Building a Soccer Legacy in Halifax: A Conversation with Derek MartinIn this episode of Soccer Stories, hosts Jack and Andrew Murray are joined by Derek Martin, the founder and president of the Halifax Wanderers.
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Derek shares his journey from being a professional American football player to falling in love with soccer during his time in Europe. He discusses the genesis of Halifax Wanderers, starting with his vision to utilize the Wanderers Grounds, despite its initial dilapidated state.
Derek details the challenges and triumphs of creating a professional soccer club, including the logistics of building a temporary stadium and the community-focused approach that has contributed to the club's success. He also emphasizes the critical importance of creating a live event experience unique to soccer and his ambitions for the future, including winning a trophy and improving infrastructure.
Listeners gain insights into the intersection of sports management and community building, making this episode a must-listen for soccer enthusiasts and aspiring sports executives.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:20 Derek Martin's Journey to Soccer
01:38 The Birth of Halifax Wanderers
04:56 Challenges and Triumphs of the First Year
07:21 Building a Soccer Community in Halifax
13:36 The Unique Experience of Soccer Games
20:56 Balancing Team Development and Competitiveness
25:52 Future Aspirations for Halifax Wanderers
28:29 Conclusion and Farewell
Phebe Trotman podcast.We are back with our brand-new edition of the Soccer Stories Podcast!In our newest podcast episode, we sit down with Phebe Trotman. I am so glad my dad and I got the chance to interview her and share her story. Phebe is an inductee into multiple sports hall of fames, and the author of "Never Quit on a Bad Day." The conversation is nothing short of captivating as she shares her experiences, from the early days of playing on an all-boys team to reaching the pinnacle of her career and beyond. Phebe Trotman's story is a testament to the idea that it's not the victories alone that shape a champion, but also the setbacks and the courage to rise above them. Her insights into the tactical, technical, and mental aspects of soccer are profound, offering a glimpse into what it takes to excel at the highest levels of the sport. We talked about: How her love of football blossomed Her time as a young girl playing on an all-boys team When she decided she wanted to become a pro player How she ended up playing in the US Playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps, And much more... We also spent time talking about her book (which I was lucky enough to read) I love Phebe's book because it gives you inspiration, motivation and then backs it up with tools and actionable steps. She's so passionate about sharing the "tough stuff" so people can see the "story" behind the story and learn what other people did to get past their challenges, and how to take those lessons and use them in their own life. But it's not just about soccer. Phebe's philosophy of life, encapsulated in the title of her book, resonates with anyone striving to overcome obstacles. Her message is clear: quitting is not an option, especially not on a bad day. I loved hearing about Phebe's recounting of scoring goals, outmanoeuvring opponents, and embracing every chance to shine. Her story is inspiring. Phebe is a great speaker and storyteller and is a great personality to interview. This interview was captivating and full of insights into soccer and life! A must-listen episode for anyone who has ever faced a challenge and wondered if they could make it through. So, lace up your boots, plug in your headphones, and prepare to be inspired. Listen to the episode now and remember, never quit on a bad day. And, make sure to tell me what you think of the episode in the comment section! You can Find Phebe here: https://neverquitonabadday.com/ https://www.instagram.com/trotmanphebe/Be sure to link up and tel her how you found her. Timestamp: (00:39) Introduction (01:22) Phebe's start in soccer. (04:43) What would you say was the pivotal point when you decided to go pro (07:23) Football tactics. (10:56) The transition from club to University soccer. (17:55) The W league and Vancouver Whitecaps. (21:41) How do you decide to stop playing professionally? (24:49) What are some of the lessons you took from soccer into your daily life? (28:13) What would you say is the biggest lesson you've learned from setbacks in soccer? (31:19) Phebe's book, Never Quit on a Bad Day. (37:15) Phebe's goal with the book. (38:24) Book series? (43:48) The women's game in Canada now. (46:17) What do you think has been the best advice a coach or teammate has given you? (51:52) Rapid-fire questions (54:06) Goals for the future? (55:02) End of Interview Get your own Riobol here: http://www.RIOBOL.com For a 20% off discount, use: JACKMURRAY Here's how to get a Blazepod: Get Blazepod shipped to North America: https://hoply.io/bp Get Blazepod shipped to Europe: https://blazepod.eu/andrew-murray Use coupon code SOCCERSTORIES to get 10% off your Blazepod set!
