Collaboration - Together as One !

There's a famous story from the early 1960's when President John F Kennedy was touring the NASA Space Centre in America for the first time, he approached a janitor working there and asked him what his role was. He replied 'Mr. President, I'm helping to put a man on the moon'

Collaboration between all departments at a Football Club is vital if you want to be successful. From the Owners, the Board of Directors, Manager, Coaching Staff, Medical & Sport Science Department, Analysts, Kit Technicians, Groundsman, Chefs, Administration staff tucked away in an office, the sizeable Academies we now have, the Cleaners, Media, Commercial and Community Departments, the Coach Driver and between the Players - in the team, out of the team, young players making their way along the pathway to the team.

 It doesn't matter how big or how small the role is, if you're involved, you have an important role to play in making the Club a success. 

Successful families are successful teams. The spirit and culture of everyone connected and collaborating, understanding the big picture of want it is you have set out to achieve, where you want to go to, valuing and respecting the people you surround yourself and work with, it can take you a long way if you are, Together as One !   

As many teams are away on pre-season tours at the moment, a couple of examples of collaboration from Southampton's successful 2011 tour to Interlaken in Switzerland are below. Firstly our Groundsman Andy Gray playing his part in laying the foundations during pre-season for our promotion winning season. 

Head Groundsman Andy Gray played his part in Southampton's successful pre-season tour to Interlaken in Switzerland in 2011. He travelled over before the touring group to prepare the training pitches. This ensured the quality of the playing surface for the sessions required at the elite level.

I had the pleasure of travelling with Andy to assess our training camps well in advance. In 2012 we had a trip over to Evian in France in preparation for Southampton's pre-season tour. It was good to spend time with our Head Groundsman. We had spoken most days at the training ground at Staplewood in Hampshire, however with just the two of us travelling this time, a longer period without interruptions was beneficial. Andy and his staff were good at their jobs and spending time with him I was able to fully appreciate his expertise as a groundsman and get to know him a little better as a person and family man.

It also reconfirmed to me that we had good people working with us at Southampton.

Job well done Andy. Now back to Southampton to make sure the training pitches are ready for when we return from the Tour of Interlaken in Switzerland.

Another example of collaboration from the tour is with long standing Club Physiotherapist Mo Gimpel, who was now the Head of Medicine and Sport Science, and some of my other valued coaching staff. Every morning at breakfast, Mo would touch base with every player and using an Ipad would take a very simple wellness check of the players asking them a few simple, however valuable questions. Marking themselves out of 10 the players answered  1. How well did you sleep ? 2. Muscle soreness if any and where ? 3. Joint pain if any and where ? 4. Motivation to train this morning ?

Mo would then sit down with Assistant Manager Andy Crosby, 1st Team Coach Dean Wilkins, Head of Sport Science Nick Harvey and myself, and we would go through every players scores. This allowed us to have an idea as to the players condition going into the planned morning session and any changes Nick, Andy, Dean or myself felt we needed to make to implement it.

It's vital you work smartly during pre-season. I would want the players to train every day, however with my experience of 35 years of pre-seasons and 10 years as a Club Physiotherapist at Scunthorpe United, that the increased risk of injury during pre-season, a period when you are overloading the body to improve fitness levels, is high. Previous data from an FA Audit of injuries has proved this.

Given the information gathered by Mo a discussion would then take place as to the risk factor to the player. We had a planned periodised training programme for not only pre-season tour but for the whole season.

If a player had marked that he had had a poor nights sleep for example, Mo or one of the staff would have asked the player why ? It could be that the room was too hot and he was restless or the mattress was not comfortable or his room mate was snoring ! This wouldn't stop him training, and would be a simple solution for the next evening. Sleep is vital to recovery, especially when in a high intensity period of training like pre-season.

If the player had marked a 9/10 for muscle soreness, this would be flagged up. Again asking a question to the player why ?

Listening to a player who knows his own body is vital. A player should take notice of his body and how it is responding to training. I used to say to the players 'you are a self employed businessman and your body is your business, take care of it. We can surround you with expertise and educate you into why things are beneficial however it is you the player that must take responsibility'.

