Project Footballer
Could you develop your child into a footballer if you followed the 'perfect' formula? Sean Conlon, the founder of We Make Footballers and a Scout with Chelsea believes some people can. Follow our journey to discovering what it really takes to become a footballer. How much is down to luck, genetics or being born into a football family.
Episodes
Inter Miami Player, Alex Shaw’s parent explains how he made it through American Youth System
What does it really take to raise a professional footballer in the US?Johnathan Shaw, father of Inter Miami player Alex Shaw, joins Project Footballer to share the story behind his son’s journey from a young child who wasn’t initially interested in football to making it as a professional.With no football background himself, Johnathan reflects on the decisions, sacrifices and family experiences tha
15 year old wonderkid asks to leave Man Utd academy | Youth Football News
Manchester United’s 15-year-old prodigy JJ Gabriel has asked for his academy registration to be cancelled, and we’re reacting to what it means for the player, his family and the club.Gabriel has been one of the most talked-about names to come out of the Carrington academy in years. He’s won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award, scored a hat-trick in the UEFA Youth League last week and h
Joleon Lescott Challenges Futsal Coach: Why Spain Really Produces Smarter Footballers?
Former Premier League and England Footballer Joleon Lescott and Futsal and Football Veteran and Coach Rob Ursell sat down with Sean Conlon, CEO of We Make Footballers, to settle a heated Instagram debate that started after a clip of Rob's comments on futsal and player development went viral. What follows is a deep, no-holds-barred conversation about why Spain keeps winning — and why England mi
From Managing Football's Biggest Names to Raising a Lioness: Misha Sher on Women's Football Industry
Misha Sher spent years managing some football legends including Pelé, Mesut Özil, Vinícius Júnior and Alessia Russo - but in this episode, he's talking about a different kind of talent: his own daughter, Maia, a rising star in Arsenal's academy.We dig into:⚽ What it's really like managing Pelé — his discipline, his love of the game, and why he thought modern football had become "t
Can AI Predict Your Child’s Future as a Footballer? | Haniff Brown, FIT:MATCH.ai
Could AI change the way young footballers are scouted?Footballers are getting taller, and physical development is becoming an increasingly important part of the conversation around youth football. But when two players of the same age can be at completely different stages of growth and maturation, are we judging young talent fairly?In this episode of Project Footballer, Sean sits down with Haniff B
Why England Still Isn't Producing the World's Best Footballers | Robert Ursell
England has world-class facilities, world-class clubs and the richest football league in the world. So why are England not winning more trophies as a nation? In this episode of Project Footballer, Sean sits down with former professional footballer, England Futsal international and coach Robert Ursell to discuss why England continues to fall short—and what needs to change.Together, they explore:⚽ W
Are Parents Focusing on the Wrong Goals in Youth Football?
Are pre-academy players focusing on the wrong goals?In this episode of Project Footballer, we explore one of the biggest debates in youth football: whether too many young players are building their identity around academy status instead of long-term development.Many talented players tie their self-worth to pre-academy programmes that may never lead to professional football. We discuss the risks of
Training With Ronaldo & Rooney: Life Inside Man Utd's Academy | Aaron Burns
Aaron Burns spent over a decade inside Manchester United's academy, training alongside Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo during the Sir Alex Ferguson era. In this episode, he talks through his experience at Man Utd, what "purposeful practice" really looked like, and the culture shock of dropping down through Cardiff City, Iceland and non-league football once his time at United ended
I Made It Pro at QPR Without Loving Football
🎙️ Project Footballer: I Made It Pro at QPR Without Loving FootballWhat happens when a player has the talent to make it in professional football - but not the passion?In this episode of Project Footballer, former Chelsea Academy player and QPR scholar Jordan Buck shares the untold reality of his journey through elite football.From signing for Chelsea at 13 to earning a full-time scholarship at QPR
The King Of Street Football - What Street Football Teaches Us