In the interview, we discuss Chrisno’s:
Overall, Chrisno is an incredibly talented, committed and hard-working player that I’m incredibly happy I was able to interview. I’m excited for more people to hear his story and am thrilled that I had the opportunity to share it.
Soccer Stories: Get into the Journey with Elliot Simmons of Cavalry FC.
Hey everyone, it’s Jack here and today CPLFever is releasing an interview with one of the best midfielders in the CPL. One of my favourite players, Cavalry FC Regista Elliot Simmons!
I first met Elliot when I was a ball retriever for the Halifax Wanderers. I often got to talk with Elliot for a little bit in the hours leading up to kickoff. Elliot was always so kind and really easy to talk to. I always enjoyed watching him, too. I thought he was a tidy player with good technique and I always was impressed by his excellent soccer IQ.
Cavalry FC
It's clear that Elliot has found his home with Cavalry FC and under the tutelage of head gaffer, Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
We ask him a ton of questions about Cavalry ranging from what it is like to play under Tommy Wheeldon Jr., and whether he thought his gaffer was the best-dressed gaffer in the CPL.
Then we also talk about Elliot’s game style, how he has become such an amazing midfielder, how he developed his soccer IQ, his passing skill, and more!
Victory Shombusho is our latest player interview.
Hey everyone, it’s Jack here and I’m so incredibly thrilled to finally be releasing our interview with Victory Shumbusho!
Victory gives some AWESOME tips on being a top striker.
(Unfortunately this interview was delayed as the audio needed some editing - but the final product is good.)
Every great player has had a different pathway on their way to becoming a professional soccer player, but I wanted to interview Victory because I think he has a story that is so inspiring. When I first read about him in a Canadian Premier League article, I was so inspired by his story that I wanted to know more about him.
We discussed his time in the Congo and we also spent time talking about what life was like in Uganda. He talks about how he started playing soccer in Uganda after moving from Congo. Victory speaks about how in Uganda, you had to be good enough to get on the field and play soccer. He had a desire to improve, and he asked a really good player to teach him tricks. Victory would do chores for the guy and in return, this player would teach Victory tricks and moves that he would practice. This really helped him develop his skills in a competitive environment.
Victory is someone who was persistent and he never gave up on his dream – Now he is starting to see the fruits of his labour by being a dominant striker at the U-Sports level and on the brink of playing in the CPL. I know if I was a coach of any CPL team, I would want him: fast, strong, and with a killer shot, Victory sounds like the whole package to me.
When Victory talked about being a striker, he was so descriptive that it really gave us a window into the “thinking” of a striker and he gave so many good tips for young players trying to excel in that position.
💪 Tip: For young strikers trying to learn from someone who plays your position, make sure you listen to this interview.
Overall, interviewing Victory is a definite must-listen. Follow his story and discover how he fell in love with soccer, came to Canada, his mindset and belief in sports psychology, his time with the Vancouver Whitecaps, what it was like being drafted by Pacific FC and Pa-Modou Kah, his time in U sports, and more...
Read more on the blog:
Welcome to another episode of “Soccer Stories: Get Into The Journey.” This week’s guest is Northern Ireland midfielder, Ollie Bassett.
I personally was so excited when Ollie accepted our offer to interview him.
Ollie, a newcomer to Pacific FC this year, has done fantastically under Pa-Modou Kah.
Before I had even seen Ollie play in the CPL I was excited for him because I had a hunch that he was going to be a real quality player for the Tridents. I have really enjoyed seeing him on the pitch for Pacific FC and in fact, I wrote an article about him after speaking to him in the press room.
In the interview, I had an absolute blast. We started off this interview by talking about his time in the Aston Villa Academy and how that shaped him as a player. It was incredible to get all of the details and to get on the inside of what a top club would be like. I especially liked hearing about how everything was done with a ball, for example, fitness was done with a ball and it was to get you as many touches on the ball as possible as a youngster.
We also spend a big portion of time chatting about futsal. Ollie explains how futsal also helped mold him into the soccer player that he is today.
