The Manager - Summer 2024 - Edition 58

HOPE POWELL CBE.

“I’ll never compromise who I am as a human being.”

LMA Chief Executive

RICHARD BEVAN OBE.

The 32nd LMA Annual Awards Dinner, at the JW Marriott Grosvenor, London, afforded the LMA the opportunity to celebrate the significant successes of its members across the leagues, following deserved recognition by their peers.

Congratulations to Kieran McKenna on winning both the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy for 2024 LMA Manager of the Year and the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Year, as well as to Pep Guardiola (Barclays Premier League Manager of the Year), John Mousinho (Sky Bet League 1), Dave Challinor (Sky Bet League 2), Matt Beard (Barclays WSL) and Laura Kaminski (Barclays WCH). The LMA also honoured Roy Hodgson CBE with the John Duncan Award, the LMA Committee recognising his incredible contribution to

football, having managed more than 1,250 professional games, worldwide, across a career spanning nearly 50 years.

The awards dinner also marked an important moment for the association with Howard Wilkinson OBE stepping down as chair after 32 years’ dedicated service. The LMA, countless managers and coaches, and the wider world of football will be forever indebted to Howard for his enormous contribution to the game and the positive impact he had on those who work in

it. Martin O’Neill OBE has formally taken the reins from Howard, and we look forward to working with Martin as we continue to move forward.

The LMA is founded on the provision of a range of world-class member services, delivered by our talented team at St. George’s Park. Core to this service provision are our education and personal development programmes, supporting managers and coaches with vocationally relevant learning and support.

Congratulations to those who have recently completed this year’s LMA Diploma in Football Management and LMA Post Graduate Award in Strategic Leadership. Respectively, these flagship programmes aim to prepare our members for the realities of managing in professional football and to transition into more senior roles in football and sport.

Over the coming months, we look forward to launching three short online courses (Perform, Lead and Coach), which aim to bridge

the gap in the game’s learning provision between one-day CPD events and full-year assessed qualifications. We want to see programmes that explore subjects in depth, but that are practically useful, accessible and fit around busy professional schedules.

Furthermore, under our newly created International Relations programme, we are building relationships with football stakeholders worldwide, opening up global employment and personal development opportunities for our members,

and extending our support offering to the huge number of our managers and coaches working abroad.

Finally, the LMA is proud to work alongside its valued commercial partners, the lifeblood of our growth as an association. We are delighted to announce an exciting new relationship with ITC Travel Group, the LMA’s new official travel partner, adding a new range of services to our existing programme of world-class member support.

Certificate of Higher Education in Football Development

In collaboration with The Football Association

Developed in collaboration with The FA, this programme provides an opportunity for existing and aspiring football industry professionals to develop critical understanding and application of the various constituent components of football development at grassroots and elite levels in a variety of industry contexts. This one-year, distance learning course provides you with the understanding and skillset to achieve your desired career in football development.

Alice Hoey

FROM THE EDITOR.

For this last edition of the 2023/24 season, I had the pleasure of interviewing two LMA members at very different stages of their management journeys.

In our cover feature, Hope Powell CBE, former England Women’s manager and now Women’s Technical Director at Birmingham City, shares insight from a 25-year career that has seen her have a major influence on the women’s game. She has, she says, refined and adapted her skills over the years, learning from past experience, and she continues to seek out opportunities to develop her skills and knowledge further.

What she hasn’t done is ever change who she is as a person, her values and standards. “This is who I am and these are my expectations, and I will never sell myself short just to please someone or curry a favour,” says Hope. “I’ll never compromise who I am as a human being.”

They are sentiments echoed by Portsmouth Manager

John Mousinho on page 34, in a feature on how to win the trust and buy in of team members when you’re new to the manager’s job. Having just guided Portsmouth into the Championship in his first season as a manager, winning Sky Bet Manager of the Year for League One in the process, he is more than qualified to provide some advice on the subject.

Authenticity and staying true to your values can go a long way to bridge the gap in experience, but Mousinho also points out that, however many years of management you have under your belt, you will always be judged, on your actions, words and, most of all, results. “That can take a little luck, but it also means being authentic,” he says. “There are, after all, endless ways to coach and manage, but you have to do it your way.”

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EDITOR

Alice Hoey AliceHoey1@gmail.com

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2023/24 LMA Manager of the Year

Kieran McKenna proudly receives the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy. Reuters // Action Images

Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna was awarded the Sir Alex Ferguson Trophy for LMA Manager of the Year at the 32nd LMA Annual Awards Dinner.

Five other managers were in contention for the prestigious award, which is voted for by the full LMA membership: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Sean Dyche (Everton), Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and John Mousinho (Portsmouth).

On being presented with the trophy, McKenna said: “This award is one of the most humbling and proudest moments of my life. I’m two-and-a-half years into a management career, but it’s been 16 years of working incredibly hard pretty much every day to be the best coach I can be.” He added, “To be a manager in the Premier League and go up against great managers is going to be a great challenge and something I can’t wait for.”

LMA Executive Committee

member Sir Alex Ferguson CBE said, “Kieran is humble and carries tremendous composure, as well as great technical and tactical insight and awareness – he promises to become a top manager at the very highest level.”

McKenna was also voted the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Year after leading the Tractor Boys back to the Premier League after a 22-year absence in only his second full season in charge.

Outgoing LMA Chair Howard Wilkinson OBE said: “To be promoted once at any level is commendable, but to achieve the feat back to back is an incredible achievement and demonstrates his undoubted ability as one of the youngest and most exciting managers in the domestic game.”

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho won the Sky Bet League One Manager of the Year, while Dave Challinor of Stockport County picked up the Sky Bet League Two Manager of the Year.

On the back of a fourth league success in as many years, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola won the Barclays Premier League Manager of the Year following a panel and public vote.

The Barclays Women’s Super League Manager of the Year went to Matt Beard of Liverpool Women, voted for by WSL Managers, a Barclays panel and the public. Laura Kaminski was

honoured as the Barclays Women’s Championship Manager of the Year after Crystal Palace Women’s first promotion to the WSL.

Roy Hodgson CBE was awarded with the LMA John Duncan Award, which recognises an individual’s significant achievements, or dedication and service to football. The award celebrates Roy’s incredible career, in which he has managed more than 1,250 professional games worldwide over nearly 50 years.

LMA Chief Executive Richard Bevan OBE said, “Since first starting out in 1976, Roy has been a pioneer of football management worldwide and is a fitting recipient for his unrivalled passion and extraordinary service to our sport.”

Finally, the evening provided an opportunity for the LMA to recognise the 32 years of service and dedication of outgoing chair Howard Wilkinson OBE. Bevan said, “The LMA owes a huge debt of gratitude to Howard and the other founding members of the association in having the foresight to envisage the modern, progressive and influential association that the LMA has become.”

“The LMA owes a huge debt of gratitude to Howard and the other founding members of the association in having the foresight to envisage the modern, progressive and influential association that the LMA has become.”

RICHARD

BEVAN OBE

LMA CHIEF EXECUTIVE

2023/24 AWARD WINNERS

PREMIER LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR

PEP GUARDIOLA

THE SIR ALEX FERGUSON TROPHY FOR THE LMA MANAGER OF THE YEAR

KIERAN MCKENNA

BARCLAYS WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE MANAGER OF THE YEAR

MATT BEARD

BARCLAYS WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER OF THE YEAR

LAURA KAMINSKI

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SKY BET LEAGUE ONE MANAGER OF THE YEAR

SKY BET LEAGUE TWO MANAGER OF THE YEAR

KIERAN MCKENNA

THE LEADER.

LEADER COLUMN

Jeremy Snape

RECOVER ENERGY, REGAIN FOCUS.

While the headlines are full of endeavours to make technology more human, it’s humans trying to work like robots that is the bigger issue.

Our brains like consistency and routine, so sticking to one type of activity helps to focus mental resources.

In the relentless pursuit of results, trophies, promotions and financial gain, our leaders have never been so fatigued. Since the pandemic, I’ve seen leaders in sport and business desperately trying to regain their energy, while also attempting to transform their products, cultures and organisations.

Whereas our ancestors would have fought and flopped, run and rested, today we face a constant barrage of information, judgement and digital distraction that keeps our brains in a perpetual state of alertness.

We rush to work in a blur, with 14 priorities spinning around our heads, reading emails and having half conversations. We jump from meeting to meeting, often with little preparation, and emerge with even more priorities. Despite being frenetic, we may feel like we’re never making any progress. Many of us have fallen into a relentless spiral from which it’s hard to escape.

PRIORITISE AND REDEFINE

There are, however, ways to break free. Firstly, we need to take a step back and have the same respect for our mental energy that we have for our physical energy. We know that we need to pause and refuel after doing some reps in the gym or going for a long run, and see nothing wrong in that well-earned rest. When it comes to cognitive work, on the other hand, we expect ourselves to push on through, working long hours without a break. There is shame associated with stopping; ‘thinking time’ is for the lazy.

The bravest and most successful leaders, however, are rewriting this narrative. They protect their deep focused time, when they are attacking their priorities at all costs. They know that this is where real courage and impact lies.

We also need to be crystal clear on what success is. Part of the reason we’re exhausted is that

Today we face a constant barrage of information, judgement and digital distraction that keeps our brains in a perpetual state of alertness.

we’re wrestling with so many variables; without a postcode in our satnav, every road looks inviting. Investing time and energy in defining your ideal end state will accelerate your journey.

Once we’ve spent time defining success it becomes easier to create the roadmap to achieving it. ‘Busy fools’ take on too much that doesn’t move them closer to their goals, so we need to invest time and effort in the projects and people that will. Eisenhower’s Matrix is a great tool for ensuring we’re spending time in the ‘important, but not urgent’ quadrant and less time fighting fires.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Time blocking is very useful here. If you don’t ring-fence thinking time into your schedule, it allows everyone else’s priorities to dictate your day. Proactively blocking an hour every afternoon, or two-hour blocks twice a week, ensures you have the space and time to attack your highest priorities. You may need longer than you think, because just like a physical warm-up it can take time to get into the zone.

