I am a highly motivated UEFA A and F.A Advanced Youth Award licensed coach, with extensive experience across grassroots, elite academy, and national team football environments.
Throughout my career, I have demonstrated expertise in the design and delivery of coaching curriculums and long-term player development frameworks, supporting players across all ages and stages of the game.
This is supported by my performance analysis & sports science background, essential components for the holistic development of players.
My strong academic pedigree enable me to apply evidence-informed best practice to my work, ensuring innovative, player-centred coaching programmes that optimise learning and performance.
I am a forward-thinking and naturally curious professional with a strong appetite for continuous learning limited to objective & true knowledge, away from subjective non-contextual jargon, currently seeking new opportunities.
I managed and oversaw the Foundation Development Phase (FDP), leading the holistic development of players within my phase.
Among others, my role involved planning, delivering and reviewing training sessions & games across the U9–U16 programme, as well as managing a designated age group within the club.
I also managed and designed an extensive games programme, and travelled to participate in various domestic and international competitions.
A key achievement was my significant contribution to the academy attaining Category 1 status following a successful audit.
I held responsibility for the Foundation Development Phase (FDP), overseeing the progression and development of players within the phase.
My role involved organising, delivering and evaluating training sessions across the U7-U12 programme, leading coaching sessions with the U13–U18 age groups, and managing a designated age group within the academy.
Additionally, I planned and delivered a comprehensive games programme for all age groups, including designing and running festivals that invited local grassroots teams to support talent identification and recruitment.
At Stevenage FC, I managed 17 coaches and approximately 400 players across the academy and pathway programmes.
Among others, I coached all age groups from U9 to U18, both in pathway & academy programme, and delivered tailored training to support player development.
Working closely with key stakeholders, I implemented a games programme, while ensuring structured pathways were in place to aid player progression.
Key achievements include generating a 14.6% increase in revenue, and overseeing a 17% rise in player intake, and supporting multiple players in progressing into elite academies.
At Portsmouth FC, I worked across multiple age-groups of the academy, managing the U9 and U11 age groups in my first year, leading the U14 squad in my second year while supporting with the U15/U16 day-release programme.
My role involved leading and delivering training sessions, planning and running team meetings, and leading games across the programme.
Finally, I contributed to regular player reviews and performance feedback.
I supported the national programme through detailed performance analysis in preparation for Elite Round fixtures based at the Oriam National Performance Centre.
I filmed, coded, and analysed games and training sessions, producing in-depth opposition analysis that identified key strengths, weaknesses, tactical trends, and set-piece strategies.
I created individual player profiles, and delivered clear, targeted presentations to coaching staff and players, highlighting key focus areas ahead of fixtures and competition events.
I completed an MSc in Sports Science & Performance Coaching at Southampton Solent University between 2019 and 2021.
During this time, I developed a strong understanding of football performance through modules focused on psychosocial, tactical, technical, and physical development, alongside performance analysis and marginal gains for peak performance.
The programme also included professional experience, allowing me to apply academic theory within an elite football environment to further strengthen my practical coaching and performance analysis skills.
I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Sports Performance Analysis at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, between 2016 and 2017.
The programme provided an in-depth, applied understanding of performance analysis within high-performance sport, with a strong emphasis on athlete monitoring, data collection, and advanced data analysis to inform coaching and decision-making.
Key areas of study included biomechanics and instrumentation in sport, notational and feedback-based analysis, and detailed opposition analysis to support tactical preparation.
I also gained professional experience working with the Scotland National Squads.
In development football, it’s easy to become overly focused on outcomes.
By ensuring that a player’s intention/decision is nailed on, we create an environment where execution can be refined.
This approach encourages players to develop an understanding and appreciation of what they are trying to do and why, developing their game-insight.
As such, praising good intentions, and ensuring players fully understand what they do and why, is paramount!
When coaching young children, one of the biggest challenges is keeping them engaged from the very start.
Complicated drills that don’t look like football, along with long explanations or abstract storytelling, can slow sessions down and cause children to lose focus before the activity even begins.
