It's Only Kids Football

What’s it really like for a child playing the most pressured position on the pitch? In this episode, Salford City goalkeeper Mark Howard shares honest insights from academy football to parenting his own young player.

Coaches and parents will learn how to build confidence, handle mistakes, and support kids through the emotional highs and lows of goalkeeping. From simple “reset” techniques to smarter warm-ups and sideline behaviour, this conversation is packed with relatable stories and practical advice.

If you’ve ever watched your child struggle after conceding or wondered how to help them enjoy football again this episode is essential listening.

Download kit design form: https://linktr.ee/itsonlykidsfootballpodcast#552550290

Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/

Power your grassroots team with effortless payments — sign up with GoCardless today at https://gocardless.com/g/payments-sports-clubs/ and spend less time chasing fees, more time developing your players.

LoveAdmin takes the admin off your plate so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing parents: https://loveadmin.com/

Save £200 on the Veo Cam 3 👉 Use Code: iokfveocam3
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: [email protected]
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In this episode, Ben and Mike, talk about their experience of loud adult spectators unintentionally overwhelming young players. The hosts reflect on balancing resilience with responsibility, questioning when to step in and highlighting how adult behaviour on the sidelines can shape a child’s experience.

They discuss the science of "preclude constraints", using the powerful analogy of Kyrie Irving practising on a broken backboard to explain why intentionally making training difficult—by blocking the "easy path"—is essential for developing player creativity and resilience.

Beyond the tactics, the duo explores the "happiness of the pursuit", a concept inspired by a Jimmy Carr podcast, where the comedian makes the point that the satisfaction of the journey comes from the struggle itself, rather than just the result.

They discuss the eeriness of playing a match during a "silent weekend", and Ben shares a poignant realisation: the day his son stops playing is approaching faster than he would like. It is a timely reminder to coaches and parents to stop wishing away the tough times and instead cherish the messy, rewarding reality of the grassroots journey before it is gone.

Download kit design form: https://linktr.ee/itsonlykidsfootballpodcast#552550290

Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/

Get FREE delivery when you spend over £100 at https://www.discountfootballkits.com/ using code IOKFFD — but hurry, it ends at midnight on March 31st, 2026.

Power your grassroots team with effortless payments — sign up with GoCardless today at https://gocardless.com/g/payments-sports-clubs/ and spend less time chasing fees, more time developing your players.

LoveAdmin takes the admin off your plate so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing parents: https://loveadmin.com/

Save £200 on the Veo Cam 3 👉 Use Code: iokfveocam3
Save 50% on the Veo Go 👉 Use Code: iokfveogo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every grassroots coach faces the same nightmare: a defence that’s "all over the place" and young players who just want to be on the ball.

In this episode, Ben and Mike, chat with Mac Smith, a football director and coach at Moreton City Excelsior FC in Australia’s Queensland NPL, who reveals why traditional tactical plans fail young players and how to instead build "defensive habits" that stick.

Learn the high-reward scoring game that makes kids love winning the ball back, the "Gabriel & Saliba" method for teaching positioning, and the "click moment" for stopping ball-watching.

Mac explains how to stop treating defending like a boring chore and start building a solid foundation.

Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/

Get FREE delivery when you spend over £100 at https://www.discountfootballkits.com/ using code IOKFFD — but hurry, it ends at midnight on March 31st, 2026.

Power your grassroots team with effortless payments — sign up with GoCardless today at https://gocardless.com/g/payments-sports-clubs/ and spend less time chasing fees, more time developing your players.

LoveAdmin takes the admin off your plate so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing parents: https://loveadmin.com/

Save £200 on the Veo Cam 3 👉 Use Code: iokfveocam3
Save 50% on the Veo Go 👉 Use Code: iokfveogo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ben and Mike break down two intense matches, from a muddy “battle” to a frustrating defeat after a brilliant first half and reflect on the fine margins between development and results. The conversation dives into defensive organisation, why kids lose concentration and the challenge of coaching your own child without letting emotions take over.

The discussion becomes particularly honest when Mike reflects on a moment where frustration got the better of him while coaching his son during the game. Looking back, he questions whether his reaction was really about tactics or influenced by the emotions that come with being both a parent and a coach.

Alongside the emotional side of coaching, they analyse the football itself—talking through missed chances, defensive lapses, and the importance of communication and positioning. They also reinforce a key philosophy: prioritising development over results by giving every player meaningful minutes, rotating positions, and allowing kids to learn the game through experience, even when it costs the team in the short term.

Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/

Get FREE delivery when you spend over £100 at https://www.discountfootballkits.com/ using code IOKFFD — but hurry, it ends at midnight on March 31st, 2026.

Power your grassroots team with effortless payments — sign up with GoCardless today at https://gocardless.com/g/payments-sports-clubs/ and spend less time chasing fees, more time developing your players.

LoveAdmin takes the admin off your plate so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing parents: https://loveadmin.com/

Save £200 on the Veo Cam 3 👉 Use Code: iokfveocam3
Save 50% on the Veo Go 👉 Use Code: iokfveogo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a football insider with 165,000 followers, Premier League contacts and a career around the game ends up managing his son’s Under-7s team?

In this honest conversation, Ben and Mike, meet the man behind the famous @ExWHUEmployee X (Twitter) account joins the podcast to reveal the emotional rollercoaster of grassroots football.

From overthinking line-ups and man-of-the-match decisions to the unexpected joy of watching kids score their first goals, this episode dives into the psychology, pressure and pride of coaching your own child. It’s funny, brutally honest and surprisingly relatable.

Football DNA is the ultimate platform for coach and player development: https://footballdna.co.uk/sessions/

Get FREE delivery when you spend over £100 at https://www.discountfootballkits.com/ using code IOKFFD — but hurry, it ends at midnight on March 31st, 2026.

Power your grassroots team with effortless payments — sign up with GoCardless today at https://gocardless.com/g/payments-sports-clubs/ and spend less time chasing fees, more time developing your players.

LoveAdmin takes the admin off your plate so you can spend more time coaching and less time chasing parents: https://loveadmin.com/

Save £200 on the Veo Cam 3 👉 Use Code: iokfveocam3
Save 50% on the Veo Go 👉 Use Code: iokfveogo

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iokfootball
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iokfootball/
X (Twitter): https://x.com/iokfootball
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@iokfootball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Itsonlykidsfootballpodcast/
Email: [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.