The Art and Science Of Winning Don MacNaughton

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by K.V. Oostende striker Dapo Mebude.

For as long as he can remember, Dapo had wanted to become a footballer. He had the opportunity to join the Glasgow Rangers Youth Academy at ten years old and turned professional six years later in 2017, when he made his debut at Ibrox.

Dapo acknowledges the numerous mentors that instilled confidence, ambition, and drive in the young player through those early years, from coach Jimmy McNee to Academy Head Craig Mulholland.

To Dapo, having support from his family, peers, and mentors allows him to embrace his fullest potential as a player. “All I ever want,” says Dapo, “is to know that they have my best interests at heart. If I trust them, I know I can become the best version of myself.”

Of course, self-belief is just as important. Dapo believes that mental fortitude and striving to improve day by day are the less obvious but foundational traits of the best in the game.

He recalls training with the under-20s just before signing his professional contract and, instead of allowing himself to be intimidated by the skill of these older players, was driven to be the best performer on his future team. Dapo believes that talent and attitude combined directly determines how successful you become, no matter the field.

Through observing the professionalism of his coach and fellow Rangers teammates, Dapo also learned the powerful lesson that “how quickly you get there is how quickly you can lose it all”. This outlook kept his passion and ambition alive amid the turbulence of moving from club to club as a young footballer.

He attributes his characteristic humility, intense drive, and unfailing optimism to his faith in God, saying:

“I don’t want to leave anything to fate. I want to keep pushing myself until I can’t handle it anymore. Until I get to that point, I want to keep trying to do the best I can, because that’s all I can do.”

TIMESTAMP:

[00:47] Dapo’s life in Belgium

[02:13] Joining the Rangers youth system at the age of ten and becoming a part of K.V. Oostende

[03:50] Why Dapo wanted to become a footballer

[05:22] Who influenced Dapo in the world of sports

[11:54] The importance of having family and peer support as a young football player

[14:49] Maturing as a player

[18:00] What keeps the best players going when most have quit

[23:00] How the confidence and professionalism of his manager and fellow players inspired Dapo to develop himself every day

[30:20] The power of faith

[32:15] How it felt when Dapo made his debut

[35:55] The experience of moving from club to club as a young player

Connect with Dapo Mebude:

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John Kennedy on Coaching Today’s Young Players

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy.

John kicks off the conversation by describing the value that playing football on the street brought to his life in childhood in terms of camaraderie, challenge, and creativity.

He spent his early teen years in Celtic’s youth system. It is an experience that he is intensely grateful for not only because it helped launch his career, but also because its fast-paced environment instilled within him a priceless mindset of resilience and proactivity.

At age 16, John made his first-team debut during the 1999–2000 season.

Asked about how demands upon young players have changed over the years, John says that it’s impossible to completely tune out the many distractions of today’s world.

However, he believes that the fundamentals he was brought up with are as relevant as ever. 

Ultimately, as long as coaches keep their players engaged and having fun throughout training, they will progress.

John goes on to talk about making that transition from player to coach, particularly from a mindset perspective. 

He talks about the career-ending injury that had a major impact on him as a player and as a person

Despite—or perhaps because of—that setback, he learned to embrace vulnerability, empathy, and an openness to opportunity. 

This newfound approach to his life and career gave John the confidence to become a coach later down the line.

“Would I change a thing?” says John. “No, because I’m not the type of guy who loves regret and wondering, ‘What if?’ It has all taken me to where I am today. I wouldn’t change any of it, even though there have been a lot of really challenging times.”

TIMESTAMP:

[00:34] Being a part of the next Champions League this September

[02:22] Whether there are too many games nowadays

[03:26] Growing up with a love for football and his big influences

[09:06] The moment John knew he would be a professional player

[11:58] The importance of having family support as a football player

[14:57] Why there are more distractions for young players today

[20:26] John’s coaching best practices

[22:46] How Scotland has changed over the years as a place to live

[30:18] Making the mental transition from player to coach

[39:30] How coaching has evolved

[44:44] Working with different managers

[53:09] John’s goals for the future

Connect with John Kennedy:

  WEBSITE

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Michael Sandilands of of Offxspringz Clothing

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Mike Sandilands, football fan and Founder of Offxspringz Clothing. The brand began as a “lockdown project” between the proud father and his two daughters Mylah and Harper in February 2021.

