Paul Barry is a UEFA A licensed coach developer and the current Head of Coaching for the Foundation Phase at Crystal Palace FC — and in this conversation, he brings the principles that shape one of England's top academy programmes directly to grassroots coaches.
We talk about one of the most common mistakes coaches make: judging players on outcomes rather than decisions. Paul explains why praising a young player's intention — even when the execution falls short — is the foundation of developing real game intelligence. We also get into what "winning" actually looks like at the foundation phase, how to create the conditions where young players feel safe to try things and fail, and what Paul has learned from writing children's books about growth mindset and emotional resilience.
If you coach young players at any level and want to think differently about how you give feedback and measure progress, this episode is for you.
Hit play and enjoy the conversation.
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