A simple explanation for the players muscle soreness could be that the previous days training session was very hard for him. A player could score a 9/10 on his R.P.E ( Rate of Percieved Exertion ) This is a simple mark the players record after a training session. He had then developed DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) today.  Why was this ? Had he gone through his recovery protocol after training ?

We called this 'Taking Care of Business' Several things that aid recovery following a training session.

Re-hydrate, fluid intake - water or an electrolyte. This will have been lost with training especially in hot climates.

A protein or carbohydrate shake to aid muscle repair.

Food ! Nutrition is so important to an athlete especially for recovery. We had the excellent Mike Naylor of the English Institute of Sport educate the players on Nutrition.

Swim - After every morning session in Interlaken we would bike back towards the hotel, stop off and jump into the beautiful ice cold lake. Water immersion is beneficial to muscle recovery, what the correct temperature is though is open to debate.

Sleep, get your feet up and rest.  

The players 'Taking Care of Business' and having fun. Jumping into the beautiful ice cold water after training during Southampton's successful 2011tour to Interlaken in Switzerland. 

Had he missed something ? If so why ? He would then be assessed by the physiotherapist to make sure there was no muscle tear. On the back of this information we would decide his part in the mornings training session. I want every player to train every day, missing a single session is a wasted opportunity. However sometimes you can modify a players load during a session. For example if the session involved 12 sprints maybe we reduce his to 8 sprints. 

Mental toughness is a major part of Elite sport. Sport hurts and a player needs to push himself to be the best he can be. I've mentioned in a previous post on pre-season testing, and gauging the attitude and character of a player when asked to perform a VO2Max test on a treadmill, and if he has the desire to truly push himself.

Planning and preparation are key to success however the ability to adjust the plan is critical. Our daily breakfast meeting as a staff allowed us to make sure we could maximise the time during the next training session. Be smart in how you train, and when you train make sure your intensity is maximum. Otherwise it's a wasted opportunity to improve.

Left to right. Mo Gimpel Head of Medicine and Sport Science. Dean Wilkins 1st Team Coach. Nick Harvey 1st Team Head of Sport Science. Andy Crosby Assistant Manager.

Collaboration. Discussing the players daily morning wellness scores during Southampton's 2011 pre-season tour to Interlaken in Switzerland.

I've highlighted the tour to Interlaken in Switzerland with Southampton in 2011 as a small example.

I've been very fortunate to work with some very good people. I believe it's important to surround yourself with good people. To develop the culture that can bring you the success you desire. There's a book by Jim Collins called Good to Great. He mentions about getting good people on the bus with you, and then deciding what seat they will take on it.

Whilst at Reading the late Eamonn Dolan would say to me, 'We have good people here at Reading' He was right, we did,   

Pre-Season Tour

It's the time of year when the majority of football teams head off during pre-season training for a tour. There are several reasons behind leaving our shores in the UK, with anything from 5 days to 2 weeks in a foreign country.

The idea of bonding a new group of players together and setting down the tactics for the season combined with the benefits of living, eating and training together in a warmer climate enable a new group to build a cohesive team spirit and get to know each other on a personable scale.

The transfer window ending after the season has started however presents many challenges to this though, as the many squads are still in transition during the pre-sesson tour, with uncertainty as to who my be joining the team and who may be leaving the club.

The global expansion of our game especially in the Premier League, means many of the bigger clubs travel long distances to engage with supporters, not just on television but up close and personal, and to build the brand. Sponsorship is important and worldwide exposure is required to meet the ever spiralling costs involved in the modern game. America and Asia are popular destinations.

The long flights, with different time zones to cross affects sleep - vitally important especially during pre-season. The differing weather conditions, heat and humidity affects the hydration levels of the body - poor hydration levels increase the risk of injury and decreases performance. The importance of exercise, getting fit and understanding the coaches tactics for the season require the training area or match pitches to be of the standard required of elite sport - the risk of injury with uneven or very hard un-watered ground can have disastrous consequences on a players and teams season.

I've been involved in pre-season for 35 years and been very fortunate to travel to some beautiful places in the world and train surrounded with breathtaking scenery. 

Surrounded by breathtaking scenery during pre-season training.  This is in beautiful Interlaken in Switzerland with Southampton in 2011.

