The Football Coaching Life Podcast

This conversation is a wonderful insight into Ante Juric, the man, and the coach. This conversation is filled with honesty, frankness, and humour as well as significant wisdom. Ante fell in love with the game in Canberra. Playing for Canberra Deakin, under Tom Sermanni, he made his senior debut for this fantastic club as a youngster, like so many before. The Zelic brothers, Josip Simunic and George Kulcsar to name a few. He played almost 400 games in the NSL, with Melbourne Knights, Sydney Olympic and Canberra Cosmos. He also plied his trade in Portugal, Norway and Malaysia before finishing his playing days at Sydney United. Ante also played for Australia with the U20's, the Olyroos and the Socceroos. Qualifying as a teacher he began his coaching apprenticeship at Westfield Sports High and then Trinity Grammar. He also was an assistant at NSWIS and Sydney FC with the A League Women, working with Alen Stajcic. Ante has worked with Australia's National Women's and Men's Teams, has been National Technical Director for Women, and has coached a range of national junior teams. As Head Coach of Sydney FC Women, he has made five Grand Finals in a row! As Head Coach of Sydney Olympic in the NSW NPL he has just won the Premiership! Please join Gary Cole on this journey of discovering Ante Juric's Football Coaching Life.

“Be strong in your beliefs. Don't compromise on your playing style and philosophy and the principles of how you want to play, whether your winning 5-0 or losing 5-0. You might tweak a few a few things but never compromise on any beliefs on the way the game should be played.” - Ufuk Talay This is an engaging and open conversation with Ufuk Talay, the Manager of Wellington Phoenix A League Team. Ufuk fell in love with the game through his father who encouraged him to develop his skills. His dad used the SBS TV show ‘Captain Socceroo' to find new skills for Ufuk to master!  After debuting for Marconi and winning a championship in the NSL, Ufuk signed for the large Turkish powerhouse Galatasaray, coached by Liverpool legend Graeme Souness. We discuss the passion of the incredible derbies with Fenerbahçe and his almost 10 years playing in Turkey. He had the opportunity to serve an apprenticeship on his coaching journey at Sydney United, the AIS and the Joeys before taking on Head Coaching roles with the Joeys and the Australian U20 teams. Then he served as an Assistant with Steve Corica at Sydney FC before taking on the Manager position at Wellington Phoenix, where his team consistently plays attractive and successful football. Ufuk talks openly about his coaching journey, his learnings from Ange Postecoglou, developing young Kiwi footballers and the challenge of Australian junior coaches with so many players not getting enough game time. This is Ufuk Talays's Football Coaching Life.

This is an insightful reflection of Trevor Morgan's long coaching journey as well as the challenges he currently faces as Australia's National U17 (Joeys) Coach and National Technical director. Trevor fell in love with the game in the Blue Mountains with Hazelbrook Hawks. He is the first to admit his senior playing career wasn't elite, but his early introduction to coaching enabled a long time to grow and develop his coaching skills. He was influenced by several wonderful Australian Coaches including David Lee and Casey De Bruin (a huge fan of legendary Victorian Coach Lenny McKendry). Trevor's coaching journey included 20 years at the famous Westfield Sports High School, an institution that has helped to develop many Matildas and Socceroos. In addition to talking about Trevor's coaching journey, Gary also detours to the topics of player and coach development in Australia, the challenges of coaching and developing a national team through Covid, and the benefits of helping players develop behaviours like the ‘Best players in the World'. Trevor speaks openly about the learnings on his journey, the benefits of coach mentors and the changes that have been made in coach education to facilitate coach mentoring. We also discuss the challenges of UEFA not accepting AFC Pro Licences and the impacts and possible solutions. Enjoy this journey into Trevor Morgan's Football Coaching Life.

How do you become a good coach? ‘Go and do your badges and go and spend 10 years on the grass ………. and try not to be sacked too often!' Wonderful pearls of wisdom from Kenny Lowe. This conversation is a wonderfully open look inside of Kenny's football coaching journey and the significant people and moments in it and the wisdom he has gained along the way. Kenny is currently the Director of Football at ECU Joondalup in the Football West NPL, where he coaches the first team and the juniors. This is in his spare time as he is the Principal Mechanical Engineer for Wood. He had 10 clubs in his 300 plus, professional and semi-professional career in the UK, before reluctantly accepting the role of Manager at Gateshead, where his love for coaching and player development began. After moving to Australia in the early 2003 Kenny worked with the Football West National Training Centre program and became an assistant coach to Dave Mitchell, Ian Ferguson and Alistair Edwards at Perth Glory in the A-League. In 2013 he took on the Head Coach role and is still the longest serving Perth Glory Manager after five years in charge. Kenny speaks openly about his journey and learnings he has had along the way. He also speaks highly of his fellow coaches and the way they have reached out along his journey. He was blown away when Graham Arnold invited him to be his Assistant with the Socceroos for the 2019 Asia Cup in the UAE. Kenny's son Rory is a Comedian and I'm guessing he gets this from his dad! Please join me in sharing Kenny Lowe's Football Coaching Life.

