 Well, hello and welcome to the official AFC Bournemouth podcast coming to you from Vitality Stadium We're here to bring you much closer to some of the personalities connected to the club And we've got an exciting one coming up for you today For those who normally tune in you might be wondering where our regular presenter Chris Templars Well, he's currently away on international duty at the Euros. No, not playing but as Wembley's official stadium announcer That means you're stuck with me Zoe Rundle part of the media team here at AFC Bournemouth Now, I hope you'll be pleased to hear that that's the only substitution for today's podcast It's club journalist and Bournemouth expert Neil Perritt is alongside me No, it's great to have you but a lot has changed since you last sat down to record a podcast We've had new management come in We've seen England United Nation in the Euros and you've even downloaded tiktok onto your phone Not only that Zoe I've actually managed to download it twice by mistake and my niece's had a lot of laughter in pointing that out to me when I Saw it. Yeah, you're right a lot certainly has happened, but that's football. That's the way things go, you know New manager like you said the euros are in full flow. It's it's almost been non-stop since since the end of last season Time to crack on with the more serious stuff Zoe We've got a superb guest on the show as you know, we try to encompass People from all over the club with these podcasts We've got one of our new members of staff who's kindly agreed to take time out of his busy preseason schedule to talk to us He's had experience of working at Spurs and Fulham and now finds himself on the south coast as a member of Scott Parker's backroom staff here It's fantastic to be able to welcome Matt Wells here. Matt is our new assistant head coach Matt Thanks very much for joining us. Nice a pleasure. Good to be here Right, I'm gonna give you an easy one to start with Matt So I'm gonna start my stopwatch and I'm gonna ask you to introduce yourself to Cherry's fans I'm gonna give you 30 seconds from now Eight seconds. I'm not sure I'm interested enough to speak for that long, but as you said so come in now with Scott as the assistant head coach Obviously previously at Fulham with Scott before that I was at Tottenham with Scott Starting my coaching journey and long before that working through Tottenham's younger age groups at Stevenage for a little while the Nike Academy briefed in the USA and Then obviously fortunate to meet Scott and now we're at the next stop of our journey at Bournemouth You seem to have done an awful lot and you don't look that old Yeah, it's probably a lot compressed into a short number of years, I guess Obviously, unfortunately, I'm sure we'll come to it but my playing career was was kind of a little bit short at the age of 20 So 32 now so about 12 years of coaching and in that time I've managed to experience a lot and different environments different cultures and and now we're here Let's go right back to the start of that footballing journey for you nine years old when you first joined Tottenham How did that all come about for you? It was a strange one really I was just playing for for my local team in where? so where town and Mickey hazard the ex-Tottenham player just happened to be there at a game and he was working at Tottenham And he asked me after the game to through my parents to come to his soccer school He used to run on a Friday night in the community and I went to that and One one session later he invited me to Tottenham For a six-week trial and after one week he signed me to to the academy And and that was how it all began under under Mickey's chew to Lidge and then went right through the system Tell us about some of the players that you would have progressed through the ranks with there And did you ever cross paths with Adam Smith? I did actually yeah, I did I did Adam was a little bit younger than me Obviously, but somehow we did manage actually or end up playing a couple of games together and so That probably speaks more for Adam than my ability because he'll think he was about four years younger for three years younger than me So I'm not quite sure how many age groups. I was playing down or how many he was playing up And then in terms of other players, so it's a top academy So a lot of talented players came through I'd say in the period when I was there It maybe wasn't it is best and then John McDermott came in and my first year as a scholar And he sort of transformed the approach of the academy and That's when you then saw a conveyor belt really of successful players come through so I think I missed the boat a little bit Probably the most successful graduate was Mark Wright who went on to be in the only way is Essex So I think he was the biggest success story at the time. There weren't many top players But a lot of good a lot of good league players came through From my age group the likes of Jack Magoma Simon Dawkins or had good good league career David Button in goal So there was some there were some good solid players there at the time You talked about some of the players that you've played alongside and those that you came through the ranks with you Touched on John McDermott tell us about some of the other coaches that you would have played under and who you learned off it was probably like Mickey Hazard was probably important for me bizarrely in terms of my coaching As strange as it seems obviously being that I met Mickey when I was nine and ten years old and played under him then but I Think you can never be sure but I think he sort of opened my eyes to a particular way of playing football that ended up Shaping my coaching career obviously a number of years down the line So I think Mickey was was really important for my journey at that time and then much later on once I went full time I was really fortunate to have John McDermott who's obviously probably the top player developer in the country In terms of individual player development of young players So I learned a lot from him and then Alex single thought came in as well Obviously is now at Liverpool and Alex was a big influence at the real when I first started coaching and made the transition from player to coach He was really good with me and very supportive and I was in with the under-18s Shadowing our on a daily basis and that was a really good learning curve So probably between Alex and John really important figures for me as a coach yourself now. Do you ever keep in touch with any of these people? Yeah, I do I spoke to Alex a couple of days ago Obviously Alex Football's a small world. So Alex had employed Gary O'Neill Was one of his coaches and obviously now it ends that I'm working alongside Gary So I was scheduled to speak to Alex anyway, but obviously Gary was was one of the subjects we discussed and and then also I'm probably lucky and the same with the gaffer that Because of our backgrounds coming through youth systems We've got great contacts at the likes of man United Tottenham Liverpool So that will hopefully help us attract young players if we need to do so in the future You spoke about, you know the gaffer there and we'll come on to that a little bit later on but going back to Spurs You spent 11 years there But injuries scoffed your chances of making it as a professional football. I