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Professional insight with James Parry
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEW - NEW - NEW James interviewed XABI alonso for dms11. see xabi's answers at the bottom of the page. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DMS11 has teamed up with James Parry to bring players an insight into the real lives of professional clubs and their youth players. James was a youth coach and player for enlgish premier club, liverpool fc. he is now working with fulham fc of the english premier league. james will be writing a blog for dms11 to give insight and a perspective not heard in the usa. james has a wealth of experience at the professional level in england, working mainly with the youth. over the next months james will be addressing many aspects of a youth players life and experience, expectations and pressures within a premier league professional organization. his writings will come from his own experience and help american players understand the importance and dedication training and preparedness make in a players dreams of making the top grade. from training to scouting, performance to recognition, james will bring you an insight to inspire and drive your own talent higher. dms11 players had the opportunity to train with james earlier this year, and look forward to his return to work with us again in the very near future. if you have specific questions for james, feel free to email us at Admin@DMS11.com. we will pass them on for james to pick questions to answer. Enjoy james' writings below and check back for regular updates. james parry resume: 2001-2007 Community Football Coach for Liverpool Football Club Academy 2002-2009 Talent Identification Scout for Liverpool Football Club 2003 Reebok Design UK Product Development Assistant 2005 Directed Soccer Camps for Liverpool Football Club Academy 2006 Coaching with the Barbados National U17 Football Squad 2006 Wrexham Centre for Excellence U10 coach 2007 Full time U16 coach Liverpool Football Club Academy 2008 - 2009 Full time U18 Assistant Coach Liverpool Football Club Academy 2009 - Present Talent Identification Scout for Fulham Football Club 2010 Coached, presented and lectured at the Cal South Soccer Nation Expo Playing Experience ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL BLOG - JULY 8th 2010 malcolm elias fulham FC - Chief head scout
I have been fortunate enough to work with some exceptional people during my time at Liverpool FC and now Fulham FC. One of the best is Chief Scout Malcolm Elias. I speak with him most days, even now while I am here coaching in LA. Below are some answers to a few questions I asked him. you will find it interesting! Q: Who are some of the players you have identified currently playing in the English Premier League? A: Theo Walcott -(Arsenal) Gareth Bale –(Tottenham) Kenwyn Jones - (Sunderland) Matthew Taylor – (Bolton Wanderers) Sam Rickets - (Hull) Leon Best - (Newcastle)
Q: In the past? A: Mark Wright (Liverpool and England), Martin Keown (Arsenal and England), Gary Parker (Aston Villa and England). Q: Which managers and coaches have you worked closely with? A: (LIST) Glenn Hoddle (Spurs, Southampton and England) Harry Redknapp (West Ham, Portsmouth, Southampton, Spurs) Rafa Benitez (Liverpool, Inter Milan) Roy Hodgson (Fuham FC, Liverpool) Steve McClaren (Middlesbo. FC, FC Twente, VFL Wolfburg, England National Team) Mark Lawrenson (Oxford) Steve Wigley (Southampton, England U21) Steve Heighway (Liverpool) George Prost (Olympique Lyon) Brian Horton (Manchester City) John Hollins (Chelsea, Swansea) Gary Brazil and Billy McKinlay (Fulham)
Q: Most enjoyable part of recruitment? A: Seeing young players develop, eg. Theo Walcott signed at 11 – played in FA Youth Cup as youngest ever player at Southampton. It was Disappointing when he moved onto Arsenal for £20 million but rewarding nonetheless.
Q: Main attributes that you look for in players from the 10-15 and 15-20 age brackets? A: 10-15 Technical ability, athletic potential, game understanding as they move in to 11 aside football. A: 15-20 Ability to be part of a team – improved game understanding, technical progress, athletic powers. A: Athleticism is becoming more important than ever. Coaches now ask the questions – how tall is he? How quick is he?
Q: 3 key skills that you believe a good scout requires/posseses? A: (LIST) · 1) To look beyond what you see - eg at 12 what’s he going to be at 18? ie vision the best SCOUTS look to the FUTURE NOT FOR TODAY. · 2) Be aware of what you are looking for – criteria for certain positions eg you wouldn’t take a goalkeeper who was only going to be 5ft 2” full height. · 3) Back your judgement, ie. don’t be influenced by others. Too many scouts worry about what ‘other people’ feel about a player.