This conversation is a wonderfully open look inside of Kevin Muscat's football coaching journey and the significant people and moments in it and the wisdom he has gained along the way. ‘Musky' as he is affectionately known in Australia has just kicked-off his second season as Manager of Yokohama F Marinos in Japan's J-League. After he took over from Ange Postecoglou in 2021, the Marinos finished runners-up in his first season. Kevin had a 600-game professional career for club and country. Commencing as a junior with Sunshine George Cross in the National Soccer League, then Heidelberg, South Melbourne, Crystal Palace, Wolves, Rangers, Millwall and then back to Australia to kick off the A-League with Melbourne Victory. He played for Australia at U20, U23 and of course the Socceroos who he also captained. Musky's coaching career commenced at Melbourne Victory as an Assistant to Ernie Merrick and Ange Postecoglou before taking on the Head Coach/Manager role in 2013. Success came early for him as a Head Coach, with both a premiership and a championship in '14-'15 and another championship in '17-'18 along with FAA Cup success in 2015. Kevin resigned from Victory after six seasons to expand his career and headed to Sint Truiden in Belgium where he initially had to be Technical Director as like many of his contemporaries his AFC/FA Pro Licence wasn't recognised by UEFA. Please join me in sharing Kevin Muscat's Football Coaching Life.

Aurelio has recently returned to Australia from coaching at BG Panthum United in Thailand League One. As a player, he had a remarkable 500 plus game professional career in Australia, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, and Japan, and finished playing back in Australia. Over 260 games were with Adelaide City in the National Soccer League. And of course, he was a member of the ‘Golden Generation', playing 44 times for the Socceroos. Vidmar's coaching journey began in Australia with Adelaide United as Assistant to John Kosmina, before taking on the Head Coach role and finishing runners up in both the Hyundai A League and the Asian Champions League in 2008 and 2009. Aurelio then became Assistant Coach of the Socceroos and Head Coach of the Olyroos from 2010-2016, and was U20 Head Coach in 2012. He also had a short stint as caretaker Socceroos Coach in 2013. He moved off the grass into the office in a Director of Football role at Adelaide United, but realised he needed to be teaching, coaching and leading on the grass again and headed into Asia to work at Bangkok Glass in Thailand, then Lion City Sailors in Singapore before heading back to Thailand with BG Pathum United. This is a wonderfully open and honest conversation. Aurelio has so much wisdom which he shares eloquently. Enjoy this journey into Aurelio Vidmar's Football Coaching Life.

In this episode, recorded in November 2021, Gary Cole speaks with Leah Blayney.  Leah is the Head Coach of the Young Matildas and the Future Matildas, which she combines with teaching at Westfield Sports High. Her love for the game began in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales with Wentworth Falls Warriors, and then Macarthur Rams U14 Boys, where she was the only girl in the team. Leah headed to College in the USA and that's where she started her coaching journey. Her playing career saw her play professionally in Australia, USA and Sweden. She also played for the Young Matildas and the Matildas before her playing career was cut short by injury. She has coached with Football New South Wales and the National Talent Centre (NTC) Program, has been Assistant Coach with West Sydney Wanderers, Assistant Coach of the Matildas, and was also included in the Football Australia Female Coach Mentor Programs. Leah went to the Rio Olympics and the World Cup in France as a scout/analyst. Leah took over from Gary Van Egmond as Young Matildas Coach in 2019 and took them to the AFC U19 Championship. She is now busy preparing the team after the 2022 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan was cancelled due to Covid. She talks frankly about developing young players and the importance of tournaments and game time for fringe Matildas. Empowering female coaches as well as players is high on Leah's to do list. Please join Gary Cole in this journey into Leah Blayney's Football Coaching Life.

