From First Touch to First Team

Jan Schmidt

What does the pathway to professional football really look like? Honest stories for young players, parents and coaches. Every week, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional footballers, coaches, and people who have built their working lives around the game, and unpacks the journey behind it. The first touch. The rejections. The sacrifices nobody posts about. The moment it turned professional, and everything that came after. From First Touch to First Team is made in Sydney and built for the Australian football landscape, but the guests come from everywhere: the A-League and A-League Women, the NPL, German football, the English Championship, the NWSL, European futsal, and professional leagues across Asia and the Middle East. Some of them made it. Some of them did not, and built a full-time career in football anyway. Both stories matter, and both are here. Past guests include Will Kennedy, Marcus Younis, Kiara De Domizio, Alexander Fuchs, Daniel Georgievski, Erin Nayler, Zac Sapsford, Nicholas Olsen, Lloyd Owusu, Claudio Fabiano, Kealey Adamson, Sammy Iredale, Daniel Solsky, Brody Sams and Daniel Cappellaro. Recurring themes: being cut or released as a young player, late development, the sacrifices families make, moving overseas as a teenager, choosing between an A-League academy and an NPL club, injury and coming back from it, identity and mental health in football, the gap between team training and individual development, and the many full-time careers in football that do not involve playing at all. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is the honest education and perspective that is hard to find anywhere else. Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look. New episodes every Monday. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouchtofirstteam/ Web: https://firsttouchtofirstteam.com

  1. 6d ago

    EP 22: Dylan Watson - From the NPL to a US Soccer Scholarship: The College Pathway Explained

    Dylan Watson of Southern Cross Athletes on the US college soccer pathway for NPL players: NCAA Division I, NAIA, junior college and scholarships. Dylan grew up playing in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, stepped away from football as a teenager, and was working construction when a scholarship offer took him to a college in Tennessee in 2014. He went in without doing his research, learned the hard way about weak programs and transfer credits, and spent five years in the US before coming home to build an agency that helps young Australians avoid the same mistakes. He breaks down every level of US college soccer, from NCAA Division I, II and III to the NAIA and junior college, and where an under-18s NPL 2 player realistically fits. He explains how Rex Pierce went from NPL 2 to NCAA Division I through junior college, and why Lachie Middleton left Sydney FC for Liberty University. Dylan and Jan also talk about why 18 to 21 should be the most intense training years of a player's life, why so many Australians drop to two sessions a week instead, what to research before contacting any agent, and why he believes a 20-year-old outside an A-League environment may have a better chance of going pro in America. Plus his advice to every young footballer: get off your phone. CHAPTERS 00:00 US college soccer scholarships explained with Dylan Watson 00:34 Who is Dylan Watson: Southern Cross Athletes founder and former US college player 02:37 Growing up in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs: Queens Park, Sydney Olympic trials and Sydney Uni 06:24 Losing focus as a teenager: why serious training has to start at 10 or 11 08:55 Is there a pathway for NPL 1, 2 and 3 players after school? 11:23 How he got a US soccer scholarship, and the mistakes he made choosing a college 19:28 College soccer highlights: beating national champions Martin Methodist in overtime 22:46 Life in the Bible Belt: culture shock and respect as an international student-athlete 25:32 From the Sydney FC academy to Liberty University: Lachie Middleton's NCAA Division I move 35:56 NAIA vs NCAA Division II: where an NPL 2 player realistically fits 38:10 Junior college soccer: how Rex Pierce went from NPL 2 to NCAA Division I 39:28 Why no agent can get you a scholarship if you stop developing 41:21 Why go to the US? Full-time training, a degree and coming home a better player 41:53 What players say about US college soccer, and life after the final whistle 44:56 What football has given him off the pitch: purpose, a career and lifelong relationships 48:33 Before you contact an agent: research, honesty and why it has to come from the player 52:44 What Australian football should copy from US college sport: a full-time environment 55:08 The state of NPL football, Transfermarkt and why A-League clubs sell young talent 58:29 Is it easier to go pro in the USL than the A-League after 20? 59:00 Best advice for young footballers: get off your phone From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players, parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. Every episode, guest and chapter: https://www.firsttouchtofirstteam.com Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, with individual and group sessions, game analysis and performance testing: https://www.eleadefussball.com Follow the show, leave a rating, and send this to one player or parent on the journey. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 22: Dylan Watson - From the NPL to a US Soccer Scholarship: The College Pathway Explained

