What Football Coaching Teaches You

Being a football coach or manager—especially at grassroots level—is a lot more than people realise. You’re not just picking a team or shouting from the sideline. You’re motivating, planning, developing people, solving problems on the fly, and building something bigger than just the game in front of you.

There are a few key areas I think about often, and they apply far beyond football.

Motivation: Before Kick-Off and When You’re Behind

Motivation isn’t just a pre-match team talk. It’s getting your players’ minds right. Getting them switched on, focused, and actually excited to go out and play. But it’s also what you say and do when things aren’t going well—when you’re two or three goals down. How do you keep heads up? How do you get them to keep believing and keep working?

That’s where the psychology comes in. Not everyone responds to the same approach. Some need energy, some need calm, some need clarity. But it’s always about helping them reset and push forward together.

Preparation: Week In, Week Out

This isn’t professional football. We don’t get scouting reports. So instead of prepping for opponents, we focus on what we can control. Things like set pieces, tactical patterns, pressing, defending as a unit. The key is preparing for the situations we know we’ll come across, and building a shared understanding of how we want to play.

Part of that is looking back—what didn’t go well last time? What do we need to work on? It’s not just about team shape, either. It’s individual stuff too—where each player needs to grow.

Individual Development: The Bigger Picture

Every player’s on their own journey. Some need to build confidence, others need technical coaching, some need a bit more belief. Part of the job is spotting those needs and weaving them into training—whether that’s through specific drills or one-to-one chats.

Because when individuals get better, the team gets better. And when players feel seen and supported, they commit more fully to the team and the process.

Understanding People

Coaching isn’t just about football. It’s about understanding people. Why is a player off their game? Are they frustrated, confused, bored, lacking confidence? Sometimes they need something explained differently. Sometimes they just need a conversation.

And sometimes, honestly, they’re struggling outside football. Part of good management is picking up on that and handling it with care.

Fairness and the Tough Calls

Management means making decisions—and doing it fairly. If someone’s not been training, should they be starting? If another player’s putting in the work week in, week out, shouldn’t that count for something?

It’s about rewarding effort and commitment, not just natural ability. Things like man of the match—do you always give it to the standout player, or do you use it to build up someone who’s been working hard and growing? These small decisions shape the culture of the team.

Beyond the Pitch

There’s a lot more to it than what happens on match day. There’s safeguarding, first aid, club responsibilities, league admin. You’re part of a bigger structure. And how you show up—how you run your team—feeds into how that whole system works, and how players experience the game.

The Real Win

At grassroots level, it’s not really about the result. It’s about what the players are becoming. Are they learning to work as a team? Are they showing respect? Are they growing in confidence? Are they understanding the value of hard work?

That’s the point. The real reward isn’t the trophy—it’s the development. It’s the culture. It’s giving young people a space to grow into themselves.