Alen is the current Head Coach of the Philippines Women's National Team (the Malditas, yes that's correct!), and is preparing them for the 2022 AFC Asian Cup, which is being held in India. The Philippines will play in a group with Indonesia, Thailand and of course Australia (the Matildas). His Serbian background led him to Bonnyrigg White Eagles in Sydney's west, but a knee injury shortened his playing career and as a teacher he began coaching. Staj has had a remarkable coaching journey that began at the Hills Sports High School and at New South Wales Institute of Sport, coaching the Sapphires in the Women's National Soccer League. Both of these institutions saw teams achieve repeated successes with championship wins, but Alen learned that success comes in many ways. He had an early taste of coaching a national team in an Assistant Coach role with the Young Matildas at the 2006 World Cup in Russia, before becoming the inaugural Head Coach at Sydney FC Women, which saw them win two championships and two premierships as well as third place at the FIFA International Women's Club Championship. Then followed five fantastic years as Head Coach of the Matildas, during which they beat Brazil and World Champions USA for the first time, changing the belief of the players and achieving successes at the Asian Cup, Olympic Games and World Cup. Alen's ‘One Piece of Wisdom' is ‘It's got to be fun; you've got to enjoy it because it's a tough job. Coaching can be a lonely experience, so you've really got to find the enjoyment, fun and reward, and the connection to what it is you want to achieve. If it's not fun, it's just too tough a job!' Enjoy this discussion about Alen Stajcic's Football Coaching Life.

Michael Valkanis was most recently the Assistant to John van't Schip as the Greece National Team Coach. Michael played his junior football at South Melbourne and as a student at De La Salle College. He made his senior debut in the NSL with South Melbourne before heading to Greece to play with Iraklis and then AEL Larissa. He played for eight years in Greece before returning to Adelaide and the A-League. His coaching journey began at Adelaide United with the youth team and then as an Assistant Coach with the first team. A new opportunity took him to Melbourne City to work alongside John van't Schip and then a brief spell as head coach before joining John in Holland with PEC Zwolle. This was followed by the move to Greece with the National Men's Team. Michael has served a wonderful apprenticeship as Assistant Coach in Adelaide and Melbourne, with brief stints as Head Coach at both Clubs. He is now keen to stretch his wings and take on the mantle of Head Coach as his journey continues to develop. He firmly believes that there are many Australian Coaches that are good enough to work overseas. Coaches like players need to “get out of their comfort zone”. This is another conversation full of wisdom, including Michael's belief that "Your football philosophy will come to light through knowing yourself." Please join me in sharing Michael Valkanis's Football Coaching Life.

Belinda Wilson began her football journey in Byron Bay on the far north coast of New South Wales, Australia. She is currently enjoying autumn in Zurich, Switzerland where she is the Senior Technical Development Manager of Women's Football with FIFA. A remarkable achievement for a young Australian Coach and Administrator. After falling in love with the game on a family holiday to the UK, Belinda returned to Byron Bay where she was unable to play as she was a girl. At the time there were no girls' competitions and girls weren't allowed to play with boys. She was eventually allowed to play as a twelve-year-old in the senior women's team. Her coaching journey began as a teenager coaching her younger brother's team from U6 through to U13's. Her talent was rewarded as coach of FFNC U14 girls' representative team. Belinda has worked as the Coach Education Manager for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and in full-time club roles in Sweden and Denmark. She returned to Australia to work with Football New South Wales, the New South Wales Institute of Sport and as Head Coach of the Australian U17 team, also winning a Premiership with Brisbane Roar in the W-League in 2013. She was appointed as Head Coach of the Guam Women's National Team and National Technical Director in 2017 and has also been on the FIFA Technical Panel for World Cups in 2007 and 2011 and the 2008 Olympic Games. Belinda's ‘One Piece of Wisdom' is ‘Don't be afraid to take a risk. Go out there and challenge yourself to see who you are as a person but also as a coach. Take the opportunities and take a risk, the worst that can happen is you end up where you started, and sometimes that's not a bad place to be.' Please join me in sharing Belinda Wilson's Football Coaching Life.