Initially, Mike challenged himself to take the drawings his daughters were doing on their blackboard, digitize them, and print them onto t-shirts. He took a heat press and watched YouTube videos on how to use it. His newfound hobby later progressed to printing for friends, families, and businesses.

From there Mike and his girls designed their famous wee bears logo, which quickly garnered interest from people all over the UK.

Offxspringz Clothing was born.

Today, Mike continues to work his day job at the Grant's whisky distillery before rushing home directly afterwards to fulfill orders as a business owner—both roles that he absolutely cherishes.

Asked why he decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship, Mike says that he had always wanted to develop his own clothing brand, and that the only thing he needed was the right inspiration to kick off his creativity. And what better source of inspiration than his own children?

He believes that, as a business owner, you’ve got to speculate to accumulate. To him, creative experimentation, aligning passion with purpose, and surrounding oneself with trustworthy people are the keys to entrepreneurial success.

All that, and a good amount of hard work, of course:

“I’m pretty obsessive with something,” says Mike. “So, if I get something in my head, I keep going.”

As for his biggest dream for the Offxspringz brand?

“I’d love to see David Beckham wearing it.”

TIMESTAMP:

[01:38] The story behind Offxspringz Clothing

[03:40] Partnering with Challenger Sports and his time in America

[05:16] Designing the wee bears logo

[08:11] What’s on offer at Offxspringz

[10:38] The moment Mike realized the brand was taking off

[12:14] Working a full-time job at Grant’s whisky distillery while running a clothing business

[15:35] Mike’s love for football

[17:22] Who Mike would love to see wearing Offxspringz

[21:27] Reaching out to big clothing brands for opportunities

[22:56] Mike’s keys to business success

[26:51] Where Mike’s creativity comes from

Visit Offxspringz Clothing:

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Coinneach MacLeod, The Hebridean Baker

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Coinneach MacLeod, author of The Hebridean Baker: Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands.

Born and raised on the Isle of Lewis, Coinneach wrote the book having been inspired by traditional family recipes and homegrown produce. He rose to fame as The Hebridean Baker on TikTok in 2020 and currently educates and entertains over 239,200 followers on the social media platform.

While now heavily focused on his brand as The Hebridean Baker, Coinneach continues to harbor a love for football, which he has had since the age of ten. His football-related work usually consists in helping to professionalize the sport as it’s played around the world.

Coinneach is incredibly proud of his heritage, hence his motivation to build upon his online persona and, now, to publish The Hebridean Baker. “I wanted to find a way to talk about the islands and the uniqueness of our identity, of our culture, of the Gaelic language.” To that end, he used his love of baking as a “conduit” for telling these stories.

In order to preserve his family recipes, Coinneach posted them online. Little did he know that his TikTok would quickly become a worldwide phenomenon.

“It’s been great because I’ve done apart from the things I love. I haven’t had to change anything that I would normally do. I just share stories and recipes that I love myself.”

Coinneach goes on to talk about his experience in building his online brand and business from Lewis and his advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs from small towns. To him, the foundations of any long-lasting brand are passion and authenticity. Such palpable enthusiasm and honesty will slowly but surely attract those like-minded individuals that make up your tribe.

Finally, Coinneach speaks to the unique culture among those born and raised in Lewis and Harris and his hopes for more economic growth in the island whilst maintaining that small-town camaraderie and respect for the history of the place.

TIMESTAMP:

[00:42] Life in Lewis

[02:50] Coinneach’s “pinch me” moments in his football career

[08:51] Why Coinneach wrote The Hebridean Baker and why he chose TikTok

[11:31] The types of content that Coinneach creates

[15:25] About Seoras the dog and other iconic content from The Hebridean Baker

[18:06] Keys to building a strong online brand

[22:00] How your name tells the story of your heritage

[24:26] Improving the Lewis and Harris economy

[28:00] Happiness versus fulfillment

Connect with Coinneach MacLeod:

· TIKTOK

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Today on the podcast, I’m joined by MP for Edinburgh South Ian Murray. He was previously Chair of the Foundation of Hearts and stepped down in  2016 in order to focus on his parliamentary duties. A football fan first and a politician second, he considers his resignation from the Hearts Board as “the worst mistake I’ve ever made in my life.”