Other topics we cover are his time in Yeoviltown, New Zealand, and playing for Northern Ireland.
During the course of the interview, you notice that Ollie is determined, committed to his sport and his attitude is something that young players should pay attention to because his attitude is top-notch, and in the professional game that is how you overcome the many roadblocks you will face.
So have fun and listen to this interview with one of my favourite players to watch in the CPL.
Welcome to another episode of, Fans Of The League with the Halifax Pirate himself, Denton Froese!
We did our first fans of the league episode a while back with Missy Searl. Daddy and I really enjoyed doing that and we are happy to be releasing another interview with another Wanderer’s superfan.
Denton has been an avid supporter of the Halifax Wanderers and a bright spot whenever I got to see him at the grounds.
When I was a ballboy at the Wanderers Grounds I would always see him in the stands cheering extra loudly in his absolutely awesome outfit!
In this interview, I was so excited to get his story. We talked about his love of the Halifax Wanderers, his fanzine "The HFX Cookbook," how his outfit came about, and of course, how excited he was to get back in the stands at the Wanderers grounds!
I have to say one of my favourite parts about the interview was hearing about how his pirate outfit came about. So if you want to know how an opera coat became a pirate coat and why Denton describes the experience as being the first on the dance floor, then be sure to have a listen!
So get ready and enjoy this interview with Halifax Wanderer’s superfan, the Pirate of the Wanderers Grounds, also known as Denton Froese!
#halifaxwanderers
#hfxwanderersfc
#canadianpremierleague
In part 2 of our interview with Canadian striker and legend, Iain Hume, we talk about his time playing the the English Championship with Leicester and the Tranmere Rovers. We also cover his dramatic head injury which left him with a large scar.
And we talk about his retirement from soccer as a player and how difficult that can be.
And Iain shares his next steps with his coaching.
Enjoy Part 2 of our interview with Iain Hume.
I'm ecstatic because the interview we are releasing is Part 1 with Canadian soccer icon, Iain Hume!
Getting the opportunity to chat with Iain, a Canadian striker with an unbelievable career, playing not only for his country but clubs like:
* Leicester City
* Barnsley
* Kerala Blasters FC
* Atletico de Kolkata
...has been a highlight for me here with CPLFever!
During this 2-hour interview (which is being released in 2 parts) we had the privilege to go in-depth into Iain's experiences! Iain has incredible knowledge and perspective on the game and this is a definite must-listen-to interview.
We covered so many interesting topics including how he became such a prolific striker and the hunger, desire, and tenacity you need to become one. Iain then highlights the different types of strikers which was a very eye-opening conversation.
In this full hour, we also covered him playing the Indian Super League and the current Canadian Men's National Team. He shares some interesting insights about what it's like to play for your country.
Plus, we also get into some more topics like the media, being on the OneSoccer panel, and many more insights in Part 2, so stay tuned for that over the next couple of days!
Follow Iain Hume on Twitter and Instagram
Check out more about his unique coaching program here.
We started a new segment called "Fans of the League" where we talk to some of the fans around the Canadian Premier League #CanPL
The fans are the twelfth man, the fans are the ones that make any league special, and I think that the CPL fans have been great to the league and the teams. We wanted to share the stories of all of these amazing superfans and how they fell in love with their teams.
So when I thought about the quintessential fan, I knew who I had to interview. Our first fan could be none other than the fan who is known as Mama Searl! The Mama of the Halifax Wanderers, Missy Searl!
I have been friends with Missy for a while now. We first met when I was a ballboy for the Halifax Wanderers and usually I was the ballboy in front of her section. I always had such a fun time being a ballboy, and I always thought that all the fans were great but I particularly always remembered Missy and her family by the amount of passion they exuded for the Wanderers on game days!
Later on we became friends on Instagram, we talked frequently to each other there and we bonded outside of the Wanderers and the CPL with her love of the Spanish National team, and her cooking, boy can she cook!
We go into both of those topics in this interview. Missy is such a great person and part of this segment is getting to know the fans. Along with her love for the Wanderers, Missy is making a huge difference in the community where she has her own business, “L Searl Virtual Consulting Services” where she helps and advises small business owners. To learn more about this, be sure to reach out to her on Instagram or Twitter.