Paddy Kisnorbo is busy preparing his Melbourne City Men's team for the kick-off to the 2021-2022 season after finishing his first season as Head Coach as A-League Men's Premiership and Championship winners. A first ever for Melbourne City! He played his junior football at Essendon City and Bulleen, made his NSL debut with South Melbourne before heading to Hearts in Scotland as a nineteen-year-old. He then had a long professional career in England with Leicester City, Leeds United and Ipswich Town. Paddy represented the Socceroos 18 times and unfortunately missed the 2010 World Cup with a torn achilles. Paddy's preparation for coaching began while he was playing in the UK, where he started to gain his coaching licences before returning to Australia to play with Melbourne City. He served a five-year apprenticeship at Melbourne with the Youth Team, the A-League Women's Team and then the Men's Team. He worked as an assistant with Joe Palatsidis, Joe Montemurro, John van't Schip and Eric Mombaerts, learning from them all. This is a fantastic conversation. Paddy is so open about his development as a coach, including his learnings and self-doubts from a run of losses. He talks about mentors and the importance of mental health for players and coaches. Paddy's ‘One Piece of Wisdom' was ‘Be true to yourself'. ‘Do your apprenticeship and don't be in a rush, you need to learn and understand'. Enjoy listening to this walk through Patrick Kisnorbo's Football Coaching Life.

Steve Corica is Head Coach of the A-League Men at Sydney FC. He played his junior football in Innisfail in North Queensland, before heading to the Australian Institute of Sport.  He played just under 500 professional games in Australia, England and Japan. Steve's preparation for coaching began while he was playing, and he started to gain his coaching licences before taking on an assistant role with the Sydney FC Youth Team. He served a seven-year apprenticeship at Sydney with the Youth Team and then as an assistant to Vitezslav Lavicka, Frank Farina and Graham Arnold, before taking on the Head Coach role in 2018. He learned from each of these coaches, and shares that his greatest lesson upon graduating to Head Coach was that "he didn't know, what he didn't know." Steve believes that team and club culture are key to success. He understands that while he is the driver of the culture, that buy in from all of the players is integral to behaviours being demanded from the playing group of one another. Enjoy this walk through Steve Corica's Football Coaching Life.

Ash Wilson is the Head Coach of the Newcastle Jets A-League Women's team. Ash also works in the Jets Academy program and in addition is a full-time teacher at Hunter Sports High. Ash played her early football in Lismore on the far north coast of New South Wales. Her dad was integral in helping Ash into the game, being her role model as well as helping her to fall in love with the game. She began coaching early in her career, working first in the Macquarie Academy while she was playing and then continuing as she moved to Adamstown Rosebuds after moving to Newcastle to play. This is another wonderful conversation with a coach who has experience beyond her years working with players at school, community and elite level. Ash is a teacher at heart and wants to teach/coach her players to improve. She is also a strong advocate of ‘lifetime learning' and is always looking to continue her own football education. Ash speaks to Gary Cole about the importance of resilience for players and coaches, and how she uses her roles as a secondary teacher and coach to teach young people how to become more resilient. This is Ash Wilson's Football Coaching Life.

Phil Moss is currently the Head of Coaching & Distinctive Leadership at the National Australia Bank and President of Football Coaches Australia. He is also an analyst with Big Sports Breakfast in Sydney. ‘Mossy' played his junior football in Manly Warringah and progressed as a senior player on the Central Coast and Eastern Suburbs before getting a professional contract with Northern Spirit in the National Soccer League, where he played with Graham Arnold, Robbie Slater and Ian Crook. His coaching career began at Dee Why with a Championship win. He worked as an assistant with Graham Arnold at Central Coast Mariners, the Olyroos and Sydney FC before enjoying two seasons as Head Coach at the Mariners. Phil has been a part of the successes at all of these clubs and helped the Olyroos qualify for the Olympic Games. President of FCA since its inception, he describes the importance of FCA in ‘wrapping a collective arm around coaches' in what can be a very lonely experience. He discusses the importance of ‘collaboration' with Member Federations and Football Australia in achieving successful outcomes for football in Australia. Phil also explains why he is proud of what FCA has achieved through a tough couple of years during Covid lockdowns and what the focus is for the organisation in both the short and long term. Mossy provides wonderful insight into moving from sports coaching into the corporate world. He also delves into the differences between coaching and leadership and developing resilience. This is a conversation filled with wisdom. This is Phil Moss's Football Coaching Life.