  2. Oct 18

    EP 21: John Iredale - From Sydney FC to Heerenveen, Wolfsburg, the Socceroos and South Korea

    Socceroo John Iredale on leaving Sydney FC at 17 for Heerenveen, two injuries before 22, Wolfsburg II, the 2. Bundesliga and the K League 1. John grew up at Gladesville Hornsby, came through Marconi and Blacktown City, and joined the Sydney FC youth setup at 16. Training with the A-League squad, he even scored twice in a friendly at right back, but with Bobo and David Carney ahead of him he chose a move to SC Heerenveen's under-18s in the Netherlands over waiting for minutes as a striker. In his first year in Europe he could not do a single pull-up. By the end of 2018 he was in Heerenveen's Eredivisie preseason and Graham Arnold's first Socceroos squad at 19. Then came the U20 Asian Cup, a stress fracture, six months out and the end of his contract. John explains how a trial at VfB Stuttgart led to Wolfsburg II, playing alongside Omar Marmoush and Anton Stach, and how a second injury, COVID and missing the Olympics shaped his move to Paderborn and his promotion with Wehen Wiesbaden. He talks openly about strength and conditioning starting too late in Australia, investing in recovery and mental coaching before things go wrong, why Germany's league ladder means fewer players fall through the gaps, and life and football in South Korea. Plus Mesut Özil, Martin Ødegaard and scoring his first Socceroos goal in Canberra. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: John Iredale, from Sydney FC to Germany and South Korea 00:42 Introduction and early football journey at Gladesville Hornsby 03:15 When football became the goal: NSW selection and idols Rooney and Van Persie 05:41 Youth development and coaching influence: Marconi, Blacktown City and Sydney FC 08:16 Breaking into Sydney FC and learning from older strikers 10:53 Why he left Sydney FC: two goals at right back and a trial at Heerenveen 13:29 Adapting to European football at Heerenveen: tactics, the gym and one pull-up 15:59 The impact of strength and conditioning, and what Wolfsburg showed him 18:53 A Socceroos call-up at 19, the U20 Asian Cup and a stress fracture 21:33 Lessons from the U20 Asian Cup and the teammates who became Socceroos 24:07 Lessons from injury and personal growth: six months out and coming back stronger 26:57 From a Stuttgart trial to Wolfsburg II: playing alongside Omar Marmoush 34:59 Injuries and challenges: 11 months out, missing the Olympics and signing for Paderborn 37:44 Mental readiness and what he would do differently 39:55 Experiences in German football: the fans, Düsseldorf and a transfer two days after moving in 45:22 Transitioning to Denmark: why football is a key or a prison cell 47:43 Life and football in South Korea's K League 1 53:38 Aiming for Socceroos selection again 56:16 Stoppage Time Questions: the most unexpected place football has taken him 57:04 Memorable moments: Wiesbaden's promotion and his first Socceroos goal 58:30 Lessons from German football: why Australia needs a league ladder 1:00:33 Best players encountered: Mesut Özil and Martin Ødegaard 1:03:39 Advice for young footballers: hard work beats talent From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players, parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, with individual and group sessions, game analysis and performance testing: https://www.eleadefussball.com Follow the show, leave a rating, and send this to one player or parent on the journey. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 21: John Iredale - From Sydney FC to Heerenveen, Wolfsburg, the Socceroos and South Korea

