Advertise on podcast: Marvee Woods Football Academy Podcast

On episode 38, I’m joined by Aidan Callan, the Academy Manager of EFL League Two side Crewe Alexandra. In this episode, Aidan shares insights into youth development, coaching philosophy, and the realities of managing a football academy. Discover how Crewe nurtures talent, handles challenges, and prepares players for professional careers.

On episode 38, I’m joined by Aidan Callan, the Academy Manager of EFL League Two side Crewe Alexandra. Aidan tells me that the club organises academy tours to judge the character of players when they are away from their parents, not just football ability ⚽️ Full Episode: Friday October 23rd 2026

On episode 38, I’m joined by Aidan Callan, the Academy Manager of EFL League Two side Crewe Alexandra. Aidan and myself both reflect in this candid conversation, on how easy it is to forget at times as parents and academy staff that we’re dealing with kids ⚽️ Full Episode: Friday October 23rd 2026

On episode 38, I’m joined by Aidan Callan, the Academy Manager of EFL League Two side Crewe Alexandra. Aidan reflects on his playing career and his time as a young player at Stoke City. He expresses regret for not doing more to become a better player and extend his time at Stoke City after being offered a professional contract as a teenager. Full Episode: Friday October 23rd

On episode 38, I’m joined by Aidan Callan, the Academy Manager of EFL League Two side Crewe Alexandra. In an academy environment where many players become egotistical, Aidan tells me that at Crewe, they focus heavily on developing good people with sound character, as well as developing good talent. Full Episode: Friday October 23rd

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett, who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. Jonathan says that the academy has changed their training program for the 13 and 14 year olds. To allow the players more time to sleep to aid recovery whilst dealing with growth and maturation ⚽️

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett, who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. Jonathan says that an academy player needs to have a standout quality, and crucially, must understand what that quality is to use it to their advantage ⚽️

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett, who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. In this episode, we explore youth development in football, focusing on academy management, player growth, and the importance of holistic support for young athletes. Jonathan also shares his insights from his journey and expertise at Wolves FC.

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett, who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. Jonathan shares with me various reasons why academy players seem to not do well the first time they go out on loan ⚽️ Full Episode: Friday October 9th 2026

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. Jonathan tells me that development of players is priority over winning matches, because Academy Football is not like First Team football where results and leagues matter ⚽️ Full Episode: Friday October 9th 2026

On episode 37, I’m joined by Jonathan Hunter-Barrett who is the Academy Director of EFL Championship side Wolves. Jonathan shares insights from his experience in the Wolves academy, discussing how self-belief is the bridge that separates those who forge careers in the game from those who don’t make the grade ⚽️ Full Episode: Friday October 9th 2026

On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Hassell, a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley. Bobby tells me that the club takes time keeping very seriously once the boys go full time, and if players have a habit of turning up late. It can result in them being released. Full Episode: Out Now

On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Hassell, a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley. Bobby lets me know how he dealt with injuries as a former Defender and captain in the Barnsley First Team and throughout his career. Bobby has a lot of compassion for injured players in the academy because he understands that it can be a dark lonely place at times. He never wants to treat his academy players with the same neglect he experienced from managers throughout his career when he was injured. Full Episode: Out Now

On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Hassell, a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley. Bobby was previously the Head Of Recruitment at Barnsley before transitioning into his Academy Manager role at the club. He explains how scouting and recruitment have helped him be more patient with trialists because a scout usually sees how the player will potentially turn out, whereas most coaches look only at the player's performance on the day. Recruitment has helped Bobby allow trialists to complete the full 8 weeks of a trial because he gives the player time to adjust to the new surroundings before fulfilling their potential. This approach differs from many academies where trialists are often judged too quickly without being able to showcase their ability ⚽️ Full Episode: Out Now

On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Hassell, a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley. Bobby Hassell shares his journey from grassroots football to a professional career at Barnsley where he became a captain. He emphasises the importance of mindset, discipline, and holistic development in nurturing future footballers. Bobby discusses the intricacies of academy management, player development, and the impact of mental strength. He lets me know about how he became the Head Of Recruitment at Barnsley before transitioning to his current Academy Manager role ⚽️ This Episode is Sponsored by Resonance Energy Wear Resonance Store Link: https://resonanceenergywear.com/marvee Use Discount Code: MARVEE15