Jeff Hopkins is currently the W-League Championship winning Head Coach of Melbourne Victory. Jeff was born in Wales and played over four hundred games for both club and country. He started in Fulham's Academy before playing over two hundred games in the first team before heading to Crystal Palace and Reading. Jeff also played for Wales at U21 and Senior level. His coaching career began working with young players in the UK, where he started his coaching licences before heading to Gippsland Falcons as a player and then a year as Head Coach. As a former professional player, Jeff, like so many of us, thought he had a good grasp of football until he began his coaching journey and learned he didn't know what he didn't know! With over 20 years of experience as a coach at youth, assistant and head coach level, Jeff is very aware of the changes he has made to his coaching over the journey. He has a number of premierships and championships to his name with Queensland and Brisbane Roar Women and both a Premiership and Championship with Melbourne Victory, which he is very proud of, but he also finds a great deal of satisfaction in seeing his players and teams grow and develop. Jeff was honest and open discussing his journey and believes that finding a mentor in the beginning would have helped him make fewer mistakes on his journey. In fact, in answering the ‘one piece of wisdom' question he had two pieces of gold for developing coaches! You'll have to listen to find out what they are! Please join Gary Cole in exploring Jeff Hopkin's Football Coaching Life.

Dr Craig Duncan is one of Australia's top ‘Human Performance Scientists'.  Craig played for New South Wales as a junior before realising his best bet in the world of athletic performance was via a university degree. In this episode, he tells Gary Cole that his role today is to take a holistic approach with footballers to ensure they are as best prepared as they can be to enable the Coaches to do their magic with them on the pitch. He has worked with Vitezslav Lavicka at Sydney FC and won a championship; worked with Tony Popovic at West Sydney Wanderers and won an Asian Champions League; and worked with Ange Postecoglou with the Socceroos, winning the Asian Cup as well as qualifying for a World Cup. Craig has also worked for Carlos Queiroz with Iran at the Asia Cup. He tells Gary how he learned from all of these very experienced coaches. They also discuss the importance of finding a ‘mentor', and how both mental health and being present can only improve coaching and player performance. Dr Craig is leaving a legacy by sharing his wisdom as both an author and content creator.  Join Gary Cole in this exploration of Dr Craig Duncan's Football Coaching Life.

Gary Cole has had an immense impact on Australian football during a playing, coaching, mentoring & administrative career that has seen him occupy roles at all levels of the game (amateur, semi-professional & professional). His passion for the game & driving it forward with a pure agenda of what is in the best interests of the game is second to none. He has a 100% inclusive mindset & an ability to adapt to any level, situation or person he is dealing with. His relationships with every person & stakeholder in the game & his reputation is testament to that. Gary played four seasons in the Victorian State League with Ringwood City Wilhelmina & Fitzroy United Alexander before playing in the inaugural season of the National Soccer League, then a decade long career at the highest level with Heidelberg United and Preston Makedonia, amassing 247 appearances (109 goals) He made 40 appearances (21 goals) for the Socceroos, 19 of which were A internationals, with 17 goals including a world record for goals scored, at the time, in a World Cup qualifying match when he nabbed 7 against Fiji in 1981.   His coaching career involved time in charge of Altona Magic (Championship 1995), Bulleen Zebras & Bentleigh Greens, coaching 193 matches in Victoria's top flight, with 89 wins, 49 draws and 55 losses. He also coached the Victorian State team whilst under the tutelage of Ron Smith at the Australian Institute of Sport. Gary enjoyed great success as a football administrator at the top level of professional football in Australia, occupying the role of Director of Football for both Melbourne Victory FC & Sydney FC – the A-League's two biggest clubs and at Football Victoria as Manager Strategy and Special Projects and then as Executive Manager Facilities & Advocacy. Gary joined the Football Coaches Australia Executive Committee in 2019 and his tenure has been highlighted by his  hosting of the successful FCA “The Football Coaching Life' podcasts. In a rare moment where the host becomes the guest, Heather Garriock asks Gary Cole about his Football Coaching Life.  

Catherine Cannuli has recently been appointed as Head Coach of the W-League team at Western Sydney Wanderers, after spending a number of years as Assistant Coach following her playing career at the Club. Cath had a terrific playing career as a junior and a 15-year-old senior at Marconi. She also played with Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar and Western Sydney Wanders in the W-League. Her coaching career began at Southern Districts with the Raiders before quickly adding the U14's and eventually the Technical Director role. Catherine is open in discussing how great the Association has been in helping her grow and develop as a coach, and allowing her to juggle her coaching role at Western Sydney Wanderers to create a very large and full-on full-time role in football. We discuss the impact that Alen Stajcic has had on her career as both a player and a coach, as well as how he helped her ‘fall back in love with the game' after she walked away from the game and the national junior teams. In her role as Technical Director with Southern Districts she is focussed on helping players love the game first as well as trying to fit in more games and training sessions to provide learning opportunities for players and coaches. It becomes very evident that Catherine wants to leave a legacy for the W-League program at Wanderers, where all players, coaches and staff are full-time. Enjoy this journey into Catherine Cannuli's Football Coaching Life.  