🎙️ Project Footballer: The King Of Street Football - What Street Football Teaches UsWhat does street football really teach young players — and why are so many academy coaches now looking back to the cage?In this episode, Streetz Football founder Malachi Simpson joins Matthew Healy and Jenny Boateng to break down the real value of street football and why unstructured play might be the missing piece
How My Son Went From QPR to Arsenal
🎙️ Project Footballer – Topsy Ojo: How My Son Went From QPR to ArsenalWhat really shapes a young footballer’s journey — natural athleticism or the knowledge gained along the way? In this episode, former professional rugby player Topsy Ojo joins Matthew Healy and Jenny Boetang to share powerful insights from both sides of elite sport.Drawing on his experience as a top-level athlete, Topsy opens up
Project Footballer: Christmas Special
🎄 Project Footballer: Christmas Special — Your Questions, Our Answers 🎙️⚽In this festive Christmas Special of Project Footballer, Sean, Matt, and Jenny sit down to reflect on the year and dive into the comments and private messages you’ve been sending in.From honest questions to spicy takes, we unpack the hot topics shaping youth football right now — sharing practical advice, real experiences, and
How Josh King's Parents facilitated his journey to the Premier League
🎥 Project Footballer: The Making of Fulham’s Josh King (England U21)In this new format of Project Footballer, we sit down with the parents behind some of the most exciting young talents in the game — starting with Fulham and England U21 star Josh King.At just 19, Josh has already made 13 senior appearances for Fulham, including 10 Premier League games this season, marking him as one of the brighte
Premier League clubs are recruiting from the top gene pool
🚀 Help us reach 20k subscribers by hitting the subscribe button and joining our community dedicated to youth football development!🎙️ Project Footballer – Tom Farrow: The Science of Speed, Strength & Youth DevelopmentWhat separates the next-generation footballers from the rest? In this episode, elite strength and conditioning coach Tom Farrow (formerly Wolves, Brentford) joins Matthew Healy and
Football Agent reveals how grassroots players can get professional contracts!
🚀 Help us reach 20k subscribers by hitting the subscribe button and joining our growing community dedicated to youth football development!This episode features Godfrey Torto — a football agent, academy coach, and owner of both a football academy and player agency. A former academy player at Chelsea, Godfrey has spent years helping grassroots and released footballers find their way back into the pr
Manchester United U14s coach, Neil Harris, tells us what it takes to make it in football
🚀 Help us reach 20k subscribers by hitting the subscribe button and joining our growing community dedicated to youth football development!In this episode, we sit down with Neil Harris, a highly experienced academy coach with over 20 years at Manchester United. Neil has been instrumental in shaping the journeys of countless young players (such as Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo, Scott McTominay, Ant
What Are the REAL Odds of “Making It” in Football? Chris Platts Breaks it Down
In this episode, we sit down with Chris Platts, a career coach and leading researcher in football career trajectories. Chris holds a PhD focused on the lives of over 300 young footballers and has led one of the largest independent studies into player career pathways.We dive deep into the real data behind football development, uncovering what it truly takes to “make it” in the game—and how parents
The Mindset Behind Raising Football Stars - Jenny Boateng's Winning Formula!
In this episode, we’re joined by Jenny and Jeriah Boateng, a mother-son duo with an incredible story. Jeriah is an academy footballer, paving the way for his younger brother Zachary, and their journey is nothing short of inspiring.Jeriah, at just 11 years old, has already made waves both on and off the pitch. After experiencing racism at school, he channeled his emotions into writing a book, Back
Troy Deeney - Ex-Premier League Star Discusses How to Raise a Footballer
In this episode, we sit down with one of our biggest guests to date! Troy Deeney is known to many as a Watford legend, and most certainly a player who enjoyed ruffling the feathers of defenders and fans all around the country.
Since his retirement, Troy had a management spell at Forest Green Rovers, however now spends the majority of his time raising his son and daughter. We discuss with Troy the
Jeremy Sauer & Dan Rice - How To Build The Perfect Football Academy From Scratch
In this episode I sit down with two of the leaders in Wycombe's bold academy vision! Academy Director Jeremy Sauer and Chairman & Chief Football Office Dan Rice offer a behind-the-scenes look at Wycombe's ambitious plans to build one of the leading academies in the UK.