just tell us a little bit more about that Yeah, I would say it was again I think at the time obviously football developed a lot and progressed a lot and I think at the time potentially The sports science program wasn't where certainly where it is now With the knowledge and the the program in the periodization of your work So perhaps I came through a full-time schedule where it was maybe a little bit too demanding for what my body could tolerate At the time, but obviously a lot of other players did come through so Perhaps I was just never destined to to survive the rigors of first-team football But I was a very good young player in terms of sort of my belief in myself and my reputation at the time from 9s to 16s But it just so happened once I went full-time For numerous reasons. I just couldn't stay fit and I've probably got more recollections of the treatment room than the actual pitch Which is disappointing, but this led me to where I am now So and when that playing career came to an end was it quite a natural step into coaching for you? When did you realize that you wanted to go into coaching? I think I was always I wouldn't say it was a conscious choice to go into coaching But I was always aware that I was much more interested in The game than what other players my age were who just sort of like to rock up to training do the session Generally moan about the session and then go home Which might be a typical trait of some players whereas I was Bizarrely and I don't know why a lot more interested in the intricacies of why are we doing what we're doing? How are the coaches going about it? I was always naturally maybe because of the position I played holding midfield I saw myself as the the brains of the team So I like to think about the strategic side of the game and Understand where the spaces were on the pitch So I had a real deeper interest in football than maybe what a lot of my peers did So I always knew that it might be an option and then obviously my career ended a lot sooner than than I had Anticipated and then it felt like a natural progression from there Where did that interest stem from at such a young age? I mean you must have been coaching people a lot older than you as well Yeah, I think I think it's really difficult to to pinpoint. I think with any obviously a work in development for a number of years So I was always a big believer that as a young player Something needs to ignite your interest in something but you can never really pinpoint what that moment is and I say I've got a hunch that Mickey's Mickey hazards The way that he coached me the way that he convinced me to see the game On a deeper level the way he believed in the passing game and he always used to Transmit that to us as players But why I took more of an interest in it than maybe some of the other lads I'm not quite so sure and then I think that that sort of interest in the game just fostered over a number of years and by the time I was 19 20 years old I was studying the game. I was used to record training sessions Which probably isn't a normal trait of a young footballer at 18 19 So yeah, I'm not exactly sure where it came from, but I'm glad it did and you got a qualification very young as well Yeah, yeah, I did all my I managed again because of my pathway and the disappointment of not making it as a player Even I guess how I responded to that perhaps suggested to me that internally I didn't have the desperation to become a player That some of the lads around me did and and I managed to respond to it quite positively And go into the coaching side pretty quickly and I think aside from you there's one thing is your qualifications and I would say the next thing is your real footballing education So for me what was invaluable course doing my B license at the time a very young age was big But working alongside and getting to watch Alex single for John McDermott Chris Ramsey all these guys that were operating At the top level Ricardo Moniz who was a Dutch skills coach who was at Spurs and they just sort of ignited my interest in coaching And and that was the the biggest qualification that anyone could have Just want to ask you about a couple of family members of yours one of whom The research was very easy to find that your grandfather was the Tottenham legend Cliff Jones Just tell us how influential he was he's been with you. Yeah massive and again This probably all is all links together Because obviously I was immersed in football from from such a young age with my granddad as you said Unfortunately, I was a little bit too young to to obviously witness the delights of his career, but Yeah, I've seen no no shortage of footage of him playing and heard copious stories from him And we have a very close relationship, which is which is amazing So no, he's been really important for me in in sort of my footballing development And I think the passion that I have for football most likely stems from having a figure like that within the family And another one which wasn't quite so easy to find out about them We're grateful to a long-term cherry supporter Keith Brewer who tipped us off about this link your great uncle Bryn Jones was a tough tackling left-back who made 131 appearances for the cherries in In the late 50s early 60s now you are only two when Bryn passed away So I imagine you don't probably know a great deal about him. Yeah, I don't think I've ever I've ever met Bryn But obviously through through my granddad Cliff And obviously my family as well. I've heard a lot of stories about him and Again, I think that that does contribute to the influence of football in my life I think it's funny that obviously everywhere I go at the moment there seems to be links Obviously, I went from Tottenham where there's a huge link to my granddad to then I moved to Fulham Which is the exact move my granddad made as a player when he was transferred from Tottenham to Fulham And now I've come to Bournemouth and obviously the connection with Bryn. So it's clearly clearly quite a footballing family At his unveiling press conference Scott Parker said that this club was the perfect fit for him Now, is it fair to say that Scott is the perfect fit for you in terms of your coaching? Yeah, definitely. I think I think the type of person that the the gaffer is I've I think he'd be the perfect fit for anyone as a in my position as a first-team coach and obviously I met Scott When when he first came in to do the under-18s at Tottenham I had been with the 23s But John McDermott moved me to work alongside Scott as he's he envisioned it being a good fit Which was clearly a good choice And it was yeah, it was a match made in heaven really because that Scott had just finished his his illustrious playing career came in with a great vision and some really exciting ideas About how the game should be played and it just so happened that we both had such in common as soon as we had the first Discussion it was clear that our vision for the game Was a perfect match So I think we both really helped each other in those initial phases because I was maybe able to Translate a lot of Scott's ideas to the pitch with the players because of my coaching background and Scott gave me a new lease of life in terms of The extreme nature of and how strong he was with his philosophy and vision for the game Have you had any good arguments