Crossing The Pond

Our guest today is Kevin Grogan, a former professional footballer whose career was cut short by injury at the young age of 21. Not before he was a member of a U16 European Championship winning Ireland squad and being a promising young part of the Manchester United squad of the late 90s. After relocating to the U.S. from Dublin, Kevin reinvented himself, transitioning from coaching roles to the spo...

Declan Duffin joins the show this week, talking about his move from Scotland to the U.S. in 2013. From leaving behind family and friends to embracing life and soccer in America, Declan’s journey has been full of growth and change. He’s worked in various coaching roles in his time up to now and more recently finds himself working in the MLS ranks at DC United, excited for the challenges ahead. Decl...

Today's guest is Andre Santiago, who shares his journey growing up in a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx in NYC. He talks about how he overcame many challenges as a young man, but over time, with a little help from some positive influences, he discovered the power of community and how it can change both his mental and physical health. Andre shares how connecting with others helped him push through...

Welcome back to CTP for 2025. After a short break we’re back, with new guests, new topics and more inspiring stories! While initially focused on moves to the US, it quickly became clear that crossing a pond is about more than geography. Every day, people face their own "ponds" — whether that means relocating to a new country, rebounding from health challenges, embarking on career changes, or overc...

This week's guest is Gavin Quirk, who moved to the US in 2010 to work in marketing for Disney and recently moved to a role at Netflix. Gary talks to Gavin about his shift to the west coast from London, England, the decision-making processes that gave him the confidence to make what was a life changing move into a new role. Gavin also gives his own perspective on how juggling with what an optimal l...

Gary's guest this week is a person who took a big leap of faith to give him a legitimate chance in my coaching career. It also marks the first conversation with a 'US bound' guest from outside the UK & Ireland. Peter-John Falloon crossed his own 'pond' when he first moved to the US in the year 2000 and since graduating university has become a well-recognized figure on the NJ college soccer sce...

This week we’re welcoming friends, listeners, fellow pond crossers, and occasional podcast lurkers to the show for our Crossing the Pond year-in-review. As we come to the holiday end of 2024, we wanted to take a stroll down memory lane to cap off what has been a great first year in the books. Talking through the unpredictable waves of career pivots, mental health moments, coaching adventures, and...

It was 1998 when this week’s guest started his US business ownership journey with 2 friends from school in the UK, recognizing a gap in the youth sports market to form United Soccer Academy. A business that has grown from strength to strength over the years, sparking the careers of so many young coaches and players. Justin Marriott speaks to the highs & lows of co-owning the business, the inva...

Gary’s guest this week moved permanently to the US in 2001 after his wife-to-be moved to Scotland for a year to be around him and his family. Since moving over, Chris Reilly has reinvented himself from a retail manager into a successful career in commercial banking. They talk about his career shift, the close bond he has with his wife and growing sons, and also the many connections and avenues he...

Stuart Sharples came to the US at the tender age of 18 after taking advice from a coaching mentor. Recounting his experience in his 14 years in the US up to now, he offers a great insight into how he managed to fit in as a youngster early on to earn the trust and recognition of his peers, the tenacity he showed to continually add more strings to his professional bow, all the way through to the val...

This weeks guest had no intention of coming to the US until his father was flown here for medical treatment in the early 1980s Rajiv Goswami’s remarkable journey has seen him work for some major global companies over his time, all the way up to 2020, when he took a step back to focus on a new move into an entrepreneurial venture. He recounts stories of different career and social pathways, his rec...

My guest this week came to the US full-time following his graduation from college in Cardiff in 1998, after a brief stint here in the early 90s. A man who always had a fascination with America, Nick Stokes began working in the youth sports industry in New Jersey before making the move to teaching in 2005. We talk about the importance of relationships and connections, experiences in teaching and th...

This week we will recap episodes 11-20 from earlier in the year. Some interesting guests, with funny stories and great takeaway messages. The feedback that we’ve been receiving over the past couple of weeks has been really good to hear. Stories of people prompted to reach out to friends that they haven’t spoke to for a long time or even listening to the guest they know and gaining a better underst...