Here, I am demonstrating how painting relevant pictures and walking through exercises with the ball rolling, while giving clear, simple explanations can speed up this process.
In youth football development, we often see two extremes in coaching styles. On one end are coaches who simply throw the ball to the players and let them play, without coaching.
On the other end are coaches who “joystick” their players, constantly telling them what to do, and removing any opportunity for independent decision-making. Both approaches are equally ineffective.
In this example, I am demonstrating how Q & A can involve players in their own learning, making their learning more meaningful.
In this team meeting, we review a recent game clip to identify key moments that needed improvement.
Instead of me pointing out what went wrong, I ask the players to reflect and share what they notice. By allowing them to observe the play and voice their own insights, we shift the focus from me telling them what happened to them actively engaging with the process.
This makes the learning process more meaningful, as it uses their words and observations as the reference, rather than coach’s.
In the next clip, I focus on the starting positions of players when defending and emphasize the importance of not over-committing to defensive actions, such as having a 7v2 advantage inside the box.
I highlight the need for a more neutral defensive approach, suggesting that we could have more players positioned outside the box and higher up the pitch, always in relation to how the attacking team players position themselves.
This would give us a better structure, so when we regain possession, we would be in a stronger position to counter-attack.
Then, I ask the players to reflect on their decision-making during transition, particularly in terms of making forward runs into space, both out wide and in behind the opposition’s backline.
I encourage them to think about the importance of having available forward options to play to, so that when we regain possession, we can quickly move the ball into dangerous forward areas.
I facilitate this reflection through Q&A and use visuals to illustrate key points, helping them better understand what’s required.
By referencing these objectives throughout the training, I aim to provide a clear focus for each activity, and ensure that players understand the purpose behind the training, reinforcing the points identified during our team meeting.
This approach helps maintain continuity between reflection and practice, allowing players to connect what they observe in the game to how they perform on the training ground.
In this clip, I focus on improving my players’ defensive positioning to prevent over-committing in defensive actions.
The goal is to ensure players occupy spaces that allow us to defend effectively while remaining in an advantageous position to exploit forward space when we regain possession as quickly as we possible can.
In this clip, I intervene to reinforce previous points in the team meeting.
I emphasize getting runners in behind the backline to exploit space, while the goalkeeper ensures that the rest of the team pushes higher.
This keeps our lines compact enough to defend effectively if possession is lost, while maintaining the structure needed to control the spaces between our lines.
In this clip, following my previous intervention, I reset the ball to the starting position and allow the players to demonstrate the concept in real action.
Study visit at Ajax academy in summer 2025, learning more about their youth development processes and academy philosophy, combined with a stadium tour, a classroom & pitch training session.
4-day study visit at Sporting Lisbon & Benfica academies in summer 2019, observing all academy operations from Under 14s to B team, interacting with the coaching staff, attending psychology, sports science workshops, as well as observing training sessions on the pitch.
In summer 2025, I attended the Pro course held at Nijmegen Football Club, comprising an intense 5-day residential programme aimed at analysing game situations & planning and delivering training on the pitch. Among others, we worked with the Nijmegen U14-U19 squads.
I also attended the residential 5-day Expert Talent ID Meeting course in Brighton & Hove Albion in summer 2025, as well as the 5-day residential Game-Insight development course at Galatasaray Football Club in summer 2024. My repertoire of study visits also includes a 2-day visit at Rangers Football Club academy, observing all academy operations.
