England - St Georges Park - The Greater Game

Football is, without a doubt, the greatest game. At least, it is to us.

As an assistant coach, I’ve been involved in football for some time now, but the learning never stops—even at my ripe old age. Between working on my coaching badges and exploring the England Football Learning website, there’s always something new to absorb. Being part of this world comes with its perks, like the occasional email from the FA. One such email arrived recently, inviting me to enter a competition for a weekend at St George’s Park. An all-expenses-paid trip—except for the beers, of course! It wasn’t a Butlins-style weekender by any stretch; this was a serious, educational experience aimed at grassroots football. I entered, naturally, and as they say, the rest is history.

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit St George’s Park several times over the years, but every time I turn onto that long, tree-lined drive, the excitement stirs. Like a kid at Christmas, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach as I imagined being greeted by the FA and handed the England manager’s job on the spot. It’s good to have dreams, isn’t it? Knowing what lay ahead, I was up at 6 a.m., even though registration wasn’t until 10. I was on the road by 8, too eager to sit around waiting. After parking up, I headed to the second floor of the Hilton for a coffee and a quiet moment before the other 249 winners began arriving.

As registration time approached, I joined the queue and, true to form, struck up conversations with those around me. It was a real mix of coaches from all corners of the country: some had driven up from Devon and Cornwall, while others had travelled down from Newcastle and beyond. After passing through registration and grabbing another coffee, a man approached me with that familiar, "I know you from somewhere" look. I couldn't place him from my football world, so I dropped the “Sauce & Brown?” bomb. “That’s it!” he exclaimed. And just like that, Bill and I were set to be weekend companions. Bill was an old-school goalkeeper coach with a wealth of experience at lower league clubs, having made his senior debut at just 15. Nowadays, he coaches at Draper Norton Football Academy, holding a UEFA A licence for outfield and a UEFA B for goalkeeping. It was clear I had found the perfect partner for the weekend.

We were so engrossed in our football chat that, before we knew it, everyone else had made their way inside for the morning session. Left with a table at the front, we quickly introduced ourselves to the other coaches. The rest of the morning whizzed by with icebreaker activities—standard networking fare—before we headed to the bar area for lunch. A healthy spread awaited us, the kind of thing the England players eat, which we tucked into while catching a bit of the Spurs vs. West Ham match.

 

After lunch, I took a quick wander to admire the perfectly manicured pitches, gleaming under the autumn sun, before heading back inside for sessions on eating and sleeping well.

Former Lioness Anita Asante, with her 71 England caps, shared her insights, and then it was off to a Pilates class—yes, Pilates. I stretched muscles I didn’t even know I had, and when the session ended, I could barely wait to get back to my room for a shower, a brew, and a moment to wind down as the sun set over the grounds.

There was little time to rest, though, as the evening meal and Q&A session with England legends Martin Keown, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Fara Williams beckoned. It’s always a pleasure to hear from those who’ve played at the highest levels.

After a long first day, we rounded it off sensibly with a couple of beers in the bar, sharing stories with the Newcastle and Birmingham coaches. Then, it was off to bed.

Despite a dark room, comfy bed, and a couple of beers to relax, I was awake again at 6 a.m. Tea in hand, I caught up on emails before my 8 a.m. yoga class—yes, yoga. I’ll admit, I was tempted to skip it, but being sensible, I went. Let’s just say it nearly killed me. I even fell over, not from the previous night’s beers, but from being old and unbalanced. That full English breakfast never tasted so good afterward. I thought we were headed back to the conference room, but I was wrong. Instead, we went to the futsal hall for some Waka Tube music fun—an experience I struggle to explain, but it was wildly entertaining. No photos of that, thankfully! Next, it was on to some stretching exercises. After yoga, my body was already feeling the strain.

The afternoon took us to the 3G indoor pitch for a gruelling workout with the England Women’s strength and conditioning coach. I’ve never come closer to an official declaration of exhaustion. It really drove home how fit professional players are—or rather, how unfit I am!

I walked back to the conference hall slowly, my heart pounding and calves burning. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine life as an England player, with all the benefits and sacrifices it entails. We see them running about on the pitch and think we could do the same, but it’s a whole different world.

Back in the conference room, we were joined by more football icons: John Barnes, Izzy Christiansen, and Zara Musker. If you’re not familiar with them, do yourself a favour and look them up. The stories they shared were inspirational, but John Barnes was a standout. What a speaker!

A short break allowed time for another stroll in the autumn sunshine, reflecting on the past two days.

In wrapping up the weekend, I have to say the staff at St George’s Park were fantastic, but the true credit belongs to the coaches who volunteer their time to better the lives of the boys and girls they train. It’s no small feat, and their enthusiasm, passion, and dedication should never be underestimated.

So, next time you’re standing on the sidelines, criticising the coach or yelling instructions at your child, why not give it a go yourself? It’s unpaid, time-consuming, and demanding, but you’ll gain a whole new family of kids, each one unique in their own way.

Eat well, sleep well, move well, and think well.

1 comment

….but shorts, or tracky bottoms?

Phil October 23, 2024

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