Task batching is another helpful tactic. Our brains like consistency and routine, so sticking to one type of activity helps to focus mental resources. Two hours of deep

focus on recruitment, analysis or finances, for example, is better than switching between the same activities for 15mins each, which can be draining.

We also need to look at how much we’re using our smartphones and how much they are distracting us. When you’re engaged in tough, deep focus jobs, the ping of a phone may feel like the cavalry, but it is decimating your concentration and impact. Switching off notifications or turning on airplane mode are important if you want a distraction-free environment.

Finally, if we’re to break free of a life that feels like a blur, it’s essential that we learn to delegate and empower those around us. While it may seem easier or faster to do everything yourself, giving people clear targets and expectations, and trusting them to work out the ‘how’, boosts their confidence and engagement while freeing up your time and energy.

Rather than being swept up in the current of life, drained and constantly playing catch-up, aim to be the CEO of your own energy company. You won’t believe the difference it makes.

Jeremy Snape is the founder and CEO of Sporting Edge and the host of the Apple top 10 podcast ‘inside the Mind of Champions’ www.sportingedge.com

HOPE POWELL CBE

I WILL NEVER COMPROMISE WHO I AM.

Few people have been so integral to the development of the women’s game in England as LMA Committee Member Hope Powell CBE, nor witnessed its growth at such close quarters. Now Women’s Technical Director at Birmingham City, Powell shares some of the highlights of her incredible journey.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Reuters // Action Images

Until I retire from this game, I’m still on a journey, and it will never be time to put my feet up. There’s still so much work to be done.

When Hope Powell was appointed Head Coach of the England Women’s side in 1998, she became not only the first person to hold the role full time, but also the youngest coach ever to take charge of an England side. What’s more, her responsibilities didn’t end with managing the first team.

A former England international herself, she was tasked with overseeing the whole women’s youth structure, and establishing a coach mentoring scheme and the National Player Development Centre at the University of Loughborough.

It was to be a hugely successful and influential tenure, not only in terms of what Powell achieved on the pitch – leading the England Women to four UEFA Championships, the Euro 2009 final and two World Cup quarter-finals – but in the foundations that she helped lay for the women’s game we see today.

Powell is rightly proud of everything she achieved with

England during that period, but says that off the pitch by far the biggest deal was winning the fight for players’ central contracts. “Players were finally able to work part time, rather than fitting training in around full-time jobs, and while it wasn’t a lot of money at the time, it was a huge turning point in the game,” she says. “To see players today with full-time professional contracts is fantastic.”

LEADING THE WAY

While leadership creeps up on some people, for Powell it was a journey she embarked on at an early age. During her 20-year playing career, she passed The FA preliminary coaching award, obtained her UEFA B Licence and completed The FA’s female coach mentoring scheme. She was proactive, too, in taking on the role of Development Officer for Lewisham Borough Council and Crystal Palace FC’s community outreach scheme, and in acting as a volunteer coach at soccer camps in the US.

“I was also captain of my team

and vice-captain of the England side, so I was in leadership roles early on,” she says. Asked whether she has changed her style since then, she says it’s more a question of maturing and growing. “You refine your skills, change and adapt, shaping what you do next based on your previous experiences. What’s more, it’s a continuous journey, and every day is about working to ensure that next time you face something similar, you’ll do better. You’re asking constantly what it is you need to do to be better next year, what you need to focus on. So, leadership for me is a continuous journey of learning.”

While Powell strives to develop and grow, there are some ways in which she is adamant that she will never change, certain non-negotiables. “Principally, I will never compromise myself and my beliefs,” she says. “This is who I am and these are my expectations, and I will never sell myself short just to please someone or curry a favour. I’ll never compromise who I am as a human being.”

GROUNDWORK

Powell is currently applying her uncompromising high standards as Women’s Technical Director at Birmingham City, where she is responsible for managing and building the women’s side of the club. “We’re aiming high. That includes getting to the WSL and staying there, and reaching the Women’s Champions League,” she says.

Powell’s experience with England and her five years building the women’s game at Brighton and Hove Albion made her the ideal candidate to help take Birmingham City forward. Before she could start making changes, however, her priority on joining in July 2023 was to really understand the status quo.

“That’s always the starting point,” she says, “to observe, see what’s going on and what’s in place. It’s important to get to know the staff and understand them as people, their drivers and ambitions. Since I arrived, I’ve really got to know the climate I’m working in, the culture and the fundamentals of the organisation. From there, you can start to unpick things. For

example, where staff might need to be upskilled or supported, trying to get some historical data so we can evidence proof, and then starting to put in place processes to improve how effective and efficient we are.”

Realising the club’s ambitious vision for the future is a big job that will take time to realise, but it’s one that Powell is relishing. That vision includes developing the player pathway, in part by extending its academy programme for girls, and engaging even more actively with the diverse local community.

“There’s such a strong community feel in Birmingham and we want to be really visible and to reach out to it. We want as many people as possible to fall in love with the game and be part of the football club,” she says, “because you get so much from being part of something.” That includes the players, who Powell says are keen to get out there into the community, to promote themselves, the club and women’s football. “It’s genuinely important to them,” she says. “In fact, it’s a

real feel-good factor for all of us.”

FRONT AND CENTRE

As a mark of the level of respect that Powell has garnered in the women’s game, she was invited to be part of a governmentcommissioned independent review of women’s football last year. Chaired by former Lionesses midfielder Karen Carney OBE, the review examined issues affecting the women’s game at elite and grassroots levels in England, with a series of strategic recommendations released in July 2023.

While they are just that, recommendations, Powell is encouraged to see that certain points appear to be being taken seriously, among them a call for greater diversity in the game and recognition of the need to raise standards of practice for women in football. “Perhaps the most important outcome of reviews such as this, though, is that they get people talking,” says Powell. “Often, it’s that conversation and debate that leads to positive action. Adding to the incredible

achievements we’ve seen in recent years by the Lionesses, last year’s review has helped to, once again, put women’s football at the forefront of people’s minds.”

Powell believes that to raise women’s football to the next level and achieve greater parity with the men’s game we need continued investment and to maintain the momentum of recent decades. “That means keeping the women’s game front and centre of everything and, of course, continuing to be successful on and off the pitch.”

MODEL BEHAVIOUR

For young girls entering the player pathway, and current players looking ahead to their future careers, strong role models will also be key. As Powell points out, there are now some really strong women leaders in women’s football, including Nikki Doucet, CEO of the NewCo aimed at leading the women’s game into a new era. She hopes, however, to see a new generation of female leaders coming through. “Those opportunities need to be made available and they need to be

This is who I am and these are my expectations, and I will never sell myself short just to please someone or curry a favour.

real,” she says, “because it’s important to have those female role models, at all levels of the game, and continue to break down the barriers.”

Powell, herself a pioneer in the industry, continues to add value and help her peers wherever she can, both in her current role and in the game more widely. Since becoming the first woman to be awarded the UEFA Pro Licence, she has always endeavoured to

upskill herself and is currently completing The FA Technical Director’s course, which she says has opened up a whole new sense of learning.

“I’m always happy to expose myself to things I don’t understand, things I want to explore,” she says. “The game’s always developing and I need to make sure I move with it.

It’s important also to be visible and to encourage and support

the next generation of aspiring England managers or technical directors wherever I can. That can mean you spread yourself a bit thin, but I was fortunate to have a great mentor and lots of people who helped me throughout my career, so if I can pass on some words of wisdom then I’m more than happy to do that. Until I retire from this game, I’m still on a journey, and it will never be time to put my feet up. There’s still so much work to be done.”

Hope Powell CBE gives instructions to the England Women ahead of their friendly against Nigeria at Reading’s Madejski Stadium, 22/04/04. Reuters // Action Images

BRIAN LAWS AND JOHN MOUSINHO

FIRST LEADERS.

How do you get a team of elite performers to trust and follow you when you were one of them not so long ago? LMA Technical Manager Brian Laws and Portsmouth Manager John Mousinho share their insight on the challenges of first leadership.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Reuters // Action Images

John Mousinho celebrates after Portsmouth win League One and secure promotion to the Championship. Fratton Park, April 2024. Reuters // Action Images

Whether a complete novice or an experienced professional, every manager starting a new role brings with them vision, ambition, and the beginnings of a plan. Change the culture, introduce new approaches and systems, re-energise the team, effect a turnaround – it is for these reasons that they will have been hired, and they’ll be eager to fulfil that remit, and more.

The challenge is that such ambitious plans can only be realised by first addressing certain priorities, namely, earning the buy-in, respect and trust of team members and support staff. It’s here that novices can feel at a disadvantage. Whereas an experienced manager will have a back catalogue of similar roles and past successes to lend them authority and demonstrate the value in their approaches, novices can be something of an unknown entity.

FLEX YOUR STYLE

In order for people to buy into your vision and methodology they need to trust you, but building trust doesn’t happen overnight. US businessman Kevin Plank once said that ‘trust is earned in droplets and lost in buckets’, and new managers have precious little time to fill up. As soon as they turn up on their first day, the clock starts ticking. New managers face the perfect storm of high expectations, instant scrutiny and intense pressure, all while trying to find their feet.

LMA Technical Manager and former manager Brian Laws says

Former manager Brian Laws is now LMA Technical Manager. Reuters // Action Images

Who are the strongest leaders and who has a voice in the dressing room?

that while respect and trust in your abilities will grow when you start to win games, there are things you can do in the early days and even beforehand to buy yourself valuable time.