The pre-season games allows teams to play against other teams they wouldn't usually meet. This can be an exciting change and being able to perform against opposition of different levels, differing cultural mindsets in how they play the game - very defensive, possession based, direct play or counterattack, can be beneficial. However sometimes if the games are not controlled correctly by the officials, the competitive nature of football can get out of hand physically and unnecessary injuries occur, again being detrimental to the season ahead.

I've always enjoyed taking in the culture of the place we have visited on the pre-season tour and not just be in the hotel room, training pitch and then hotel room again. I believe it's important to embrace the culture, a visit to a local landmark, understanding how the people go about their daily lives, the food and drink of the area - all helps expand our knowledge of the world we live in. 

The supporters are the lifeblood of any team. To be able to look forward to a summer holiday supporting your team in a different country is exciting. I know many fans want to know as early as possible where and when the team are going on tour so they can plan accordingly to travel as well.

I know from personal experience of supporting the British Lions on their 2005 tour against the All Blacks in New Zealand how fantastic it is. The ability to plan the route and travel around the South Island of New Zealand following the team was amazing. The ability to take in the culture, see the local sites, the local food and drink and meet the local people enlightening. 

Places I've enjoyed going to for the pre-season tour and have fantastic memories of include, Russia and the Isle of Man with Wigan Athletic, Jersey, Limerick, Ibiza with Scunthorpe United, Interlaken in Switzerland and Evian in France with Southampton, and Portugal with Reading.

Taking in the culture and famous landmark St.Basil's Cathedral, Red Square, in Moscow, Russia, 1990 on tour with Wigan Athletic. Club tracksuit was in style back then !

Pre-Season Testing

"All men are created equal, Some work harder in Pre-Season"

 Laying down the standards required at the start of pre-season with a very young group of players at Reading

Pre-Season training, a vital few weeks to prepare for the upcoming season. The importance of getting it right cannot be underestimated. Get it wrong and it has serious consequences for the season.

My first pre-season was as a 16 year old apprentice professional footballer at Tranmere Rovers. I've experienced what its like as a player to undergo pre-season training and I've also had 10 years experience as the Physiotherapist at Scunthorpe United doing pre-season. I've had experience as a Manager in the Premier League, the Championship and League 1 of being in charge of pre-season and the man with the final decision.

As a Manager I want to be able to select from all my players for the 1st game of the season. I require the players to be fit to play the way I want my teams to play. Athletic with high energy, the ability to outrun your opponent. Quick. Technically brilliant to pass the football quickly and calmly. To react quickly to the transition of the ball changing possession. To be strong, robust to play consistently weekend, midweek, weekend. To have a mental resilience and warrior spirit.

As most football clubs have reported back for pre-season training this week its interesting to see how they go about it. There is no right way and there is no wrong way, however there needs to be a plan, a method behind what you're doing. I've had 35 years of pre-seasons and have at some stage tried all the ways possible to do pre-season. As a player at Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic, and as the Physiotherapist at Scunthorpe United we would go to an Army barracks during the first couple of weeks of pre-season. I also still have vivid memories of running on the sand dunes on the Wirral.

Whilst in my role as Physiotherapist at Scunthorpe we provided the Football Association with injury information for its first Audit of Injuries research programme in English football.  Fascinating feedback when put together with all the other clubs as to the high rate of injuries during pre-season.

It was beneficial for me being the physiotherapist. The experience gained with screening players, providing individual off season training programmes, controlling on field and gym based training sessions, individual and group prehab sessions. Supporting the Manager in getting and keeping the players fit.

When I took over as Manager at Scunthorpe United I took the players on the first 2 days of Pre-season to the University of Hull. Here under the supervision of the Head of Sport Science, Ric Lovell, who is now Doctor Ric Lovell and working in Australia, we would undergo a series of physical tests, one of which was a VO2Max running test on the Treadmill. Isokenetic strength tests of the legs was another. This was a starting point as to the levels of fitness the players reported back in. We then had the opportunity to re-test the players after 6 weeks of pre-season training to evaluate the affects of the training we had done.

