Marvee Woods Football Academy Podcast
Interviewing professionals about their experiences in football academies 🎙️⚽️
Crewe Alexandra Academy Manager - Aidan Callan ("Academy Tours: We Judge Character Over Talent") - Episode 38
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
Crewe Alexandra Academy Manager - Aidan Callan ("Pressurising Under 7s To Become Pros") - Episode 38
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
Crewe Alexandra Academy Manager - Aidan Callan ("My Football Regets") - Episode 38
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
Crewe Alexandra Academy Manager - Aidan Callan ("Good Players Or Good People") - Episode 38
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.
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("We Cancelled Training So Players Can Sleep") - Episode 37
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 ⚽️
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("What Makes Your Talent Special?") - Episode 37
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 ⚽️
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("Hunting For Future Greats")
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.
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("Are Academy Players Ready For Loans") - Episode 37
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
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("Academies: No Leagues. Just Development.") - Episode 37
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
Wolves Academy Director - Jonathan Hunter-Barrett ("Ballers With Belief") - Episode 37
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
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("No Phones. Don't Be Late. Play Football") - Episode 36
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
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("Being Injured Is A Lonely Place") - Episode 36
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.
...
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("Scouts See Tomorrow, Coaches See Today") - Episode 36
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 be...
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("The Tykes Are Worth The Hassell")
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 ⚽️
Thi...
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("Why 16-18 Year Olds Quit Football") - Episode 36
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 a few players have quit at Barnsley after being given scholarships at 16-18 years old, because the everyday pressure of playing football full time and being constantly judged is too much to mentally handle ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday September 25th
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("Academies Should Prioritise Winning") - Episode 36
On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Cassell, a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley.
Bobby tells me that after a 19 year playing career in football, he feels that academies don’t prepare young players for First Team football which is essentially about winning.
Bobby would even go as far as introducing league football in academies at from 14 years old to get boys accustomed to the pressures of First Team football sooner.
Full Episode: Friday September 25th 2026
Barnsley Academy Manager - Bobby Hassell ("Young Players Don't Study Football") - Episode 36
On episode 36, I’m joined by Bobby Hassell who is a former Defender and now the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Barnsley.
Bobby tells me that young players don’t study the game. Many don’t even watch football, they might play it, but they don’t have passion for the game ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday September 25th 2026
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Academies Must Communicate Releases Better") - Episode 35
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell who the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake tells me that academies need to communicate with players and parents better. Especially regarding releases. He says that there should be clarity and no shocks or surprises because of mixed messages and unexpected news ⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Academies Work Closely With Schools") - Episode 35
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell who is the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake lets me know how the club works closely with the schools of their academy players⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Your Daily Habits Matter") - Episode 35
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell who is the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake tells me that your daily habits will define you as a footballer ⚽️
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Developing The Athletic Footballer")
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell, the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake shares insights into the workings of a category two football academy, player development, and the importance of values, individual pathways, and communication in nurturing young talent.
This Episode is Sponsored by Resonance Energy Wear Resonance Store Link: https://resonanceenergywear.com/marvee
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Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Be On Time. Standards Matter") - Episode 35
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell who is the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake lets me know that values and standards like being on time is high priority for the academy ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday September 11th 2026
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("We Give Players Time To Develop") - Episode 35
On episode 35, I’m joined by Jake Campbell who is the Academy Manager of EFL League One side Wigan Athletic.
Jake tells me that the academy has a policy of recruiting and retaining a small number of players throughout the age groups ⚽️
The club aims to try and bring as many players as they can through from pre-academy to First Team.
Full Episode: Friday September 11th 2026
Wigan Athletic Academy Manager - Jake Campbell ("Our Academy Is Our Backbone") - Episode 35
Jake tells me about the importance of the Wigan academy. In 2020, Wigan Athletic plunged into administration and the academy is what the First Team relied upon to stay afloat.