with him about things? We have we have lots and I think that's probably the I would say the biggest strength of us as a staff And I'm sure maybe we'll come on to some of the other members of staff as well but We have a lot of confrontation and I think every healthy environment that strives To to be elite which is the biggest principle of the gaffer is that wherever we go he wants it to be well class And there'll never be a moment where no matter the success Whether it was obviously getting promoted in his first season at Fulham still at the end of that season He wasn't content and not just with all areas of the club, but the football inside as well There was no real celebration other than the night of the promotion. It was then okay We need to do this better. We can improve here. It was a big staff meeting He's amazing at giving every member of staff a voice And as a result we all have ownership and we all feel real responsibility in our area of work And I think we're all brave. We see criticism As a necessary vehicle to move forward and I think we'll always operate that way, which is which is really healthy He's your boss. Is he sort of like a good mate as well? I'd say we're really good friends, you know We've gone holiday together and so no, we're very close and and that side of it obviously makes I Think it helps because it makes the good times even better and it makes of course in football There's a a lot of down times and there's a lot of stress and I think if you didn't have that close relationship It could be difficult. So I think it really helps us and I think as I just said the the fact that we're that there's such a Psychological safety, I guess between the two of us with our relationship that we are able to be really blunt with each other He can with some of my coaching sessions He can be particularly blunt with no it needs to be more like this and then in other areas I have a voice to say to him look we need to improve here. We can do this better and we never take it personally It's all about improving and giving the best program we can to the players Speaking of having a voice you seem to have a very active role on the training pitch You know we see you out there on the vitality stadium pitch out on the training ground Sometimes a second in command can take a little bit more of a backseat, but that doesn't seem to be the case with you Again, I guess it comes back to I'd say one of the manager's biggest traits and he's got quite a few so probably not enough to list in his podcast But one of his biggest traits in terms of the staff working for him is that we're all empowered And he gives Ali Harris a huge amount of responsibility in terms of the physical programming He gives me a huge responsibility in terms of Devising and delivering the training program. He gives Bertie exactly the same with the goalkeeping Jonathan Hill Charlie the guys that came in with us. I think everyone feels a Massive responsibility and ownership to work in the way that they they see fit Of course all fit in within delivering Scott's philosophy that he wants delivered and we know him so well now that we Know what that is. We know the the mentality side of things So I think it probably all just stems from that really of course with that comes comes great responsibility So I think we all Touch wood. I'd like to think we've all got very good work ethics and we're just here to try and deliver the best program We can do you relish that responsibility because obviously he's putting a lot of faith and a lot of trust in you And and a lot of pressure as well because if you're in charge of sessions and you know Rob's in charge of the goalkeeper sessions. It's a lot of faith being put in you Yeah, I think so. I think it probably all comes down to what type of personality you are I think I respond personally. They really speak for myself. I respond really well to that because It's a privilege for for the gaffer to put that amount of trust in us and the staff And then also I tend not to think about it because really my main focus Is okay. We we come here say with we do have a very Use the word strict, I guess very strict philosophy and very Can be complex way of playing And it's about just trying to deliver that the best in the best way we can to help the players understanding of exactly what we want So my focus every day is just okay Where the it's like a jigsaw puzzle. I guess where did it where do we have to fit each piece within the physical Periodization so say for instance today Was probably our first lighter day in terms of the workload so we can go a little bit more in terms of a tactical nature of the work Whereas for instance two days ago. We had our first intensive work So it's work. Okay. What what outcomes within the physical outcomes can we fit on each day? So I really enjoy the challenge of the I quit the preseason puzzle of trying to fit in the right pieces at the right times to Help the players produce the best performance. They can in six weeks time and For you yourself, would you ever fancy a crack at being a head coach? Or are you quite happy sort of, you know working under someone and working towards that philosophy? It's never something I've thought about to be honest I think probably my my strength and skill set lies in the strategic side of the game that the delivering of the training sessions And I'm working for the gaffer and that's probably what I get the most pleasure out of so My aim and goal and my ambition is to become a specialist in terms of being an assistant head coach With this manager and I'm far from that yet. So I need to keep working at that You've mentioned a couple of the other coaches that Scott's brought in We'll start with the ones on the training pitch got Rob batch the goalkeeper coach and we've got Jonathan Hill our analysts Just tell us a bit more about them to start with. Yeah, so so Rob Probably a similar background to myself came through the Academy at Tottenham Made the leap to first team football that I've failed to make and played sort of a number of different clubs and had a really solid career in in the lower leagues of football and Then probably similar to myself when he finished playing He also had his injury troubles and then I think probably through me and there's another lad called Kira McKenna Who's a close friend of ours that is now the first team coach Man United and I think we were we were all close friends as young players And I think probably Rob saw that me and Kira had gone off on our coaching journeys and he then Stied his and and sort of did his hard yards at Tottenham through the Academy over a number of years went to England And unfortunately we were able to poach him and and take him to Fulham when we went there And that was sort of the beginning of our journey as a team working together And then you've got Ali Harris Charlie more more on that the Performance side of things in the sports science side of things just explain a bit more about their roles. Yeah, so so I forgot to mention John Hill. So obviously John analysis wise worked with me closely at Tottenham With with the under 18s program and with the gaffer for that one year So it's very very good in terms of the analysis side of things So again, he was a big coup for us at Fulham and then Ali obviously slightly different Ali We met at Fulham and he