[ 03 / 06 · The Coach ]
Marcus Ridley · UEFA B
A decade on the touchline. One obsession: making players better.
[ Fig. 01 · Training ground, Warwickshire ]
In my words
Released at 16. Coaching ever since.
I grew up on the pitches around Leamington — muddy Saturday mornings, floodlit Tuesday nights, and a ball that never left my feet.
I came through a club academy myself and was released at sixteen. Nobody told me why. That silence is the reason I coach the way I do: every player I work with knows exactly what they're good at and exactly what to fix.
Over ten years I've coached grassroots teams, academy development squads and hundreds of individual players. The best ones weren't always the most talented. They were the ones who learned how to learn.
Today I work one-to-one and in small groups, in person across Warwickshire and online with players nationwide. Small numbers, high standards, honest feedback.
If you're serious about getting better, I'll be serious about getting you there.
— Marcus
Qualifications
Qualified. Checked. Insured.
[ UEFA-B ]
UEFA B Licence
The FA · Advanced coaching qualification
[ FA-YTH ]
FA Youth Award
Modules 1–3 · Youth player development
[ DBS-EN ]
Enhanced DBS Checked
Renewed annually · Update service
[ FAW-01 ]
First Aid at Work
Emergency first aid · Sports injury
[ SFG-FA ]
Safeguarding Certified
FA Safeguarding Children
[ INS-PL ]
Fully Insured
£5m public liability cover
Coaching philosophy
Detail.
01
The difference between good and great is measured in inches and half-seconds. We coach the inches.
Discipline.
02
Standards are set in training, not on matchday. Turn up, work hard, repeat — every single session.
Development.
03
Results matter, but growth matters more. Every plan is built around the player's long-term pathway.
Routine
A week with Marcus
Mon
Session planning
Tue
Group training
Wed
1-to-1 sessions
Thu
Match analysis
Fri
Individual feedback
Sat
Matchday
Sun
Recovery
[ Free assessment · Limited spring places ]
Train with Marcus
A 30-minute session to see where your game is, where it could go, and exactly how we'd get there.
[ No obligation · 30-min session · Online or in-person ]