Q: Activities and tasks involved in your typical working week during the season? A: I oversee a Recruitment Team of full and part time staff. You MUST DELEGATE and give responsibility to key staff in your department. My preferred option is to be out watching games. However, often the PRIORITY is to FINALISE the SIGNING of a PLAYER which can mean being office bound. Contracts for players, transfer fee for player, accommodation etc are all time consuming but VITALLY IMPORTANT. Similarly the RETAINING of your TOP PLAYERS who will always be the target of TOP CLUBS. Agents have also become a big part of the Recruitment week especially the one's that have the players you want. Therefore Recruitment has become far more than IDENTIFYING THE PLAYER.... hence the need for DELEGATION. Similarly you may have to make 5 different flights in 5 days or even more to TRACK PLAYERS. My staff rely on me to complete the SIGNING OF RECOMMMENDED PLAYER/S so this does take up a great deal of my time as does report reading, watching DVDs etc. Technology has become a massive recruitment tool. Recruitment is an ever changing world so the weekly schedule is also ever changing. Player availability/non availability likewise. “Never say never” is a favourite saying in football and it’s so true.
Q: Few words of advice for the players of the DMSII Academy A: Enjoy every training session, go well prepared and show desire to listen and learn. Be receptive to what your coach tells you. Want to be the best you can be all the time. Watch players in your position and learn from them eg – Tim Howard if you are a GK, Clint Dempsey from my club Fulham FC if you are a striker. Take every opportunity that comes your way..
All the best, Malcolm
FULHAM FOOTBALL CLUB TRAINING GROUND | MOTSPUR PARK | SURREY --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 8th, 2010 i feel very fortunate and honoured to be writing this. I hope that it will be the first of many entries, and that it provides some interest and pleasure to those who read it. Comments, feedback and sharing of ideas will always be welcome and respected. I'll begin by explaining a bit about myself. I have been both a Player and Coach at Liverpool Football Club's Academy. Reflecting on this brings me immense pride and satisfaction. It also provided me with my proudest professional moment to date - helping coach the U18 team to the final of the 2009 FA Youth Cup. I've recently moved into player recruitment with Fulham FC. This has broadened my knowledge and taught me many valuable lessons. It's great to think that I have the opportunity to hopefully help identify the best young players in the UK. Giving something back to the game that has given me so much. Via this page I hope to provide advice, enthusiasm and guidance. A recent football/working visit to LA has really lifted me as a coach and inspired me to explore my future options. I will always strive to improve myself through dedication, passion and diversification. Not forgetting enjoyment to! Speak again soon James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 9TH, 2010 I will be spending a few days this week at Fulham FC. I hope to take a closer look at their training methods and meet the head coach, Roy Hodgson. The team have a very intense games programme at present, so it will be interesting to see what recovery methods are adopted. Tonight Fulham's U18 team are playing in the Quarter Final of the FA Youth Cup against Aston Villa. I will check this out and report my findings. I believe that as coaches we should always try to gain as much knowledge as possible from a variety of sources. I have travelled across Europe visiting and studying Top Clubs. I am presently trying to organise a trip to Valencia FC in Spain, and Manchester City in the UK. We can never stop learning and must not work in isolation. This is a message that you can relay to your players. Always encouage them to watch the best professionals - become students of the game. Finally, a special mention to the DMS11 U13s team who I hear did themselves, their coach and parents proud at the State Cup. Well done and hopefully see you in the summer sometime! James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 10TH, 2010
Entrance to the Fulham Football Club Training Ground - What you would see inside the gates heading to the field. This is where Clint Dempsey trains, along with past USA Players like Brian McBride. Fulham FC U15 versus Crystal Palace U15 - playing on the field where DMS11 shot their upcoming TV show, 11 DAYS, and had training sessions with Gary Brazil and the Fulham FC Coaches. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 12TH, 2010 I have learnt from my time in the game that it is very benefitial to build up contacts. This often involves exchanging information, accepting advice and asking questions. I speak to the Chief Youth Scout at Fulham on an almost daily basis. My brother also works for Manchester City (with players like Tevez) in the ever more important field of fitness, nutrition and recovery. Please feel free to send me any questions you may have for them. I know that they would both be delighted and very willing to share their knowledge with you. Good luck with your matches this weekend. James
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 19TH, 2010 Ive always felt that it's essential to keep young footballer's stimulated with plenty of variety and enjoyment. I was coaching Liverpool's U18 team 5 day's a week with a match on saturday's. We were together alot. It was therefore important to maintain interest and focus levels. We would sometimes do this by inviting 'guest' speakers to spend an hour or two with us.
