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David has spent several decades immersed in English football, working at the highest level of performance across both the Championship and the English Premier League. He’s played a key role in the success of some of the game’s most iconic managers David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, and the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, and spent over a decade with one of the biggest clubs in world football, Manchester United. What makes David’s story truly remarkable is how it began. Entering professional football in his mid-30s, an age when most would consider it too late, he defied the odds to carve out a career built on persistence, loyalty, and a relentless work ethic. In this episode, David opens up about the highs and lows of life in elite football and shares powerful lessons on what it really takes to reach and stay at the top.

Highlights from the episode…

• How David started his career volunteering as a coach for over 5 years and soon found passion for Sport Science in football.
• In the early days David had to travel over 90 miles every day to attend university all while holding a part time role at a Championship club academy program.
• How at the age of 35 David obtained his first full time role as a Head of Sport Science in professional football and the unconventional circumstances that surrounded the appointment.
• “I was not ready!” How David was able to successfully navigate being swiftly thrusted into a leadership role with no prior experience and ability to prepare for what was ahead of him.
• Is it better to become a coach first and then refine your skills in physiology, human movement, strength & conditioning or do it the other way around?
• Is the landscape of high performance sport less tolerant of mistakes than it once was?
• David shares what it felt to be sacked from his job at age 40, with a family, mortgage and no other job prospects, in the one of the most competitive environments in world sport.
• David shares how he received a cold call to come into Carrington that led to him securing a role with Sir Alex Furguson and Manchester United.
• David’s first encounter with Sir Alex Ferguson and what it was like to work with him, his personality, leadership and the culture he created at the club.
• David shares the events from inside the club of that infamous day their cross town rivals won the 2011/12 Premier League title and Sir Alex Ferguson’s remarkable response as he addressed everyone in the club.
• Post Sir Alex Ferguson and the transition of new management with David Moyes, Ryan Giggs and Louis Van Gaal. What it was like to work across different methodologies when it came to sport science.
• After spending several years with the first team, David moved to the academy system implementing strategies across a wider range of players throughout the club.
• David shares the foundational elements to consider when it comes to Return-to-Play decision making. 

People mentioned:

• Simon Davey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-davey-6403b517/
• Tony Strudwick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-strudwick-61641031/?originalSubdomain=uk
• Sir Alex Ferguson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Ferguson
• Anthony Crea: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61NEsihgoSiiw5qDRl812x

David Kelly contact details: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-david-m-kelly-2b7a0328/

Host: Luis Resa

Contact me on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-resa-a975196b/
• Email: [email protected]

Thanks for listening and please leave a review. If you would like more information on anything mentioned in this episode simply send me an email.