John Aloisi is one of Australia's ‘Golden Generation'. He played more than 500 games for both club and country. He's also a very recognisable as part of the Optus Sport team that covers EPL, UEFA Champions League and currently the UEFA European Championships. His senior playing career began at Adelaide City under Zoran Matic, before he headed to Europe to ply his trade in Belgium with Standard Liege and Antwerp, Italy with Cremonese, England with Portsmouth and Coventry, Spain with Osasuna and Alaves, before heading home to Australia to play in the Hyundai A-League with Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC and Melbourne Heart. In this episode, John speaks with Gary Cole about his early learnings as a player at the AIS under Ron Smith and Steve O'Connor, where he learned the principles of the game and positional behaviours that could apply in any system within any team. He says these principles have helped him throughout his career. They also discuss his work as a pundit or ‘armchair coach' and how this helps him as a coach. John's coaching career began at Melbourne Heart with the youth team and then Head Coach of the A-League team. A brief period with the youth team at Melbourne Victory before heading up to Brisbane to work with his brother Ross at Brisbane Roar, where they enjoyed finals football each year. Enjoy this journey into John Aloisi's Football Coaching Life.  

Zeljko Kalac, perhaps better known as ‘Spider' in Australian Football circles, played over 400 games for club and country, with 54 caps for the Socceroos over fourteen years. Spider's amazing career saw him play as a youngster with Sydney United before heading overseas to play in Holland with Roda and in Italy with AC Milan, winning a European Champions League. Zeljko's coaching journey commenced at Sydney FC as Goalkeeping Coach with Vitezslav Lavicka, then Frank Farina and Graham Arnold, before moving to West Sydney Wanderers to work alongside his good friend Tony Popovic. Spider is our first goalkeeping coach on the podcast and discusses his journey and how it is to work as an assistant with some of Australia's best coaches. He also speaks honestly about the goalkeeping coaches that helped him on his journey as a player and now as coaching mentors. He also speaks to Gary Cole about his short stint as Head Coach of Sydney United 58, who went on to win an NPL Championship, as well as the culture of this great club that has helped to develop so many Socceroos and coaches. Spider's ‘One piece of wisdom' for coaches: “Be open minded and willing to adapt because football is played in all sorts of ways. There is not a right or a wrong way to play.” This is our first PG rated podcast as Spider is ruthlessly frank. As a wise man once said, ‘If you don't want to hear the answer, don't ask the question!' Please enjoy this candid discussion about Zeljko Kalac's Football Coaching Life.

Vicki Linton is one of Australia's most experienced coaches. She is currently Head Coach of Canberra United in the Westfield W-League, where in the 2020-21 season they played finals football for the first time in four years; and where Vicki set up the first all-female technical department within a W-League team. Vicki is also responsible for player development within the Canberra United Academy. Vicki has worked as a FIFA Women's Football Instructor, running courses in Asia and Oceania. She also worked with the USA Soccer Federation in an Academy Development role, mentoring Academy Directors. She was the inaugural W-League Coach at Melbourne Victory, making the finals in 2010-2011 and 2011-2012; and she assisted Alen Stajcic with the Matildas at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada in 2015. Vicki is open and honest, discussing the importance of resilience and mentoring for coaches as well as the high value of creating safe environments for players, particularly young players, such as those in her Canberra United squad this past season. In this chat with Gary Cole, Vicki frankly shares her coaching journey and experiences. Please enjoy this journey into Vicki Linton's Football Coaching Life.  

John Kosmina, ‘Kossie' as he is affectionately known by Australian Football Fans, was a wonderful Socceroo striker with great skill and he was also extremely tough and no nonsense. John played 100 games for the Socceroos over a 12-year period, scoring 42 goals. He played 287 NSL games for West Adelaide, Adelaide City, Sydney City, Sydney Olympic and Apia where he scored 133 goals. He also spent a year with Arsenal in London. Kossie coached in the National Soccer League with Newcastle Breakers, Brisbane City and Adelaide United. He continued with Adelaide into the Hyundai A-League where he also spent time coaching at Sydney FC. He won a Hyundai A-League Premiership in 2005-2006 and was a runner-up to Melbourne Victory in 2006-2007. John is a member of the Football Australia Hall of Fame, he worked with Graham Arnold as his assistant coach in the 2007 Asian Cup and is well known for his work as a Fox sports commentator. John now works as the Brisbane Strikers Senior Academy Head Coach, with a strong focus on development. In this episode John frankly shares his coaching journey and experiences and as always, he is ruthlessly honest. Enjoy this journey into John Kosmina's Football Coaching Life.