  3. Trailer

    Official Trailer

    No two pathways into professional football look the same. Honest stories for young players, parents and coaches. Every Monday, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional footballers, coaches and people building full-time careers in the game, and goes back to where it started: the first touch, the first rejection, the sacrifices nobody posts about, and the moment it turned professional. Marcus Younis lost two years to injury between 14 and 16, then went on to the A-League and PSV Eindhoven. Daniel Georgievski played Champions League nights against Chelsea with Dinamo Zagreb. Football Ferns goalkeeper Erin Nayler shares a decade as a professional abroad. Zac Sapsford went from the NPL at Hakoah to walking out at Celtic Park with Dundee United. Kealey Adamson went from NPL 2 to a contract at QPR. Brody Sams reached the NWSL as a goalkeeper coach without ever playing professionally. Daniel Cappellaro turned futsal into a career that took him to the UEFA Futsal Cup and into FIFA Street. Dario Vidosic stopped making Queensland teams as a teenager, then played in the Bundesliga with Nürnberg. And Socceroo John Iredale left Sydney FC at 17 for Heerenveen, played alongside Omar Marmoush at Wolfsburg, and is now scoring goals in South Korea's K League 1. For players: hear how professionals handled being cut, injured, overlooked or homesick, and what they would do differently if they were your age again. For parents: understand the real pathway beyond the highlight reels, from NPL and A-League academies to trials overseas, and learn how to support your child through every high and low. For coaches: get honest insight into what academies look for, how players develop, and what Australian football can learn from Germany, the Netherlands, Asia and the US. Also on the show: Will Kennedy, Nicolai Müller, Joshua Laws, Kiara De Domizio, Alexander Fuchs, Lloyd Owusu, Claudio Fabiano, Sammy Iredale, Daniel Solsky and UBF. New episodes every Monday. Follow the show so you never miss one, and share it with one player or parent on the journey. Every episode, guest and chapter: https://www.firsttouchtofirstteam.com Enjoy your football journey!

    Official Trailer

  4. Oct 11

    EP 20: Dario Vidosic - Brisbane Roar, 1. FC Nürnberg, the Socceroos and Coaching in the WSL

    Dario Vidosic stopped making Queensland teams as a teenager, then went from Brisbane Roar to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Nürnberg and the Socceroos. Between 13 and 16, Dario stopped making Queensland teams, never made the Queensland Academy of Sport, and was one of the last to go into the AIS. His dad's advice: keep working, keep enjoying it. As a late developer he had to rely on technique to beat bigger, faster players, and it paid off when he scored on his A-League debut for Queensland Roar. From there it was a trial and a contract at 1. FC Nürnberg in the Bundesliga, learning every day from Marek Mintál and Zvjezdan Misimović. Dario explains how Germany's youth reform gave players like Ilkay Gündoğan, Toni Kroos and Mesut Özil their chance, and why Australia's young players, now playing 50 or 60 professional games before 18, are better prepared to go overseas. He shares what young players should be ready for when they move to Europe, why three sessions a week with Pep Guardiola still would not be enough, and how Pep's Barcelona turned him into a coach, from the Melbourne City academy to Brighton in the Women's Super League. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: scoring on debut, missing Queensland teams and Bundesliga matchdays 01:12 Episode 20: Dario Vidosic, Socceroo, Bundesliga player and Brighton coach 03:12 Who is Dario Vidosic: from Brisbane and the Socceroos to coaching in England 04:27 First touch: arriving from Croatia aged two and growing up at Brisbane Croatia 06:38 Childhood idols: Roberto Baggio on VHS, Ronaldo, Batistuta and The World Game 08:06 A late developer: missing Queensland teams, the AIS and signing with Queensland Roar 12:21 No two pathways are the same: Matt Leckie, Eberechi Eze and loving the game 14:28 What it takes to play at the top now: Premier League physicality vs technique 16:41 From Brisbane Roar to 1. FC Nürnberg: the trial, Bundesliga matchdays and the Fürth derby 20:17 Lessons from a pro career: discipline, extra work after training and earning your luck 23:43 Learning from Marek Mintál and Misimović, and what Germany's youth reform means for Australia 30:12 Why three sessions a week with Pep isn't enough, and what to expect when you move overseas 39:40 What he'd do differently, Ronaldo's mentality, and why Pep's Barcelona made him a coach 47:29 Is Hansi Flick's Barcelona back to its best? Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Pedri 49:44 From Melbourne City to Brighton: the jump to the Women's Super League 52:12 A-League Women vs the WSL: 15-year-old Shelby McMahon and learning the hard way 54:58 Young players in the A-League: from the Del Piero era to Lucas Herrington's move abroad 1:08:24 Stoppage Time Questions: an Olympic qualifier in North Korea 1:09:56 Best player he shared a pitch with: Luka Modrić 1:10:49 Learning German at Nürnberg and French in Switzerland 1:13:08 The moment he'd relive: scoring on his Queensland Roar debut, and beating Arsenal with Brighton 1:16:54 Why the friendships last longer than the results 1:20:12 Final advice: love the ball, chase the dream and learn from people who've done it From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players, parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. Want to leave a question for one of the next guests?https://firsttouchtofirstteam.com/ask/ Follow the show, leave a rating, and send this to one player or parent on the journey. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 20: Dario Vidosic - Brisbane Roar, 1. FC Nürnberg, the Socceroos and Coaching in the WSL

