Ben Welch is figuring out how to be a decent kids football coach and a better Dad.
He's joined by coaching experts, ex-pros as well as football industry folk and internet friends to help him navigate the minefield of parenting and grassroots kids football.
It's meant to be for fun, but sometimes it's hard to remember - It's Only Kids Football.
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Ben and Mike tackle one of grassroots football’s biggest false divides: the idea that fun and development can’t coexist. From debates around training more than once a week and mixed-ability teams, to the realities of repetition, confidence-building and unseen work away from the pitch, they unpack what actually helps kids improve — and enjoy the game more. The conversation weaves through emotional challenges of coaching your own child, managing expectations of volunteer coaches, the role of paren...
In this episode, Ben and Mike welcome back Michael Fox, former Peterborough United academy coach and now head coach at Focusing on Excellence Football Academy, to tackle one of grassroots football’s most debated topics: playing out from the back. Drawing on his first season coaching in grassroots, Michael shares how academy principles can work at under-9s and under-10s level—despite the retreat rule, mixed ability squads and limited game time. The conversation explores how to teach children to s...
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 re...
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 se...
Former Manchester United power development coach Mick Clegg discusses his unique approach to building elite athletes, drawing on decades of experience with players like Cristiano Ronaldo. He highlights the importance of experiential knowledge, integrating diverse sports into football training, and focusing on fundamental skills over complex modern methods. Mick also provides practical advice for grassroots coaches and parents, stressing the need for honesty, effective communication, and fostering a deep understanding of a child's learning process.
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 the...
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 behavi...
This episode dives into the nagging anxiety every parent-coach secretly carries: Am I actually doing a good job? Should I be doing more? Ben and Mike relive a chaotic comeback win featuring a spectacular warm-up wipe-out and a pre-match team talk that fell apart faster than a cheap pop-up goal. But beneath the muddy knees and over-enthusiastic touchline gesticulations lies something far more important: real progress. Raph and Alf bounce back from a crisis of confidence with maturity, Ollie finds...
In this episode, Ben and Mike relive a turbulent fortnight in their grassroots coaching journey — from a humiliating 7–1 collapse to an emotionally charged comeback win built on grit and passing football. What starts as a defensive nightmare spirals into soul-searching: confidence crises for both boys, sideline meltdowns, overthinking, burnout and the heavy emotional load that parent-coaches quietly carry. But woven through the chaos are powerful moments of connection: an unexpected message from...
In this episode, former Southend and Dagenham & Redbridge winger Damien Scannell sits down with Ben and Mike for an honest, vulnerable and often hilarious conversation about fatherhood, identity and the emotional minefield of kids’ football. Damien reflects on his own childhood — growing up without parents on the touchline, finding freedom in grassroots football and watching his brother go through the academy system far earlier than he did. He explains why that contrast shaped his views on p...
In this episode, former Crystal Palace and Brighton striker Glenn Murray joins Ben to reflect on his childhood in grassroots football, the memories that shaped him and the pure joy of playing with friends before the pressures of the professional game took over. He opens up about the car-ride home truths that built his resilience, the emotional tightrope parents walk, and why honest feedback matters — but only when delivered with care. Glenn also reveals what he’s like on the touchline watching h...
Ben and Mike deliver their most emotionally honest episode to date — a rollercoaster through three tough grassroots games, a confidence crisis for both of their sons, a sideline flashpoint and a revealing look at the hidden strain of being a parent-coach. They talk honestly about shouting, pressure, overthinking, the pain of watching your child struggle and the moments that make you want to walk away from coaching completely. But this isn’t just about their team. The episode widens into the bigg...
In this episode, Ben and Mike welcome Nick Green, Football DNA ambassador and seasoned youth coach with experience across England and Australia, for a deep dive into the emotional and tactical side of coaching young players. Drawing from his work in academies and grassroots football, Nick shares how to create a positive environment that builds belief and resilience in kids—especially when confidence dips or results don’t go their way. From using reflection and delayed feedback to managing “car-r...
Ben and Mike are back with their most explosive episode yet — a day that should’ve been all about wonder goals and winning football turns into a masterclass in how not to behave on the sidelines. After a brilliant first half, a confrontation between parents spills over, forcing Ben to face the uncomfortable truth: for all his talk about calm and composure, he’s just as capable of losing it when the kids are caught in the crossfire. With the dust barely settled, the pair welcome their fiercest ri...
In this episode, Ben and Mike welcome clinical psychologist, performance coach and author Dr Kate Lund to unpack one of the hardest balancing acts in youth sport—how to build resilience in children without turning them into emotionless robots. Drawing from her work with young athletes and parents, Dr Lund explains why modern resilience goes beyond “toughen up and get on with it.” She shares practical strategies for coaches and parents to help kids manage frustration, recover from mistakes and th...
Ben and Mike return with one of their most honest episodes yet, tackling a feeling every parent-coach knows but few admit: the desperate, irrational need for your child to play well when someone’s watching. What begins as a normal weekend of grassroots football — a couple of big games and the usual sideline chaos — spirals into a raw reflection on pride, pressure, and parenting. When Ben’s son Alfie picks up an injury and struggles through a match with a friend in the crowd, it triggers a wave o...
What happens when a Premier League goal scorer goes back to where it all started — the grassroots pitches that shaped him? In this heartfelt episode, Dwight Gayle opens up to Ben and Mike about his journey from being a child prodigy at Arsenal’s academy to rediscovering his passion for the game after being released at just 12 years old. He shares powerful insights on identity, rejection, and resilience, explaining why being “Dwight Gayle the footballer” almost cost him his love of the game — and...