A year later, in 2021 when the club had come out of administration. The First Team still full of academy graduates finished top of League One and gained promotion to the EFL Championship.
The story is a true representation of why clubs have academies ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday September 11th 2026
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Arsenal To England And Beyond")
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris shares his extensive journey in football, from his early days as a schoolboy at Arsenal to becoming a professional player and eventually transitioning into coaching. He discusses the challenges he faced due to injuries, his unexpected rise to coaching in Malta, and his return to England where he has made significant contributions to youth development and talent identification for the England national teams.
Chris emphasizes the importance of attitude, hard work, and the evolving landscape of...
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Confidence Is Everything") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris tells me how a player high on confidence can be playing international football for England and a year or two later the same player is no longer an international due to a change in confidence ⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Diet And Sleep Can Cost You England Selection") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris lets me know the importance of diet and sleep and how it’s being honed in on and becoming a paramount part of his England teams preparation for tournaments to come in the near future ⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now (More in comments)
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("IAcadeemy Coaches, Stop Being Wooden") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris lets me know about the coaching he sees when goes to scout games and pick players for England ⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Being Big Doesn't Make You A Footballer") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris lets me know that football teams have a mixture of sizes. Being big doesn’t make you a footballer ⚽️
Full Episode: Out Now
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Arsenal To England And Beyond")
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris shares his extensive journey in football, from his early days as a schoolboy at Arsenal to becoming a professional player and eventually transitioning into coaching. He discusses the challenges he faced due to injuries, his unexpected rise to coaching in Malta, and his return to England where he has made significant contributions to youth development and talent identification for the England national teams.
Chris emphasizes the importance of attitude, hard work, and the evolving landscape of...
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Is Cat 1 The Only Way Into England?") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris lets me know why it’s challenging for Cat 2-3 players to get scouted to play for England ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday August 28th 2026
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Your Friends Can Ruin Your Career") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris advises young players that the people you hang around and call friends can make or break your career ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday August 28th 2026
England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach - Chris Ramsey MBE ("Discipline Over Motivation") - Episode 34
On this episode 34, I’m joined by Chris Ramsey MBE who is the England U17-U20 Lead Phase Coach.
Chris tells me that discipline is more important than motivation ⚽️
Full Episode: Friday August 28th 2026
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("Don't Cut Corners") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
Chris tells me what his definition of a model pro is and emphasises that they don’t cut corners in matches or training.
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("Off The Ball Movement Defines Great Players") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
Chris talks to me about the importance of off the ball movement ⚽️
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("No Academy Football Unitil 14?") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
I ask Chris if he thinks that academy football should begin at the age of 14 like a lot of parents are suggesting.
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("Does Football Have A Race Problem") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
I ask Chris about racism in football, especially towards the South Asian community and he candidly shares his views on the matter.
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("See The Game Like A Scout")
In this episode 33, I am joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship Club Southampton FC.
Chris shares insights into scouting, player development, and the nuances of identifying future football stars. Discover how character, technical skills, and early development influence success in professional football.
Chris shares insights into football scouting, player development, risk management, and the importance of character and education in nurturing future stars.
This Episode is Sponsored by Resonance Energy Wear
Resonance Store Link: https://resonanceenergywear...
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("Losing Is No Joke") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
Chris tells me that although development of players for the First Team is the main focus of academies. Players will also be judged on their desire to win matches.
Chris lets me know that personally, if he sees players laughing and joking after they’ve lost a match. That’s an immediate red flag for him, because he’ll question how seriously they take football and if their desire to win i...
Southampton Head Of Academy Recruitment - Chris Robinson ("The Best Players Run") - Episode 33
On this episode 33, I’m joined by Chris Robinson aka The Scouting Game who is also the Head Of Academy Recruitment at EFL Championship club Southampton.
Chris tells me about the importance of running on and off the pitch. He explains how running benefits fitness and also shows who’s prepared to do the extras
Full Episode: Friday August 14th 2026
