The Playground in Fuenteabilla The school playground looked no different to thousands of others around the world.

Lessons From Spain Moving to Spain to become an assistant coach of Valencia, after playing over 500 Premier League matches for Manchester United and Everton, was about getting out of the comfort zone for Phil Neville.

Das Speed When New Zealanders talk about speed, they default to the physical attributes of a player. But the rest of the world treats speed differently.  It’s not just about the body but the mind as well.

High or Low, Expectations Are Met Do you remember a teacher that made a difference to what you thought was possible? At Auckland University, Professor Christine Rubie-Davies has spent the last 20 years studying the power of teacher expectations and their impact on students.

What it Means to be a Defender The art of defending is changing. Historically defenders have been the toughest players in the game.  Aggressive, not scared to make a statement about football being a contact sport and with a ruthless edge to win the ball, top defenders are uncompromising.

Quality vs Quantity Elite players are moulded by learning the game.  Unfortunately, too many young New Zealand players are forced to endure the tedium of lengthy formal training sessions with little to no benefit or learning outcomes.