!'  The question we spend the most time discussing is, how important is athleticism? We go down a lot of rabbit holes and really try to answer this question. We don't get an answer and we argue a lot, but there it's certainly a thought-...

In this incredible interview Jamie Redknapp gives us the scoop on how his father and uncle developed two of England's best ever midfielders. He also speaks about his own son's journey through academy football at Chelsea and his thoughts on how much of becoming a footballer is down to nature and how much is down to nurture.

Ethan Pinnock is currently playing a signifant role in Brentford's debut season in the Premier League, but it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Ethan. He tells us what it was like to be released from Millwall at the age of 15 and how he had to make his way in football from playing in the Conference League to then climbing the ladder to reach the Premership. Ethan has so many insights to offer...

Jamie Mackie tells us his incredible story of how he went from playing local Sunday league football with his school mates at age 16 to playing in the Premier League and scoring in one of the most famous games in football history against Manchester City. This is a fascinating insight into the positives and negatives of skipping the normal academy football journey which is common for most footballer...

Reece James is considered one of the top players in the world in his position. His sister also plays at the highest level of the female game. What did their father Nigel do to help foster such talent? In this incredible interview we find out the key decisions Nigel made to help his children make it.

Ex-England and Arsenal legend Paul Merson has a 6 year old son named Freddy, currently in academy football. Paul talks about his journey making it as a footballer and how Freddy's journey compares.

Danny Edwards is a performance coach to the stars. He has worked with the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, David Luiz, Daniel Sturridge, Daniel James, Gary Cahil to name a few. Danny's son, Theo is with QPR's academy. Danny gives us a brilliant insight into what he does with his son to help him achieve football success. Danny also reflects on what he would do differently if he had the chance. He tells us...

Perry Mitchel is the father of Khalil, one of the top U9 players in the UK. This is a fascinating interview in which we learn the sacrifice and dedication it takes to develop a player like Khailil. Press-ups and burpees before bed, non-negotiable bed times, speaking to Khalil like a grown up from a young age, ice baths, hill runs and a ban on fizzy drinks are just some of the methods which have le...

Darius Charles is a footballer currently playing for AFC Wimbledon. He was Wycombe Wanderers club captain during the 19/20 season in which they were promoted to the Championship. Darius's son plays for Fulham Academy in their U12's. Darius gives excellent insight into how he is raising his son Malaki and helping him navigate his journey through academy football.