In May 2024 Wycombe Wanders was purchased by the billionaire owner Mikheil Lomtadze through his company Blue Ocean Partners.
Peter Sturgess - The EX-England Head of Futsal Explains Its Importance In The UK
In this episode, Marcelo and I have the pleasure of speaking with Peter Sturgess, the Ex-Head of Futsal for the FA. Peter is thought of by many as one of the best youth coaches in England, and is responsible for so much of the great work done by the FA in recent years which led to vast improvements in our national team.
Join us as we dive deep into the help Peter had in creating much of the foun
What Must Change With USA Youth Soccer Culture?
In this episode, we chat about the big issues in youth soccer in the USA. Did you know that 75% of kids quit playing by age 14? We explore why that’s happening and how the focus on winning is making the game less fun and stifling creativity.
We compare the American approach to soccer with what’s working in countries like Brazil and the UK, where kids have more freedom to play and grow their skill
John Allpress - What Is Being Taught To The English Football Coaches?
In this episode, Darius and I have the pleasure of speaking with John Allpress, the original creator of the FA Coaching Awards. These awards have evolved into the Youth Module courses currently used across England, shaping our football coaching culture and contributing to the development of the talented players we see in our national senior team today.
Join us as we dive deep into what the FA tas
Richard Allen - Ex Head of England Talent ID explains what English clubs are taught to scout
In this episode, Marcelo and I speak to Richard Allen.
Richard Allen is the former Head of Talent ID for the FA as well as Head of Recruitment for Tottenham and Academy Director for QPR. He was responsible for creating the original Talent ID courses that govern how we scout in England today. These courses range from teaching scouts at the grassroots level what they should look for and how academy
MATT JARVIS: Getting Released From Academy at 16 | Project Footballer
Join us for an inspiring behind-the-scenes look at the journey of our special guest, Matt Jarvis, as he shares his incredible story of determination, resilience, and the valuable lessons he learned along the way.
From his early days of being sport-crazy, juggling football, swimming, and athletics, to the heart-wrenching moment of being released at 16, and finally, to his triumphant return to footb
MICHAEL HAMILTON - Benefits of signing for a category 3 academy
Join us as we discuss the world of academy signings and uncover the truth behind some horror stories involving player recruitment. Learn why it's crucial for parents to be informed about the process and how to navigate the tricky landscape of youth football.
Whether you're a die-hard football fan or just love inspiring stories of determination and success, this episode offers valuable les
SE Dons: Learning Dark Arts develops Football IQ
Join us on a journey with SE Dons as they discuss how learning dark arts develops football IQ! Get ready for an inside look at the Sunday League football team that's changing the game. Don't forget to subscribe for more exciting episodes like this!
Follow their journey from humble beginnings to becoming a renowned Sunday League team with a massive global following. Get ready to learn how
Frank Lampard - I Was The RESULT Of My Dad's Project Lampard | Project Footballer
In this episode, we speak to Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, one of the Premier League's most legendary midfielders.
From early childhood training under his father's watchful eye to becoming a football icon, Lampard shares personal anecdotes and insights that shaped his career.
Discover the intense and unique training methods that set him apart from an early age, the motivations and expect
Ruben Tabares: “I’ve learned that extreme discipline is a key part of the success of the world’s best athletes”
Join us as we explore the crucial role of extreme discipline in the success of the world's top athletes. Ruben shares his firsthand experiences working with some of the most accomplished athletes globally, shedding light on the mindset, routines, and habits that set them apart.
From meticulously crafted training regimens to the finer nuances of nutrition and recovery, Ruben breaks down the co
Weekly Q&A Episode 8: The role of GENETIC influence in player success
In this Weekly Q&A, we are joined with Chris Robinson, Danny Edwards, Sean Conlon and Matt Healy to answer your questions! Thank you for submitting your questions, and we look forward to seeing you on Instagram next Sunday.