We worked closely with the University and Ric for several years of research. We had firstly linked up when I was the Physiotherapist at Scunthorpe and I would take their students on placements. I was very pleased to then be able to offer young interns from the University full time work at Scunthorpe. John Noonan was the first Strength and Conditioning Coach, S&C, and I have been so pleased to see how his career has progressed and he is now working in the Premier League.

Following the couple of days testing I would then take the whole squad to Champneys Springs in Leicestershire for 5 days of pre-season training. A superb football pitch to train on, a swimming pool - excellent for recovery, great food - vital to get the nutrition right and good beds - the importance of sleep is massive. Vital requirements in my opinion to get the players back in the mindset of training and off holiday mode. Exercise, Nutrition, Team meetings, Sleep, Repeat.

When I joined Southampton I followed the same routine. We linked up with Solent University and under the expert supervision of Dr. Stewart Bruce Lowe we continued with a series of testing. The VO2Max was taken to another elite level with Blood Lactate taken whist on the treadmill. The University students that assisted Dr.Bruce Lowe were brilliant and I'm sure they benefited from the experience of dealing with elite professional players. 

The psychological benefits of pushing yourself to a true VO2Max also provided a good indicator as to how hard you would push yourself and your team mate when the going gets tough during the season. 

On the back of the VO2Max testing the players Heart Rate Monitor and GPS System that they wore in every session, could be set. This provided daily feedback for our training.

Nick Harvey was the 1st Team Head of Sport Science at Southampton and I cannot speak highly enough of him as a person and as a professional. His input was invaluable and I was delighted I managed to get him to join us at Reading after leaving the Saints.

We followed the same procedure at Reading as we had at Southampton. Two days of screening the players with the medical department, body fat analysis and nutritional advice from the excellent Mike Naylor who is Head of Performance Nutrition at the English Institute of Sport, and then fitness testing at Southampton Solent University. Followed by 5 days at Champneys Springs and plenty of football fitness training.

We would re-test the players again after 6 weeks, usually during the International break in the season and assess the benefits of training. We worked very hard as a staff, Assistant Manager Andy Crosby, 1st Team Coach Dean Wilkins, Head of Sport Science Nick Harvey, in putting together a periodised training programme to maximise the time we had with the players for the maximum results. We worked long hours and had many a good debate however we divised a plan that worked, and data proves it worked very well.

Nick Harvey setting the pace at Champneys during pre-season with a very young Reading squad.

Always enjoyable to join in with the running. 

When I took over at Sheffield United, we attempted to follow the same plan however we quickly realised we couldn't, for several reasons which I won't go into here, and had to change plan. Devastating consequences as we lost heavily on the opening day of the season and it took until November before we started to get the players anywhere near the physical level we had at previous clubs.

Pre-Season training sets you up individually and as a team. You have to be smart in how you work however you must work. Find a way that works, do the basics well to an elite level. We used to play inspirational videos at different stages of pre-season. One we used had this quote in it.

"All men are created equal, Some work harder in Pre-Season"

LMA Diploma in Football Management

Speaking to the League Managers Association students starting their one year course, LMA Diploma in Football Management, at the University of Liverpool in London, allowed me the opportunity to share with the 37 present my experiences in football management.

Having qualified from the original format of the course headed up by Dr. Sue Bridgewater at Warwick University in 2008, I already had an understanding of what the students were about to embark on. Deadlines to get assignments in was always an issue for the course delegates as they also had full time and demanding jobs to do.

The students included Managers in the Football League, presently in a job and those out of work and utilising their time by continuing to learn by being on the course. CPD, continuous professional development, is a given for all aspiring leaders so they can stay at the forefront of the game, move with the times and be stimulated by the new things and the networking opportunities to flourish.

Along with 1st team Managers we had an audience that included ex football players, Academy Managers, Heads of Coaching and Managers within the up and coming Womans game.

I started my talk with a video. It showed a famous manager standing on the side of a pitch and the crowd shouting at him "You're getting sacked in the morning" A common occurrence now. I followed this up with the latest stats provide by the LMA as to manager sackings last season. 44 Managers lost their jobs in the 2016-2017 season. Combine this with the members of staff that would have also left with the Manager, for example assistant manager, goalkeeper coach and fitness coach you can see its a high turn over. I also highlighted how long managers are in employment and how long they are out of work on average before getting another job. Thats if they get another job. 55% of 1st time managers never get another chance.