“First off, it’s so important to have a real understanding of what being the manager means and what challenges you’re likely to face,” he says. “Think, for example, about how you’re going to deal with the change in your relationships, going from being a friend and a link between the players and manager to the main decision maker. Consider how you’ll communicate with everyone in the club and get your coaching philosophy across.”

Preparation is key, agrees manager of newly promoted Portsmouth, John Mousinho, who recently won the Sky Bet Manager of the Year Award for League One. “It’s important to have a clear idea of how you want to do things, but keep in mind that however well prepared you might feel, it’s likely you will face problems on your first day that you never imagined,” he says. “You have to be ready to adapt and deal with the unexpected.”

LITTLE BY LITTLE

Like Mousinho, Laws embarked on management with a good idea of how he wanted do things, but he realised he’d need to take things slowly at first. “I felt it was

John Mousinho won the Sky Bet Manager of the Year Award for League One for his incredible season with Portsmouth, his first as a manager.

Reuters // Action Images

There are endless ways to coach and manage, but you have to do it your way, decide what you want to do and believe in yourself.

important to keep things simple early on, rather than coming in with an explosion of ideas and changes that might lead to confusion,” he says. “I thought it better to win people’s respect first, and then build things up.”

The aim, at least early on, he adds, should be small wins with the players, perhaps based around discussions with the more experienced team members to help develop connections and trust.

At Portsmouth, while Mousinho didn’t feel he was implementing anything too radical, he was keen that there should be a noticeable change from day one. “It was important to me that people could see who I was and how I wanted to do things from the start, rather than me springing it on them a few months in,” he says.

SHARE THE LOAD

Speaking on an LMA Insights Webinar in the spring, Miami Dolphins associate head coach Eric Studesville also talked about staying true to yourself and your values, drawing on his experience of becoming interim head coach of the Denver Broncos.

New managers can feel overwhelmed by the sudden barrage of responsibilities, he says, and often try to take on too much. “I never realised how many issues, decisions and concerns come across your desk every day.

Everyone needs your opinion and attention, and if you’re not grounded in who you are it can consume you. I realised also that I would need to empower the people around me to do what they do best,” he adds.

Mousinho agrees on the importance of trusting people to do their jobs. “In my first week as a manager, there was so much I had to do, so I asked the goalkeeper coach to handle set pieces, and each of the other coaches to step up. That was invaluable in taking some of the burden off me, so I could focus on what really mattered.”

The players, too, can provide valuable support, helping the new manager to build connections within the group and win buy-in to their ideas. “Analyse your squad early on and identify who your allies might be,” says Laws. “Who could help to spread or reinforce your messages among the team? Who are the strongest leaders and who has a voice in the dressing room?”

At Portsmouth, Mousinho did just this, finding a key ally in the form of a senior player who he’d played alongside years earlier at Wycombe. “Having that connection with the dressing room was invaluable,” he says.

“Given I’d been a player for Oxford just prior to becoming manager of Portsmouth, I was keen to maintain a close

relationship with the team members, and keep it a playercentric environment,” he says. “I regularly remind myself of that goal, and look at my work through the lens of what I would have wanted as a player. What would I have enjoyed and been engaged by?”

BE YOURSELF

According to Studesville, showing authenticity and demonstrating an interest in the people you’re leading can also go a long way to building bridges and earning trust and respect. “People don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care,”

he says. “I do that by trying to get to know my players as individuals, finding out who their significant others are, their kids’ names, and so on. Likewise, I want the players to know about my kids and my family, so they know who I am, and what my motivation is to come to work every day. There needs to be a shared relationship.”

In this respect, Mousinho believes that having only recently moved from the back of the team bus to the front actually plays to his advantage. “I thought the fact that I’d never managed a game in my life would be my biggest

weakness going into the job, but in some ways it has been my biggest strength,” he says.

“Ultimately, whether you’re highly experienced or new to management, the players are always going to scrutinise and judge you in the early days and weeks,” he adds. “First impressions are incredibly important, and by far the best way to win their trust is to get things right.” That can take a little luck, but it also means being authentic, he says. “There are, after all, endless ways to coach and manage, but you have to do it your way, decide what you want to do and believe in yourself.”

Brian Laws congratulates goal-scorer Jermaine Johnson during Sheffield Wednesday’s match against Norwich City at Hillsborough, 2007. Reuters // Action Images

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Caledonian Gladiators

FROM ANOTHER SPORT:

MIGUEL ORTEGA

HOLDING COURT.

As Head of Basketball at the Caledonia Gladiators and Head Coach of the women’s team, Miguel Ortega has cemented the Scottish club’s position among the leaders of British basketball.

We have, I believe, the potential to create the best women’s team in the history of Scottish Basketball, across the British league and, in time, Europe.

A coach with over 40 years’ experience in Europe, Miguel Ortega joined the Caledonia Gladiators in the summer of 2022, at a time of great change. The arrival of ambitious new owners promised to breathe new life into the basketball club, rebranded from Glasgow Rocks, and in particular its women’s side, of which Ortega had been brought in as Head Coach. As the only Scottish team to compete in the UK’s top tier of basketball, the Women’s British Basketball League (WBBL), the women’s team had struggled in recent seasons, but finished second in the WBBL during Ortega’s debut campaign.

As Head of Basketball, Miguel Ortega is responsible for the men’s and women’s sides, from youth right through to the first teams. // Caledonian Gladiators

The achievement, which saw him named Coach of the Year, was all the more impressive given this was the Spaniard’s first experience of living and coaching abroad. “Having missed out on some big opportunities in the past due to personal reasons, I was keen to experience coaching outside of my home country,” he says, “and I recognised that while it had tremendous athletes, talent and personnel, Scotland

wasn’t achieving its potential in many ways. I saw an opportunity to work alongside ambitious people to help make a genuine difference.”

GROUNDWORK

Ortega found himself in the novel and very rewarding position of being central, right from the beginning, to what was an incredibly ambitious project. The considerable investment in the

club by its new owners, Steve and Alison Timoney, included top-ofthe-range training facilities at the new Playsport stadium, which the club moved to last autumn.

“We joke now about what training was like last year, the broken hoops and the noise from the kids’ clubs next door,” says Ortega. “It was certainly different to what I was used to.

The Timoney’s recognised that

the Gladiators needed a new home and they’ve produced something really special here. The difference it makes is evident in our results and in the growth of the team and club.”

Already, the club’s efforts at showcasing women’s basketball have borne fruit, with the women’s team recently breaking a Scottish women’s basketball attendance record, topping the

previous high when the new multi-million-pound arena hosted its first game.

The change has been evidenced, too, in the side’s on-court performance. Ortega achieved another second-place finish in 2023/24, closing the gap on the WBBL champions and proving the Gladiators to be genuine contenders for the title. They also made an impressive debut in

European competition, a first for any Scottish women’s team since 1973.

CULTURE FIRST

But while the club’s results under Ortega are impressive, he’s not a coach whose only focus is on the points table. “Results are of course always important,” he says, “especially when it comes to the team’s external image, but what matters more is the work you do as a club every day. Ultimately, that’s what’s going to affect your future. Our approach at the Gladiators is quite simple: we work hard every day to create a culture of individual and collective effort and commitment. If you get that right, the results should take care of themselves.”

In February 2023, Ortega was named Head of Basketball alongside his coaching role, giving him oversight across all aspects of the club’s basketball performance, from its first engagement with young players to the strategic direction and operations of its professional teams.

It was a moment of real pride for the Spaniard. “To have

them place so much trust in me, especially at such an important time in the club’s growth, was an incredible feeling,” he says. “It also came at the right time; with a full season and a half of observation and reflection behind me, I can now take a leading role in shaping the young aspirational coaching team we have here, and supporting the players.”

PASSION AND VALUES

While this work will draw on his extensive experience, the driving force will be his passion, which he says runs through everything he does and translates into the side’s performance on the court.

Equally, his style is built around setting the bar high, and modelling the attitude and behaviours he expects from those around him. “When I was a young coach, I was inspired by those people who didn’t just talk the game, but lived by their actions daily, those who never faltered from what was right and worked hard to make a difference,” he says. “Those were the people I watched and learned from. So, I believe in leading by example, having an exemplary attitude, and demonstrating a driving force.

I saw an opportunity to work alongside ambitious people to help make a genuine difference.

“My expectation of people, how they conduct themselves, their work ethic and commitment, is very high, and I will not lower it,” he adds, “because it’s when you take pride in every small thing that you’re involved in that big things happen.”

Ortega also believes strongly in

investing in the future generation of players by developing young talent. “It’s one of my main priorities here in Scotland and with Caledonia Gladiators,” he says. “If I do nothing more than that, this would be my priority. We realise that growth takes time and there will, of course, be challenges along the way, but we

have patiently been growing the sport here in Scotland and are enjoying one of the most successful and exciting periods in our 25-year history. We have, I believe, the potential to create the best women’s team in the history of Scottish Basketball, across the British league and, in time, Europe.”

The Gladiators moved into the state-of-the-art Playsport stadium in autumn 2023.

// Caledonia Gladiators

IMOGEN COGGAN INTERVIEW

BUILDING CONNECTIONS THAT LAST.

LMA Partner Kelliher Insurance Group, which incorporates Kerry London Ltd, has, under Group CEO Imogen Coggan, become one of the UK’s leading Independent Insurance Brokers, which provides specialist insurance services for sectors including construction, property, sport, and film and media. Here, Coggan shares the vision and values behind the business’ success.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Kelliher Insurance Group

VALUES AREN’T JUST SOMETHING YOU PUT ON THE WALL.

They need to be very much embedded in the organisation and have to work for everyone in it. They need to engage and excite people, and resonate with everything you do, externally and internally. When we reevaluated our vision and values after the Covid pandemic, we focused on the idea of connections and a more human approach to insurance. Our mission is to build connections that stand the test of time, with our clients and business partners and as colleagues internally.

WE’RE FORWARD LOOKING.