  5. Oct 4

    EP 19: Daniel Cappellaro - Skill Acquisition & why Australian Football needs more Technique (Part 2)

    Melbourne City academy coach Daniel Cappellaro on skill acquisition, the weak foot, and why Australian football needs more technique. In Part 2, Daniel moves from his playing career to coaching. He explains why technical skill and skill acquisition are two completely different things, why so few Australian players spend time alone with the ball, and what he sees when Melbourne City scouts 2014 and 2015 born players. We compare Australia with Japan and with Bundesliga U17 players, and look at the Australians making their way in Europe now, from Lucas Herrington and Nestory Irankunda to Alessandro Circati and Jordan Bos. Daniel explains why 15-year-old A-League academy players are relearning their weak foot, how the NPL ladder rewards early developers, and why a young Thierry Henry was told at Clairefontaine to stop using his speed. He also lays out how he would build a complete player from 8 to 18, what Melbourne City's academy looks for, and why so many families keep switching clubs. Plus Tim Cahill, Falcão, and what Harry Kewell told him about coming back from injury. From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this episode is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what a life in football can look like beyond the pro contract. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: "Technical skill and skill acquisition are completely different things" 00:31 Part 2: coaching, skill acquisition and what Melbourne City looks for 02:02 Why Australia needs more technique: Harry Kewell, Herrington, Irankunda, Circati and Bos 04:33 Lessons from Japan, and why A-League academy players lack the foundations of a Bundesliga U17 08:19 Why so few Australian players train alone with a ball, and what you can do with a wall 11:14 What Melbourne City sees when scouting 2014 and 2015 born players 13:32 Is social media skills training useless? JJ Gabriel, Rayan Cherki and Kevin De Bruyne 17:48 One-to-one coaching too early and the bad habits it builds 19:09 Why A-League academy players relearn their weak foot, and how the NPL ladder plays a part 22:59 An ideal world: grouping players by maturation age, not birth year 24:54 Advice for late and early developers, and Thierry Henry's "stop using your speed" 28:20 Building a complete player from 8 to 18: Daniel's age-by-age plan 31:02 Why players keep switching clubs, and the environment that made them good 33:53 What Melbourne City's academy looks for: 2v1 moments and when to take more touches 37:05 Stoppage Time Questions: Tunisia, Tim Cahill, Falcão and the UEFA Futsal Cup 42:01 Final advice: love the ball, and what Harry Kewell told him about injuries Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouchtofirstteam/ Follow the show, leave a rating, and share this with one player or parent on the journey. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 19: Daniel Cappellaro - Skill Acquisition & why Australian Football needs more Technique (Part 2)

  6. Sep 27

    EP 19: Daniel Cappellaro - From Perth to the Futsal Champions League and FIFA Street (Part 1)