The 1 hour and 20 minute presentation was interactive as I was able to engage with the students relating stories from my career as a player. 336 games, several injuries. As a physiotherapist 557 games and of course as a manager of 574 games with several promotions. Mine has been a career that started as a schoolboy at Liverpool FC. Managing Renbad Rovers in the Birkenhead Sunday League. It provided 10 years experience of making decisions, picking teams, tactics, formations and substitutions. Invaluable experience when you look back. Then to educating myself with qualifications. Building relationships, very important ones, for example the early Chairman I worked for, Gwyn Pierce Owen, the world famous referee at Bangor City and the honourable Mr.Wharton at Scunthorpe United.

Philosophies of buying young hungry players and developing them to sell for a profit and developing your own home grown talent, making sure there was a pathway for them became a common theme as I progressed through my talk. At Scunthorpe, Sharp, Koegh, Paterson, Hooper, Sparrow. At Southampton notable names included, Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Ward-Prowse, Shaw, Schniderlin, Lallana. At Reading we had 9 academy players who made debuts in the Championship, Michael Hector was later sold to Chelsea. At Sheffield United young Dominic Calvert-Lewin who was later sold to Everton, scored the winning goal for England in the U20 World Cup Final 2017. 

Taking over at a new club, the importance of good senior players and staff. At Southampton we had excellent senior players and staff. I highlighted my assistant manager Andy Crosby and how important it is to have someone you can trust and have an honest conversation with. It's of no benefit having someone who will agree with you all the time. 

The topic of club ownership, different nationalities, cultures, changing plans, changing ownerships, shared ownerships, being on the the verge of administration and the many challenges dealing with all the stakeholders that are involved in football.

From managing in the Birkenhead Sunday League to managing in the Premier League and all the expectations that go with it. An insight I was pleased to share with the students of the LMA Diploma in Football Management.

A Lifetime in Football

A lifetime in football saw me start as a schoolboy at Liverpool FC before embarking on a professional career making 336 games as a goalkeeper. A 1st team debut as a 17year old at Tranmere Rovers and then a transfer for £3,000 to Wigan Athletic followed. Plenty of injuries along the way, 2 broken cheek bones, broken fingers, fractured wrist, spinal fusion and knee surgery.

Whilst playing for Wigan, I started a 4 year part-time degree in Physiotherapy at Salford University. This was completed with Honours during my time at Bangor City where I had become the player manager, winning back to back League of Wales titles and competing in the UEFA Cup.

So, with an Honours Degree in Physiotherapy and UEFA A License coaching qualification completed, I joined Scunthorpe United where for 557 games I was the Physiotherapist, spanning a 10 year period. I also undertook numerous additional roles whilst at the Lincolnshire Club. Goalkeeping and Fitness coach allowed me to utilise and broaden my knowledge and continue to amass experience. As a club we won 2 promotions during this spell.

When asked to take over as Manager at Scunthorpe United, I found the previous experience gained was without doubt beneficial. We won the League 1 title that season. Relegated the next season we regrouped and were promoted straight back up via the play offs. We also fitted in a Wembley appearance in the Johnstone Paints Trophy Final. Arguably the biggest achievement was staying in the Championship the following season. 

In 2010 Southampton came calling, the South Coast club lay 23rd in League 1. We managed back to back promotions to the Premier League. A rise of 51 places. Leaving the Saints sitting 15th in the Premier League I was very proud of what had been achieved.

Within a month I was with another Premier League Club, Reading. Although we galvanised a team struggling at the bottom of the league with 7 games remaining of the season, we ran out of time to avoid the drop. Many ownership and financial issues followed. We narrowly missed out on a return to the Premier league at the first time of asking. Youngsters again developed with 9 Academy players making debuts before new ownership made a change of Manager.

A short period to reflect, study other sports and travel before the opportunity to manage Sheffield United in League 1 was too big to turn down. Alas it only lasted a season. Priceless experience gained however, to add to my 574 games as a manager.