was delivering the sort of performance program there in terms of planning training and the physical The physical side of things, which is where he specializes And then it was only last season where we tried to again Like I said the gaffers always looking for where can we improve and one of the areas We felt was was in terms of the the gym program And so we just tried to see let's go and find the best the best in the country Which we felt was was Charlie Who happened to be working with Tottenham's first team at the time and I think again It speaks volumes for the gaffers vision that we were able to attract to Fulham Someone of Charlie's caliber who was working with Tottenham's first team So thankfully Charlie's joined the team now and I think we've got a really really good team When you see the likes of Charlie and Ali work You mentioned a little bit earlier on that when you were coming through the ranks of sports science side of things Wasn't quite there and it wasn't up to the standard It is now what are the differences, you know when you see those two working and the rest of the sports science department compared to When you were starting out all those years ago I think it's probably the the biggest step is which is now well documented in foot was probably just the Periodization of the training so in real simple terms is When do we on what days do we push them? How do we push them and then on what days do we need to come off them? And I think when I was a young player coming through I don't think that was quite that approach It was push them every single day regardless of the context of the week regardless of has he played a game Hasn't he played a game when's the next fixture? So I think that's where and then certainly the the work you do in the gym I think before it was maybe a one-size-fits-all approach whereas now I'd say in the real elite football programs is extremely individualized. So within the team context Every player's got their individual programming in the gym and even to some degree their physical work that they do on the pitch So I think that's where Ali and Charlie Excel and I think obviously the ask that then has to fit within the context of how are we gonna play? So that's then down to me and the gaffer to give Extreme clarity to them guys around the game model exactly how we're gonna play in and out of possession and in the transition moments And then they can tie the physical into that and so hopefully by the time you arrive on Saturday when you're playing your game The teams perfectly conditioned and raring to go in that moment I was gonna I was gonna ask you about interests outside of football I know you probably haven't got a great deal of time for for anything, but is it like golf or horse race? I don't know anything. What do you do? It is football to be honest. It's you're fully immersed in it and of course, I love love spending time with with family and As I say, I'm recently engaged Well a year ago now, and then we've got the wedding next next summer in June. So I Couldn't really sit here and pretend I've had much involvement with the planning of the wedding So Lauren's taking a lead on that but other than that. Yes football I'm obviously a huge sports fan and the thing around elite sports and You know, I like to the the small amount of time I do have I like to try and dedicate that to Self-development. So as you said earlier, I'm 32 years old. Okay, I've been coaching 12 years But I want to become the best up version of myself that I can be so read a lot of books Watch a lot of programs and listen to a lot of podcasts. So Yeah, a lot of time spent around that if you could swap places with any other sports person and be them alive or dead Who would that be? Oh, that's that is difficult Yeah, I've got no real good answer for that to be honest. I don't I don't sounds really boring But I don't think of it in that way I think you become so focused on your own development and and the owner of your sort of role You're playing within your own small team that we've got here That I'll just sort of dedicate all of my energy that I've got to just let's try and improve where can I get better? I think I've managed to develop a good sense of of Healthy criticism and being quite self-aware. So always just try and push myself to come on What can we do about how can how can I become a better coach? How can I deliver a better training program? What elements of the philosophy did we not manage to get across in the last couple of years? In sort of our first stint in first team football and then just work from there not been here a fortnight yet I've spoken to one of the players and done a piece with him He said it's the hardest first week of preseason. He's ever had What do you think about when you hear that? It's tough. I think it's what where we pitch it We come here with a very as I said a clear philosophy around How we're going to play how we're gonna try and dominate games and and to do that aside from the tactical side of the game In and out of possession we need to be the fittest team in the league and That's a belief we carry So there's no other to arrive at the end of that journey of Achieving that there is no other way than to work hard That player whoever it was probably wouldn't be happy to hear that we actually Adapted the program last week on about day four We came off the players and and probably the plan that we had devised We decided that it wasn't quite is it maybe pitched a little bit too high Because of course pre-season is always a balance of pushing the players Creating the mentality to work hard, but you want to keep every player on the pitch and out of the treatment room So we actually saw the first week as easier than what we had aimed for initially But of course like any good program you have to adapt and Feel the energy of the group and we felt it appropriate to just come off them But the work will get harder now in the next week So maybe interview them again after that one to be fair He did say that we we have worked hard to get where we are in our careers So we we are here to work hard. So it wasn't a complain or anything It was it's our job, you know, and they know that they get well paid for it and stuff like that Now it must have been difficult for you with the timing of everything planning for a pre-season because I would imagine You were probably planning for a pre-season somewhere else And now you're planning for a pre-season here and it started virtually the day after you all came in How difficult was that for you? And this is in terms of an utopia and an ideal preparation obviously wasn't that but Not that you would ever have complaints because we're joining a an incredible organization Already in the first as soon as we arrived here to sign the contracts and we had discussions with with the staff with Richard It was it was clear to us that this is I think Scott alluded to it in his first press conference that suddenly we felt aligned in terms of Scott's vision the vision of the club that this is a long-term project That we all need to trust in we need to trust in them They need to trust in us the way that we work So I think the excitement for the challenge ahead of us far outweighs any complaints you could have about ideal preparation I think in terms of Ali in terms of Charlie in terms of Myself having the