Time for an SDH Network one D one and for this one we head to Taxoma and catch up with someone whose business card now has information on the front and the back, I think, because now Adrian Forbes is now no longer just the man in charge of the sporting aspects of things. He goes from sporting director to sporting director and the new head coach of Texoma and
USL League one. As everybody's getting ready for that, Texoma FC's new master of everything, Adrian Forbes coach, thanks for dropping by for a one B one.
Absolutely my pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Let me ask you this first and foremost for those that don't know your story, how did you end up in the triplex of Sherman Ada Ardmore and get to this particular point in your coaching career and your football career.
Well, let's go back.
Really fortunate enough to have had a career out in the UK that took on the plane for the teams and likes of Norwise City, Swansea, Blackpool, Millwall, Grimsby Town and represent in my country, England at youth level. So really fortunate enough to have lived the dream that so many young men and girls out there wanted to achieve. I was lucky enough to achieve that, and off the back of that, that took me on a coaching route
which sick on rolls. Initially when I had to quit playing after nine operations on one knee, working for Norwich's recognized charity of the Community Sports Foundation, where Ian Thornton and a gentleman by the name of Dan goff And gave me my first opportunity to really delve into coaching. That took me then onto a full time role working for Norwise City's Academy as the main part of developing their younger players.
At the club.
Changes to the lead staff at the academy there then took me on Toton Town, where I would say my career really flourished from a coaching point of view, going in there as a head of coaching, but also taken on roles as first team coach in some tough times, notably working alongside Nathan Jones when we were ten points to drift at the bottom of the championship, but being his first team coach which allowed us to somehow, I don't know how, recover those ten points and stay in
the championship. I still don't know how we almost achieved the impossible dream and.
That one and then you know that then led me on to have the role of running the.
Club's development team, which was just underneath the first team. They're working closely with Robert Edwards and his first team staff there as well, So some amazing roles. But a chance meeting, shall we say, via LinkedIn linked me with Ben Watson and Simon Keyser at texomer Ce, mainly with a viewpoint of trying to build a link between what was being built here at texomer.
And what had already been built at Luton Town.
For whatever reason, it wasn't right for Lutontown at this point in time to build that partnership. It might be something that hopefully I can explore later on down the line with the connection that I have with the club, But that led to me building an unintentional relationship with Ben and Simon and that led to them offering me the opportunity to come across as the sporting director. So yeah, not something I planned for, not something I expected. But listen here.
I am how much of a culture shock was it for you to go from Canaries and Swans and full disclosure, remember the Swans Trust to go from there to what you're doing there at Texama. How much of a shock to the system was it for you?
Oh? Massive?
Because you know, I've always been that guy that has said, you know, as a youngster, I want to realize a dream of being a professional footballer. Then you step away from that and you go, I want to realize that dream of being the best possible coach stroke youth developer that I can, so, as I said a moment ago, given as many people the opportunity to fulfill their dream as I can. And then all of a sudden, there's this sporting director's role put in front of you, and you're going, hmm.
Interesting.
I've seen sporting directors work, whether it be Stuart Webble when I was at Norris City or certainly Paul Watson at Luton Town and seen what they do and see how they are instrumental in shaping a club on a
day to day basis. And then it's that mental battle and that almost imposter syndrome of can I do this role because my background is in playing and you've development, But actually now I have a real strong or real good opportunity to really impact on not just developing players but hopefully developing.
Staff as well.
And it's something that I grew to realize that I took pride in anyway without realizing I was taking pride in that and realizing that actually there was far more to me than I realized when I actually delved into the sporting director's role, and that was something I went, Okay, I'm forty five years old. Now this opportunity has woken something up in me that I didn't realize was in me.
Let's jump too fitted into it unless you know, let's see where it can take us.
Have you always thought of yourself, maybe in the back of your mind but not activated on it. Have you thought of yourself as a always as a builder or as someone who maintains or how would you characterize yourself as you go into this work here at Tech?
Sim a builder one hundred percent. The builder.
Whether it's building that relationship with a young player that's going to allow that player to buy into what I believe in him, to give him the best opportunity to fulfill his dreams.
That's about building.
