It's Only Kids Football

Ben and Mike reflect on a weekend that sharpened one of the biggest truths in grassroots football: coaches can guide, but parents carry the real responsibility for a child’s development.

As training resumes after the Christmas break, the focus is on repetition, patience and building habits — passing, movement and decision-making that only improve through consistent exposure. The session reinforces a hard reality: one hour a week with a volunteer coach will never be enough on its own.

The pair recount their interclub face-off with Leigh Ramblers Greens and from there, the conversation widens. Ben and Mike challenge the growing tendency to blame coaches for a child’s lack of progress, particularly in mixed-ability teams.

They discuss confidence, belief, physical development and the unseen work that happens away from training — and why expecting a volunteer to “fix” everything in 45 minutes a week is both unrealistic and unfair.

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This week, Ben and Mike are joined by Saul Isaksson Hurst, one of the world’s leading technical coaches and the man behind elite players including Noni Madueke and Antoine Semenyo.

Saul breaks down what truly separates top academy and Premier League players from the rest, exploring mindset, work ethic, technical mastery and the environments that allow young players to thrive.

The conversation dives deep into common grassroots coaching challenges — keeping players engaged, designing high-tempo sessions, developing weaker feet and turning ball mastery into real in-game impact rather than “skills for skills’ sake.”

Packed with practical examples, simple games and honest coaching reflections, this episode is essential listening for any coach or parent who wants to help young players improve — without overcomplicating the process.

Level 1 & Level 2 e-learning courses with Saul to help take your coaching to the next level: https://mypersonalfootballcoach.com/level-1-level-2-e-leaning-courses/

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

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This week, Ben and Mike welcome Mick Clegg, the former Manchester United power development coach who helped transform a young Cristiano Ronaldo into a global icon.

Mick pulls back the curtain on the elite habits of the world’s best, revealing how grassroots coaches and parents can apply these same principles today.

They dive into the biggest conditioning mistakes in youth football, the importance of "experiential knowledge," and practical ways to build athleticism without overcomplicating training.

Whether you're coaching under-6s or aspiring pros, Mick’s advice will help you build an athlete from the ground up.

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

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Ben and Mike reflect on a defining mid-season episode that spans an academy test against Arsenal’s development squad and a local derby to close the year. Against Arsenal, the boys learn what real team football demands. Faced with sharper movement, quicker pressing and higher standards, individual moments stop being enough.

They are forced to communicate, release the ball earlier and trust each other under pressure — lessons that carry into the following day against Leigh Ramblers Reds, where they show the impact that passing, discipline and teamwork can have.

The pair then reflect honestly on fatigue, behaviour, confidence and coaching responsibility, as listener stories and grassroots dilemmas round out the final episode of 2025.

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

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Ben and Mike kick things off by reliving their dramatic derby against the Blues — from a chaotic training session to touchline wobblers, goal-line drama and the boys’ grit in a scrappy 4–3 win.

They’re then joined by Cambridge United’s Dario Seminerio, Youth Development Phase Lead Coach (U13- U16) at Cambridge United, who explains why great coaching is about teaching principles, not patterns. Dario speaks about the cultural differences between coaching in England and Italy — from parental behaviour to training frequency, communication style and how young players in each country respond to instruction, pressure and team identity.

He also digs into the detail: how managing time and space can instantly level mixed-ability groups, why players learn faster when they understand the why behind movements, and how concepts like creating a “plus one,” recognising pressure and rotating intelligently help kids solve problems instead of memorising set plays.

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

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.