football program in in place anyway Of course the the geography of where we're now delivering it a change But and then we made of some small adaptions to it But now we were fully prepared to deliver the work that we will we want to deliver and of course We had experience of previous pre-seasons that we could draw on so we're really happy with the plan that we've landed on and as I say We adapt that each week as we go Following on from what Neil was saying for you obviously Scott's come in here and you know you've seen what's here already He's spoken about getting you guys in for you Was it always a given that if Scott could go he would take you with him as that conversations that you had before or was it Look, I've been offered this head coach position at Bournemouth. I would like you to come with me How how does the dynamic sort of work in that situation? I think probably the only guarantee was is from my direction that If the opportunity is there to go with the gaffer up I would go I would go wherever he wanted to take me So obviously I wouldn't want to speak for him I'd like to think that where ever he goes he would he would want me to come with him because as we say we've got such a close relationship Both personally and and in that sort of on and off the pitch in a working sense as well So yeah, I wouldn't want to say Concretely in case it came back to bite me, but definitely from from my perspective. I think aside from our passion in football I'm sort of for a want of a better phrase attracted to the gaffers vision for the game and Sort of his his motivation and the way he excites all of us as a staff I think we'd all say the same if you ask us that we'd follow him wherever he wants to take us so touch wood and that must speak volumes for him, you know, because if you know, you're so keen to come with him it says a lot about his Managerial skills of his staff let alone the players and obviously it's him working on the training ground trying to get the best At the players but also for you He's got to manage his staff and you you do certainly seem like a very tight unit Would that be fair to say? I'd say we're really tight and I think you you have to be I Was lucky enough to observe Pochettino's regime at Tottenham very closely and I think that was the one thing that stood out to me there was the tightness of the staff and I think that's really important in football and in any elite organization that We've got a little phrase that there can be no gaps and I think sometimes players will tend to Try and exploit certain gaps and if they find that within the staff and that's to the detriment of your program so I think because we are so tight in terms of the respect we have for each other, but also I feel that our program is is very very tight and there's no hiding spaces within it I feel like it just gives real clarity to the players. They know Hopefully it's clear already to them. They know how we operate. They know our expectations and as long as they fit within that Then they'll hopefully like to think they'll have a really enjoyable experience with us and those that don't okay Then they might have to be a different path in that instance But so far the players have been excellent and we've seen the players out there doing double sessions a session in the morning a session Sometimes in the afternoon, what's the thinking behind those sessions and how do they sort of work? Would you have one sort of fitness-based one ball work? Just explain the dynamic of those a little bit every day has a different dynamic within the schedule So we sort of have a larger-scale plan obviously for the whole of pre-season And then we have the smaller-scale plan of week by week day by day And then of course it's subject to change because we are big on feeling the energy of the group and Do we need to accelerate and can we push the accelerator now and up the level of demands? Or do we need to come off them now because that session we pitched a little bit too high or they didn't quite respond How we thought they would we thought they'd find that easier actually they found it really tough So okay tomorrow we might have to adapt but in terms of the the double sessions and they'll continue Again, maybe the players won't want to hear this, but they'll continue throughout the whole season It's not just okay, of course at the moment. There's a different nature of work in terms of the physical side of things but We're huge on the the mentality the culture And the only way to achieve that is to is for all of us to understand we have to work and we have to work hard That's what we're paid to do And if we want to be the best team that we can be not just a good team if we want to be a great team Which is the the vision of this manager? Unfortunately the only way to do that is to work is to be out on the training pitch is to push ourselves To levels that we've never been to To be open which is what something we demanded the players like be open to our way of working It might be different. It might be more demanded than you faced in the past There's always a natural phase that you go through where there can be moans. There can be groans. Oh, this is hard That's hard But hopefully eventually because of how we feel it's planned correctly It's never dangerous and they'll get to a point where it just becomes habit and they won't be moaning anymore They'll just be like they'll be demanding the hard work themselves. Well, that's the idea It sounds like you have to be very adaptable as you say, you know If you pitch something too high or you want something to be at a higher intensity It certainly sounds like you have to you know be able to adapt to the situation. You have to be you have to be Well class in your prescription of the work as I said before when to push when to ease And the only way you can achieve that is if every department at the club not just the coaching department Our job coming in as six members of staff to a new environment with a lot of existing staff around us We have to transmit our beliefs our cultures our behaviors to them and make it real clear so that they can help us Achieve down we can work as one team again back to that no gaps in the program And I think if the medical team the sports science team the doctors if we're all working in that way And we all share the same mentality and we're all aligned and it's a cohesive program Then you should be able to deliver really really difficult hard work in terms of how you pitch it to the players But keep players out of the treatment room and on the pitch at the same time and and that's that's the task That's where we need to do our jobs. Well, and it's a fairly young squad that we've got here at the moment as a Young coaching staff. Does that help you have a relationship with them? I Wouldn't necessarily say so I'm always a big believer that The player you need to be credible. You need to in your own way Everyone there's there's no blueprint for all you need to behave like this as a coach. You need to everyone's different I think probably point number one is be authentic be yourself. You can't act And so I wouldn't necessarily say it's anything to to do of age if anything I'd say Perhaps I'm a little bit older now, but when I was coaching when I was 22 I was coaching players that were 20 21 years old It was difficult them