From his first step into coaching youngsters with his team mate Pat Johnston as a senior at Duke University, Tony had a passion to improve the person first, the scholar second and the athlete third. As a coach, he has always had an unshakeable belief, that although less than 1% are successful at achieving a professional football playing career, it is possible for more than 99% to achieve a successful career from their experiences in football.

His unique approach is based on a simple universal law, that success can always be achieved in life, if a person has:

• TALENT – a natural ability for what they love to do

• BELIEF – in themselves and their dream

• CHARACTER – to always have a positive attitude in any situation

• DEDICATION – to have a relentless desire and discipline to improve every day

• SUPPORT – to have people in their lives who are always there when they need

• OPPORTUNITY – to be given the chance when ready to take it

His unique coaching method is based on how he fell in love with ‘The Beautiful Game’ as a child – finding every opportunity to train and play with anyone who would let him OR on his own. He believes that every second of a training session counts, and that a player is always satisfied when they have been pushed to their limits, taught something new and allowed to express themselves.

His football hero is the great Johan Cruyff, who once said – “… better to finish second and be admired forever than to win and be forgotten …”. Tony always puts what’s best for the players above winning and losing.

At only 24, his short professional career with Mansfield Town FC, was cruelly ended by injury and he embarked on a 31 year career in I.T ‘large-scale’ Programme Delivery, and in parallel, coaching youngsters. What he does today, is the combination of everything he has learned as a parent, a student, a player, a coach an I.T programme manager, and a relentless desire to help young footballers achieve success in life!