The first was a Liverpool FC and England legend, Kevin Keegan. KK, as he is often known, was fantastic. He provided a fascinating and inspiring insight into how he succeeded in the pro game. He has exepreicned all aspects of soccer. Liverpool Championships in England and Europe, England Captain, Newcastle United - Manager and Player, Hamburg in Germany and much more. His knowledge is unique. It was interesting to hear him discussing the need for self Improvement: •Never settle Much of Keegan's success came as a result of personal/self sacrifice and individual determination. However, he did recognise and appreciate the need for team responsibity. Stating that sometimes you "Need to be a Soldier and not just the general." I'm sure these are all messages that you hear from Dan and the other DMS11 coaches. Have fun and keep practicing and improving! James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH 24TH, 2010 My time in Pro Soccer has taught me about the need for strong friendships and trust. The unity between coaches and players is vital for individual and team development. A particularly interesting and inspirational friend of mine is the former France and Liverpool FC manager, Gerard Houllier. He was delighted recently when I told him
Gerard Houllier also enjoyed success as a coach at Lyon. I was fortunate enough to spend a few days there studying the training methods and ethos of one of European Soccer's top Club's. Here is a brief summary of my trip: The U17’s trained twic a day, at 9am and 4.30pm. The emphasis of the sessions was on keeping possession, and then closing down quickly when the ball is lost. They always try to force play backwards or sideways. During my week there I noticed how comfortable the players were at receiving the ball. When recruiting players for the youth teams they look for good first touch, pace and power. In Gerard's view there are certain keys to success in youth development in football such as:
He believes that young player’s training should centre on skills. Developing technique / first touch and the ability to do the basics with a few tricks added. Playing games is also very important for their progression. Gerard Houllier talked about the youth structure in France. He worked as the Technical Director for the French FA and was a key figure in the success of the Clairefontain National Academy. Professional Clubs in France have a Centre de Formation. This represents the players registered with a Club between the ages of 15 - 20. In Gerard’s view there are different stages and emphasis for players in this age range. To summarise there is 5 years preparation for the professional game. The 15-20 age range in French Youth Football is known as the 'Formation.' Professional teams in France also operate a 'Pre Formation' for boys between the ages of 12-15. At Lyon, within this age range they have 65 players and 6 coaching staff. Receiving the ball. When coaching they will concentrate on 1 or 2 skills / techniques at a time. Their younger age teams play with 433 formation - creates width and enables the team to concentrate on the attacking nature of football. Defending is less of a priority as the players are not physically developed enough to get back and forward. Under 13’s change to 442, then at 14 a 451 formation is preferred. This is done to help give players a greater knowledge of different solutions and possibilities within match situations. It also creates versatility. I hope that my experiences can be of use and appeal to you as players, coaches and parents. I will be be returning to LA for much of June and July so hopefully I will get to meet, work and talk more with you all. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 8TH, 2010 XABI ALONSO - PART 1 and PART 2
Xabi Alonso is regarded by many LFC fans as one of the best foreign signings the club has made in recent years. A cultured midfielder with an amazing range of passing and the abilty to score spectacular goals. He is also a fantastic person and friend of mine. He very kindly agreed to answer questions from myself and the DMS11 Players. Here are his answers to my questions, with the players questions answered next week after the Real Madrid vs Barcelona game this upcoming weekend. I hope you enjoy and appreciate his reflections/thoughts. - James. Hi James, These are the answers to your questions.