Our vision is to add value to people, businesses and communities in everything we do, because I believe it’s really important that businesses today understand their wider impact. Our values, meanwhile, centre on the pillars of commitment, consistency, creativity and collaboration. That means not only looking at what we do at the

moment, but ahead to the things we want to build in the future. Everyone needs to understand that this is the start of the journey.

WE HOLD MONTHLY KNOWLEDGE-SHARING SESSIONS.

While we’re a relatively small organisation, we realised that we didn’t know enough about each other and our respective areas of work within the business. To address this, we decided to hold sessions once a month, each one focused on a different part of the business, whether that be construction, sports and leisure, or TV, film and media. Anyone can jump on the call, learn more about that specific industry sector, and ask questions. I also hold monthly ‘connections’ calls, where team members can interact, or go off in smaller groups to discuss certain topics in more detail. These are great opportunities for people to expand their knowledge of the different areas that we work in, which ultimately brings us

closer together and facilitates collaboration within the business.

TO STAY AHEAD IN OUR INDUSTRY, WE NEED TO BE CURIOUS.

We have a culture where we encourage our people to explore new ideas and areas of expertise. To remain leaders in our field, we need to look for insight and inspiration, not only from within the insurance industry, but from sport and all our specialist business sectors. That might mean making time to go to an event, learning from the speakers and networking with the other delegates, or signing up for a webinar or digital conference on a subject you don’t yet know much about. It’s important to have a balance between structured learning and being able to engage in ad-hoc events and opportunities.

I TRY TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE IN THAT.

As a leader, you can’t be an expert in everything, but it is

As a leader, you can’t be an expert in everything, but it is important to have an interest and a curiosity in lots of different things.

important to have an interest and a curiosity in lots of different things. If you come across something that might be of value to the business, you can dig deeper to find out more. I’m forever sharing bits of knowledge with people in the business, and hopefully when I do that it enthuses them and lets them know that it’s ok to spend time developing yourself and learning about new things.

STRONG COLLABORATION REQUIRES PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY.

I will often say in meetings, ‘Please bear in mind that some of the ideas I’ve just presented might be terrible!’ I want people to know that it’s ok to throw ideas into the mix, and to empower people to speak up if they don’t agree with me on the way forward. No idea is a stupid one. What would be stupid would be for everyone to say they agree with something that might be bad for the business, costing us valuable time and money. We’re in the process of re-launching our ‘high-performance teams’ project, where groups of people from across the business come together to try to come up with solutions to business problems. It’s a really good, non-hierarchical way of people being able to collaborate on things that aren’t necessarily in their specific area of the business.

IT’S IMPORTANT THAT OUR PEOPLE FEEL HAPPY AND VALUED.

They should be able to come to work and be their authentic selves. I try to model that by being down to earth and authentic in everything I do. Recently, we ran a staff survey to better understand how people feel about working for us, and we seek regular feedback from our partners and customers. When you’re making relationships that stand the test of time, it’s never about just doing a deal; you have to think about the long-term impact of how you interact with people and what they think of you, because that’s what your relationship is built upon.

WE HAVE AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE AT KERRY LONDON. That’s as much about the behaviour that isn’t tolerated as the behaviours that we encourage. Negative behaviour, like positive behaviour, can spread quickly throughout an organisation. In trying to foster that inclusive environment I’ve reflected often on the times in my own career that I’ve felt excluded or uncomfortable. For example, it wasn’t easy to come into the very male-dominated world of insurance, an industry in which many people have spent their entire careers. I can use experiences such as these to help ensure no one else in the business feels left out in any way.

10 IDEAS: CONFLICT.

A POSITIVE PROCESS.

Conflict management is often mistakenly viewed as simply minimising the fallout of conflict situations. It is, however, a balancing act of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while maximising the positives. Conflict holds important lessons for everyone involved, on a personal and emotional level, and in terms of our effectiveness as individuals and teams.

FIND YOUR BALANCE.

Where there’s too much conflict in a team nothing gets done, but too little can cause innovation and competitiveness to suffer. Lots of cooperation between team members is great for efficiency, but when there’s little challenge, there’s little exchange of ideas, so it impacts negatively on team performance and decision making.

HEAD OUT OF THE SAND.

When team communication is poor, conflict is feared and avoided, so there are few chances to air thoughts and grievances. This results in underlying resentment, low morale and performance stagnation. In high-performing teams, communication is open and there’s an environment of psychological safety. People share and understand one another’s perspectives more freely, so conflict tends to be resolved quickly.

DEEP BREATHS.

Whether you’re acting as a mediator in a conflict situation or are one of the main parties involved, what’s most important is to remain calm and rational. Emotions need to be set aside as you attempt to unravel everyone’s perspective and find the best way forward. If necessary, postpone discussions until everyone has had a chance to step away, take some deep breaths and compose themselves.

WAYS AND MEANS.

The main cause of conflict is difference – difference in leadership styles, work methods and rates, the amount of encouragement and guidance needed, and personalities. Conflict management therefore requires us to understand, accept and work with each team member’s unique characteristics as a person and professional, and appreciate their value to the team.

UNDER THE SURFACE.

Conflict can also be ‘emotional’, stemming from jealousy, insecurity, annoyance, envy or personality clashes, or ‘substantive’, caused by a disagreement over goals, tasks, approaches or the allocation of resources. What’s important is to encourage open communication to determine what’s really going on, as not all causes may be apparent and first impressions can deceive us.

How you communicate in a conflict situation is key, and not only what you say but how you say it. Talk about how you feel, but avoid criticism of the other parties, and really listen when it’s their turn to share. Avoid negative body language, such as pointing or crossing the arms and legs, and make eye contact without glaring aggressively. Maintain a calm, measured tone, and check yourself if your voice starts to get too loud or high-pitched.

YOU WIN SOME…

There are five methods of conflict management: accommodation (where one party forfeits their position), compromise, avoidance, competition (where one tries to win out over the other), and collaboration. Accommodation, compromise and competition are win/lose situations, while with avoidance everyone loses. Only in collaboration do all parties walk away with something they can truly consider a win.

THINK LONG TERM.

When we agree to compromise or negotiate, there is a ‘loss’ of sorts on both sides, because neither gets exactly what they wanted. However, there are often also huge wins, because finding common ground protects the relationship and cements its strength and worth. Compromise is also useful when time is short and you need to arrive at a solution fast, and when both parties have similar power or influence.

Collaboration is often the most difficult method of conflict management, because it requires you to get to the heart of the problem, which takes trust and commitment on both sides. However, often when all parties are willing to explore the problem and appreciate one another’s perspectives it leads to mutually acceptable solutions that are far more long lasting.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Porto Zante

ADVERTORIAL

THE MIDAS TOUCH.

John Sotirakos, CEO of super-boutique resort

Porto Zante in Greece, explains how they’ve become a gold standard in a crowded market.

With a bewildering choice of high-end hotels and resorts the world over, the market has become crowded and highly competitive. In Greece alone, a number of big-name chains have established themselves in recent years. Despite this, the tiny resort of Porto Zante on the island of Zakynthos continues to represent the premium choice for those demanding absolute privacy in idyllic beachside surroundings.

“The resort feels very much like a private island, but is within easy access of an airport,” explains CEO John Sotirakos. “It comprises just nine beachfront villas, but while we’re small there are so many options for our guests. For example, we offer five different dining experiences, including a Greek restaurant with nightly live music and a Japanese restaurant, a gym, yoga, and a private yacht for excursions to nearby islands.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Guests include couples and families, and whether they’re seeking to relax or be active, Porto Zante somehow manages to cater for all tastes. “We don’t discriminate against one group or the other, but rather commit to providing the best experience possible for every guest, whatever their demands,” says Sotirakos.

“Part of that comes down to the careful allocation of villas and the fact that every villa, even

Our reputation and consistency of standards depends on our people and they can’t be copied.

the smallest, is totally private and never overlooked. We also work hard to keep the romantic experiences that we offer for couples, such as those offered by our private waterfront spa, separate from those elements favoured by families, because not everyone wants to be around children when they are on holiday. For the families, meanwhile, we have a kids’ club, playground, activities and excursions, and we hire talented, passionate people who can offer special tailored experiences to the children who visit the resort.”

Repeat guests to Porto Zante

say it’s this combination of opportunities for relaxation and activities both on and off the island, and the level of service that make the resort stand out and keep them coming back.

AT YOUR SERVICE

The high standards of service result, in part, from the fact that there are on average at least two members of staff for every guest at the resort. However, it’s also the product of a careful recruitment and training strategy, says Sotirakos. “When we’re recruiting, experience is important, and indeed we have staff who have worked in some very high-end hotels and

restaurants, but actually more important is that they have heart and we feel they are right for the business. We want people who have a genuine interest in offering warm hospitality to our guests.”

Sotirakos also oversees a rigorous training programme, with staff members trained and then retrained as a continuous process. “Consistency is hugely important, and our brand and reputation depend on it,” he says. “Based on what we’ve achieved here at Porto Zante, we could expand the business into different locations around Greece, but there’s a reason we

don’t do that: our reputation and consistency of standards depends on our people and they can’t be copied.”

Sotirakos also makes a point of seeking feedback from the resort’s long-standing guests, asking what if anything they can do to improve further and always making efforts to act on it. “It’s always a challenge to keep up with trends globally, but we focus on investing in making our repeat guests super happy, ensuring the food, service and experiences we offer are always exceptional and looking for opportunities to add to that.”

IGNACIO PALACIOS-HUERTA

THE NUMBERS GAME.

In a recent LMA Webinar, Ignacio Palacios-Huerta, Professor of Economics at London Business School and former Head of Talent at Athletic Bilbao, explained why he believes data can give you the edge.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Reuters // Action Images

It was an enlightening and fascinating presentation, opened with a simple premise, that we have two systems for decision making, one fast and intuitive, the other slow and considered. This dual-system theory was originally presented in Daniel Kahneman’s book, ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’, in which he describes fast thinking as emotional, unconscious and limited. “Being based on available knowledge, past experience and long-established mental models, it is more susceptible to cognitive biases,” explains Palacios-Huerta.