because but in the other way because you have to you want to try and create a distance from the players and maybe the natural disposition of you Coaching someone around your same age is you can become close Again, I don't think I think it's how you How you build your relationship and then how you use that relationship to ultimately improve the player and Improve the team and that's hopefully something we can do here on a serious note about the human interest You've spoken about your fiance there and I don't know where you live and stuff like that But there's an upheaval with moving clubs. Just tell us what that's been like for you Yeah, it's probably my first real experience of it. Obviously I went from Um previous to I suppose I experienced a little bit before but previous to My first job in coaching I went I was I went to America and did four months out there, which was an incredible experience Came back and at the time I lived in a place in the Hertfordshire And then I got a job at Stevenage. So 15 20 minute commute perfect Um at the end of that year I went to the Nike Academy, which was then at the time based at Loughborough University So I experienced moving away then so I used to stay residentially up at Loughborough University Um, and I think that was a really good experience at A youngish age of living away from home and probably helps build your independence Then got the call from Tottenham that they'd like me to come and take up a full-time coaching roll at Spurs Which was back to being 15 minutes from where I lived And then moved to Fulham Which was an hour and 15 drive in the morning. So perfectly manageable And now obviously Bournemouth Which is probably what definitely for me. I'm not not great at getting up early in the mornings or any earlier than I need to so It's it's not manageable for me in terms of a drive. So And I think it's important wherever you go is is to be fully invested and so At the right time when we get a chance to breathe I'll definitely try and make the move permanent here to Bournemouth And then of course you have discussions with with my fiance as it is and At the at this moment we're perhaps lucky not to have kids at this moment I think that makes it a little bit easier for me than perhaps some of the other lads who who have got bigger families So my main commitment is obviously Lauren and I think she's just delighted that that we're here that we're happy and She's really excited that as am I Brilliant just going back on that Hard work the work ethic that you Are instilling here You know when you go back years, I know my dad always used to laugh Oh, you know football is there any Train for half an hour a day and then they're off down the pub all the bookies and all that things have changed so much It is now A full-time job Monday to Friday and Saturday if you like Yeah, listen, it's all encompassing And I think that's the way it has to be really again. I can't speak for any other regime I think every every manager has different ways of Of managing the team of of scheduling and you hear a lot of success stories of teams that have won leagues by having days off midweek and Perhaps building the culture that way. So I think again, it comes back to authenticity and you can only Work in the way you believe achieve success and with this manager His belief is no, we always need to do more We always need to train more. We always need to work harder. We always need to do more in the gym We always need to do more video analysis And that's just I guess rubbed off on us as a staff And that then becomes the program that we deliver and the messages that we deliver to the players So I think it might be difficult from initially. We fully expect that But we just believe that's the way it has to be and especially as I said to Certainly through preseason although to a fan I think when they know pre-season has started to our first fixture say against West Brom That seems like a really long stretch of time for the fans I'm sure they just can't wait to get going whereas for us it feels like Well, that's a short space of time to deliver what we need to deliver And we won't be able to achieve it in that time We just have to make sure that come that first game We're we're a very very good team and then throughout the season We need to work to become a great team More content for the club website Yeah, I'm sure there will be as time goes on Just tell us about Emilio Marcon des the first signing of the Scott Parker era And the manager spoke yesterday about made reference to a game a couple of seasons ago where he came off the bench and Did very well for Brentford set one up and score one. Just just tell us about him Yeah, it's a really really exciting acquisition. I think for us as a club because As you mentioned there, I know the gaffer us as a staff we used to we used to discuss Emiliano In the office whenever we were playing Brentford He was actually a player that we didn't want on the team sheet And I think that that game we were actually relieved that he wasn't starting and then unfortunately he came off the bench and Yeah, had a huge impact on on them winning the game Up until then we were probably the the dominant side. So we're well aware of of Emiliano's Qualities and and now this period will be really important for him To get to know us for us to get to know him on a much deeper level as both a person and as a player because I think we all know as managers and coaches There's always certain players that you are attracted to when they play for the other team and Then you coach them yourselves and what of them and they have to fit he has to fit within Our game model and he'll have to deliver The aspects of the game that we want him to deliver, which I'm sure he will. He seems like a really really good guy with a really impressive work rate Joe a Tim Anderson who we coached Fulham is very good friends of him. So we always used to discuss him and since Emiliano has come in we've discussed joa So we have a little bit of a Connection there, which is good But he's a really really exciting signing and and I hope he can do great things for the club What about the personality behind the player you said you know all about his playing style etc, but you probably didn't know him How much work goes into Finding out about a player off the pitch if you like, yeah, I think it for me that's That's fundamental. I think we're with all the players over over time You have to you have to get to know them as a person And I think always treat the the person first and the player second and I think that makes you a better coach So We won't know how to really get our messages across to Emiliano in the most effective manner Until we know him as a person and we know what makes him tick We know what his motivations are and once once we know that we can understand On a lot deeper sense how to coach him how to get our messages across and I think that's where Probably the gaffer specializes He was certainly a lot better than me on that side of things of Of understanding what makes people tick and how to tap into their motivations And how to convince them Um to to go on the journey that he wants them to go on. So I'll probably leave the majority of that side to to him Um, but I think it's really important as a staff that we know all the players inside out I I'm just