Harry Redknapp: “Coaches that haven't played the game are ruining football! They are all academics!”
Welcome to an extraordinary episode featuring a captivating panel discussion with football legends Harry Redknapp, Jamie Redknapp, and Paul Merson. Delve into the world of football, parenting, and the unique dynamics that shape young athletes.
In this thought-provoking episode, we explore the intricacies of 1-to-1 training and its impact on a budding footballer's development. Can a child be i
Weekly Q&A Episode 7: Height In Football
In this Weekly Q&A, we are joined with Chris Robinson, Danny Edwards, Sean Conlon and Matt Healy to answer your questions!
Thank you for submitting your questions, and we look forward to seeing you on Instagram next Sunday.
Project Footballer Ep.31 - Can your child make it in the National League on a cold Tuesday night?
Welcome back to Project Footballer, the voice of youth football. If your child is pursuing professional football, you probably understand that statistically most academy kids don't play in the Premier League or even the championship if they do get paid to play football.
Statistically, most academy players play in the lower leagues. So as a parent pursuing professional football for your child,
Project Footballer Ep.30 - At what age is it okay for coaches to swear at your child?
In this episode, Darius Charles and Dan Edwards talk to Jess Warner, the blogger known as being “the one with all the boys”—the mum behind The Only Girl in the House, where she shares tales, tips, tricks, family travels and grumbles of having 5 boys.
In this Instagram live stream, they discuss how to deal with teammates who are bullies in academy football and much more.
Project Footballer Ep.29 - Why are 40% of footballers going bankrupt?
In this episode, we speak with Rob Moore about the importance of managing money in football, whether you make it as a footballer or don't make it. This is a super important topic that needs to be covered, and we hope you can enjoy this episode with an open mind.
Project Footballer Ep.28 - “Homeschooling is giving players a huge advantage to go pro”
In this episode, we have a panel of guests to answer your questions!
Ex-footballer and current senior house parent for Manchester City U18s and U21s Darius Charles, top technical coach Dan Edwards who has worked with the likes of Jesse Lingard, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Raheem Sterling, Ex-footballer and England Futsal player Rob Ursell and Portia Freno, parent of one of the top U8s in London join
Project Footballer Ep.27 - Is your child’s speed predetermined by genetics?
Is your child's speed predetermined by genetics? Jonas Dodoo, one of the world's top speed and directional movement analysts speaks to us about this topic.
He's worked with some of the fastest Olympic athletes, as well as with 5 Premier League clubs at both academy and professional level. He provides an incredible insight into how you can make your child faster, and whether there'
David Horrocks: "AI will track facial expressions and body language to monitor performance”
David is the former head of research and development at Manchester United, providing intelligence and support to the multi-disciplinary team across coaching, science, data, technology, medicine, operations, media and psychology.
He also wrote an in-depth case study on the success of Gary Neville, looking into his structured deliberate practice and decision making.
In this episode, we dive deep
Carlton Cole: “Cage Football Made Me The Man I Am Today”
Carlton Cole is an English football coach and former Premier League striker who scored 52 goals across 288 appearances for four clubs.In this episode, Carlton shares the real story behind his journey to the top. He opens up about how cage football shaped his mentality, how his mother’s belief — symbolised by buying him his first proper boots — helped him earn a contract at Chelsea, and the lessons
Project Footballer Ep. 24 - Why mastering technique alone will not make you a footballer
In this episode of Project Footballer, we speak with professional freestyler and internet personality, Daniel Cutting. He has amassed a huge audience of over 3 million across his socials from showcasing his incredible football technique online. As well as building his son's accounts past 250,000 in a short space of time, setting him up to become either a footballer or content creator.
Project Footballer Ep. 23 - Chelsea S&C Coach explains how to develop Physicality for young players
In this episode, we speak to Chelsea Strength and Conditioning coach Harry Knock about how to develop physicality in young football players. He answers some interesting questions and provides us with nuggets of information that we all needed to learn!
