Easy Is Boring — Inspiring Young Minds with Phil Phillipou
In this episode, Gary Curneen is joined by Phil Phillipou, author of Inspiring Young Minds, to explore how coaches can build youth environments that go beyond drills and technique — and actually develop people.
From the chaos of his first youth session back to the deeper psychology behind learning, Phil shares honest, experience-driven lessons for every coach working in today’s game. Together, they discuss:
Why modern players struggle with verbal communication and social connection
How to use football to teach respect, resilience, and teamwork
The importance of structured chaos and why easy is boring
Managing behavior through clear, fair hierarchy rather than punishment
Tackling the social media and phone addiction challenge head-on
How gratitude, persistence, and storytelling can transform player mindset
Phil’s refreshing blend of humility and honesty makes this one of the most relevant coaching conversations of the year. If you’re passionate about creating meaningful environments for young players — not just compliant ones — this episode is a must-listen.
📚 Book: Inspiring Young Minds (available now on Amazon)
📲 Follow Phil: Instagram @mindsight_sports | LinkedIn: Phil Phillipou
🎙️ Hosted by Gary Curneen — Modern Soccer Coach
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Inside The Aspire Summit: Coaching Lessons from Southgate, Benitez, Nancy & Nesta
Get FREE notes here:
https://www.modernsoccercoach.com/post/inside-the-aspire-summit-coaching-lessons-from-southgate-benitez-nancy-nesta
In this episode, Gary shares reflections from the 11th Aspire Academy Global Summit in Philadelphia — a two-day event hosted in collaboration with the Philadelphia Union and Major League Soccer.
With world-class speakers like Rafa Benítez, Gareth Southgate, Wilfried Nancy, and Alessandro Nesta, the conference tackled football’s biggest coaching questions — from tactical evolution to leadership, communication, and the mindset needed to keep learning in an ever-changing game.
Gary breaks down his biggest takeaways and how coaches at every level can apply them in their own environments.
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The Fluminese Blueprint: How to Create Intelligent, Adaptable Players with Andre Medeiros
On this week’s Modern Soccer Coach Podcast, Gary sits down in Rio de Janeiro with André Medeiros, the man who has helped shape Fluminense’s methodology for over 25 years. Recorded during Gary’s recent visit as part of the TetraBrazil Tour, this conversation dives deep into how Brazil’s most respected academies view player development, coaching, and the evolving game.
André shares incredible insights on:
Why respect sits at the very top of Fluminense’s core values.
How coaches are taught to see themselves not as the center of the process, but as facilitators of player growth.
The club’s belief that “we don’t build players — we develop them,” focusing on character, adaptability, and intelligence.
The balance between athleticism, speed, and decision-making in the modern player.
Why the future of football might see positions disappear entirely, replaced by fluid, dynamic systems built on player versatility.
Beyond tactics and systems, André speaks passionately about the human side of the game — education, psychology, cooperation, and humility — all foundational pillars of how Fluminense produces not just great players, but great people.
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Trails Not Rails! Inside Vasco da Gama Methodology with Gabriel Bussinger
Check out TetraBrazil below:
https://www.tetrabrazil.com/
Gary is joined by Gabriel Bussinger (Vasco da Gama) to explore their unique approach to elite player development.
Gabriel explains the following:
✨ What it means to be player-centered vs. game-centered
✨ Balancing chaos and organization in development
✨ Why methodology should grow from practice to theory—not the other way around
Standout quotes:
👉 “Rails confine talent. Trails give direction but leave freedom for creativity.”
👉 “Coaching is not the man inside the office. Coaching is walking with players, talking with them at breakfast, learning their culture, and caring for them as people.”
👉 “A Vasco player is technical, but above all, he is brave. He plays not only for the game, but for his family, his community, and to overcome the challenges of favela life.”
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Guerrilla Football and the Power of Simplicity with John Wall
Watch John's full presentation FREE below:
https://www.modernsoccercoach.com/product-page/purpose-planning-and-people-insight-into-jamaica-s-blueprint-with-john-wall
In this episode, John Wall shares insights from his time as assistant coach for the Jamaican National Team (2022–2024). He discusses how to maximize player strengths, simplify complexity, and create repeatable structures, even with limited resources. Topics include transitions, defensive organization, set pieces, player development, and balancing tactical structure with freedom. John also reflects on the realities of coaching and how observation, pragmatism, and humility can drive team success.
Key takeaway: Coaching isn’t about doing everything—it’s about focusing on what truly matters and empowering players to perform at their best.
This podcast is sponsored by Actavivo!
Actavivo is a free team and group communication app built for clubs, schools, sports teams,
neighbourhoods, and organisations. It helps people connect, organise, and manage group
activities more effectively—all in one place.
Actavivo Website: https://actavivo.com
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/in/app/actavivo/id1611252168
Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.actavivo&hl=en_US
Our goal is to bring in-depth content to coaches with a combination of interviews, chats, and personal thoughts on the topics that really matter in the beautiful game and elite-level sport. Enjoy and thanks for listening! - Gary
Brasil