“Slow thinking, meanwhile, is controllable, rational and takes more effort. It is analytic, involves deliberate conscious reasoning and is indicative of critical thinking, and structured analytic techniques.”

It is these analytical techniques, used to complement rather than substitute intuition, that PalaciosHuerta believes can make all the difference to the success of football clubs. “Intangibles matter

and some can be measured,” he says. “Thoughtful use of data and thinking can uncover surprising results that challenge conventional wisdom at all levels, so I would encourage coaches to construct new data where possible and invest in making it informative.”

Throughout the webinar, Palacios-Huerta uses examples from his eight years with Athletic Bilbao, four as Director of Talent and four on the Board of Directors, to illustrate how the future is far more predictable than we might think. Data collection and analytics can make a tangible difference to team performance.

During his tenure, the Basque side outperformed expectations, qualifying for the Champions League, the Europa League (five times), and reaching three domestic Cup finals. He also transformed the club’s finances from -€10m in 2011 to €200m in 2018. These achievements are

all the more impressive given the club’s rule of only selecting players from the Basque Country, a region with a quarter of the population of London.

THE FUTURE IS PREDICTABLE

“I was asked by the coach at the time what players should do when taking a corner kick. Should they start a new play, kicking it short to another player, or send it into the box?” says PalaciosHuerta. “I said I didn’t know, that it wasn’t a question for my system one thinking, but rather for my slow-thinking system two. It would require a bit of maths and careful analytics.” At the time, Bilbao were scoring one goal every 60 corner kicks compared to the average in La Liga of one in every 33, so Palacios-Huerta set to it, collecting detailed data on some 4,000 of Bilbao’s corner kicks. This data included, among other things, when the corner was taken, the score and the type of kick, whether in-swinging or out-swinging, ball placement, who touched it, and previous outcomes.

He then ‘cleaned up’ the data, taking into account any other observable factors that might have affected the outcome.

“When we looked at the results, it was clear that new play was actually the worst option for us in terms of scoring, and we could see what type of placement produced the most goals,” says PalaciosHuerta. “By using this analysis to influence our gameplay, we changed our average success rate from one goal scored every 60 corners to one every 17.” Analytics based around the predictability of players and goalkeepers in a penalty situation also saw Bilbao score 2.1 more

goals per season from penalty kicks and save 2.5 more.

MISSED TALENT IS COSTLY

Palacios-Huerta also addressed at Bilbao what he saw as the huge cost inefficiencies and potential for missed talent of the relative age effect (RAE). “It’s shocking that this exists and that we don’t do something about it,” he says. “Talent isn’t dependent on when you were born.” To prove the point, he plotted the top prospects at the academies of England’s top clubs, kids of around 17-19 years of age, against their wages, as a measure of quality. “We could see from the results that those born later were in fact better,” says

Palacios-Huerta. “This was a good indicator that by selecting players from the beginning of the year we’re actually missing out on talent.”

This led him to ask a question that he says is rarely asked: how much is the relative age effect costing our clubs? “It will depend how much talent your scouts missed out on because of the RAE and on ‘externality’, i.e., the fact that good players in a side will tend to improve each other. Working on the basis of, say 2% or 5% talent missed by your scouts and 1% or even 0.5 effect of externality within the academy, if you were to correct the RAE over 10 years you could generate 5,10, even 20 million euros a year.”

By using this analysis to influence our gameplay, we changed our average success rate from one goal scored every 60 corners to one every 17.

At Bilbao, they acted on these findings, increasing the size of their academy, going from adding 20 U10 players per year to around 36-40, and actively selecting those born later in the year.

FOOTBALL IS A BRAIN GAME

Palacios-Huerta was also keen to ensure the club was selecting and developing talent based on its system two thinking, rather than simply on its intuitive system one. As he points out, various football legends and great thinkers have emphasised the fact that footballing talent is largely in the brain. ‘We know that many things make a good footballer, but I feel that the ability to make and execute good decisions is the ultimate difference,’ said Andrés Iniesta, while Johan Cruyff said, ‘Football is a brain game – where to run, when to cover, when to press, how to move. It’s decisions like this that determine whether you’re a good player or not.’

“What I’m really interested in is what’s going on inside the person, inside the coach, the player, the manager. That’s where I’m coming from,” says Palacios-Huerta. “Yet, if you go to an academy in any top club in England, or in fact anywhere in the world, and ask what decisionmaking data they have on their underage players, their sports scientists will likely reply that they collect lots of data, but it’s mostly below the neck.”

At Bilbao, Palacios-Huerta began to measure talent variables of his players quantitatively: their patience, risk attitudes, competitiveness, the randomisation of their abilities, cognitive abilities, their system one and system two abilities. “I measured these every year in our academy to understand at what age these skills form and to what extent they matter for success.”

Among his findings was the realisation that competitiveness is malleable and forms up to the age of around 17 or 18. “That means if you want to change how competitive a player is, you need to do it before they reach this age,” he says. “I also found that it really matters if the coach is highly competitive, and that this has the most positive effect on players around the ages of 13, 14 and 15, and none after that.” This kind of knowledge can enable clubs to make tangible changes to academy selections and player development, which Palacios-Huerta believes translates into valuable points on the board.

“By making excellent decisions, based on asking the right questions, we can outperform some clubs that have significantly greater financial resources,” he says. “As Andrea Pirlo once said, ‘Football is played with your head. Your feet are just the tools’.”

Athletic Bilbao celebrate after winning the 2024 Copa de Rey, beating RCD Mallorca in the final at the Estadio de la Cartuja, Seville. Reuters // Action Images

LMA NEWS.

LMA EVENTS & CORPORATE ACTIVITY.

Castrol in Bangkok

> ALAN SHEARER CBE

LMA member Alan Shearer CBE joined Castrol in Bangkok in support of the Asia Premier League Trophy Tour. Shearer also joined Castrol’s senior leaders at their internal Thought Leadership Conference, where he shared his leadership experience and talked about the dedication and discipline it took to become the Premier League’s all-time record goal scorer.

ABM Conference > SAM ALLARDYCE // SIR STEVE REDGRAVE CBE

LMA Executive Committee member Sam Allardyce and LMA Ambassador Sir Steve Redgrave CBE recently joined ABM at St George’s Park for a two-day conference. The delegates were treated to some fantastic stories from both men’s careers, and had the chance to hold Redgrave’s 1996 Atlanta Gold Medal, one of five Olympic Gold Medals he won during his career.

Nike Play on Pitch

> NEIL WARNOCK // IAN HOLLOWAY

LMA members Neil Warnock and Ian Holloway supported the Nike team with a Play-on-Pitch experience at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April. After some motivational team talks from the managers, their teams took to the pitch, Ian’s team ultimately proving victorious.

Tanya Oxtoby, Rachel Yankey OBE and Nike

> TANYA OXTOBY // RACHEL YANKEY OBE

LMA members Tanya Oxtoby and Rachel Yankey OBE attended the London derby between Chelsea Women and Arsenal Women in March. Prior to the game, they took part in a panel for fans, discussing the development and progression of the women’s professional game, to mark the release of the new WSL kit on EA Sports FC24.

Hayley McQueen and Just Eat > HAYLEY MCQUEEN

LMA Ambassador Hayley McQueen supported Just Eat as part of their Champions League activations. McQueen joined the Just Eat team in Bilbao ahead of the Women’s Champions League final, and again in London ahead of the Men’s Champions League final.

Vitality Event

>

STUART PEARCE MBE

LMA member Stuart Pearce MBE delivered a session to the Vitality marketing team at their head office in London. Pearce spoke about leadership and the importance of teamwork, sharing stories from his career to inspire and motivate the team.

Cadbury Asda Leeds

> GARY MCALLISTER MBE

LMA member Gary McAllister MBE supported Cadbury with their continuing 200-year birthday celebrations at Asda City in Leeds. McAllister took pictures with staff and helped to hand out prizes throughout the day.

Les Ferdinand and Castrol

> LES FERDINAND MBE

LMA member Les Ferdinand MBE recently supported Castrol in Central London as they welcomed guests from the TUCA region for a football hospitality experience.

Gary Cahill and Castrol

> GARY CAHILL

LMA Ambassador Gary Cahill joined guests from the TUCA region at the Ivy Club, London, ahead of the Arsenal v Chelsea game. Cahill shared what it’s like to play in a London derby, having only recently retired from the game.

Lydia Bedford & Sports Interactive

> LYDIA BEDFORD

LMA member Lydia Bedford joined Sports Interactive, the creators of Football Manager, for an internal event. She took part in a Q&A discussing her career and future ambitions and gave valuable insights that will benefit the continuous evolution of the FM game.

Anglian Champions Conference

>

SIR STEVE REDGRAVE CBE

LMA Ambassador and five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Gold Medalist Sir Steve Redgrave CBE joined Anglian for their Champions Conference at St. George’s Park. This year’s theme was ‘Bigger, Better, Bolder’ and the event celebrated Anglian’s champion performers. Redgrave shared stories from his successful career in a Q&A hosted by Dan Walker, before handing out awards to Anglian’s winners.

Walter Smith OBE Statue

On 24th May Rangers FC unveiled a statue to honour the career of legendary manager, LMA member and valued LMA technical consultant Walter Smith OBE. The statue was unveiled at Ibrox Stadium by Smith’s family in front of an audience that included former Rangers manager Graeme Souness CBE, Rangers manager Phillipe Clement and the club’s supporters. Crafted by Queen Elizabeth sculptor Douglas Jennings, the bronze statue is a fitting tribute to Smith’s outstanding career as Rangers manager, during which time he won a remarkable 21 trophies, including 10 Scottish Premiership titles and led Rangers to the Europa League final in 2008.