    Daniel Cappellaro, known as D10, on his journey from Perth to FIFA Street, professional futsal in Spain and England, and the UEFA Futsal Cup. Daniel did not touch a football until he was eight, on a family trip to Italy where his cousin played in Serie C. Back in Perth, he chose Armadale Soccer Club purely because they trained twice a week instead of once. What followed was West Ham's Hammers Academy in Western Australia, a scholarship at John Curtin Soccer Excellence, and a pathway that barely existed. No A-League academies. State teams that appeared and disappeared. His references were Stan Lazaridis and Harry Kewell, recorded off The World Game onto VHS. Then futsal found him at eleven, through a low bounce ball a coach had picked up from a guy in Leeds. It took him to Argentina, Spain, England, a Champions League campaign with a Scottish club, and eventually Melbourne, where he now coaches in the Melbourne City academy. Along the way he became one of sixteen unlockable characters in FIFA Street, played against Falcão and alongside Douglas Costa, and met Neymar in Brazil. Part 1 is his journey as a player. Part 2 covers coaching: skill acquisition, the weak foot, and what Melbourne City's academy looks for. From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players, parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this episode is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what a life in football can look like beyond the pro contract. CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: "I was a professional futsal player and I travelled the world" 03:23 Who is Daniel Cappellaro: Melbourne City U14s coach and former pro futsal player 04:51 First touch at eight: discovering football on a family trip to Italy 07:31 West Ham's Hammers Academy and John Curtin Soccer Excellence 09:22 A critical father and the "what's next" mentality 10:21 The Perth pathway in the 1990s and Frank Arok's Future Glory 12:17 No clear path but real references: Stan Lazaridis and Harry Kewell 14:46 The Perth pathway today: NPL, Football West and two A-League academies 19:42 Why young players should still study Denilson, Rivaldo and Romario 22:23 A late developer obsessed with out-teching the next team 24:54 How he learned: watch it on VHS, then find street football 27:49 Futsal and NPL side by side, and four months in Argentina 29:44 FIFA Street, Spain, England, the UEFA Futsal Cup and Melbourne City 33:51 Champions League nights, video games, homesickness and money 35:06 Leaving Perth Glory for Spain with no European passport 41:34 Where social media fits into the story 46:12 The 2016 tutorial that hit 80,000 views and deals with Nike and Adidas 49:40 Consistency, timing and blind faith 51:09 Part 2 preview: coaching technical skills Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouchtofirstteam/ Follow the show, leave a rating, and share this with one player or parent on the journey. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 19: Daniel Cappellaro - From Perth to the Futsal Champions League and FIFA Street (Part 1)

  7. Sep 22

    EP 18: Player Development - What 10 Pro Footballers want every Young Player to know

    From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football. In this development special, recorded back home in Frankfurt, Jan looks back at the first ten episodes of the podcast. Ten professional footballers who played in Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Croatia, Kuwait and Scotland. Every journey was different, yet the same lessons kept coming up. Lesson one is rejection. Jan explains why an academy spot at 12 is not the finish line, why so many professionals were late developers, and why the short window of a playing career is the strongest reason to keep going through the setback years. You will hear from Will Kennedy, Nicolai Müller, Marcus Younis and Alexander Fuchs, plus Jan celebrates Socceroos call-ups for former guests Marcus Younis and Kealey Adamson, and shares that Alexander Fuchs is joining the Eleade coaching team in Sydney. Lesson two is sacrifice. The version social media never shows, from Daniel Georgievski getting by on chewing gum and pancakes five years into his professional career, to finding the right balance as a teenager, to the loneliness that can come once you finally make it overseas. Lesson three is watching football properly. What young players in Germany absorb by watching live football every week, why watching the game is a reading skill, how to make it work from Australia, and how parents can watch and give feedback without adding pressure. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this episode brings together the most important lessons from our first ten guests in one place. Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look. Find Eleade on Instagram or at www.eleadefussball.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro: looking back on the first 10 episodes from Frankfurt 01:50 Lesson one: rejection is usually the beginning, not the end 03:13 Why an academy spot at 12 is not the finish line 04:11 Late developers and when your body makes the decision 06:00 Socceroos call-ups for Marcus Younis and Kealey Adamson 07:22 The short window: why you keep going through the setback years 08:27 Lesson two: the sacrifice nobody posts about 09:19 Sacrifice as a teenager and finding the right balance 10:37 The sacrifice that starts once you make it 11:48 Building a life outside football and using the setback years 12:43 Why loving the game comes before the sacrifice 14:24 Lesson three: what Germany teaches us about watching football 16:08 Watching football is a reading skill 17:15 Watching from Australia and rewatching your own games 18:46 How parents can watch and give feedback without adding pressure 19:30 Three lessons from ten episodes 🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 18: Player Development - What 10 Pro Footballers want every Young Player to know