Being a Hearts fan for as long as he can remember, Ian quips that “you can choose your friends and maybe you can even choose your family, but you can’t choose your football team.”

He talks about a number of his most treasured memories watching the Hearts through the years, speaking of each memory with equal fervor. Says Ian, “What’s the difference between a good and a bad football match? The stories you can tell for decades to come.”

Ian considers football “very much a working class game” at its core among the Scottish working class, and that the rampant commercialization of the sport in the past 40 years has slightly diminished that spirit. One can point to the fact that football is no longer priced as a working class game alone to illustrate this. What persists, however, is the sense of community that defines Scottish football culture.

Ian discusses the Hearts’ pride when it comes to protecting its legacy. Its early slogan, in fact, was: “Own the history, change the future.” Among ardent fans, there is an unspoken sense of responsibility to be custodians not only of the club’s history, but also for those of future generations to be involved with the club.

He also explains the cultural and economic differences between football clubs in Scotland and internationally renowned clubs in Spain and Germany. He says that aspiring club founders should not simply copy the model that made another club successful.

According to Ian, “You’ve got to bear in mind that you’ve got to do what’s best for your club and your fanbase. One size does not fit all. In fact, a thousand sizes do not fit all. You’ve just got to determine what’s in the best interest of the club.”

TIMESTAMP:

[00:25] Football fan first, politician second

[02:59] Growing up with the Hearts

[04:11] Ian’s favorite memories of the Hearts

[06:45] The Scottish working class love for football

[09:32] How football culture has evolved over the last 40 years in Scotland

[15:00] “Own the history, change the future.”

[18:09] Whether Scottish football clubs will ever become as high profile as those in Spain and Germany

[20:25] Getting involved in the political arena

[25:44] How Scottish football will continue to develop through the next ten years

Learn more about Ian Murray:

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Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Aberdeen F.C. goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

Joe had always loved being a goalkeeper since finding his passion for football at a young age, humorously adding that “every goalkeeper you speak to will always fancy themselves as a striker or an outfield player.” Among his role models were his own father and brother who were keen athletes in their own right, as well as fellow goalkeeper Robert Green.

He speaks about the discipline that was quickly instilled within him once he began his career in football, starting with Norwich City as a substitute goalkeeper before officially turning professional in October 2004.

He recalls that “you get verbally - battered if your boots weren’t clean.” Joe loved every minute of it, saying that his strict, routine-heavy days made him truly feel “involved” with the rest of the team.

Joe signed for Peterborough United on 8 January 2008 and stayed on with them for the next four years before agreeing to a three-year deal at Welsh club Cardiff City on 25 May 2012. Finally, he joined Aberdeen on 15 June 2016.

Joe discusses where he stands as a goalkeeper relative to the rest of the players, not to mention his coach and manager. He cites patience as one quality that successful goalkeepers uniquely must possess by nature of their role on the pitch. Just as important is making the effort to build rapport with team members in order to nurture that symbiotic relationship that is invaluable at game time.

To young players who haven’t quite gotten their big break yet, Joe encourages them to nurture the drive that motivated them to pursue a football career in the first place. Maintaining that drive is difficult as a 16 or 17 year old when they are forced to contend with the aforementioned day-to-day realities of being a professional footballer. That is where the virtue of patience once again becomes a useful skill to cultivate.

In Joe’s words: “Just have the mentality that, ‘Even if I’m not getting that opportunity, how can I get better?’ What’s stopping you from getting to where you want to go, and what can you do to get there?”

TIMESTAMP:

[00:37] Navigating the current break

[04:45] Becoming a goalkeeper

[08:59] Lessons in discipline as a professional footballer

[13:58] The importance of having family support in your first year as a professional footballer

[17:01] Making his debut at Norwich

[19:45] Why patience and relationship-buildingare vital as a goalkeeper

[27:19] How the goalkeeper can work successfully with the defensive unit

[29:09] Joe’s journey from Norwich to Aberdeen

[38:45] Choosing which club was right for him

[42:35] Joe’s advice to young players who haven’t had their big break yet

Learn more about Joe Lewis:

· WIKIPEDIA

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