Walter Smith’s wife Ethel with sculptor Douglas Jennings, sons Steven and Neil and Rangers chairman John Bennett. // Rangers FC

Philippe Clement // Rangers FC

Smith’s children and grandchildren // Rangers FC

LMA OVERSEAS.

Spain – Real Madrid > CARLO ANCELOTTI

The LMA congratulates member Carlo Ancelotti on winning La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid this season. The Italian is the most successful coach in European Cup history, having won the competition seven times as a player or manager.

Scotland – Celtic > BRENDAN RODGERS

Congratulations to LMA member Brendan Rodgers on winning the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup double with Celtic this season – the third double of his career as Celtic manager.

Australia – Central Coast Mariners

> MARK JACKSON // DANNY SCHOFIELD

Together, Central Coast Mariners manager Mark Jackson and assistant coach Danny Schofield completed the first ever Australian trophy treble, following success in the A-League Grand Final, Premiers’ Plate and AFC Cup.

Italy – Como 1907

> DENNIS WISE

LMA member and Como 1907 CEO Dennis Wise has achieved incredible things with the club, which won promotion back to Serie A this season. Como will now compete in Italy’s top tier for the first time since 2003, after three promotions in the last six years.

Poland – Lechia Gdañsk

> KEVIN BLACKWELL

Congratulations to LMA member and Lechia Gdańsk technical director Kevin Blackwell after achieving promotion back to Ekstraklasa. Gdańsk will return to the top flight at the first attempt and as champions of the I Liga, Poland’s second tier domestic division.

Israel – Maccabi Tel Aviv

> ROBBIE KEANE

The LMA extends its congratulations also to manager Robbie Keane, whose Maccabi Tel Aviv side won the Israeli Premier League and Toto Cup in his first season in charge.

01 LMA Diploma in Football Management

The 2023/24 cohort of the LMA Diploma in Football Management completed their course in June with a residential week at the University of Liverpool. During this, they delivered their final presentations and developed action plans for their next steps into football management.

June also saw the 2024/25 cohort start the LMA Diploma, with a first week that covered Mental Health and Coping Strategies, Influence and Negotiation, and Personal Branding. The course continues in September with a one-day masterclass on Effective Presentation and Communication Skills.

02 LMA Postgraduate Award in Strategic Leadership

The 2023/24 edition of the LMA Postgraduate Award came to a close with a Change Management

simulation at St George’s Park. The students will graduate at the University of Liverpool in December.

03 LMA Performance Visits

Two LMA Performance Visits took place in April, the first at Twickenham Stadium to observe the Red Roses’ preparation for the Women’s Six Nations. This included a stadium tour, insights into the programme structure, and posttraining meetings.

The second visit was to GB Boxing at the English Institute of Sport for a training camp ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. As well as a site tour, the group observed a technical pad session, post-training discussions, and coach-led sparring.

04 LMA Technical Webinars

Fabian Otte, Goalkeeping Coach at Borussia Mönchengladbach and the US Men’s team, presented

Economics Professor Ignacio Palacios-Huerta drew on insights gained from his time with Copa del Rey champions Athletic Bilbao to explore factors that guide attention and investment when leading, recruiting, developing and retaining talent. 03 03 05 05 04

on how goalkeeper coaching and science can inspire individual player development.

LMA Technical Partner Hudl also delivered an overview of current trends in recruitment and a live demonstration of the typical high performance workflows that are used when discovering playing talent.

05 LMA Insights Webinars

Professor Maureen Perry-Jenkins spoke with LMA Head of Psychology and Mental Health Jennifer Lace about the impact that parents’ jobs can have on their children’s wellbeing.

PERSONAL WELLBEING & PERFORMANCE.

PERSONAL WELLBEING & PERFORMANCE COLUMN

Dr Peter Olusoga

With a deeper understanding of what stress is and how we experience it, we can manage it more effectively and reduce the risk of burnout and ill health.

Self-compassion can reduce self-criticism and rumination, and is associated with more positive outcomes, like optimism and help-seeking behaviours.

In a high-performance environment, a certain amount of stress is inevitable and even useful at times, helping us to power on through the toughest of challenges. However, research shows that unmanaged stress can lead to various short and long-term mental and physical health challenges, from mood swings and irritability, to depression and anxiety, to heart disease and stroke.

There are different theories about how stress works, but they boil down to more or less the same idea. Think of a set of weighing scales. On one side you can put all the ‘stuff’ that you have to deal with, whether important, trivial, work-related or personal. These are your demands. On the other side, put all the ways that you cope with that stuff. These are your coping resources and will include your social circle, and your ability to manage emotions or take rest.

When more demands are added, or your coping resources become diminished due to fatigue or isolation, for example, it results in an imbalance and the scales tip. It’s this tipping of the scales that represents the experience of stress.

Armed with this understanding of what stress is, you have some options. You can either attempt to address the demands on one side of the scale, if they’re within your control, or try to boost your coping resources on the other side. Awareness of what your demands are –what resources you have, now and over the next day, week and month – is therefore a key component of managing stress.

Importantly, though, it should not be down solely to the individual to manage this on their own.

Burnout is characterised by feelings of exhaustion, a sense of reduced personal accomplishment (feeling like you’re not achieving anything, despite continued effort) and cynicism toward work and work relationships. It’s largely a response to chronic stress, but it’s also a perfectly logical response to an environment that places ongoing unrealistic demands on us.

Some of these unrealistic demands come from the organisations we work in, the expected culture or specific team environment. Research

tells us that sport environments are often characterised by ideas of toughness, grit and strength, and this can lead coaches to develop a ‘Superhero Complex’, where they put on a brave face, mask emotional difficulties, try to do everything, and are hesitant to seek help and support.

This, however, is unsustainable; you can’t pour from an empty cup. In other words, if you keep giving and don’t take time to

refill, you’ll eventually have nothing left to give. That doesn’t do you, or those around you, any good.

What, then, does sustainable coaching look like? Three things might help. First, from an individual perspective, is the foundational psychological skill of self-awareness. By understanding your demands and coping resources, noticing what’s happening on your stress scales

and learning how your body and mind responds, you can catch stress early, before it develops into burnout.

Second is to really explore your relationship with emotions. In Western cultures especially, we’re taught that emotions are either good or bad, but experiences such as happiness, sadness, joy, anger and excitement are all part of the human experience. There’s a growing field of research

that suggests self-compassion can reduce self-criticism and rumination, and is associated with more positive outcomes, like optimism and help-seeking behaviours. Mindfulness strategies, where you notice difficult or unpleasant thoughts and sensations without judging them, are useful here. We can also practise treating ourselves with the same compassion and kindness that we would treat a close friend or family member.

Organisations and leaders need to create environments and cultures that allow coaches to really thrive.

Finally, we can think about wellbeing from a values perspective. It’s important to understand what we value in all areas of our lives, and that sometimes these values might clash with those of the organisation or culture that we’re working in. Birthdays might have to be missed, holidays rearranged. While that’s just the nature of things, there must be some negotiation and integration of personal values and organisational

values, so that the individual alone doesn’t always bear the brunt of such compromises.

Although some stress is inevitable, research shows us that self-care strategies can be effective in helping us to manage it and prevent it from becoming overwhelming. Given the importance for sustainable coach wellbeing, organisations and leaders need to create environments and cultures that allow coaches to really thrive.

Words: Alice Hoey

KEY TAKEAWAYS

PERRY-JENKINS

CAREER AND FAMILY. PROF MAUREEN

In a recent LMA Webinar, Prof Maureen Perry-Jenkins joined LMA Head of Psychology and Mental Health Jennifer Lace to discuss the potential impact of a parent’s job on the development and wellbeing of their children. Here are our highlights.

It’s worth reflecting what about your job changes how you are with your kids, positively or negatively.

JOB SATISFACTION RUBS OFF.

DON’T STICK YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND.

About Prof Perry-Jenkins

Prof Perry-Jenkins is Department Chair of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts. She has garnered national and international recognition for her research focused on the challenges facing working families as they cope with the stresses of new parenthood and full-time work. Her research is based on 20 years of longitudinal studies following parents and their children.

When you feel valued, supported and empowered in your job, it spills over into how you behave at home, and we tend to see those same things reflected in how you parent your child, how engaged you are with them, and so on.

It’s also really positive for your children to see you enjoying your job, working hard and showing commitment. Your experience at work has an impact on your relationship with your partner and with your children, on how stressed and present you are when you walk through the door, and on your mental health. All of those things ultimately affect your children, for better or for worse.

As a working parent there can be a lot of guilt, especially when you’re working long hours or are often away. It’s hard to admit that your child might be sad or resentful, but it’s important to address the negative impacts. Talk to the child about how they’re feeling and ask them what would make it easier when you’re away, and how you can let them know you’re thinking about them. I know of one family, for example, where the child would write a journal each day that the parent was away, which they would then read through together on their return.

SEEK THEIR FEEDBACK.

It’s worth reflecting on the work that you do, what you love about it and don’t like so much, and what about your job changes how you are with your kids, positively or negatively. That means asking your kids what they think about your job and what you’re like when you’re at home. It might not be easy to hear, but they will have opinions and ideas that might help you make some positive changes.

CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS PAYING ATTENTION.

Children notice if you arrive home stressed, upset or unfocused and they may learn to navigate that, to walk on eggshells or stay away from you. When you’re completely undone by your day at work, walking through the door and pretending that everything is fine is incredibly hard, but it’s very important. It’s a good idea, therefore, to have a buffer zone, perhaps on your commute or at some point before you get home. Remind yourself that you’ve only got those precious hours in the evening with your kids and how important it is to set everything else aside to really engage with them.

CHILDREN CRAVE STRUCTURE.