Utilising the time to buy a house, having rented for several years, was a promise I made to my wife. We celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary tomorrow. Spending time with family, supporting charity and doing the things you can't always do when you're a manager have been priceless. Combining this with constantly learning, watching games, players and moving with the times have kept me busy. Health and fitness screenings show I'm fit and in a good place. Having turned down several offers to return to management, the time is right for my next adventure, continuing  A Lifetime in Football.

We all need to play our part

As someone keen to carry on learning I’ve always been interested in the FA’s educational division, FA Learning.  One programme it runs is The FA Licensed Coaches’ Club which raises coaching standards across the game.

Earlier this month I attended the Club Conference at St George’s Park, home of English football.  This year’s theme, The Future of English Football: Playing Your Part, was about challenging delegates to play their part.

The three day event began with an introduction from Mark Clemmit the Radio 5 and Football League Show presenter. ‘Clem,’ as everyone calls him, was an excellent speaker engaging and entertaining audiences right from the start.

Throughout the conference we could choose from big group plenaries, Question and Answer (Q &A) sessions and specialist workshops.

I particularly enjoyed Chris Key, Director of the world’s longest running musical, Les Miserables, and his wife Lucy, leading a guest choir in song with football footage playing as a backdrop.

Their rendition of the famous Liverpool song, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was one of a number of anthems sung with passion and gusto. Chris’s workshop was incredibly powerful and demonstrated how the power of song can unite a group of complete strangers. 

Main speakers

Sir Clive Woodward, Rugby World Cup winning head coach and Team GB Director of Sport at London 2012, was the key note speaker talking on, The DNA of a Champion.

I first heard Sir Clive more than a decade ago, in 2003, the year England won the Rugby World Cup, talking about the principles behind champion winning sides. More than 11 years on from that famous victory in Australia many of the principles outlined then for success in elite sport, hold good today. 

Champion Talk: Sir Clive Woodward shares some of his experiences with delegates at the, 'Playing Your Part' Conference at St George's Park

Another excellent talk, Playground to the World Cup Finals , from Senior FA Youth Coach Educator, Martin Diggle, gave us a fascinating insight into the 2014 World Cup and how Germany won it. The subsequent Q and A session left everyone wanting more.

Workshops

The workshops were a chance for us to split into smaller groups and discuss coaching issues in more details.  It was impossible to do them all but I particularly enjoyed hearing 

Dan Ashworth, FA Director of Elite development, and Matt Crocker, FA Head of Coach and Player Development, discussing, Emerging DNA; Identity and Pride.

This session was all about how the use of possession in the game is evolving and how important it is to include the goalkeeper in discussion and planning.

England U21’s Manager, Gareth Southgate and England U18 Head Coach, Neil Dewsnip gave the audience an insight into how much detail goes into preparation at international level, even for youngsters, in the Game Strategy workshop.

After two full on days I left feeling energised and with an improved understanding of coach education. I also enjoyed sharing experiences with young up and coming coaches and look forward to following their career path in the months and years ahead.

Breaking from routine, not work

Hard as it may be to believe another international break has come and, about as quickly as it arrived, gone.

As was the case a few weeks ago a number of Reading players were called abroad on representative duties which meant fewer faces than usual at our Hogwood training base.
Youngster Ryan Edwards, who came through Reading’s Academy, captained the Australia U23 side for the first time in their 1-0 win over Korea.

Closer to home the Welsh trio of Chris Gunter, Hai Robson-Kanu and Jake Taylor were involved in a well-earned draw with Belgium at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels.

Oliver Norwood was in action for Northern Ireland in Romania while Alex Pearce was named as a substitute for the Republic of Ireland’s pulsating game against Scotland. 

Pearce didn’t make it onto the pitch for the Republic’s defeat to Scotland but then played all 90 minutes in their 4-1 win over the USA.

For those not called away we used the time to mix up training by combining senior first team players with some of our Under 21 squad and others invited to the club ‘on trial’. (This is where they come and train with us for a period of time while we assess their skills and temperament and decide whether to offer them a contract or not). 

There was also the welcome sight of seeing a couple of players, now recovered from long term injuries, participating in competitive practice matches, notably Gareth McCleary and Shaun Cummings. 