  8. Sep 13

    EP 17: Brody Sams - From Brisbane to the NWSL: A Goalkeeper Coach who never Played Pro

    From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football. In this episode, Jan calls the US to sit down with Brody Sams, an Australian goalkeeper coach who never played at a professional level, but has spent over a decade coaching goalkeepers at the highest level in Australia and the US. From starting at the Brisbane Roar to signing with NJ/NY Gotham FC in the NWSL, Brody proves that a full-time career in football does not have to go through a pro playing pathway. Brody talks openly about the imposter syndrome that comes from never playing at the top level, and the advice from an Ajax mentor (who grew up with Zlatan Ibrahimovic) that shaped his entire coaching philosophy: outwork everyone. We cover his years at the Brisbane Roar Women's, the random WhatsApp text from Gotham FC that changed everything seven years after his resume was passed on, and what it takes to walk into what was then called the "laughing stock of the NWSL" and turn it around. Brody is honest about the real differences between the A-League Women and the NWSL, why he thinks Australian football needs to be more open, and what the US does exceptionally well when it comes to marketing, community, and creating access. He closes with his best advice for every young goalkeeper: journal, reflect, watch the game like a student, and don't underestimate the mental game. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what a life in football can look like on the coaching side of the game. Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look. Find Eleade on Instagram or at www.eleadefussball.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and meet Brody Sams 02:57 How the 2002 World Cup hooked him on football at 11 06:03 The Brisbane Roar years and being told to "get a real job" 08:49 How he silenced the imposter syndrome from an Ajax mentor 11:49 What matters most: the goalkeeper coach and player relationship 14:48 Why watching football is the goalkeeper's secret weapon 17:32 Why US players still don't watch enough football 20:29 The random WhatsApp from Gotham 7 years after Nadine passed on his resume 23:29 "Bring it on, let's go": accepting the NWSL's worst-ranked club 26:25 The real differences between the A-League Women and NWSL 29:20 Inside the daily life of an NWSL goalkeeper coach 32:14 How he tracks progress and development in his goalkeepers 37:51 Journaling and reflection: the goalkeeper's secret weapon 42:56 What separates the number one goalkeeper from the number two 48:45 Inside the NWSL boom: Kansas City, Portland, and Angel City 54:35 What Australian football could learn from US openness 1:01:33 Stoppage Time Questions 1:06:14 His advice for young players chasing the dream 🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Enjoy your football journey!

    EP 17: Brody Sams - From Brisbane to the NWSL: A Goalkeeper Coach who never Played Pro
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About

What does the pathway to professional football really look like? Honest stories for young players, parents and coaches. Every week, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional footballers, coaches, and people who have built their working lives around the game, and unpacks the journey behind it. The first touch. The rejections. The sacrifices nobody posts about. The moment it turned professional, and everything that came after. From First Touch to First Team is made in Sydney and built for the Australian football landscape, but the guests come from everywhere: the A-League and A-League Women, the NPL, German football, the English Championship, the NWSL, European futsal, and professional leagues across Asia and the Middle East. Some of them made it. Some of them did not, and built a full-time career in football anyway. Both stories matter, and both are here. Past guests include Will Kennedy, Marcus Younis, Kiara De Domizio, Alexander Fuchs, Daniel Georgievski, Erin Nayler, Zac Sapsford, Nicholas Olsen, Lloyd Owusu, Claudio Fabiano, Kealey Adamson, Sammy Iredale, Daniel Solsky, Brody Sams and Daniel Cappellaro. Recurring themes: being cut or released as a young player, late development, the sacrifices families make, moving overseas as a teenager, choosing between an A-League academy and an NPL club, injury and coming back from it, identity and mental health in football, the gap between team training and individual development, and the many full-time careers in football that do not involve playing at all. Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is the honest education and perspective that is hard to find anywhere else. Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look. New episodes every Monday. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/firsttouchtofirstteam/ Web: https://firsttouchtofirstteam.com

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