Joe Montemurro is currently the manager of Arsenal in the FA Women's Super League, but will step down from that role at the end of the season to have a well-deserved break, recharge, refresh and review. Joe has transformed Arsenal since his arrival in 2017 and has won the Championship, the League Cup, been runners up in the FA Cup and the League Cup and made the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. This conversation reveals Joe's very humble personality and looks at his journey from coaching juniors at his beloved Brunswick Juventus in the Victorian Premier League, through to Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City in the W League before taking up the incredible challenge with Arsenal in the FA Women's Super League. He discusses coach education in both Australia and Italy and his experiences in the differences from ‘how to coach' to ‘what to coach'. He also discusses how his coaching has changed and matured over the journey and the importance of resilience when being under the spotlight for coaches. In this conversation with Gary Cole, we meet a humble, open and honest Joe Montemurro, who speaks about his desire to build a legacy by leaving each club and team he has worked at in a better place than when he arrived. Don't miss this deep dive into Joe Montemurro's Football Coaching Life.

Tanya Oxtoby's amazing football journey began in Wickham, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, approximately 1500km north of Perth. She is currently the Manager of Bristol City Women's Football Club in the FA Women's Super League, and Assistant Manager with the England U19s, albeit on maternity leave after giving birth to a new son, Albie Kempski Oxtoby. Tanya captained Perth Glory for 40 games across four seasons after playing in the WNSL alongside Tal Karp, Lisa De Vanna and Nicola Williams. Her playing journey took her to the UK to play in the FA Women's National League with Doncaster Rovers Belles. Her coaching journey began in Western Australia at the Football West Training Centre as well as her establishing her own Football Academy. A UEFA A Licence and a Masters in Sports Psychology provides her a strong foundation to help grow and develop players and teams. Tanya worked at Notts County and Birmingham City before taking on the Head Coaching role at Bristol City in 2018 where she works with one of the smallest budgets in the competition. Tanya was open, honest and willing to share in our discussion around coaching and developing players, the resilience needed to coach as well as coaching at the highest level while suffering from Covid and being pregnant! Please join me in sharing Tanya Oxtoby's Football Coaching Life.

Ernie Merrick is well known in Australian football circles. His most recent coaching role was Head Coach of A-League side the Newcastle Jets, and he has also coached the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory in the A-League, where he had great on-field success in terms of both results and developing players. Ernie also had a short stint as the Coach of the Hong Kong National Team. Prior to his A League experiences Ernie played at Frankston City, coached and played at Doveton, and was assistant coach at Frankston Pines in the Victorian State Premier League.  He moved on from the Victorian competitions to the National Soccer League and coached at Preston Lions and Sunshine George Cross. He was then appointed as the inaugural Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Head Coach, where he helped to develop players for the Australian Junior National teams, including Josh Kennedy, Scott McDonald, Matthew Spiranovic, Eugene Galekovic, Paul Giannou, Con Blatsis, Danny Allsopp, Leigh Broxham, Adrian Leijer, Roddy & Andy Vargas, Jimmy Jeggo, Simon Colosimo and Vince Grella – to name a few! Perhaps most well remembered as the hugely successful inaugural Coach at Melbourne Victory, where he helped build one of the A-League's benchmark clubs from the ground up. During his time at Melbourne Victory from 2005 to 2011, he won the Championship in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009, the Premiership in 2006-2007 and 2008-2009 and the Pre-Season Cup in 2008-2009 completing the treble. Ernie's teams have always had a focus on attacking and scoring goals and indeed his record shows this. Enjoy this journey into Ernie Merrick's Football Coaching Life.