When my guest Matthew Farrell agreed to come to the US in 2009 after an offer from a long time friend, he left behind his job in Liverpool and a 10 year career in semi-professional football. Since establishing himself with his wife and young family in New Jersey, Matthew has continued to develop himself, not only in his own coaching methods and qualifications, but instilling his passion and knowle...

Gary’s guest this week first moved to the US in 2004. Robert Pike began his journey as a soccer coach before quickly evolving into a career in strength & conditioning, working at Pepperdine university in California. His journey didn’t stop there, taking a bold turn to pursue his dreams of serving the community as an officer in the LAPD. He talks about these early experiences in America, naviga...

A friend from Gary’s early days in the US joins him this week. Sonny Young first came to America in 1997, working various summer camps and programs before he decided to return to England for good in 2004 to pursue his career in teaching. Sonny recounts the early days, how he uses skills learned from time in New Jersey in his now 20-year teaching career and how the strength of his family and connec...

This week Gary is joined by Neil O'Sullivan, a Dublin native who forged a path from Ireland to the US and is now a proud member of the Jersey City Fire Department. He discusses what he left behind in Dublin, his early experiences adapting to life in the US and the hurdles he faced to get himself 'on the job' in the JCFD. 'Sully' also shares how his perspectives have shifted now that he is balancin...

Gary is joined this week by Liam Brown, who moved to the US from Ireland as a child before going back to Ireland at 19 and then re-returning to the US at the age of 21. They talk about how his love of music and soccer shaped his life early on and how these two passions essentially contributed to a lifestyle that got the better of him. Liam shares his stories of triumphs, trials and more recently h...

We are really grateful to our guests for taking the time to join us this week. Stephen Gilpin and Ross Burbeary both hold the title of Head of Performance Services at their respective professional football clubs in the UK, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Huddersfield Town. They begin by talking about the impact of Ross’s time in the US in 2016 and more significantly, how they combined to start the Pro...

Bob Gibson returns to the CTP microphone this week after helping me get the podcast off the ground all the way back in week one. We highlight Bob’s story in more detail this week. Starting with the relationship and family challenges that shaped his early years in the US, to the career he has now forged for himself in the organizational strategy and personnel development field. Bob shares professio...

This weeks guest moved to the US at the age of five when his family travelled here from northern Spain. Juan Santamaria talks about growing up in a large immigrant community in Newark, New Jersey. How he ties his heritage into life with his wife and young family and the career experiences to his current role as Vice President and Sporting Director at Cedar Stars Academy in Northern New Jersey, whe...

In this week’s episode Gary talks to two brothers-in-law, Michael Freeman from the US and Niall Caldwell from the UK. Discussing how two people from different backgrounds can meet by way of marrying into the same family and develop a bond that supports them in their careers, life and everything in between. They talk the funny stories, triumphs, and also the challenges they’ve faced over the time,...

When this week’s guest, Farrah Bourke, first moved to the US from Ireland in 2004. She was voted by peers as the most likely of her four friends to come back within a couple of weeks, after outlasting her friends by nearly 18 years, she returned home to Tipperary in 2023 Gary delves into Farrah’s time spent working in the hospitality industry in New York City, the experiences and challenges from h...

Gary’s guest this week is one of his oldest friends from his time in the US . Kevin Lynott began his career as a teacher the UK before a brief stint in Australia led to his arrival in the states in 1997, initially working in the youth sports industry. He returned back to Ireland in 2022 after a 17 year career in the public education system working at a high school teacher and coach in New Jersey....

Gary has taken his own advice this week and gone on his holidays to the UK and Ireland for a little trip to visit family and friends. This episode is a little compilation from the first 10 episodes including stories, advice and of course, the quickfire rounds. Hopefully it'll be a chance to reminisce on past episodes or to those who are new to the podcast, maybe it gives people a chance to go back...