Whether it's having a clear understanding of what that individual needs to help them realize their dream. How do we build the right platform for that person, and how do we build the right step in stones for that person to achieve what they want to achieve. That's building. So everything for me is that, even my own personal journey, you know, how do I build the right knowledge base and the right and relevant qualifications to allow me to achieve what I want to achieve has all been about building.
If I look at what I went on to achieve from a coaching point of view, starting with the Community Sports Foundation of Norwich City with the club's charity, to building my profile and building my knowledge base and building my skills and expertise to then be able to go and impact on academy players at Norwige's Catwe Academy, to then building that detail, that knowledge base and the expertise to then become a head of coaching and then a first team coach and then be able to run the
development team at Luton. It's always been about building. But as I say, I think this opportunity made me realize that that's what I'm almost made to do and what I'm almost shaped to do, or what sorry, my previous career as a player has shaped me to do, so not something that I realized i'd be doing, but unbeknown to me underneath, I think I've probably realized that that's probably or this is probably.
The role for me from earning fifty six cents a mile with all of the time that you've been spending in a car, are learning about TECHSOMA. How would you describe what football means, not the American football, but the other football, the football that we're talking about, what it means to the fabric of that particular part of the US.
I think it's going to be an educational piece, to be honest with you.
I think it's going to be the first time there's obviously obviously being a professional club in this area. So there's a lot of learning and there's a lot of information and detail that we're going to need to give to the local community to get one hundred percent buy in. I think if you came across talking about American football, everyone knows straight away exactly what you're talking about and
the real landscape of it. But bringing professional soccer to Sherman, where the team's going to be predominantly based in Dennison, it's a completely new entity for everyone. And you know, season ticket sales have been superb so far and there's a lot of noise around what we're doing, but we still need to create more noise, and we still need to build a brand and an identity that allows the community to gain an understanding of what we were about.
Because we want to be noticeable in the community. We want the community to know what we are, and we want that community to feel part of what we are building.
And you know, it's important for me to try and.
Build out a roster of players and build a team that that person in the community can turn up and watch us play and feel part of that can turn up and watch us play and say, oh, I see myself in that staff member, or I see myself in that player that's playing. And you know, I use a stupid analogy of I want to create a team and start building a history and a legacy that gets bums on seats as it gets the fans through the gate.
But then also with the style of play that we've got gets bums off seats because they're excited about what might happen. They're excited about when this individual receives the
ball and what he might do. So community is key for me and no football club, wherever you are in the world, is nothing without building that rapport and that relationship with the community, and that's something that you know will be instrumental in hopefully what can be a successful soccer club football club in years to come.
I would imagine that your phone slash whatsad blew up once this announcement was made. How wide ranging have the conversations been? And I imagine that you have unlimited international minutes when it comes to your phone these days. How wide ranging are we talking? It's like, oh, yeah, what's going on there? What are the conversations been like? And who where have you been able to be reached out from. I guess it's been really.
Interesting, you know for me, and that when I was offered the initially the sporting director's role you know in the UK, was quite a big deal that I'd been given this opportunity and already positive, which been amazing. But then when the head coach role was announced, it went crazy and I, in my little mind couldn't have them why And then someone here that works at the club said, but what you need to realize is the head coach over here, from a US point of view, is the
main person. Yes, there is sporting directors, there's general managers. But the head coach is the head coach and I, ah, right, okay, me holding my hands. I innocently hadn't looked at it like that because the landscape in the UK is slightly slightly different around that.
But yeah, it's gone a little crazy.
I'm still trying to work out how certain people have managed to find my email address. But also there's been a lot of people that have been really accommodating and really understanding of the fact that you know, what we're doing, where and where we are within the journey of what we're doing. But also the harsh reality is I need those people to get in touch. I need to have those conversations with people in order to make this club a success. So I'm not going to moan about it.
I'm going to take it in my stride. I'm going to embrace it, and you know, ultimately, hopefully by embracing it and having those conversations with those right and relevant people, it will hopefully allow me to gain their help, expertise, knowledge and understanding that I need to make a success of the two roles.