We actually interviewed William just under a year ago when he was still playing at the University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley and when his YouTube channel only had a few thousand subscribers.
Since that time William has done great things like being called up to the South Sudan national team, his YouTube channel now has over 20k subs, he is now playing pro in the Canadian Premier League for Valour FC, and he has gotten his first-ever pro goal.
Andrew and I dive into all of that news with William.
William has grown so much since we last talked. During our first interview, he was full of advice and he knew so much for his age but now he knows even more that he has another year of high-level soccer under his belt. Plus, William now has a taste of what playing for a professional soccer team is like in that he has recently signed with CPL team, Valour FC.
Willy has always been a fantastic striker with a knack for getting balls in the back of the net. He is fast, strong, and a deadly finisher! He is someone who will be able to score in lots of ways for Valour FC. Just giving you guys a heads up but if you haven't seen William play yet, he is an amazing striker who any team in the Canadian Premier League would want on their side!
We talk to William about his YouTube channel which has seen some excellent growth - and about how he deals with creator burnout, how to grow subscribers fast, who inspired him to start a YouTube Channel, and how he developed into a successful monetized YouTuber. This is a critical section for anybody who has a YouTube Channel.
In this interview, William talks about some of the goals that he hopes to achieve by the end of the season. One of his goals was to get 10 goals in the Canadian Premier League in his first season, and so far in just 2 appearances and just under 45 minutes on the field, Willy has already scored his first pro goal! If you want to know what team William is most excited to play against, how William balances his YouTube and soccer life, and more, then enjoy this interview with Valour FC striker William Akio!
Welcome to another episode of "Soccer Stories: Get Into The Journey". This week's guest is Halifax Wanderers and 2020 CPL Coach Of The Year, the illustrious, Stephen Hart!
I love him as a coach. I think he is a phenomenal tactician, and right before the interview, I couldn't believe that we were about to interview the Halifax Wanderers Head Coach but also the former head coach of not one, but two National teams - Canada 🇨🇦 and Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹!
It's certainly not every day that you get to speak to someone who is so well versed in football, and yet we got to chat with Stephen for a good hour covering many different topics.
We started off talking about his background growing up in a rural area of Trinidad & Tobago where watching soccer and cricket were literally "events" that people experienced. There were no replays while watching live, and he talked about how watching a lot of live games at his local field brought a romance to the game, and how that helped him tactically. Stephen's father, we found out, actually thought he was a better cricket player than a footballer!
We also spend a brief time talking about the cuisine of Trinidad And Tobago. We really enjoyed talking about food and culture and lucky for us, Stephen shares one of his favourite recipe sites for Caribbean food.
We then delved into his playing career and how he got his start in coaching. Interestingly, with not much equipment, he started training kids to kick the ball through the legs of chairs and to pick the ball up on the other side.
He mentioned one thing that was very revealing and it was that he sees himself as a "player developer" and you can see the importance of that throughout the interview. He has a passion for helping players reach that next level in their careers.
During the course of the interview, Stephen Hart gave us amazing advice for young players; the importance of enthusiasm and his belief that how you carry yourself, respecting the dressing room, and staying humble is critically important as a footballer and to the team morale.
He also explains that nothing is more important than the team. The one thing he won't allow in his dressing room is a bad attitude and a player that won’t conform to the team. Talent does not trump attitude at any level of soccer. We also had an interesting exchange on how he handled challenging players, which he has had to deal with in his career as a coach.
The conversation covered much ground, and things that came up during the interview were his thoughts on about ball winners, passers, dribblers, strikers and their different roles.
We got to chat about the Wanderers, the new squad, the Italian concept of "Grinta," which was vital during their run at the Island Games, and how Coach Hart likes a vertical game and playing forward to eliminate lines.
Near the end of the interview, we dive into more tactics and we talk about the death of the pure number 10, why that is, the re-invention of the number 10, and some players that are doing well with the re-invention!
And so much more.
Today, we are excited to share with you this episode of "Soccer Stories, Get Into The Journey" where we interview Halifax Wanderers brand new signing, midfielder Pierre Lamothe. Pierre is a player that can make a big impact for the Wanderers.