A. Probably my father as I have always been closely in touch with football when he was a player and manager. Q. Who is the best player you have played with and against? A. Aganist it has to be Zidane, different class. With it is difficult to say Valeron, Xavi, Gerrard, Torres, Ronaldo... Q. What would be your advice to young footballers? A. Enjoy the game and take it seriously. Don't forget to study. Q What is your greatest achievement, European Champions League victory with Q. Which is your favourite Stadium? A. Anfield. Q. How do you relax away from football? A. Now with my family, i am very busy with my children that are very young. Apart from that, I like to enjoy the city, restaurants, cinemas, play tennis... Q. Liverpool vs Man Utd or Real Madrid vs Barcelona. Which do you prefer? A. I have lucky enough to play both, so I have been really privileged. Good luck James, regards. Xabi. PART 2 - DMS11 Questions. Q. Which 4 teams do you think will make the semi finals of the World Cup? A. England, Brazil, Germany and Spain. Q. What are main differences between playing in Spain and England? A. In Spain the game is slower but better technically and tactically. England is more physical. Q. Did you have any weaknesses in your game when you were younger (11-14), and how did you improve them? A. I was worried that I would not grow enough, but at that age you have to work on your technique and game intelligence. Good luck DMS11. Regards. Xabi. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 14TH, 2010 Hi Everyone, I wanted to offer a Congratualtions to the DMS11 Players who were invited to the Olympic Development Program. It is excellent that opportunities are coming your way so young. Every player at DMS11 must strive to their highest level and work together to have as many players reach these levels together. No player can do it on their own, and a team will support individual success more than the individual can do it alone. Work hard together. I will be coming out and working with the DMS11 players in the summer and look forward to seeing you all again soon. Who knows, maybe I will be with DMS11 full time in the near future. If that is the case, I know I will help all of you progress to your goals as much as I can, and with the same passion and teaching philosophy as you currently have. These are exciting days ahead. Again, well done to all the players, and keep up the good work. It is worth it. See you in the summer, James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 19TH, 2010 Hi Everyone, Sometimes when writing less is more. I quickly want to share an invaluable lesson that I saw this past weekend and hope will have an impact on you as much as I saw it myself. I was watching a player play who obviously wanted to have a great game. He is a forward and striving for the professional level. He did not have one of his better games and was very disappointed afterwards. We have all felt this at times. I told him not to worry, as worrying after is not as good as preparing harder for the next game. This brought to mind a saying from Kevin Keegan that really makes sense. "Sometimes you have to be the soldier and not the general." - Kevin Keegan. Translated to soccer it means that even if you are not playing your best, it is a must to put in all the hard work and fight without being the match winner or game hero that day. You will be a champion by your attitude and support of those around you. Very simple and true. I hope this helps you when things are not going exactly the way you want. You never know, a game that is not your best may turn into your best when approached with the best possible attitude. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 20TH, 2010 Coaching Liverpool FC's U18 team enabled me to work with some of the best young British and European players. The fans love to see 'local' Liverpool boys being developed through the Academy system, before breaking into the First Team squad. This is always the aim for us as coaches and scouts. However, the introduction of foreign players has undoubtably improved the quality of the English Premier League (2 of the best players I have seen live were Gianfranco Zola and Thierry Henry). LFC had a very good U18 team during the 2008/2009 season, which helped us reach the Final of the FA Youth Cup. The squad consisted of players from Liverpool, the rest of UK and Europe. We also had an Australian Goal Keeper.
We were fortunate enough to have some excellent players, particularly a boy called CHRISTOPHER BUCHTMANN. Chris is a European Youth Champion with his native Germany, and was named by UEFA as one of the top 10 players in the Tournament. He signed for Liverpool, his reputation having attracted interest from top Clubs. I recently met up with Chris. He is now at Fulham FC where he is close to breaking into the first team. I asked him questions which I hope will be interesting for you.