Away from training a group of us - assistant manager, Andy Crosby, first team coach, Dean Wilkins and Nick Harvey, our strength and conditioning coach - managed two fascinating days at the ‘Leaders Performance Summit 2014’ which took place at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal’s home ground.

Not surprisingly first up was manager Arsene Wenger talking about the ingredients needed to deliver results including creating a winning environment and how to lead the top sportsmen of today.

As delegates we could choose from an impressive line-up of speakers including Technical Director of Coaching at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Andy Flower, who spoke about developing talent and preparing athletes to compete at the highest level. 

Then there was sleep doctor, Christopher Winter, who had travelled from America to speak on a subject we all need to learn more about, and Rett Larson, Consultant to the Chinese Diving Team, on the secrets behind China’s dominance of Olympic diving over the past two decades.
Larson gave a gripping insight into how elite divers are trained and what happens when West meets East in terms of culture and coaching. The attention to detail Larson talked about is something I try to drill into our players every day.

Without a Championship game to focus on I made the most of a rare opportunity to take my son, a keen rugby player and now strength and conditioning coach, to Twickenham to watch England play South Africa in the Rugby.

We studied the England on-pitch warm-up with interest and intrigue and sang the National Anthem and ‘Swing Low’ with gusto. I’m so often on the touchline, removed from the thick of the crowd, it was fantastic to be among so many fans united in supporting the hard work of the England players below. 

I managed to capture this superb view of and England try which began with a well-worked line out and then saw the team driving together to gain the momentum needed to score in a game of this intensity and class.

After another few days of training I decided, after a suggestion from Crosby, my assistant manager, on an experiment. We usually train in the early morning, partly out of habit and also because short winter days make afternoon sessions impractical.

But, to see what might happen and also to avoid spending too long in the hotel in Wales where we were heading later in the day, I changed training to mirror the traditional 3pm kick off time.  
What a difference a few hours made in terms of the way players were able to focus with intensity and commitment. Who knows, maybe I’ll do it more often?

Then it was onboard the coach to Cardiff for a Friday night fixture against our hosts.
Originally we were to play on Saturday but this was changed to accommodate the Wales versus New Zealand rugby international. 

Why playing a part in social media matters

Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. I must admit I haven’t been much of a fan to date but you can’t go and bury your head in the sand, shy away from it or think it doesn’t exist. So, as many of you will have noticed, I’ve opened a Twitter account. I’m going to embrace the present and be excited about the future. I’m sure social media can be used in many positive ways. To move with the times and, importantly, understand those I’m surrounded by who do use it, I’m taking my first step into the social media world and embrace it as positively as I can.

Making the most of 'Mo'

I’m happy to see my old club, Wigan Athletic, using a picture of me on their club website to promote Movember.

Man of the Match: Jimmy Hill (left), then Chairman of Fulham Football Club with Nigel Adkins

The picture, above, shows me , with my tash, alongside Jimmy Hill, then Chairman of Fulham Football Club, presenting me with the ‘Man of the Match’ Award following our game against them.

To see the picture on Wigan's website follow this link (https://www.facebook.com/wiganathletic) and scroll down to November 3rd, the day it was posted.

Movember is a foundation, started over a decade ago in 2003,  which helps men affected by prostate and testicular cancer and mental health issues.

The annual Movember campaign challenges men to grow a moustache during the month to raise funds, and awareness, for the work the foundation does.

So far £346 million has been raised to support 800 programmes in 21 countries.
More details about can be found on the website: http://uk.movember.com/about

A fitting memorial

It's been amazing to see thousands of people, young and old, making their way to the striking art installation at the Tower of London which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War 1.

Poignant poppies: Nearly 900,000 ceramic poppies have been planted in the moat at the Tower of London

Called, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, the Tower's iconic moat is slowly being filled with 888,246 ceramic poppies, each one representing a British soldier who died during the four year conflict.
Of course, the half term holiday and gorgeous weather has helped draw the crowds but it's still heart-warming to see so much attention, and interest, in a project which started in August and ends on Armistice Day, November 11th.
There's still a little time left to see the poppies before they're dismantled so have a look here for further information: http://poppies.hrp.org.uk

It’s a break…but not as we know it

People always ask me what I get up to during an international break. The answer is, quite a lot. Years ago international games would be the preserve of Premiership players only but that’s no longer the case.

