ACADEMY VISIT THAILAND WITH CARABAO

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

‘Coach the Coaches’ programme a success

2025-07-04T08:29:56.864Z

ACADEMY VISIT THAILAND WITH CARABAO

‘Coach the Coaches’ programme a success

2025-07-04T08:29:56.864Z

‘Coach the Coaches’ programme a success

Two members of the Academy’s coaching team have recently spent more than two weeks in Thailand, helping to develop some of the country’s grassroots coaches.

Assistant Head of Coaching Richard Geoghegan and Foundation Phase Coach Dave Tobin were based in Pak Chong as part of the EFL and Carabao’s Coach the Coaches programme.

As an EFL partner, Carabao invited clubs to express their interest in taking part and our staff were joined by coaches from Bristol Rovers for the experience.

The team delivered six separate two-day courses to 360 coaches in total, with the sessions taking place at the Thai national team’s former training facilities north of Bangkok.

Key themes included session planning, differentiation and most importantly how to make sure sessions are engaging and enjoyable, particularly for younger players.

Reflecting on his time away, Geoghegan said: “It was a truly humbling experience that gave me a new perspective, and I’m grateful to have met some genuinely inspiring people in Thailand.

“Although the 35-degree heat and language barrier presented significant challenges, the coaches’ enthusiasm and willingness to learn greatly facilitated the process and made the experience more rewarding.

ACADEMY VISIT THAILAND WITH CARABAO - Image 1

“Overall, it was a great trip, and I wish all the Thai coaches the very best for the future.

“I’d also like to extend my thanks to everyone involved, especially Carabao and the English Football League, for looking after us so well.”

In addition to the coaching there were various opportunities to explore Thailand, including trips to the Khao Yai National Park, Heo Narok Waterfall and Bangkok Markets.

Furthermore, our team presented 120 Burnley FC shirts as gifts to local people and were even able to watch the Dude Perfect International Youth Cup with them via YouTube!

Coach Dave Tobin added: “It was a fantastic experience working with so many different coaches of a different culture, and I was able to learn new skills because of that.

“I enjoyed delivering workshops on how we do things at the Burnley academy too, and hope that everybody found it as useful as I did.”