Adrian Forbes now adding head coach to the role of sporting director at TEXOMASC getting ready for USL League one. It's going to be there before you know it. And I say it that way because everybody's oh, yeah, twenty five, Yeah, twenty five. No, twenty five is like right there. I know. And this is a question that I ask a lot of the startup organizations that we do with these one
v ones. I know there is a to do list in there somewhere, and it could be in a WhatsApp group, It could be in an email chain, could be in a pdf, could be in a Google doc, could be on outside of the camera range that I'm staring at you right now in your office, one of those big four foot by eight foot wide dry erase boards that's got all the lines and the different colored dry erase markers going in different directions. And where is this to
do list? And what do you think the next thing that you, either as head coach or sporting director can cross off of that list as you get ready for USL League one? What do you think that is?
How many lists do you want? Because there's a you.
Like I said, you're different people. Might be a list for a head coach, might be a list for that hit me, and that is it?
You know that there are different lists at the moment for different people, obviously, but on my to do list at the moment is player signings.
That's that's the reality.
You know, we need to build out a roster of players that can compete in USL League one next season. You know, there'll be a lot of teams and a lot of people out there that are going, oh, they're a year one, they're a startup. Yes, we are, one hundred percent. We are, and that's obvious and that's there for everyone to see. However, you know, if we're going to do it, let's try and do it properly, and if we're going to do it, let's try and do
it to the best of our ability. And that will come down to the team that we put out on the field on a match day, because ultimately, we want to create a roster or a squad of players that can compete and we want to win games.
That's the nature of the Beast.
At any soccer or football entity wherever you are in the world, it's about points and it's about winning games.
You know, I'm well versed in that myself.
But equally, you know, I want to build out an environment here where players can feel safe, players can feel supported, and players can come into training each day knowing that, yes, they are going to be improved and developed as a player, but they're also going to be improved and developed as a person.
And I'm a person first person. That's me. The better the person, the better the player. And if we can make sure we're taking care.
Of our players in a way that allows them to know that they can come in and feel safe, secure and thrive, then that will hopefully need to a team on the pitch on a match day that feels safe, feel secure, and can go and express themselves. And that's
what I want to create. So there's lots of conversations going on in the background at the moment with several players, and it is them sounding us out as a club and us sounding them out as individuals as well, and making sure that the fabric of that individual fits into our beliefs and our values as a club as well, because I know firsthand it only takes the one bad egg or the one bad individual that can really upset
the group. And it's so important to do your due diligence in your background detail to make sure you do bring in the right players for the environment that you're trying to create. Having said that, though, I also do personally think it's important that with doing your due diligence, you making your own viewpoints as well in that individual and making sure that you are happy and you are comfortable with the individual that you're bringing into a club.
Other people may have worked with that player or with that agent, with that individual before and will have their own personal beliefs and values and what they think of that individual. But for me, I want to be able to judge that person's character for myself. Am I going to get everyone right?
Of course?
Not no manager does, no exporting director does. But opportunity is what we want to try and create for people. And as I say, environment is key for me in building the right culture where individuals can come in here and thrive and hopefully that will bring some success down the line as well.
How much did you know about USL slash, USL League one, slash as Sporting director, USL League two and WN aspects and all that kind of stuff coming into this.
I had a knowledge, but not a detailed knowledge being open, being honest, transparent, and when contact was first made there was a lot of time and energy spent on really doing my research and really gaining a good understanding of the landscape over here because it is so vastly different to different to the UK.
Have ill.
Mentally manufactured or got my head around all the leagues below USL League one and two. No, because there are so many leagues and looking into the college years and the levels that are played there, there's so much. But I'm really fortunate and I've got some really good staff around me that have a much greater knowledge of that aspect of the game over here that they can educate me.
And you know, I've not shied away from that, giving the people the autonomy to tell me and advise me and help me and support me with that, because you know, we're all shaping things together, so we're all learning together.
But what I also do know is there'll be many a manager out in the Premier League that have an understanding in the Premier League but I've never coached or worked in it before, but still go across there and make a success of it because they have the right policies, that have the right procedures and they have the right processes that has allowed them to be a success. And certainly that's The way I've looked at this role is that, of course I don't know everything, and I'd be foolish.
To see here in front of you and say that I do.
But what I do have is the right work ethic, and the right attitude and the right humility for as for help and support if I don't know. But once I do know, I'll make sure that I remember it. I'll make sure that I implement things. And even at the age of forty five, I'm happy to learn. I want to learn, and that's what I'll do.