going to throw one in there about that because we we've asked scott about Harry Arter and playing under playing harry playing for him As a as a sort of non-family member. What what was that dynamic like between brother-in-laws if you like? It was the same as obviously if you didn't know that harry was was the the manager's brother-in-law You would assume it was the same as any other player Um, I think sometimes harry had frustrations that he was sat on the bench And there was other players playing in front of him, but that's the way it has to be as I say it's sort of culture proceeds performance in in the manager's mind and Um, so of course it has to be that every player plays on merit. I think whenever a player signs here We're as a staff rule Ruler-aligned in our thinking that Say a player when the player will sign for Bournemouth Under our regime and the manager's regime. They're they're signing to train They're not signing to play and it's then how they train the culture the behaviors they show their willingness to work that gets them in the team so Harry harry was no different and I'm sure deep down harry would want it that way as well because he's such a top person Um, so I think it was I'm sure there was some interest in dinner times around the the family table that I wasn't privy to but Yeah, especially when he was on the bench Looking ahead to to the next few weeks. We've got this uh, this pre-season trip to Spain How much are you looking forward to that and what can the lads expect? We're really looking forward to it I think more even more so than I always look forward to um to the pre-season trips because It's probably where your work intensifies a little bit in terms of the detail. Um, so at the moment Say the first two weeks training here at the training grounds is more Certainly given the players a physical base I'm trying to get get them to a point where they can tolerate all the work. We're going to give them physically And from a tactical standpoint things at the moment kept pretty global So I zoomed out in terms of the detail The general framework of how we're going to play and trying to get the players the first understanding to that trying to outline Some principles That they're going to need to adhere to and then once we get to spain because We're so close together with with each other day and night It gives you a buys you just more time in the schedule to do more work in the video room Obviously here you're conscious you don't want to keep players here till 8 9 p.m. In the evening whereas once we get to spain we'll be able to do double sessions of football on the pitch Session then in the gym and then guess what we can still pepper them with some video in the evening So I think just the learning accelerates I think it also gives a platform as we discussed before to really get to know the players On an individual level to maybe see them in Different settings if we do some little team games around the hotel and I think we can start to sort of Blend the team in the way we want to and I definitely think by the end of the trip We'll understand the players a lot better and they'll have a much greater understanding of of our expectations of them You mentioned a couple of things there that I just wanted to ask you on the video aspect of things how Important is that to you and and the staff because obviously we see You guys out there. There's a drone every now and then flowing above the training ground and For you guys how crucial are those sessions and how important is it to look back and assess and Show the players what you want them to achieve using that. Yeah in terms of in terms of the learning cycle It's it's just something we swear by It's not to say it's necessarily right. I'm sure other regimes potentially do do less work in in the video room but but for us it's Yeah, it's huge and it's I would say in terms of Um, how we divide the the the video side of our program the majority is based around Feedback of of how we train and how we play as opposed to Opposition-based analysis, which of course we do But in terms of the message is always and that's going to be the mentality of the manager's team here As that's the way he operates that we have to be the proactive team in every game With a dominant team and of course that means Being aware of the opponent, but it's it's generally about us imposing our way of defending Our way of attacking on on the opponent and to achieve that of course you have your time on the training pitch But if you were to stop and correct everything that was wrong on the training pitch You'd be out there for five hours So a lot of then our our real detailed coaching needs to be as you say off the drone In the classroom in the afternoon Get the units up get individuals up do it as a team depending on what the subject is But it might just be one or two players then in the video room showing them clips of the defensive line As an example helping Lloyd Kelly with a correction. I'll look at Lloyd your body shape here This is good. This is bad. This is what we need Um, and that process will will exist for all of the players around The fundamentals of the game that we're going to try and deliver. So It's a very video heavy program and I think I think also every player learns differently So is the more we get to know them the more we'll get to understand right which player really responds to that Which player some players can't quite make the translation between Seeing it on the screen and then going up to the pitch some people make that connection really quickly Other players need to be stood in their position on the football pitch Have it talked through show them let them practice it So everyone learns in different ways and we just try to hit as many as those learning styles as we can Another thing that you mentioned and you mentioned it again there is getting to know the players and Getting that relationship with them so that they can implement the style that you want When you go away to Spain as as you say it provides a brilliant opportunity for you and the staff to Get to know these players is that as important as the footballing side of things so that when you do Go in the classroom and and show them things that you know really help stick in their head the philosophy that you're trying to To prove Yeah, I think they're both sort of intrinsically linked that you can't have one without the other So I think for us to get to know the players is Important if you ask me now I'll house so and so I'm going to respond when they're one nil down away from home I really couldn't tell you An answer because you don't get to I don't know the players characters As well as we would like to just yet simply because of time constraints. We've not been here long enough and Until players experience those moments and we get to witness it Within the confines of how we play of course we've all spent numerous hours studying video of The last couple of years of how the team plays how players play so that we have At least some degree of knowledge of of how these players operate, but there really is no substitute for for witnessing it yourself and The longer the more time we spend with these players the more we can have an understanding of Of how they respond in adversity. How are they? How do they operate when they're having a little period