online football coaching courses
online football
football coaching courses
Tony Carr is a football legend, not for his playing career, but for the impact he has had on the game. Though never a top-tier player, he dedicated nearly 50 years to West Ham United, shaping the future of English football behind the scenes. His name isn’t widely known, and he rarely gives interviews, yet his influence is undeniable.
For 43 years, Carr developed some of England’s greatest footballers, players worth hundreds of millions who have won major titles and represented England on the world’s biggest stages. Among them are Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, and Declan Rice. Furthermore, Carr recently authored a book that shares his experiences through unique and captivating stories.
Football Webinars were delighted to host him for an exclusive conversation. Also, Avram Grant joined to express his gratitude to Tony for his incredible work in developing generations of top players. Carr spoke openly about his experiences, offering a rare glimpse into his incredible journey. Here, we’ll briefly share some of his key quotes from the webinar:
What do children who grow up to become great players have in common? “They must have talent, but talent alone won’t take them to the top or make them great. And they can’t be good at everything, that’s not what sets the best apart. What truly makes the difference is their mindset, passion, determination, and mental resilience. All the greats understood that the journey would be long and difficult. Many say, ‘I want to be a great player’ without realizing how hard they need to work. You have to improve what you’re already good at to become excellent and work on your weaknesses to make them at least good. It’s a lot of work, even after signing a massive contract. And one more thing: they need a club that will give them an opportunity and a coach who will push and challenge them.”
What qualities are important for a youth coach? “Patience and empathy. You don’t get fully developed players, they have a lot to learn, and that can sometimes be frustrating. But you must understand the player, how to improve them, and what is holding them back. Does he have social issues? Does he have family problems? You need to know who you’re dealing with, who needs tough love, and who needs constant encouragement. These things matter more than winning.
Your motivation can’t be just victory. Of course, no one wants to coach a team that always loses, but at younger ages, a coach shouldn’ obsess with winning, they should embrace the learning, mistakes, failures, and players’ changing moods. You want players with a winner’s mentality, that’s part of being a pro, but they already have that desire from a young age. You don’t need to train that. What you do need to train is basic tactics, game intelligence, and, most importantly, developing them as individuals.”