How much USL League one watching have you done? Since you have picked up one job title and then a second job title? I mean, are you Are you familiar with what's going on with Los Bujos, the murder owls up in Omaha. You're taking road trips, so you're going to Statesboro, You're seeing what's going on with Tormenta or Greenville Triumph. What familiar are your watch? Are you camped out on weekends watching Central Valley Fuego is what I'm asking.
There's been a lot of watching. Have I got in the car or the flights have made those journeys? No, not as yet, because I'm also I've only been over here for yesterday, made exactly a month since I've been over here, because you know, getting into the US from a visa point of view, it came.
With his challenges. I'm not gonna lie to come with his challenges. And you know it's not just myself to's come across you know, the wife and kids.
You know, the wife has made a ridiculous sacrifice to come out here as well and give it up a fantastic job, to come out here and back me and support me and help me do this role. So the importance of helping her settle and helping the family settle.
As well as a paramount importance to me.
And I'm never going to deny that or shy away from that, because a happy home leads to a happy work life.
As far as I'm concerned that, I want her to feel safe and secure.
In allowing her to live her life and build out a life out here whilst Nanda in this job as well. So we've not been able to do those road trips yet. They will happen probably next year when the season starts. I'll be obviously seeing when I can go in and visiting clubs between our games so I know who we're playing next. But yes, the Internet and my laptop and certain other aspects of things that you can utilize to watch teams and research teams. They are being exhausted at
the moment and just gaining an understanding. You know, I'm watching. I'm not going to name the teams, but those that are listening and you will know. I'm still trying to fathom how I can be watching a team playing eleven v eleven game of soccer or football, but there's a
baseball pitch within the football soccer pitch. I'm like, it's blown my mind, but it is now my reality, and it just brings a different challenge as a sporting director and head coaching that how do you now set your team up for success with taking those factors into account as well, so important aspects of the role, important aspects of the job, but all things that just are going to improve me and develop me as a human, improve me and developed me as a head coach and sporting director,
and ultimately helping improve those players that are coming into the league if they haven't done it before, but those that have done it before, which hopefully I'll be able to bring some experience players and can hopefully help and educate myself and the players around navigating those issues as well.
So what is the next marker for you, either as sporting director head coach when it comes to Texoma? What is the next event, the next marker here in this Oh my god, I've only been here for a month and now I'm in my second month of doing this whole thing. What's the next thing that the next accomplishment that folks can sit there and look at. I forgot the Quad Cities. I forgot Dennison, So I mean you're Sherman Ada, Ardmore and Dennison. I completely forgot about Dennison.
But in the Quad Cities, what are you looking forward to? The most coming up soon that folks can latch onto there at Texoma, That.
First signing, that first key signing, where the fans can look at that and go, ah, right, here we go. Because at the moment it's I wouldn't say it's an unknown entity.
But until people really start seeing.
Oh, well this player is now going to sign, they've managed to attract this player from this club or from that club, people will really be able to start to I think, gain a bit of a better understanding and I also think it then becomes real, not saying it isn't,
because clearly it is and everyone knows it is. But it's when you start bringing those players in and you start getting the media attention that comes off the back of that, then all of a sudden Israel Because I do genuine believe that one will happen, then the next one will follow, and the next one will follow, and so on and so on, and that ripple effect will be there for everyone to see. So that first sign in which I'm hoping, is going to be sooner rather
than later. We're speaking to many, many, many an agent, as you can imagine, because so many of people are reaching out, and what's been really pleasing is there's a lot of people out there that want to be part of what's being built here. So yeah, really exciting that we might be able to make that signing soon that will send a bit of a marker, in a bit of an understanding to those who aren't really.
Too sure of them it.
I'm really looking forward to it. Named head coach of Texoma FC for the inaugural USL League One season coming up in twenty twenty five. So one business card says sporting director of Texoma FC. The other business card, or maybe on the back of the one that you've already have, says head coach, contact numbers and emails the same. I'm just going to say it this way, coach, looking forward
to it. Great that you've added titles. Great that things are moving forward there in the Quad Cities, right there in Texoma. Thanks for dropping by for a one v one. You know we're going to be keeping an eye on things and you have an open door policy. Anything going on. Hey, wave your hand in the air, sit there and go yo, John, I want to talk. It's going to be here for you. Great to have you here for a one v one. We'll catch up soon, my friend.
Thank you very much, much appreciate it.