Why Birth Month Matters in Football Development Insights from Ajax Consultant Stephen Lawrence
In this episode, we sit down with Stephen Lawrence — Ajax Consultant and father of professional footballer James Lawrence — to explore one of the most overlooked factors in youth football development: birth month.Stephen explains how being born later in the academic year can create hidden disadvantages for young players in the UK system, affecting everything from physical comparisons and early sel
Project Footballer Ep. 21 - Parents of Leicester academy star Nazar Mahina tell their story!
On this episode, we interview the parents of Leicester academy star Nazar Mahina, they tell their story of how they raised Nazar, and how he has gone on to become viral, appearing on multiple HUGE football channels.
Project Footballer Ep. 20 - Joleon Lescott - His incredible football journey and advice for parents!
In this episode, we speak to English former professional footballer Joleon Lescott, who has previously won 2 Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, as well as making over 500 appearances for club and country. We discuss how Joleon made it as footballer, what was his journey like? What was his environment like? Joleon also gives a lot of insightful and interesting information that pa
Project Footballer Ep. 19 - The Panel Answers Your Football Questions!
In this episode, we've brought together a panel including former Arsenal legend Paul Merson, ex-futsal star Rob Ursell, YouTube sensation Tim Grimwade, Chelsea FC scout Sean Conlon and Spurs scout Marcelo Graca. Together, we answer YOUR questions surrounding academy football and football development, in a bid to further explore the question... how do you make a footballer? Is there a formula? Plea
Project Footballer Ep. 18 - Sonny Pike: The Greatest Footballer That Never Was
Sonny Pike has an amazing story to tell. One that could really help parents avoid some potential mistakes, as they try to aid their child’s journey towards becoming a football player. Long before every aspiring young footballer was social media-famous, Sonny was the first, and only, for many many years after, footballing prodigy who was made accessible, known, and even famous, to the general
Episode 17 - How to develop a winning mentality for your child!
In this episode, we are joined by Gabriel from Athlete Mentality, an Instagram platform with over 50,000 followers which discusses ways in which athlete mentality can be improved! We discuss how to develop a winning mentality for your child in this episode.
Episode 15 - The player who turned down a pro football contract to go to Harvard University
James Fahmy spent his whole career in the academy system, playing for Queens Park Rangers FC and captaining the U18 Professional Development Team. However, he is now studying at the renowned Harvard University, where he is also a NCAA Division 1 student-athlete for the college. We take a look at his journey to Harvard, and the reason why he turned down the oppurtunity of a professional football co
Project Footballer Ep. 14 - Why England aren't producing controlling midfielders
Ex-England Futsal player Rob Ursell has had an amazing career in futsal and football. Known in non-league football as "The Wizard", Rob changed his game from being a brilliant 1v1 player to a controlling team player. He has strong views on what's wrong with English academies and why England will never win anything with our current teaching methods. This is a fascinating episode which we found to b
Episode 13 - Coping with Mental Health & Bullying in Academy Football
Professional Footballer Fabio Sole and Daniela Osu, a Sports Psychotherapist, discuss coping with mental health & bullying within Academy Football. They also discuss Footballers Minds, a programme, full of activities and techniques targeting the maintenance of wellbeing within football.
Episode 12 - One of the world's top sports lawyers dispels the myths about agents working with academy players
In this episode of Project Footballer, we speak to Daniel Geey. He discusses the do's and don'ts of sports law in youth football. Daniel's clients include Premier League clubs, Champions League football clubs and top agencies. He is an author of multiple books on football contracts and sports law and a partner in the sports group Sheridans. In this fantastic episode, Daniel breaks down what is fac
Episode 11 - Social Media in Youth Football. What are benefits and what are the dangers?
Social media is prevalent in youth football. Parents are starting accounts for their children at younger and younger ages, but what are the impacts of this? Does it put pressure on the child? Does it make the child focus on the wrong parts of the game? Is there money to be made from your child generating thousands of followers? We speak to Shane O'Brien, a social media expert who
Episode 10 - How much can technique improve? We hear from Isa - The Technical Traininer, one of the best technical coaches in the world.