''Alex led the foundation phase at Burnley FC during my time and always went above and beyond in all he did. As the U7-U12 FDP lead covering all age levels, he also oversaw the pre-academy programme. Alex has progressed the programme to a higher level in player quality, level of coaching, organisation and standards. He is always willing to put in the extra hours and creates excellent relationships with all the young players. He has great energy and enthusiasm that assist in motivating the players and creating a positive environment for all the players. He is honest and caring in his interactions with parents and players''
BURNLEY FC FORMER ACADEMY DIRECTOR | CURRENT DUNDEE FC TECHNICAL MANAGER
''I have worked with Alex at Burnley FC for about one season. During this period I have known Alex to be a really good coach with high energy when delivering his sessions and very passionate about player development. I found Alex very approachable and we frequently debated the best processes when it comes to player development. We discussed player development, session designs, moments of interventions, cognitive processes, psychological frameworks, pedagogical approaches and many other aspects. I have learned some interesting and pertinent concepts and continue to apply them in my coaching''
BURNLEY FC ACADEMY COACH
''Alex was my son Henry's coach at Burnley FC academy as he took his age group at U11s over the past 12 months. Alex was extremely passionate, enthusiastic & detailed in his approach and delivery when coaching the boys whilst still making it enjoyable and fun. Alex was well liked and respected by all parents across all age groups, and I couldn't thank him enough for what he's done for my son over the past 12 months in terms of his development as a footballer but also as a person. Alex's communication was brilliant and he was always happy to discuss my son's development whilst being open & honest which is rare in academy football''
BURNLEY FC PARENT
''Alex completely changed the operations of the Foundation Development Phase both on and off the pitch whilst in charge of the phase at Morecambe FC. The phase was the most vibrant and energetic it had ever been and the bar kept getting higher and higher month after month. I would recruit Alex for several reasons. The main one would be there sheer quality and quantity of working hours Alex puts in during the week. In youth football, people in leadership positions can easily get comfortable as their job is rarely on the line as youth football is rarely a results business. Alex is the first in and the last to leave the training ground each day. He sticks to the task and doesn’t derail from the objective of what he is trying to achieve. He is a very trustworthy and honest person who is an expert in bringing people together to works towards a common goal''
MORECAMBE FC FORMER LEAD U13-U16 PHASE COACH
''I worked with Alex whilst CEO at Stevenage FC. During that period he oversaw the club’s academy player development pathway. Throughout his employment he displayed a fantastic work ethic and oversaw significant growth of the player pathway, whilst also improving relationships with coaches, parents, and key stakeholders. Alex can apply a diverse array of skills to his responsibilities, and during his time at Stevenage FC he demonstrated the ability to think outside of the box, whilst showing a strong understanding of the principles of player development. I would endorse Alex as being a highly credible candidate for a senior player development role, with an exceptional attitude and a desire to continuously learn and improve''
STEVENAGE FC FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | CURRENT CAMBRIDGE UNITED FC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
''Alex's enthusiasm, passion and work ethic makes him an asset to any sporting organisation. An organised professional, with a strategic goal-orientated outlook, with the ability to set clear targets and the accountability to monitor and measure performance and development. In the short time that I worked with Alex I could clearly see the positive impact and growth his drive had on the club's academy player development pathway programme''
STEVENAGE FC FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
''Alex led the Stevenage FC player development pathway programme during my time as the Academy Manager of the club and demonstrated an exemplary work ethic. Alex is relentless in his determination to be the best version of himself whilst always putting the player at the centre of everything he does''
STEVENAGE FC FORMER ACADEMY MANAGER
''I have known Alex since 2019, as I have worked with him at Stevenage FC. Alex has been extremely influential in my coaching journey. He saw my potential, believed in me and supported me throughout my journey, before during and after our partnership in Stevenage FC. He challenged and supported my coaching philosophy and thinking process through discussions, Q&A, co-coaching, counter coaching & other methods. Reflecting back on my interaction with Alex as coach developer, I believe I have developed the most during my time with him and I guarantee he will be an excellent asset to any team as head of coaching. Alex is very innovative, hard-working, driven, passionate and really cares about the role he undertakes. Those attributes make him an excellent candidate, role model and someone who will standout in any organisation''
STEVENAGE FC FORMER ACADEMY COACH | CURRENT WATFORD FC LADIES FIRST TEAM COACH
''Alex’s hard working attitude, organisation and communication skills are amongst the best I have worked with. Honest and loyal to work with professionally, Alex also has fantastic social and people skills which made him great to be around both in and out of working hours. He has the qualities and characteristics needed to succeed in whatever he aims to achieve''
STEVENAGE FC FORMER ACADEMY COACH | CURRENT LUTON TOWN FC ACADEMY COACH