First off be sure to follow Pierre on his Instagram account here.
Next, if you have not seen Pierre Lamothe's highlight reel, go check it out, because once you see it you will get excited for the Wanderers in the upcoming season.
Something that I noticed when I watched him was how very adept he was at taking the ball out of the air and playing forward or calming down the play. The big plus is that his passing, work ethic, and footwork are excellent and he is incredibly FAST!
During the interview with Pierre Lamothe, we talk about his time with the Montreal Impact Academy, learning about Grinta, mindset tips, how to take care of your body, and the biggest takeaways from being in that learning environment.
We also expand on his playing style and what he tries to accomplish in games. Pierre also played for the Montreal Carabins with Omar Kriem and Aboucar Sissoko and they all know each other well. They won a title together, so we dive into that experience.
Of course, we can’t forget to chat about how he’s settling in here in Halifax, about meeting the rest of the squad, what the training has been like, and general stuff about the upcoming season.
Pierre has got a great personality; he's a lot of fun with a good sense of humour (you see it within the first few minutes of our interview) while also being very insightful with a calm confident aura. He is definitely one to watch.
We then finish off the interview with some fun rapid-fire questions to get to know Pierre’s personality better!
Watch the Pierre Lamothe interview on YouTube.
Warning! This interview is highly recommended for any kids who aspire to go pro.
The first time I saw Joel Waterman playing soccer was when he was playing for Cavalry FC under head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Joel was so good in the inaugural season of the CPL that Club De Foot Montreal signed him and became the first team to sign a player from the CPL, and Joel became the first-ever player that started out in the CPL to go to the MLS.
Since that defining moment, Joel Waterman has received multiple call ups to the Canadian senior Men's National Team.
We had a great conversation. Joel left a huge impression on me. If you have watched our previous interviews, you know how much I believe that having the "right" mindset can get you through anything. Listening to Joel I was impressed by his attitude, mindset, and discipline. In fact, there is one thing he said will stay with me, and I think this is part of the secret to his incredible ascent is:
Joel Waterman"The most supernatural thing we can do is be consistent."
During our interview, our goal is to get into the soccer journey of our guests. We want to know how they fell in love with soccer, how they realized that soccer was the path they wanted to take, what drove them to pursue their football goal with passion, and what set them apart from the rest.
We loved getting into Joel's journey, from the love of soccer shared by his whole family, Saturday morning games, and how his Dad was instrumental in developing his skills, getting him to understand the importance of "getting good at the basics."
We also talked about the defining moments in his career, starting with the CPL to his move to the MLS and coaching with Thierry Henry. We delve into the changes he made to his game when he went from a CDM to a CB, what its like to be a ball-carrying center back (CB), his playing style and who he likes to watch and emulate.
We also covered his Ambassadorship with Kidsport and other passion projects that are important to him. To wrap up the interview, we asked Joel some fun Rapid Fire Questions to get to know him better!
Watching the interview, you can see that each answer was given with much thought and reflection. This is an incredibly in-depth interview and I want to thank Joel for getting into his journey and inspiring me and others to pursue our dreams.
In the interview, we had a lot of questions for Mateo. We talked to him about his game style, the importance of his position (some surprises there!), mindset, diet, his time in Germany, his time with Santa Barbra, the Island Games, studying to be a doctor, and more!
Mateo also talks extensively and in great depth about how he ended up playing in Germany, this experience in the Under 19 Bundesliga, and the pressure of playing there.
Mateo Restrepo is a fantastic player with a fantastic mindset so get ready to enjoy this interview with the Halifax Wanderer’s fullback because we get into the journey.
Below is the full interview and if you watch it on YouTube, the interview timestamp is on our Mateo Restrepo blog post.
For me (and many people) Peter has become the iconic Halifax Wanderer. A fan favourite, always giving back to the fans and community, he's a great guy and we're honoured that he came back on the show to give us a recap on what he's been doing recently and what we can expect this coming season.
In this interview we catch up, find out what he's been doing in the offseason like spending some time on the West coast, we get into pre-season training, Peter’s connection with the fans, and his coaching experience with local club Halifax County.