of success? I think we all know the rigors of the championship how demanding the schedule is and so And and we know what this what our managers about that the mentality comes first and That's the only way you can create a successful team and we need to Develop almost a robot like mentality that whether we're winning whether we're losing we operate our maximum intensity every time And just finally one thing I have to ask you about given it's so topical at the moment The year is how impressed Well, we can talk about love island if you want, but I think we might lose a few listeners at this point Um the year is how impressed have you been with england and and the job gareth south gates doing? They've really united a country after a tough 18 months, haven't they? Yeah, I think probably the way One of probably one of the downsides of Coaching and being in the industry you're in is you can as I said before you can never really switch off So I do actually sometimes miss watching football as a fan Um where I'm not focused on what movements are they making or how are the other team pressing? Where's the spare man? And you can just relax and watch it. I've still not managed to be able to do that so From from a coaching perspective and a management perspective I've been so impressed with with the job that Gareth's done And I'm sure his staff as well. So I've not obviously managed to see behind the scenes The intricacies of how they work, but I certainly think in in in some of the Selections that he's made in some of the the tactical tweaks that he's made I've been really really impressed with the courage of his convictions. I think he's made some really big calls That perhaps pundits and fans were questioning before he made them And I think he even said after one of the games core if I'd have got that wrong I'd have been in trouble and and that is the nature of football. It can be quite fickle But from a from a coaching side of things. I've admired the ways he's gone about it How adaptable he's been how they've managed to seek advantage in each game through their tactical changes And as I say through making really really big decisions I just hope that they can finish the job well So I've learned about tick tock in the last few weeks. It's love island. Is that another social media channel? Don't know anything about that. What's that all about? Don't worry Neil I'll fill you in over the next few weeks and you'll be all up to date by the time the final say I can't wait So tell us scott knows the area quite well because he used to come down and watch harry From time to time. What about you? Have you had a chance to get out there and have a look around? I've really not we're standing in the hotel. So I've managed to have Um, obviously we're we're getting home quite late because As I say, we're doing double sessions. Then we're having staff meetings and then we're doing a lot of the video continues in terms of I was still watching games from last season and So not tending to get back to the hotel till really late But I've had the few a few nice walks around been down to the beach. So it seems like a seems like a beautiful area um My fiance was down actually for the last couple of nights and Uh, I think she's seen more than I have unfortunately So she's telling me about different areas that that she went to and visited So I'm sure when we when we get a rare day off. I'll I'll go and have a venture around West Brom at home first game How have you started preparing for that already? Can you can you in advance so in advance if you like? Uh, I think it depends what you class as preparation if if preparation is um Um Laying the foundations for the way we're going to play then of course we've we've started preparing in terms of Specifically watching games of West Brom. Of course, they've had a change of manager As well So I think for both teams it's going to be a really difficult one to To prepare for and hang their hat on exactly how each team's going to play Um, so I think for us the best preparation and that will continue throughout the season is what are we going to do? And we need to deliver the best version of ourselves Of course, we've started that preparation already and that will Continue right through preseason. It will intensify in spain as I said But it's it's a fixture that we can't wait for we're really excited for Especially given that it's it's at home and it's in front of the fans So we're really excited for that You've got promoted out of the championship. What what's the secret? I don't think anyone can can say for sure. I think There's there's certain fundamentals that you have to have in this division And and for us as a staff it starts with mentality it starts with being able to cope with the the the demanding scheduling To play Saturday Tuesday Saturday Wednesday Saturday Friday night the games come thick and fast And there'll always be periods of adversity and and that will happen again this season It will happen for every team. So I always think the the teams that succeed will be the ones that manage those periods the best And that's never luck. That's never just Oh, fortunately, we managed to come through that period. It all comes down to the foundations that we're laying now I think the gaffer is always big on that the foundations of of of how we work and that's what preseason is is fundamental for because No one ever sees the foundations. I just bought a new house and no I can't see the foundations that have been laid underneath the floor and that's sort of how I see and how we see A team operating that we need real real solid foundations And that's what we're trying to transmit to the players now with the way we work with the double sessions with the intensity that we're demanding With the standards that we're demanding both on and off the pitch with us filming how they behave in the gym Highlighting body language the the the tiny details that the manager is huge on and we hope that contributes to creating a team with a strong mentality that can cope with The schedule of the championship Well, Matt, I think I speak on behalf of Myself Neil and all the fans say that it's been an absolutely brilliant insight to have you here on the podcast if you enjoyed it Because you've never done anything like this. Yeah, no, we've never I've never done any podcast obviously done the the media stuff and I think it's brilliant as I said to you guys before just before we came on air that Especially now with the journey as well. I end up listening to a lot of podcasts, especially the high performance podcast I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do that. Is that free advertising but higher performance podcast and other good podcasts In my journey. So I know I hope I hope the fans Get something from this and I think it's brilliant for them to have a small insight into Into what the manager demands and and how we operate and if you want to do it again I'll be more than happy now then if you've enjoyed listening in today Please make sure you give us a five star rating on apple spotify google or wherever you're listening We'd love it even more as well if you could share it on the social media So that more fans can tune in our thanks again to matt wells and from Neil parrot and myself Zoe Rundle Thank you for tuning in to the official afc ballmouth podcast