The ProPlayer Podcast

The Pro Player Podcast – Introduction Featuring Dave Jones Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast , where we sit down with the people who have lived the game at the highest levels and are now shaping its future. Whether you're a current player, a former pro, a coach, or someone who simply loves the beautiful game, this show is about the stories, lessons, and opportunities that continue long after...

Welcome back to the Pro Player Podcast, the show where we explore the journeys, philosophies, and experiences of the people helping shape the future of elite sport. Today's guest is Matthew Clement, a football development leader whose work sits at the intersection of coaching, player development, education, and long-term strategic thinking within the global game. Matt has built a career around one...

Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast, the show where we explore the stories, experiences, and lessons from the people shaping the future of sport and performance. Today's guest is someone who represents the evolving face of modern coaching—where performance excellence and human development go hand in hand. Joining us is Jake Lister, a coach, educator, and developer whose work spans academy footb...

Welcome back to the Pro Player Podcast — the show where we bring you the people, stories, and ideas shaping the future of the game on and off the field. Today’s episode is one that every coach, club leader, and ambitious football professional is going to take something from. Our guest today is Shelly Shrestha, the Chief Operating Officer at Coachbetter — one of the most innovative football technol...

Listener Warning: This episode of The Pro Player Podcast contains explicit language, strong opinions, and adult themes throughout the conversation. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast . Today’s episode is raw, honest, unfiltered, and packed with the kind of conversation that will either challenge you, motivate you, or make you uncomfortable in all the right ways...

Welcome back to the podcast — today’s episode is one I’m really excited about, because we’re diving into the real journey behind being a student-athlete, a goalkeeper, and someone who’s building something bigger than just sport. Today, I’m joined by Allie Mastrangelo — known online as @AllisonGK2025 — a collegiate goalkeeper currently playing at the NCAA Division II level, who’s not just putting i...

Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast , where we dive deep into the journeys, the mindset, and the real stories behind the people building careers in the game. Today’s guest is someone who represents the next generation of football professionals working behind the scenes to shape environments, support athletes, and build pathways into the game — Bailey Stokes. Currently working within the collegi...

Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast , where we explore the journeys, mindsets, and stories behind high performers from every corner of the world. Today’s guest is someone whose work sits at the intersection of resilience, identity, and the power of the human spirit. I’m joined by Cathy Gruss—an author, speaker, and advocate whose story is one of strength, courage, and transformation. Cathy’s jo...

Welcome back to The Pro Player Podcast , the show where we dive into the minds, journeys, and high-performance habits of individuals operating at the very top of their game. Today’s guest is someone who brings a completely different—but incredibly powerful—perspective on performance, leadership, and what truly drives people to succeed. I’m joined by Dr. Angela C. Crawford, a founder, consultant, e...

Get ready for an inspiring kickoff to Season 5 of The Pro Player Podcast with our very special guest, Georgia Evans ! 🌟 Georgia is a powerhouse of women’s rugby — a Welsh international playing for both the Wales women’s national rugby union team and Saracens in the Premier 15s. Born on January 29, 1997, she fell in love with rugby at age 16 and has since risen through the ranks to become a key fi...

James Thomas joined Newcastle United to oversee our Professional Game Academy, having previously spent three years as Academy Manager at Bristol City Women. During his time with the Robins, they were noted as the most productive women’s academy in the game by an FA Productivity report, with a host of players making it into their first team via the pathway. Most recently, he was manager of Gwalia U...

“Welcome to The Pro Player Podcast , where we dive deep into the journeys of elite athletes and coaches—those who’ve stepped into the spotlight, carved their paths, and now share their stories. I’m your host David Gough and today I’m thrilled to introduce someone who embodies transformation, ambition and the drive to lead. Samuel Fagerholm is not your typical coach. Born on the Åland Islands and a...

Today on The Pro Player Podcast , we’re joined by a coach whose fingerprints can be found across every level of the English football landscape — from the first spark of a young player’s passion to the competitive fire of senior football. Rob Porter, Oxford United’s Advanced Programme Lead Coach, embodies what it means to live and breathe player development. Rob’s coaching journey spans an incredib...