We also cover some of his other projects and marketing company - Did you see Halifax Wanderers Beer "The Grounds" during the Island Games? - yup that was him behind the marketing campaign! You can check out more about Peter's involvement in the marketing campaign behind the limited edition Wanderer's been here.
One of my favourite parts of the conversation were what he looks for in terms of development from the kids he coaches, and the tips Peter gives young players specifically on heading, and when to check your shoulder as a defender. He gets into some very specific details like his own personal "triggers" and more. Really insightful!
There were a lot of great moments and Peter is always great to chat to.
We also touch on the inaugural season, being named to the Team of the Decade for the CBU Capers, and then we look ahead to the hopefully soon-to-be-announced season. We talk about what back to training has been like in the 5v5 intrasquad tournaments - football tennis competitions that are more competitive than the Wanderers games and what it’s like to be coached by Mesut Mert.
#canpl #hfxwanderers #peterschaale #football #canadasoccer
Our first interview of 2021 is here!
For our first interview, booked an interview with Game Awareness.
Game Awareness is the company founded by two brothers, Sijad and Farshad Yaqubi who are trainers out of Ontario, Canada, who have a very innovative and different approach to training the next generation of soccer players coming out of Canada.
What I find absolutely amazing about Game Awareness and you can check out their training here on their website and many more videos on their Instagram account is their unique approach to training.
Their philosophy is that most so much emphasis is placed on learning the technique but not enough on the “awareness” aspect of the game which is the “key.” Think quicker, play quicker.
They have trained many youth players from many different clubs all across Ontario including many players from the TFC Academy.
Several of their trainees have gone on to play at very high levels and just recently, one in particular, has gone to play with the Feyenoord Academy in Holland.
Again, like I mentioned they train many up and coming players and also train professional players, including Emilio Estevez who went on from York United to Ado Den Haag, and several players from York United: Lowell Wright, Ijah Halley, Max Ferrari, and the CPL Champions from Forge FC: Chris Nanco, Mo Babouli, Montreal Impact: Kamal Miller, Vancouver Whitecaps: Ryan Raposo, and more!
When they train players they focus mainly on one specific part of the game – AWARENESS. Awareness has become even more important in the way soccer has evolved during recent years.
If you can think a little faster than your opponent it could result in not losing the ball, a goal, and a lovely play but if you cannot think on your feet or you think even just a second slower than your opponent it could result in losing the ball, one of your defenders having to make a professional tackle that could end up seeing the player get a red or yellow card, and it could also end up being a goal on your net.
This is why Game Awareness are so effective and unique in their training and why so many players keep going back for sessions. They teach you how to be more aware and that is why so many players see such an improvement in their game from just one session.
In the interview, we go in-depth about their progressive training methods, the different types of equipment they use like the vision goggles, the lights, and their robot! They also give us their thoughts on the Canadian National Team, the Canadian Premier League, Virtual Reality training, and some great advice about penalty taking.
So let's get into the journey!
Enjoy the interview, it's a must listen for anyone wanting to play quicker, think quicker, improve their awareness and overall soccer IQ.
And if you're anywhere near Ontario, be sure to check out their training.
New Episode Drop!
We're excited to release our interview with professional soccer player and KickDeck founder, Skylar Thomas.
First off, Skylar is a great guy; fun, relaxed, and extremely friendly. He's also engaged, thoughtful and his story is one I have wanted to share since I started our interviews on CPLFever.
In fact, I have been wanting to interview Skylar now for a very long time. He first caught my attention when he played for CPL team, Valour FC and then more recently as the founder behind the amazing product – KickDeck a valuable tool for young footballers looking to take their training and game to the next level.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with KickDeck, KickDeck is your personal trainer in a deck of cards. By using the deck (shuffle, deal, and train through 4 different categories) you can build your own custom workouts that will unlock your full potential.
Learn more about KickDeck here:
During this interview that lasted about an hour, we chat to Skylar about:
His upbringing and how he developed his love for soccer
His current season with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
How he developed his entrepreneurial spirit and how he ended up founding KickDeck
How he balances being a professional athlete and entrepreneur running a highly successful business.
What his day looks like as a professional footballer
Mindset and how it's helped him in everyday life
Advice for young athletes who aspire to go pro
And of course, the always fun rapid-fire questions where we get to know our guests on a more personal level!