Ben and Mike return to the touchline for an episode that captures everything maddening and magical about grassroots football. One match leaves them questioning their tactics, their tempers and even their sanity — but also delivers a reminder of why they keep coming back week after week. In the latest instalment of their season diary, the dads relive a pair of unforgettable games — both dramatic, both wildly entertaining, but each ending in very different emotions. From the elation of everything ...
In this episode, Ben and Mike sit down with Ross Clarke Brooks—UEFA A-Licensed coach at West Ham United and Football DNA content creator—to tackle one of grassroots football’s toughest challenges: coaching kids to defend. Ross draws on over a decade of experience working with young players to share practical ways coaches can introduce defending without killing the fun. From teaching body positioning and decision-making in small-sided games to using creative analogies that kids understand, he exp...
Ben and Mike kick off the new season with equal parts optimism and exasperation. Pre-season friendlies brought slick football, impressive wins and a series of great goals, but also reminded the coaching duo not to get too carried away. The first league match against Hullbridge Sports was supposed to be routine – until the boys froze on the grass, the opposition dug in and a last-gasp equaliser left everyone deflated. Off the pitch, Ben admits that old habits of snapping at his son have crept bac...
In this episode, Ben and Mike are joined by Neal Lattimore, strength and conditioning coach at Peterborough United and founder of Active Performance Gym. Drawing on this experience working with academy players, Neil breaks down one of youth football’s biggest questions—when and how kids should start physical training. The conversation covers what to focus on at different ages, how to navigate growth spurts safely and why proper movement, balance and coordination matter more than heavy lifting. N...
In this episode, Ben and Mike sit down with renowned coach James Galanis, best known for his work with World Cup winners and elite US internationals, to unpack what grassroots football can learn from the highest level. The conversation dives into James’s philosophy that coaches are “creators of environments” and why the biggest obstacles to player development are often not kids, but parents. He shares powerful stories, including how a single car ride can destroy a child’s love for football and o...
Ben and Mike gear up for the new season with a mix of excitement, dread and brutal honesty. They look back at the Essex Royal Tournament — a reminder of how far they’ve come since that nightmare first outing — and ask if this year’s squad can handle the jump to 7-a-side. With nine players, equal game time and two new signings, the boys finally have the steel they’ve been missing. But will concentration lapses, emotional meltdowns and dodgy coaching hold them back? The dads set targets for their ...
Ben and Mike sit down with Dave Bricknell — long-time Tottenham coach and scout who first spotted Harry Kane — and Ben’s uncle, Arty, Dave's assistant manager, while running a youth team back in the 90s. Dave gives an honest assessment of Ben’s son Alfie’s recent Spurs trial, pinpointing what he needs to improve to reach the next level. Then Dave and Arty tell stories of grassroots battles and their management style and reveal what it’s like when a future Premier League star lands in your team. ...
In this episode, Ben and Mike are joined by Chris Platts—a career coach working with professional clubs, parents and young players—to explore what grassroots football can learn from elite environments. They take a candid look at the world of professional football academies—highlighting the pressure, uncertainty and harsh realities behind the polished image. Chris offers valuable insight into the emotional and developmental toll the system can take on young players and their families and how to a...
In this episode, Ben and Mike tackle one of grassroots football’s trickiest challenges—teaching positioning—with the help of Michael Fox, a seasoned coach with 14 years at Peterborough United and now head coach at the Focusing on Excellence Football Academy. Michael shares his approach to helping young players understand space, shape and decision-making without overwhelming them or losing the fun. The discussion explores when kids start to grasp positioning, how to simplify concepts using visual...
What happens when a Premier League striker swaps stadium roars for Sunday league sidelines? In this emotional and brutally honest episode, Charlie Austin returns to the pod to talk with Ben and Mike about his two-year journey coaching his son’s grassroots team. From coaching kids with ADHD to navigating “dad vs coach” guilt, Charlie opens up on what it really taught him about football, parenting and himself. He talks letting go, trial day nerves, dealing with pressure, grassroots politics and wh...
This week, Ben and Mike, chat with Ben's old football manager Martin Skinner—a legendary (and unfiltered) former coach of the Brentwood Boys. In this episode, Martin unloads a treasure trove of memories: crazy van rides, dodgy leg rubs, makeshift training camps and a philosophy that mixed old-school discipline with raw devotion. With his trademark wit and razor-sharp memory, Martin reflects on how he stumbled into coaching, what it was like managing Ben and the challenge of running a youth team ...
This week, Ben and Mike sit down with Paul Barry, head of coaching at Crystal Palace for U8–U12s and a 28-season veteran of the foundation phase. Paul offers real insight on what really matters when coaching kids—from using words like "fireworks" and "magnets" to help the kids understand tactics and shape, to handling overzealous parents with clear communication and understanding. Expect smart, practical advice on managing the jump from 5-to-7-a-side, improving player focus and how to set up a k...
In this episode of It’s Only Kids Football, Ben and Mike are joined by former Arsenal and England full-back Kieran Gibbs for a chat about the grassroots experiences that shaped his professional journey and the mission driving his post-playing career. From Sunday mornings with the Purley Panthers to the pressure cooker of Hale End and winning trophies with the Gunners, Kieran shares vivid memories, hard lessons and the importance of keeping the joy in kids’ football. He talks candidly about the e...
