Today on the podcast I am joined by Craig Mulholland, Academy Director at Rangers Football Club.
Craig explains that the pandemic has obviously caused many a plan to change in the world of football; but more than that, a stronger culture of introspection and the development of individual players has slowly grown amid the lockdowns.
“Every player,” says Craig, “has an individual plan and an individual path.” His challenge as Head of Academy is now, more than ever, to foster a “you versus you” mentality and find out “what you need to be an expert at. What does a player have? What does a player need? And what journey do they need to go on?”
It’s a theme that reverberates throughout the rest of our conversation. Listen in as Craig goes on to share his excitement for “The Colts” project and the resistance that he continues to face with regards to its implementation. He also touches on his vision for the Academy when he first became Director, how that developed over the years, and why he strongly believes in being unafraid to challenge norms and putting the player as a person first.
TIMESTAMP:
[01:06] Every player’s journey is different
[06:37] A primer on “The Colts” project
[14:08] Craig’s role models as an Academy Director
[18:55] How an Academy Director should relay information to players in a digestible way
[22:05] Raising coaching standards in Scotland
[27:38] Craig’s vision for the Academy when he first became Director
[32:19] Challenging norms
[36:43] Getting young players to accept short-term defeat and focus on long-term success
[40:16] Fighting pressure to rely on tradition at the expense of improving with the times
[43:09] Characteristics of the veteran coach
[48:24] How coaches can connect with young players
Connect with Craig Mulholland:
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· PODCAST