Skylar Thomas has an incredibly fascinating story and one that we are so excited to share with you today. Some of my favourite moments of the interview have to do with his mindset and how he developed a great attitude that has served him well not only in professional soccer but also as an entrepreneur.
When you hear him speak about his passion and commitment to helping youth athletes first through his own coaching program, UVU Soccer Training, and now through KickDeck (by providing solutions to fundamental problems like the lack of direction when training alone that plague young athletes) it's inspiring.
So go ahead and watch the interview below.
Interview with Tommy Wheeldon Jr
The last couple of weeks have been really busy, and so I'm so happy to finally be able to release this interview with Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
To be honest, I still cannot believe that my Dad and I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Tommy Wheeldon Jr. – and have watched it over and over again!
The first time I ever spoke with Tommy was during an early-round Island Games press conference where Cavalry FC played against FC Edmonton. We were able to set up an interview with Tommy Wheeldon Jr via email after connecting on with him on Twitter.
During the press conference, I asked Tommy what he had thought of Elliot Simmons' performance that game.
When answering my question, Tommy gave me such a detailed answer – he talked more about Elliot and their decision to bring him to the football club, his passing, and probing.
I then asked a follow-up question, and he then expanded on Elliot’s role in the club as their “regista” – their quarterback. Something that I really loved about his answer was that he really took the time to explain the “why” behind his decisions.
So we jumped when we got the chance to have a one-on-one with Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
During the interview, Tommy was thoughtful, jovial and shared a lot of golden nuggets.
His explanations, made me see things in different ways, and some of the things I had to really “think” about. I had so many questions for Tommy, and because his answers were so interesting and it made me think about MORE QUESTIONS, I could have kept talking to him for hours.
One of the things that I love about Tommy is that when he talks about football you can hear the passion and his love of the game so much.
In this interview, he explains that his love of soccer came later in his life than most kids. That really surprised me because of the passion and love he has for the game, but it was interesting to see his development; first as a young boy spending time in the football dressing room with his father, to his own playing career, his apprenticeship at 16 and earning his first coaching license at the early age of 17, to the present day and what are his hopes and dreams are for the future.
We covered many things during the hour (see the timestamp below for the details) and some of the highlights of the interview were talking Everton and EPL football with Tommy, his recruitment strategy, and what he looks for in his players (intangible skills and the personality test) and his advice for footballers who are on trial.
I personally really enjoyed him dissecting the parts of the game down as well as asking him for his thoughts on what made Spain's Golden Generation so good (the reason I fell in love with football) and getting to know him on a more personal level – one of my favourite parts is asking him some fun RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS which you definitely have to check out!
As a young kid with aspirations to play professional soccer, I loved talking football with Tommy because I wanted to know more about his perspective on football – seriously, just the way he talks about it, you can't help but be drawn in and all you want to do is listen.
So sit down, grab a snack (I recommend some popcorn – my favourite) and enjoy this interview with Cavalry FC Head Coach and General Manager, Tommy Wheeldon Jr.
Today, I’m very excited to be releasing what we at CPLFever think could be one of our best (and most fun interviews yet) with none other than goalkeeping coach, Jan-Michael Williams.
Now, something that I just love about Jan is how friendly he is.
Jan is really easy going, a joy to be around and talk with. On top of being a super nice guy, his career has been filled with incredible moments many of which we touched on and loved hearing about.
During the interview you get to see on display, just how great a fellow Jan is. We loved covering the various points in his career including, all the caps he has had for his country of Trinidad and Tobago. We also touched on his philosophies on the beautiful game and life in general – mainly how he tries to live the Japanese concept of “Kaizen.”
As he says, our interview may have been the most in-depth interview he's ever done and yes, some of our questions seem to come out of left field (especially my rapid-fire questions) BUT that's what we like, getting to know the players in and outside of soccer!
This interview was such a pleasure to be a part of and I want to thank Jan again for coming on and speaking with us. To know more about Jan, you can follow him here on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janmichael21/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janmichael.williams.5
Now sit back and have a watch/listen to the interview available both on YouTube and our podcast.
Check out more about our Jan-Michael Williams interview on the blog.