Graham Arnold more often referred to as ‘Arnie' in Australian Football circles is our national Coach of both the Socceroos and the Olyroos. The Socceroos are getting ready to complete their FIFA World Cup group qualifying phase in a centralised venue in Kuwait City and the Olyroos are waiting patiently to see if the Olympics are going ahead. Graham is one a generation of players that passed through Sydney United 58 and went on to have successful playing and coaching careers. He had a distinguished playing career that started and finished here in Australia and took him to the Netherlands, Belgium and Japan and included 56 games for the Socceroos He didn't get to play in the World Cup but has now been to two World Cups as Assistant to Gus Hiddink and Pim Verbeek, coached at two Asian Cups and Tokyo will be his second Olympics as Head Coach. Arnie has had wonderful success in the A-League, winning Premierships and Championships with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC, as well as the FFA Cup with Sydney FC. Listen to this open and honest conversation between Graham and former Socceroo Gary Cole, in which the Socceroos coach talks about his coaching and leadership styles, how they have changed over the course of his journey, and the importance of mentors and developing resilience along the way. He also discusses how the year of COVID-19 has enabled the development of more Olyroos.  Sit back, relax and enjoy these insights into Graham Arnold's Football Coaching Life.

Heather Garriock is perhaps best known for the 130 caps she won representing the Matildas and her expert commentary on Optus Sport. Her international career spread over 13 years and included 3 FIFA Women's World Cups; 2 Olympic Games and 3 Asian Cups culminating in a win in 2010 in China. Heather was a tenacious footballer which continued into her coaching career and now into her role as CEO of Taekwondo Australia. In this frank and fearless conversation with former Socceroo Gary Cole, she explains how coaching and leadership has given her a different perspective on success.  

Dr. Ron Smith (Smudger to his friends) is well known in Australian Football circles. Often referred to as a ‘Coaching Guru' and developer of many of Australia's ‘Golden Generation'. Prior to coming to Australia, Ron played at junior level at his beloved North London Tottenham Hotspurs before ‘dickie knees' impacted his professional ambitions. He has coached in Iceland and Malaysia as well as in Australia's A-League with Perth Glory. Ron has assisted many of our National Team coaches as an analyst, attending both World and Asian Cups as well as part of Football Australia's Technical Department on a couple of occasions. Perhaps most well remembered as the hugely successful Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, where many wonderful players like Viduka, Aloisi, Bresciano, Moore, Neil, Skoko, Grella, Simunic and Zelic, to name a few, came through. Smudger has been arguably our greatest student of the game, analysing thousands of EPL and International Men's and Women's World Cup games and sharing his knowledge and wisdom about the behaviours of the Worlds best. Perhaps his favourite topic is ‘How goals are scored'. Ron received his PhD on ‘Goal scoring patterns in professional football' from the University of Canberra in 2016 Join Gary Cole as he explores the Football Coaching Life of Dr Ron Smith.

In this episode, former Socceroo Gary Cole speaks with Tom Sermanni. Sermanni's success speaks for itself. He has been to five FIFA Women's World Cups: three with the Matildas (1995, 2007 and 2011), one with Canada as an assistant coach (2015) and the fifth with New Zealand in France (2019). He has won the Algarve Cup (2013) with the USA, the Asian Cup with the Matildas (2010), he was also named AFC Coach of the Year (2007). He now has his sights set on taking New Zealand's Football Ferns to the delayed 2020 Olympic Games. Tom has a Pro Licence and a Diploma in Education. He has coached at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), in the now defunct Australian National Soccer League, and in the J-League with Sanfrecce. Along this incredible journey, Tom has coached players of all ages and genders, and it would be fair to say they have all left his tutelage a little wiser than when they started. He is a warm, kind, and compassionate coach which comes out in this candid conversation with Gary.

In this episode, Former Socceroo Gary Cole speaks with Ange Postecoglou, who is arguably Australia's most successful football coach.   From his playing days with South Melbourne in the 1980s to coaching the Socceroos to victory in the 2015 Asian Cup, Ange Postecoglou's uncompromising commitment to success has made a big impact on the Australian football landscape. He won the old National Soccer League as a player and a coach, back-to-back A-League titles, and led the Brisbane Roar to the longest unbeaten run in any code with a 36-match winning streak. As Head Coach, Ange took the Australian men's national team The Socceroos to the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and coached them to the winner's podium at the 2014 Asian Cup, departing the role before the team travelled to Russia for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He then moved to Japan where in 2019, as Head Coach of the Yokohama F Marinos, Postecoglou became the first Australian Coach to win a J-League title. "Find the core of why you want to coach, you've got to find out why you want to coach. What is it at the core of why you want to do this? Because as we've already said, it's not going to be a happy carefree existence." - Ange Postecoglou