They like to know what’s going to happen, when and how. It’s important that when we’re

regularly working away from home that we communicate with our kids and let them know what’s happening. Something as simple as a calendar on the fridge can help. Important also is to create habits or rituals so that your child knows that there is time set aside for them. That might mean a family lunch every Sunday or 15 minutes playing a game together before breakfast. A much-reported study some years ago showed that where families ate together their children had a higher chance of going to university. In reality, it’s not the meal itself that’s important, but the family ritual. It’s about setting up structures and expectations.

TALK TO YOUR PARTNER.

If you’re often travelling or are away for periods for work, it’s vital to discuss with your partner how they’re feeling and how you might better support that relationship. Even if it doesn’t show on the surface, there are often underlying resentments, and these are then passed onto your kids. A common complaint, for example, is that when one family member is away the others develop their own rhythm. When the travelling parent returns they feel like they are messing the system up. Those conversations may not be easy, but they’re important if you’re to look for ways to make it easier. Do you need extra childcare? Should you request extra flexibility at work? Maybe your partner needs

some time away, even when you’re home.

THERE ARE GENDER DIFFERENCES.

Often, men will become more defensive when questioned on the impact that their jobs have on their kids. They will say that they are doing their best to provide for the family. Society has reinforced the role of the male as the provider and many believe that is their primary function as a dad. It is, of course, vital, but not enough, and certainly if we were to turn it around and suggest that the mother’s role was simply to provide it might raise eyebrows. Social expectations dictate that the mother is always engaged, while the father can disengage, and that can pile on more pressure for working mothers.

EMPLOYERS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY.

It’s important to have the confidence to speak to your employer, or to your employees. Employers want people to have autonomy, to come to them to say not just, ‘this isn’t working’, but rather, ‘this isn’t working, and I have an idea for how to make it better.’ I’d recommend trialling any new idea with a pilot period; it tests the water, lets the employee feel heard and helps the employer feel that there’s some accountability. Solutions can always be found that really make a difference.

SAME YOU, DIFFERENT HAT.

When you change roles, it doesn’t just put different skills and knowledge to the test. It can also challenge how you feel about yourself, your self-confidence and identity. LMA Head of Psychology and Mental Health Jennifer Lace helps us to navigate what can be a difficult transition.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: iStock

Jennifer Lace, LMA Head of Psychology and Mental Health

Jennifer has worked within domestic and international football for over 10 years, at football clubs and a variety of football national governing bodies, and has helped both athletes and coaches. She has British Psychological Society training through a Doctorate in Psychology and is a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science as a Charted Scientist.

Who are you? What are the words that come to mind when you think about yourself and your key strengths? This, in essence, is your identity, your sense of self. It’s likely that, for some, those words will relate almost entirely to their job – manager, coach, leader, planner, mentor, talentdeveloper – with parent, friend, golfer, nature-lover or bookworm, for example, barely making it into the top 10.

In an industry that requires intense focus and commitment, having a strong professional identity might seem like a positive, even necessary, quality. However, when something challenges that sense of self, it can leave you lacking the resilience and confidence you need to perform at your best.

“When you place such a high emphasis on your job that your professional identity defines you, it can lead to behavioural or psychological distress when your role or responsibilities change,” says Lace. “For example, it’s not uncommon to see coaches try to get involved in training, despite having moved to an off-the-grass role, or to experience anxiety at not having a part in managing training or working closely with the team.”

OUT OF THE LOOP

This may result, in part, from the change in day-to-day duties, but also the social changes that come with a job transition. “It can cause real distress to suddenly lose connection to a group of people with whom you previously worked closely, especially if it’s one of the few social groups to which you felt truly a part,” says Lace. That professional circle may even have included mentors or, conversely, people to whom you were providing support and advice, so leaving it can impact on more than one aspect of your identity.

The stronger your professional identity, or the more wrapped around a role your sense of self has become, the greater the distress you’re likely to feel when that situation changes and those professional ties are severed. However, according to Lace, rather than labelling these impacts as positive or negative, it’s helpful to view them simply as effects, and be curious about what we can learn from them.

“The way that changes such as these affect our identity reveals something about us, so we should listen to our thoughts and feelings around change, and reflect on them,” she says. “By labelling something as a ‘negative effect’ it

Rather than labelling these impacts as positive or negative, it’s helpful to view them simply as effects, and be curious about what we can learn from them.

may simply add more pressure for us to adapt or transition in ways that aren’t adaptive or realistic.”

Coping with any change that influences your identity starts with working to ensure that your sense of self is rounded, and not founded on any one specific role, group or employer. “That means building positive relationships with multiple different people from multiple different groups,” says Lace, “and having interests and hobbies outside of our professional lives.” She adds that being clear about your values can also help, as whatever changes occur in your professional life, you can focus on remaining true to yourself, and living, acting

and behaving in line with those values.

IMPOSTER SUPERSTRENGTH

Another common effect of changing professional roles, especially when moving up a few rungs or switching to a different career track, are feelings of anxiety and insecurity. “Imposter syndrome is common among high-achieving individuals,” says Lace, “and can be understood as feeling like a fraud among equally skilled colleagues and the denial of your own accomplishments. It is a psychological pattern of thinking that causes individuals to doubt their accomplishments and abilities, fearing being

exposed as a fraud, despite there being verifiable and objective evidence of their success and competence.”

The fact that many people with imposter syndrome see it as something negative to overcome only adds to their burden, says Lace. Changing the way we perceive imposter syndrome is, therefore, an important first step. “Ultimately, imposter syndrome is only negative if you allow it to be. It can also be your super-strength. Research has shown that people who feel imposter syndrome are actually better collaborators, ask better questions, are better listeners, and are more empathic to colleagues,” says Lace.

“A practical way to accept and embrace imposter syndrome is to recognise the internal voice, but not assume that what it is saying is true or allowing it to take you over,” she adds. “Some people even find it helpful to name the voice of their imposter syndrome, as it helps them to create some distance. Remember, you are not your thoughts, and thoughts are often not helpful. In fact, our brains are primed to tell us negative stories, and they’re often not based on the truth.”

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Imposter syndrome might also be accompanied by feelings of being overwhelmed by the sudden change in responsibility and

accountability. The realisation that everyone is now waiting for your direction and decisions, and of the level of risk and accountability involved, can be challenging for many people.

“It’s common to find decision making difficult when transitioning to a new role,” Lace says, “and it’s important to realise that such feelings of uncertainty and lack of confidence are normal. However, we should also be self-aware enough to recognise how our mental and physical state might affect our performance. In challenging situations, the brain will often default to more impulsive emotional decision making,” she says. “This can

impede creativity, and doesn’t always lead to the most rational or best decisions. It’s a good idea, therefore, to self-check before making big decisions or allocate time in your day for decision making when you know you are at your best.”

Lace says new managers and leaders can also often find themselves under pressure to make decisions they don’t fully have the answers to, or to make them quickly so as not to appear indecisive or incapable. “It’s important to be aware of that, and to allow yourself as much as possible the time and space to make decisions that you can feel confident about,” she says.

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People who feel imposter syndrome are better collaborators, ask better questions, are better listeners, and are more empathic to colleagues.

BE YOUR OWN JUDGE

Finally, it’s worth considering how a change in career might impact your perception of personal success and failure, and in particular where you look for gratification, validation and rewards. According to Lace, we may grow up to expect positive external feedback and justification, and there are some professions, sports included, that tend to encourage these beliefs.

Problems can arise, therefore, when an individual goes from a position where they receive regular positive feedback on their performance and where there are plentiful incentives and rewards, to one where they have to ‘mark their own work’ or, worse, are subjected to constant criticism and judgement.

According to Lace, this change can leave people feeling sad, anxious and rudderless.

“People who are too reliant on external sources of feedback or gratification often turn to people-pleasing behaviours and can be afraid to be themselves and make their own decisions,” she says. “It’s important for

our personal growth and development, therefore, that we transition from needing, and relying on, external feedback to trusting our own judgement, and finding ways to measure and reward our own success. Doing so allows us to become more connected to who we are, less affected by rejection, and more assertive and confident in a leadership role.”

Taking the next step in your career can have wide-ranging impacts on your identity and self-confidence, especially early on, and this can in turn affect your coping mechanisms and performance. However, some preparation and an awareness of the challenges ahead can help to ease the transition, enabling you to focus fully on the next exciting stage of your journey.

If you would like help to better understand and manage your emotions, especially following difficult events or during tough periods in your career, contact the LMA. We can work with you to create a bespoke performance plan, helping you to be your best, at work and at home. Please contact: jennifer. lace@leaguemanagers.com.

Words: Alice Hoey

IN THE LOOP.

The sharing of experience and best practice should be a key part of any cycle of continuous professional development.

Plan, Do, Review. It’s a model most of us are familiar with in the context of continuous professional development. As well as helping to identify where there might be gaps in our skills or knowledge, Plan, Do, Review encourages us to maintain momentum on our personal and professional development journey.

While much used, however, Plan, Do, Review isn’t the only useful model for CPD. An expanded framework, developed by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, could prove even more valuable, as it places a particular emphasis on information sharing, collaboration and curiosity along the CPD journey. While originally designed to be used by teaching practitioners, the Five Phases model has just as much relevance for coaches, managers and indeed any professional looking to ensure a continuous cycle of development and improvement. As we’ll see, the five phases in the name are not static steps; rather they tend to overlap and repeat, and often occur simultaneously.

1. LEARN THE THEORY

The first phase of the model involves building your knowledge base, and it’s where you acquire new information on a purely conceptual basis. As in the Plan, Do, Review cycle, a certain amount of preparation and planning is valuable before embarking on this, because it’s important to crystallise in your mind both the need and the goal of the learning. For example, it might be that you’ve identified a gap in your knowledge that’s holding you back in your current role, or that you lack a certain experience or skill to progress your career to the next stage. Either way, how successful you are in addressing that need will depend on how strongly you are motivated, and how well you have defined your objectives, approach and timescales.