Isa is regarded as one of the best technical coaches in the world. From his demonstrations, to the explanations and his passion for the game, this is a great listen for anyone looking to help their child become the best player they can be.
Episode 9 - How important is athleticism in football? Academy Scouts discuss!
In this episode, we recap what we have learned from the previous 8 episodes. We push to find the answer to discover 'What is the formula to making a footballer!'
The question we spend the most time discussing is, how important is athleticism? We go down a lot of rabbit holes and really try to answer this question. We don't get an answer and we argue a lot, but there it's certainly a thought-
Episode 8 - Jamie Redknapp discusses how much of making it as a footballer is down to nature or nurture.
In this incredible interview Jamie Redknapp gives us the scoop on how his father and uncle developed two of England's best ever midfielders. He also speaks about his own son's journey through academy football at Chelsea and his thoughts on how much of becoming a footballer is down to nature and how much is down to nurture.
Episode 7 - Ethan Pinnock tells us his journey from playing football for £30 a week
Ethan Pinnock is currently playing a signifant role in Brentford's debut season in the Premier League, but it hasn't always been smooth sailing for Ethan. He tells us what it was like to be released from Millwall at the age of 15 and how he had to make his way in football from playing in the Conference League to then climbing the ladder to reach the Premership. Ethan has so many insights to offer
Episode 6 - Jamie Mackie tells us how he went from playing in his local Sunday league to playing in the Premier League
Jamie Mackie tells us his incredible story of how he went from playing local Sunday league football with his school mates at age 16 to playing in the Premier League and scoring in one of the most famous games in football history against Manchester City. This is a fascinating insight into the positives and negatives of skipping the normal academy football journey which is common for most footballer
Episode 5 - Nigel James, father of Chelsea footballers Reece James and Lauren James tells us what he did to help his children make it
Reece James is considered one of the top players in the world in his position. His sister also plays at the highest level of the female game. What did their father Nigel do to help foster such talent? In this incredible interview we find out the key decisions Nigel made to help his children make it.
Episode 4 - Arsenal Legend Paul Merson talks to us about his U7 child Freddy in Academy Football
Ex-England and Arsenal legend Paul Merson has a 6 year old son named Freddy, currently in academy football. Paul talks about his journey making it as a footballer and how Freddy's journey compares.
Episode 3 - Danny Edwards: Technical/Conditioning Coach to the stars talks about his child's journey into academy football
Danny Edwards is a performance coach to the stars. He has worked with the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, David Luiz, Daniel Sturridge, Daniel James, Gary Cahil to name a few. Danny's son, Theo is with QPR's academy. Danny gives us a brilliant insight into what he does with his son to help him achieve football success. Danny also reflects on what he would do differently if he had the chance. He tells us
Episode 2 - Perry Mitchel talks about his son signing for Chelsea U9's
Perry Mitchel is the father of Khalil, one of the top U9 players in the UK. This is a fascinating interview in which we learn the sacrifice and dedication it takes to develop a player like Khailil. Press-ups and burpees before bed, non-negotiable bed times, speaking to Khalil like a grown up from a young age, ice baths, hill runs and a ban on fizzy drinks are just some of the methods which have le
Episode 1 - Footballer Darius Charles talks about his son's journey into Academy Football
Darius Charles is a footballer currently playing for AFC Wimbledon. He was Wycombe Wanderers club captain during the 19/20 season in which they were promoted to the Championship. Darius's son plays for Fulham Academy in their U12's. Darius gives excellent insight into how he is raising his son Malaki and helping him navigate his journey through academy football.
Recommended
Esme's Country Life
Miles From Ordinary Podcast
Off The Telly
Murder of a Famous Bastard
Learn UK English By Podcast
My IELTS Classroom Podcast
People Fixing the World
The History Hour
The Healing Childhood Trauma Podcast
Frank Off The Radio: The Frank Skinner Podcast
Newscast
Learning English from the News
