The Session Collective

⚽ 📣 Listen up coaches! For those preparing for the new season, we've partnered with Sports Session Planner to offer a free, updated 10-week coaching plan. These sessions are progressive, developmentally appropriate, and engaging for your team. Available from 18th September!

@PaulSpacey You might learn how to be creative with your body by engaging with other activities as the opportunities to do this just by playing football are small.

You won’t learn how to do this playing other sports.

@MaryPacitti With you on this one, Mary.

Worth a watch. Our society quickly labels those who speak out against injustice as ‘troublemakers’ - to silence them. People find it ‘uncomfortable’ to step outside group mentalities. Think for yourself. Protect others. If you think you have no influence -please rethink.

@TheS_Resource Alex, this is so true but so often I hear coaches saying (proudly) I concentrate on the best 2 or 3 players. In the FP or early YDP? I don’t think so.

Alex Inglethorpe, Liverpool’s Academy Director, is blunt about early ranking, it’s almost meaningless. What a player is at 9, 12 or 13 tells you almost nothing about what they can become. ➠ Trent Alexander-Arnold not number one in his group. ➠ Connor Bradley not number one in his group. ➠ Jarell Quansah not number one in his group at that time. And you could go through all of them. Every now and again you see the obvious one, Jude Bellingham at Birmingham and Rooney at Everton. Clear standouts who stayed standouts. They exist, but they’re the exception. ⇢ Harry Kane shows the reality. At Tottenham at 13 he was middle of the group at best. Not on the podium. Gold and silver medalist Harry Kane wasn’t anywhere near it according to Alex Inglethorpe when he was at Tottenham Academy then. Then Brad Friedel came in one day and said “he finishes like Robbie Fowler”. ➝ No backlift. ➝ Hits the ball hard. ➝ Finds corners. That single comment shifted the perspective. These players didn’t announce themselves as prodigies, they grew. They changed physically, mentally, technically, socially. Someone recognised the direction they were moving in, not the snapshot they were frozen in. That’s often (not always) core coaching failure at youth level, adults obsess over the podium instead of the trajectory. ⁃ The best at 12 is often the earliest developer. ⁃ The middle is often the one with the longer runway. ⁃ The worst is often the one carrying the biggest biological gap. Alex Inglethorpe’s message is brutal but accurate: 🔴 Stop judging children by where they sit in the pack. 🔴 Start judging them by what their behaviours, mindset and habits suggest they might become.

@sallyneed3 What a year, Sally and what an impact your work is having👍

Cheers to 2025 🥂. This year I’ve become a DR, we’ve started the Human Development department at Brentford Academy. Been to a Women’s Euro Champs and exciting opportunities ready for 2026. Its time now for a recharge, relax and some reflection time along with making memories ❤️

Thanks so much for tuning in to our second series and for your continued support. Listen to the last episode now wherever you get your podcasts. buff.ly/vpSdFBq

In the final episode of the series we're thrilled to have Gabriel Bussinger, Vasco da Gama’s Director of Football joining us. He's here today to share what it really takes to build strong coaches, strong players and a strong club culture.

@AntrobusN @sturge_p Our forum is the perfect place to share ideas and ask questions. It is a supportive, safe space for your development and somewhere where I am always posting information that might be of use to FP coaches. Come and join us at: thesessioncollective.co.uk

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In the penultimate episode of this series, we’re delighted to have back the brilliant Dan Micciche! In this episode Dan is here to share his unconventional ideas, leadership philosophy, and how he builds confident, decision-making players.

Finding a solution again based upon an incredible technical toolbox and a player who is playing with so much confidence 👏👏

Finding a “solution” for the situation you are in. That is where allowing time for exploration and experimentation AND time spent developing your individual technical capabilities pays dividends. The Foundation Phase is the perfect place to start😉

@Paulmcg8 @BreakthruSoccer Great days they were too😉

When at the FA I was in a development group with Pete Sturgess Paul (Noddy) Holder & Greame Carrick - we were fortunate to have discussions with Ecological Dynamics experts Keith David’s Rick Shuttlworth & Duarte Araujo - their insights were clear & simple (hope my notes are) 🧵

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Today, we're shining a spotlight on Skillwise Sports, a community-focused coaching company rooted right here in Wigan since 2002. Skillwise isn’t just about coaching kids - it's building the environments where children discover confidence, teamwork, and their love of the game.

When working with young players in the physical corner is the agility all pre-planned? The game demands that players develop a REACTIVE agility, do you include this as part of their movement development????

@SelecaoTalk Come to the “Mighty Saddlers”😉

If Vinicius were to leave Real Madrid. What would be the next best destination for him?💭

@AndrewAbraham11 @DCGreyMattersUK Come on Dave, sort it out we are waiting😉

@DCGreyMattersUK No link Dave.

Pleased to get this one out. More thoughts on developing decision making. Thanks to Pam Richards Frontiers | Team decision-making: the integration of cognitive task analysis and video to accelerate the development of tactical shared mental models in an elite sports team

@Rainmaker1973 Incredible talent. ❤️Futsal

Alessandro Rosa Vieira, known as Falcão, is a Brazilian retired professional futsal player, often regarded as the greatest futsal player of all time.

In today's episode, we’re joined by Joe Harvey, Pre-Academy Recruitment lead at Norwich City Academy. From spotting talent to guiding young players into the professional pathway, Joe’s work is all about opening doors—and helping kids discover their potential.

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