July 21, 2025

277: Is Youth Football in Crisis? With Andrew Hyde

31 minutes

This week, Richard Graves is joined by returning guest Andrew Hyde, a leading strength and conditioning coach and founder of Aesthetic Athletes, who works with elite and youth footballers across the UK.

With professional clubs identifying talent as young as six, and social media raising the stakes for young athletes, is youth football facing a crisis? Or just a complex new challenge?

In this honest and insightful episode, Andrew shares his experiences from working with young athletes and their families, discussing how to support their development without damaging their love for the game.

Key topics you’ll learn about:

The difference between encouragement vs pressure in youth development

Why early specialisation might be doing more harm than good

The critical role of parents as stakeholders in an athlete's journey

How physical maturation affects performance (including issues like Osgood-Schlatter’s)

Why multisport participation isn't just beneficial, it's essential

Managing load, recovery and expectations during growth spurts

The impact of social media and performance comparisons on young athletes

Why long-term success is more about joy and patience than relentless training

Andrew's “Project Mbappe” warning, and why sitting back with a margarita might actually help

The importance of creating a supportive, multi-disciplinary environment around a child athlete

Whether you're a coach, parent, or performance professional, this episode will reshape how you think about talent development in football and beyond.

About Andrew Hyde

Andrew Hyde is a strength and conditioning coach and founder of Aesthetic Athletes, based in Manchester, UK. Specialising in youth athletic development, Andrew works with both elite and aspiring athletes, helping them build physical competence, resilience, and a love for the process.

With a background that includes roles in professional football academies, the NHS, and educational institutions, Andrew takes a holistic and empathetic approach to coaching. His philosophy centres around guiding young players through the challenges of early specialisation, maturation, and performance pressure, all while helping them maintain joy in their sporting journey.

Andrew has previously contributed to Science for Sport and Catapult, and continues to be a respected voice on how to develop athletes in a sustainable and person-first way.

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