Working for The FA gives me great access to meet some highly intelligent experts in their field; both internal FA staff and external organisations. This not only challenges my work but helps develop my skill set and understanding of a wide range of topics that can help improve my everyday work and the programme and work with the players.

Working with extremely talented players and having the opportunity to play a small part in helping them along their journey and help our players be successful in the future.

I played professional football across all divisions from the Premier League to the National League.  I began coaching in football in the community, working in after schools clubs and holiday camps from around aged 16 and I also coached in America. My coaching took a back seat as my playing career took over and I signed professionally for Fulham aged 18.

When I was around 26 and still playing I then took my qualifications with The FA and started to learn the art of coaching and a few years later began a role as part time academy coach at Fulham assisting with the U13. I worked from U9 all the way to U21 age groups over a seven year period. My main role was Lead Youth Development Phase U12-U16. I was fortunate to be working with excellent young players and a highly skilled staff who I learnt a great deal from. 

It's empathy and patience that are the most important skills that I look to develop with the players I work with. I have to be able to understand the person to help develop the player, the player has to be able to feel that I am always there to support and help when called upon and this also requires patience.  To allow mistakes to take place in the short term but knowing that long term the player will be in a much better place. The players are only 13, 14, 15 years old. They are not professional footballers, sometimes coaches can forget this. It will not look perfect now, and it may not even look perfect later on so patience is an essential skill for me to use.

With my everyday work it would be organisation, planning and communication. I have to be months ahead in my planning to so I can maximise my time effectively. I need to ensure that the programme for the players when they walk through the door at SGP for an event is world class in what they experience with us and also an environment that they want to return to and feel comfortable to perform to their best in.

Communication is fundamental with the clubs. Regular contact with academy managers and coaches to ensure we understand the player well and try and help in the development of the player on the International stage. This, plus the communication to our team of staff, is also important to the running of each event.

There are no boundaries in this life, anything is achievable. Hard work, at whatever career path you choose is a must. There are no short cuts. Yes there will be ups and down but strong belief and vision of what you can achieve is vital. I have been fortunate enough to realise both my dreams, I have made mistakes, like we all do, but learning quickly from them and taking on board advice is also very important to develop yourself.

Our culture is full of talented people with a drive to improve be innovative with shared vision and values amongst staff.

Senior management are extremely supportive. The door is always open. Regular appropriate communication and allowing you the freedom to be creative within my role has been excellent. They sit at the top with a bird’s eye view of the development teams, not overbearing but will check and challenge to ensure we are all aligned and for a long term benefit of the players.