Once you’re on your way, though, the overall aim of phase one is to gain a deeper understanding of the theory of what you’re learning, so this might involve attending workshops, masterclasses or study groups, or taking part in webinars. It may also require lots of reading and

a certain amount of self-guided study.

2. WATCH AND LEARN

Of course, the theory can only take you so far. No matter how much you study the main principles and concepts of a subject, that learning will only truly cement itself once you see it in practice. The purpose of the next phase, therefore, is to bring the theory to life, by studying applied examples, ideally in as many settings and adopted by as many people as possible. Peer observation, via study visits for example, or by watching videos, is an essential means of developing a practical understanding of the theory or ideas that you’ve learned. It’s one thing to be told something works, but it’s only once we see it in action that we really understand how and why.

Witnessing the application of a theory or approach also makes it easier to spot its potential advantages and limitations. This is important, because not every idea or theory will be applicable, at least not in its present form, to your own situation. What’s key is to be able to identify

How successful you are in addressing that need will depend on how strongly you are motivated, and how well you have defined your objectives, approach and timescales.

which elements, if any, might be most relevant and useful to you, now and in the future. For this reason, it’s often useful to observe an approach or theory in practice not only in contexts similar to your own, but those quite different. It’s this rounded perspective that enables you to visualise how a theoretical approach might usefully translate into action.

Theory is why it works, practice is how it works, but it’s worth noting that these two elements don’t necessarily have to be understood in that order. In other words, the first two phases can be flipped. While a minimal amount of theory is always a

prerequisite to good practice, if you happen to develop a deeper practical understanding of a technique or concept first, it’s still useful to return to the theory thereafter. Having a better understanding of the ‘why’ behind the ‘how’ can help to improve or adapt your practice further and enable you to spot new or as-yet-unexplored applications.

3. ANALYSE THE STATUS QUO

This, in essence, is the aim of the third phase, to reflect on your own current practices based on what you’ve learned in theory and what you’ve witnessed being employed by your peers and others. Part of the reason

it’s so important to observe a theory in action in a variety of environments and situations is that you have more material with which to contrast and compare your own methods and approaches. How, if at all, does what you’ve learned align with what you currently do, and how might it be integrated? What support or additional work might be needed to make any changes, what might be the outcome and in what timeframe might that be achieved? Journaling and reflective conversations with your colleagues and peers can be particularly useful here in helping you to work through your thoughts, ideas and plans in a constructive and structured way.

4. MAKE CHANGES

Based on these comprehensive reflective insights, it’s time to refine your approach, and this is the next step in the Five Phase self-development framework. This period is all about changing your practice, and translating your new-found knowledge into action. That might mean you’re able to apply a new technique or method in some form directly in your day-to-day work, or a period of planning, adjustment and communication may be necessary so that the changes you want to make can be actioned collaboratively.

Rarely will everything slot into place from the outset, so it’s

important to continue to refine your skills or expertise. This is where the fifth and ‘final’ phase of self-development comes in.

5. SHARE AND COMPARE

This phase is all about adapting and improving your practice through trial and error, and in particular via the sharing of best practice and experience with peers and colleagues. Sharing and comparing with others in the industry, as well as others in similar roles in other fields, enables you to hone your practice and adapt to each new situation or challenge that you encounter. While this element of the model may be most useful towards the end of the cycle, it’s actually a crucial component

of each step along the way. The learning of theory, observation in practice, reflection and application all either depend on, or are enhanced by, a collaborative, sharing approach.

Ultimately, continuous personal and professional development is all about remaining curious, both about new theories and approaches that you come across and those that you think you already understand. Mentoring relationships and playing an active part in your professional network are both valuable in feeding this curiosity, helping to ensure that learning and development doesn’t stop at the point of application, but is a continuous cycle that advances your career.

THE GAME.

WORLD-LEADING INVESTMENT.

This season has seen considerable investment into all levels of the game, including non-league and grassroots football.

Words: Alice Hoey

Photography: Premier League

The Premier League continues to invest in football and the wider community, with £1.6bn (16 per cent of the League’s total revenue) contributed over the past three years. More than 5,000 grants, totalling almost £200m, have been provided since 2000, helping to improve the stadiums of over 1,000 men’s and women’s clubs across England and Wales.

During the 2023/24 season alone, grants totalling £10.4m have helped 157 clubs to upgrade their facilities, including 32 clubhouse and changing room refurbishments, 45 stands and 56 new sets of LED floodlights. A total of 168 clubs across the National League system and women’s football pyramid have

now received Premier League funding to switch to more energy-efficient LED floodlights, resulting in lower carbon emissions and bills.

FOUNDATION FUNDING

Since the Football Foundation was created in 2000, it has received funding in excess of £1bn from the Premier League, The FA and the government. Aimed at improving grassroots facilities across England, the Foundation has provided more than 13,000 grants to improve grass pitches and create over a thousand new 3G facilities across the country. More than 70,000 FA affiliated teams have played matches this season at venues funded by the Football Foundation.

In 2023/24 alone, the Football Foundation contributed £85m to projects worth a total of £160m, aimed at improving lives and access to football facilities. This included the opening of the 19-pitch Bobby Moore Hub in February 2024, thanks to the Football Foundation’s highest single grant of £6.2m. The Chloe Kelly Pitch was also unveiled at the Hub to honour the London Lionesses UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 winning success.

Also this season, new small-sided multi-sport pitches opened in Derby and West Bromwich, the first of 200 planned Football Foundation PlayZones, aimed at providing free sport access in the heart of communities, and backed by £13.5m from the Premier League.

Words: Alice Hoey

iStock

INSPIRING A HEALTHIER GENERATION.

The FA’s Greater Game programme aims to use the power of football to inspire the next generation to lead healthier, happier lives.

Photography:

The FA announced, in May, the launch of the Greater Game campaign, which aims to inspire 12-to-16-year-olds and their families to improve their health and wellbeing by making at least one healthier action per week. The launch follows a successful pilot programme in 2023, which saw 186 teams take part and notice a positive impact. The ambition is now to onboard clubs across all 50 County FAs.

Central to the campaign is a grassroots programme, cocreated with the Official Health & Wellbeing Partner of FA Grassroots Football, Nuffield Health. It provides practical tips and techniques to support making healthier choices across

four key elements: moving well, thinking well, eating well, and sleeping well, with fellow founding partner M&S Food focusing on the eating well element.

Research from The FA shows that 31 per cent of 12-to-16-yearolds in the UK do not believe regular exercise is necessary, while a fifth of young people eat fast food for dinner more than five times per week. Only 14 per cent get more than nine hours of sleep and over half have experienced a mental health problem in the last year.

Greater Game ambassador and former England international Jill Scott said, “What’s important

about The FA’s Greater Game campaign is that it educates young people on the benefits of a healthier lifestyle, while providing them with the tips and tools to go out and put that into practice.”

James Kendall, FA Director of Football Development, added, “Delivering this exciting programme through our incredible network of County FAs and grassroots clubs will allow us to harness the power of football to help improve the health and wellbeing of young people at a crucial time in their lives. Alongside our great brand partners, who share our vision, we are committed to driving real positive change in this important area.”

A HUMANITARIAN LEGACY.

On 21st October 2023, the football community bid farewell to one of its greatest, Sir Bobby Charlton, whose grace on the pitch, goalscoring prowess and footballing passion perfectly embodied the essence of the beautiful game.

Sir Bobby was known for his modesty and humility and, perhaps for that reason, his humanitarian work, quietly important to him in the last decade of his life, is a story largely untold.

Sir Bobby supported numerous charities, including the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, which took him to Cambodia in 2009. There, he witnessed the devastating impact of war on innocent civilians, with unexploded ordnance strewn across the country decades after war had ended. Sir Bobby was shocked that children were playing football at risk of life-changing injuries or death as a result of these landmines.

Sir Bobby was no stranger to tragedy himself, having seen friends and teammates perish in the Munich disaster of 1958. Sir Matt Busby later said, “He never got over Munich. He felt responsible. Those were his kids that died that day.”

• 24 young people to train as prosthetic technicians, now caring for victims of current wars in Syria and Myanmar, and past ones in Cambodia.

• Landmine safety education for 100s of schoolchildren in Mosul, Iraq.

• Treatment for injury and trauma for 1000s of Syrian refugees.

• Training for eight female de-miners, who face a long, sad future of removing landmines across Ukraine.

Last month, the SBCF partnered with FC Shakhtar in Ukraine to support socially disadvantaged children trapped in the horrors of war. This project provides coaching sessions for 7-12 year olds, including those with disabilities, giving them a safe haven to forget their daily fears.

The SBCF funds onsite counsellors to help them cope with persistent stress, damaged mental health, and the effects of trauma and displacement.

To find out more, please visit www.thesbcfoundation.org, or contact: jane@thesbcfoundation.org.

Follow The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation on social media:

FB: The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation

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Instagram: thesbcfoundation

LinkedIn: The Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation

In rural Cambodia, meeting stricken families and children struggling with disabilities, Sir Bobby was determined to do something. He set up the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation (SBCF) in 2011 aimed at improving the lives of victims of conflict. In the last five years alone, its funding has enabled:

• 800 people in Cambodia to be fitted with prosthetic limbs.

With continued support, Sir Bobby’s charity can continue to grow his humanitarian legacy. For example, with more donations from clubs and other organisations, the SBCF will be able to reach more children in Ukraine, giving them a safe place to play.

The charity is also always looking for coaches and managers willing to become SBCF ambassadors, helping to share Sir Bobby’s vision and enable the charity to continue his pioneering work.

Byron Webster scores the winning penalty kick as Bromley FC, managed by Andy Woodman, beat Solihull Moors in the National League playoff final at Wembley, reaching the EFL for the first time in their history. // Alamy