At Reading, like many Championship clubs, more than half our first team were called up to represent their countries which is, of course, a great honour for them. It also means there’s no real opportunity for the first team to train as a cohesive unit during this period.

As manager I feel responsible for all our players, whether they’re coming to Hogwood Training Ground to manage their injuries or playing internationally, so I always make sure I watch every international game they are involved in, either live or recorded.

This break was particularly memorable as so many players enjoyed key moments in their careers which I hope will stay with them for some time to come.

Alex Pearce was a sub in the Republic of Ireland’s hard earned 1-1 draw with world champions, Germany, while goalkeeper Adam Federici enjoyed a full 45 minutes for Australia as they lost 1-0 to Qatar.

Oliver Norwood set up the first goal as Northern Ireland were comfortable 2-0 winners over Greece while Hal Robson-Kanu scored for Wales in their crucial 2-1 win over Cyprus which kept them top of Group B.

Perhaps surpassing all of this though were the international debuts of two young Reading players - Hope Akpan, 23, for Nigeria and Jake Taylor for Wales.

Taylor, who’s 22, joined Reading as a wide eyed eight-year-old and has been at the club ever since progressing through the junior ranks, Academy and now into the first team.

Taylor’s rise from aspirational schoolboy to international debutant is testament both to his own ambition and discipline and to the structure of Reading’s Academy which is, undoubtedly, one of the best in the country.

When Taylor returned from international duty he told me it had been the best experience of his young life and training, and playing, alongside Gareth Bale had showed him how hard he needed to work on his own game, and fitness, if he wanted to make it at the very highest level.
He said the experience had left him totally inspired.

I hope they’ll be many more Jake Taylors in Reading’s first team in years to come. In fact the pathway to success is well established and I’d like to see us aim for a 50 per cent transition rate from Academy to first team. That would be a fantastic achievement and one I believe possible.

But all that takes time and commitment as well as an ability to be patient today in order to build and mould teams for tomorrow. Unless I give youngsters a chance to step up and experience life as a first team player the progression will be slower and less successful. That’s why I’ve given seven of the Under 21 squad a first team debut this season.

Away from the pitch the break is also a chance to enjoy the game and share my experiences with others.  I was a guest speaker at the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, at John Moores University in Liverpool where I gave an insight into professional football and how young students can make themselves more employable in the football sector. 

Talking Science: Student Giltan Baptiste (left to right), Nigel Adkins, Dr David Richardson, Director, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Clayton Kabati.

I also managed a trip back to my home town, Birkenhead, and a time honoured tradition of watching Tranmere Rovers play at home to Plymouth with my Dad.

Back in Reading there was a chance to catch up with the wider community through a,  ‘Meet the Manager’ question and answer evening, at the Stadium.

The fans are the life blood of any club so it’s important for me not only to interact with them but to hear their concerns, fears and aspirations. I always enjoy these evenings as it’s a chance to explain some of the philosophy behind our work, in a more intimate setting, and to give an insight into what we’re doing. In that way I hope everyone can enjoy, and understand, the club’s vision for the future.

During the break I also get regular updates on our injured players and we use the time to evaluate the fitness and endurance of those players who are not called away on international duty. Every player is tested at Solent University at the beginning of the season and then at various points throughout. The data we get back is invaluable in assessing how players respond to training and what, if anything, needs refining or adapting in the weeks and months ahead.

So, yes, it’s a break but it’s also an opportunity to observe other players within the club which is why I watch both Academy and Under 21 games. It may be a break from two Championship games a week, every week, but it’s never a break from football.

Well played Millwall

It’s been a difficult few weeks for football as clubs, coaches and players have made front page headlines for all the wrong reasons.

But football clubs, across the country, also do a lot of good through outreach and awareness programmes which often go unseen, and unsung.

Congratulations, then, to Millwall FC for this excellent film. It’s a poignant, and timely, reminder of the sacrifices football and the football community made 100 years ago.