Today on The Pro Player Podcast , we welcome a true architect of modern player development— Pete Sturgess , a name that resonates with anyone who follows the evolution of youth football in England and beyond. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the FA’s coaching system, Pete has spent decades shaping the way young players learn, think, and express themselves on the pitch. His...

Welcome to this episode of The Pro Player Podcast , Where we dive deep into the mindset that sets champions apart—not just in sport, but in life. I’m your host David Gough and today I’m honored to introduce you to a woman whose work is redefining how we think about peak performance and holistic development in athletes, especially in relation to their cell phone and tech usage: Larissa Mills. Laris...

Michelle Betos is a seasoned professional goalkeeper whose career reflects resilience, leadership, and a deep passion for the game. A standout at the University of Georgia, she quickly made a name for herself as a tenacious shot-stopper with sharp instincts and a commanding presence in the box. After college, Betos began her professional journey with stints in the USL W-League and abroad in Europe...

As the Associate AD Development Athletics at the University of North Florida, Derek' focus is on major gifts fundraising for athletics, a testament to his deep commitment to the institution and its sports programs. With 15 years of experience at the university, he has honed a keen eye for detail and a talent for communication, both essential in nurturing donor relationships and advancing the colle...

This is a special episode from inside the industry as Chris currently sits as Technical Director at one of the United States biggest women's soccer clubs - San Diego Wave FC in the National Women's Soccer League. (NWSL). He not only shares his day to day life at the club with us but also fills this episode with amazing insight and advice for aspiring coaches. For sure check out the advice on how t...

Albert Anson Dorrance IV (born April 9, 1951) is a retired American soccer coach . He was the head coach of the women's soccer program at the University of North Carolina from 1979 to 2024. He has one of the most successful coaching records in the history of athletics. Under Dorrance's leadership, the Tar Heels have won 21 of the 41 NCAA Women's Soccer Championships . The Tar Heels' record under D...

Matthew Bishop The Football Association (THE FA) Senior Professional Game UEFA A Diploma Lead A Mentoring Masterclass... Matt experience is off the chart. Currently, he is the Football Association (THE FA), Senior Professional Game UEFA A Diploma Lead, Former Assistant Manager Aldershot Town FC, Newport County FC, Hereford FC and a UEFA Pro Diploma coach. "Bish" as he is more affectionately known...

JJ is a highly ambitious and forward-thinking UEFA Pro Licence holder and he is still under 40. A father of 2, a husband and a man who has accumulated vast experience within coaching, at first team and Academy level, through roles in Wales in the UK. He possess diverse experience as head coach, academy coach, coach educator, analyst and lecturer in football and coaching performance at the illustri...

Over the last 35 years, I’ve lived every layer of American soccer — from youth standout to Division 1 captain, pro player, and coach at nearly every level: grassroots, college, and MLS academies. But along the way, something became painfully clear. Development — real, human-centered development — was missing. In 2022, I launched The Developer’s Way — a philosophy-driven coaching education platform...

I am not a coach. I am a Player Performance Manager — working at the highest level of professional football to guide, protect, and evolve the mental side of elite performance. With over a decade of experience across the biggest leagues in the world — from the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A to La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Eredivisie — I’ve worked with players at every level of the game, helpi...

Amber Jean Wisner ( née Brooks ; born January 23, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who currently plays as a defender for USL Super League club Dallas Trinity . She has previously played for Adelaide United , the Houston Dash , OL Reign , the Washington Spirit , the Portland Thorns , Bayern Munich , and the Vancouver Whitecaps . She also represented the United States on numerous yout...

Jason the Director of Coaching at FC Portland in Oregon, United States of America. He is an A-Licensed coach with extensive professional experience, including time at Preston North End FC (1996–2002). Proven ability to develop players across all stages — from academy to first team — while fostering strong team cultures and positive learning environments. Now based in Oregon, he is passionate about...