John Kennedy on Coaching Today’s Young Players

Today on the podcast, I’m joined by Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy.

John kicks off the conversation by describing the value that playing football on the street brought to his life in childhood in terms of camaraderie, challenge, and creativity.

He spent his early teen years in Celtic’s youth system. It is an experience that he is intensely grateful for not only because it helped launch his career, but also because its fast-paced environment instilled within him a priceless mindset of resilience and proactivity.

At age 16, John made his first-team debut during the 1999–2000 season.

Asked about how demands upon young players have changed over the years, John says that it’s impossible to completely tune out the many distractions of today’s world.

However, he believes that the fundamentals he was brought up with are as relevant as ever. 

Ultimately, as long as coaches keep their players engaged and having fun throughout training, they will progress.

John goes on to talk about making that transition from player to coach, particularly from a mindset perspective. 

He talks about the career-ending injury that had a major impact on him as a player and as a person

Despite—or perhaps because of—that setback, he learned to embrace vulnerability, empathy, and an openness to opportunity. 

This newfound approach to his life and career gave John the confidence to become a coach later down the line.

“Would I change a thing?” says John. “No, because I’m not the type of guy who loves regret and wondering, ‘What if?’ It has all taken me to where I am today. I wouldn’t change any of it, even though there have been a lot of really challenging times.”

TIMESTAMP:

[00:34] Being a part of the next Champions League this September

[02:22] Whether there are too many games nowadays

[03:26] Growing up with a love for football and his big influences

[09:06] The moment John knew he would be a professional player

[11:58] The importance of having family support as a football player

[14:57] Why there are more distractions for young players today

[20:26] John’s coaching best practices

[22:46] How Scotland has changed over the years as a place to live

[30:18] Making the mental transition from player to coach

[39:30] How coaching has evolved

[44:44] Working with different managers

[53:09] John’s goals for the future

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