Q. When you were younger did you play other sports? A. No. I just played football because I didn't have time to play other sports. Q. Did you work hard when you were studying at school? A. I did well at school in Germany. I went to school for 10 years in Germany. It was hard for me bacause school finished at 1 pm and then I had to get a train to football. There wasn't much time for homework. I came to England (to play for Liverpool FC) at 16 I had 2 lessons a week to improve my English. Q. What is your favourite type of training that involves the ball? A. I like crossing and finishing, 1v1 and small games. Also possession. Q. Who is the best player you have played with at Liverpool and Fulham? A. At Liverpool it would have to be Steven Gerrard. He can do everything. I have been impressed with Damien Duff at Fulham. He is very experienced and always trains well. Q. Is there any advice you would give to young aspiring footballers? A. Always give 100% and never give up. Q. In your opinion what are differences between playing in Germany and England? A. In England the game is much quicker and more aggressive! A big thank you to Chris. I believe we will see play in the Premier League soon. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 26TH, 2010 Hey I said in my last update that I hoped we would see Chris Buchtmann in the Premier League soon. Great news... He made the Fulham bench yesterday for the match against Everton. All on the day he celebrated his 18th Birthday! Big well done to Chris. Shows what can be achieved with hard work, talent and self belief. Everton
I've grown up in a family where football is not just a passion, but a way of life. I spent some time with my brother Tom yesterday (Sports Scientist with Manchester City) talking about the role and importance of good nutrition in modern sport. It's quite fascinating how peoples attitudes and theories have evolved. As coaches and players we cannot develop in isolation, every day and every second counts. Try to learn, share ideas and embrace the opportunities you undoubtably have. Next time I will include some key points of advice from Tom. And remember, feel free to send me any questions relaited to match preparation, nutrition and recovery. We are here to help you and the DMS11. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 4TH, 2010 In my last update I said that my brother Tom (pictured below - curently working with Manchester City first team on fitness and nutrition) would provide us all with an insight into the nutritional practices of top level Pro Footballers at Manchester City. He advices and guides players such as Carlos Tevez on a daily basis. His words of advice are very interesting and highly useful. Thanks bro!
tom parry - manchester city FC
Breakfast (pre-training)
•IDEALLY players will arrive a good 2 hours before the start of the session to allow for a good quality, balanced breakfast to be consumed.
Post-training Recovery Shake •High in whey protein (fast release) and fast releasing sugars, this is consumed immediately after training to aid recovery.
•High glycemic index (fast release) carbohydrates are useful here to aid sugar intake at the muscle and muscle glycogen (your muscle carbohydrate stores) restoration e.g. White rice, Pasta, Potato, white bread. Snacks •Nuts and seeds – High in protein, salts and Omega 3
Dinner •Reduce carbohydrate intake (avoid high glycemic index carbohydrate e.g. potato, white rice, white bread, pasta) Before bed •After a game or difficult training day a slow releasing protein (casein) shake before bed will help support the recovery as you sleep. Tom also wanted to mention the dedication and professionalism that Man City striker CRAIG BELLAMY shows in his approach to training and nutrition. He is an intelligent athlete who knows his body well and listens to advice. I can remember from my time at Liverpool FC how Bellamy insisted on living within 45 min of the training facility so he could arrive fresh and then get home easily to rest and recover. On a personal level my flight to LAX is booked so I look forward to seeing you all in the summer! James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 8TH, 2010 Someone asked me yesterday what my dream was. My response "To be one of the best Soccer Coaches in LA." It may sound like a spontaneous response. However, this is something that I have been thinking about. A target and goal to work towards. It might also sound ambitious, but ambition drives me on and gives me a focus. Each morning I think about what I want to achieve by night. I have had the honour of meeting the great American Sprinter Michael Johnson - Now that is someone who has lived the dream! He was obviously born with a gift and fantastic natural talent. He however stressed the need for dedication and self confidence. I would like to ask you to think about your dreams. Feel free to send me your thoughts. I'd love to hear about them and comment. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 9TH, 2010 Chris Buchtmann is in the Fulham squad again today and hoping to make his Premiership debut at Arsenal. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 10TH, 2010 Quick shout out to JACK ROBINSON who at the age of just 16 made his debut for Liverpool FC in the Premiership fixture at Hull yesterday. In doing so he became the youngest ever player to represent Liverpool... What an achievement! I coached Jack last season and it fills with with immense pride to see him progressing so well. Definitely one for you to all look out for, playing for both the Reds and hopefully England! Jack Robinson reflected on becoming Liverpool's youngest ever player and admitted he was still on cloud nine. At the tender age of 16 years and 250 days, his substitute appearance against Hull City on Sunday ensured that he became the youngest ever player to play for the first team ahead of Max Thompson, who was 17 years and 129 days when he was given his debut by Bill Shankly in 1974. "It was an amazing feeling to get on and a very exciting moment," said Robinson. "I only found out for certain that I was in the squad on Saturday morning but it was completely unexpected. It's a dream come true. "Sammy Lee called me on Saturday and when he told me that I was going to be in the squad, I just went into shock. I couldn't speak because of the excitement. "I knew it was going to be a great experience and just sitting on the bench would have been good enough but it became even better to get on. "It was the first time that I have ever travelled with the squad and I'll never forget it; I still can't believe that I've made a little bit of history." While the end of the campaign is the time normally for rest and holidays, Robinson fully intends to keep training during the summer and work as hard as he can to continue his development. "I've had a good season with the Academy but all I want to do now is keep working hard over the summer and make sure I'm ready for pre-season," he added. "I'll make sure I get down to the beach and do some extra running to stay in shape. Stevie and Jamie Carragher were great beforehand. They told me to enjoy every minute - and I did!" JAMES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 11TH, 2010 Special mention to my friend KARL ROBINSON who just became the youngest manager in English Professional Football! MK Dons yesterday confirmed him as their new 'boss', all at the age of 29.
Karl and I go back along way - our journeys/education started by coaching together in schools and running soccer camps across Britain and Europe. It goes to show what you can achieve with dedication and risk taking. Congratulations Karl and good luck mate! JAMES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 30th, 2010 2 players that I worked with at LFC last season are playing for England U17s tomorrow in the Final of a Uefa Youth Tournament. I will do a feature if they win, as I would be very proud if they were to become European Champions! JAMES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 31st, 2010 Great news.
Two of the players that I worked with at Liverpool FC last season were crowned European Champions last night! Conor Coady and Andre Wisdom were part of an England U17 squad that beat Spain 2-1 in the Final of the UEFA Championships in Liechtenstein.
Conor has represented England at under-16 and under-17 level and can play at centre back or in central midfield.
Andre is a strong, robust player who has captained his country at under-17 level and was also a fixture in the under-16 side that won the 2008 Victory Shield. Both played pivotal roles - Andre scored the equalising goal, and Conor captained the team and lifted the trophy. After the match Conor reflected, "I couldn't believe it was happening. I've dreamt about the day I'd do it and now I've done it." Andre, "I'm happy for the team, it's a great achievement for England to win this... This will go down in history." I am extremely pleased and proud of them both. It's times like this that make everything worth while - it's why we coach! Keep an eye out for these two in the future. James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAY 31st, 2010 Hey Everyone, I'm back in LA! Feels like I've hardly been away. I look forward to seeing some of the DMS11 players up at The Thacher School in Ojai.
Been to check it out today - the pitches look good. You have all hopefully had a good few weeks off to rest and recover. If so, just relax in your 1st game. And most importantly ENJOY playing again! James --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JUNE 24th, 2010 I have been in LA for over a week now. Enjoying it even more than last time!
Was great to see the DMS11 U14 squad playing in a match at the Thacher School (Ojai) against CalSouth ODP. The boys can be pleased with their efforts, and I was impressed with some individual performances. Shout out to coach Tubbs Pike who I met for the 1st time. He is clearly very passionate, knowledgable and well driven. I would also like to dedicate this update to Dan Metcalfe. In a short space of time we have become good friends. You are all very lucky to have such a leader. He never takes the easy option, is dynamic in his ideas and seeks to do what is best for the DMS11 players. I have a busy schedule, but will do my best to come down and coach as many of you as possible. That would be sweet!! James |
 
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