Mehran Rowshan

Most players warm up their body. Almost none warm up their touch. This changes that.A mannequin warm up isn't just about getting your heart rate up — it's about building the relationship between you and the ball before the session even starts.In this video I take you through a complete 5-phase technical warm up using mannequins, working through heading activation, chest control, switching play, volley passes, and combination patterns — all designed to sharpen your touch, activate both feet, and build habits that stay with you long after the session ends.The best part? No mannequins? No problem. Two cones and a partner and you can run every single phase.What we cover:

0:00 Technical warm up

0:15 Phase 1 | Heading Activation

2:35 Phase 2 | Chest Control & Pass

4:15 Phase 3 | Chest Control & Switch

6:23 Phase 4 | Volley Pass

8:26 Phase 5 | Switch & Pass

10:53 Final Words

If you want to go deeper into building the complete system around your football development — technical habits, mindset, physical preparation — check out The Football Player Code course:👉https://mehran-rowshan.mykajabi.com/footballplayer

💬 Which phase challenged you the most? Tell me below.🔔 Subscribe for honest, practical football coaching content.#footballtraining #footballcoach

We chase achievement believing it will make us happy. Then we get there — and we're miserable.Arsalan Al Hashimi calls this "the high achiever curse." It's the trap that catches the people who look like they're winning — the CEOs, the athletes, the founders, the leaders — and quietly destroys them from the inside. They measure their worth by what they've done. So when the achievements stop, or the gold medal is finally won, there's nothing left.In Episode 11 of the Rowshan Podcast, I sat down with Arsalan — founder of Ascension Method, a coaching system built to take high achievers and turn them into high performers. People who can actually enjoy the climb, not just survive it.This conversation went deeper than I expected.We got into:– The "high achiever curse" — why the people who look most successful are often the most miserable– Michael Phelps, the Olympics, and what happens to athletes when the medals stop– Why most men hit a wall between 39 and 41 — and what that wall is actually made of– The difference between mission and purpose (and why most people confuse them)– What our parents accidentally programmed into us about love and worth– Spirituality, religion, and surrender — what they actually mean in practice– Why "alhamdulillah for the bad" is one of the most powerful reframes in any language– Why social media and influencer culture is breaking a generation– His own story — being 18, sitting on a couch with no electricity, holding his dog to stay warm– Why I'm not posting on Instagram anymore — and the question Arsalan asked me about itOne of the most honest conversations I've had on the show.🎙 FOLLOW ARSALAN AL HASHIMILinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-eli-abirached/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arsalan.al.hashimi🎙 FOLLOW MEHRAN ROWSHANLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehranrowshan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mehranrowshan📲 FOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @rowshanpodcastTikTok: @rowshan.podcastIf this conversation gave you something to think about — share it with someone who needs to hear it.#RowshanPodcast #HighAchievers #Performance #Mindset #Spirituality #ArsalanAlHashimi #Leadership #DubaiPodcast #PersonalGrowth #Mission00:00 Episode 1102:22 Self-Introduction: Arsalan Al Hashimi03:16 High Achiever04:37 Ascension Method: High Performer07:49 Youth Age Experiences11:46 Nature VS Nurture14:05 Mind, Body and Spirit17:19 Spirituality and Religion22:14 Spirit/Soul24:02 Purpose VS Mission26:06 Humans as Multi-Dimensional Beings30:14 Achievements Don't Define Self-Worth34:16 Suicidal Thoughts Despite Having Possessions38:20 Joy VS Gratification41:41 Chronic Stress to State of Joy45:04 Non-Judgment Perspective50:37 Privilege to turn 50 in a few years53:21 It's Okay to Experience Struggles57:02 Gratitude to God for All the Good and the Bad01:00:15 Golden Question of Why Am I Here?01:02:00 Key is NOT to Answer the Why but Let It Be01:06:37 Unknown/Inexistent Biggest Fears01:11:25 Acceptance Phase01:15:55 Book: The Surrender Experiment

For 30 years, I avoided motorcycles.Not because I didn't want to ride. Because I was afraid.I lost my best friend to a motorcycle accident when I was a kid. And long before that, my family lost someone too. That fear never left me — it just became part of who I was.At 44, I decided to face it.This is Episode 1 of a 3-part series documenting my journey — from the fear, to the training, to the license, to the bike.But this video isn't really about motorcycles.It's about the things we avoid. The fears we carry quietly for decades. And what happens when we finally decide to face them.What are you avoiding?Subscribe if you want to follow the journey — Episode 2 is coming soon.

Communication is the most underrated skill in life. And almost nobody is taught how to actually do it.In Episode 10 of the Rowshan Podcast, I sat down with Andreea Zoia — executive speaking coach, keynote speaker, and someone who has spent over a decade coaching CEOs, ministers, and members of royal families on how to speak with confidence and presence.But this conversation wasn't really about public speaking technique. It went somewhere deeper.Andreea's story is the heart of it. She lost her father at 7 years old. For years, she couldn't speak in class, couldn't pass oral exams, couldn't make friends. Then one day, in her twenties, she heard a recording of her own voice for the first time — and recognised the sad 7-year-old still living inside it.That moment became her life's work. She believes your voice carries everything you've never healed. And learning to communicate isn't about tricks or scripts — it's about understanding yourself well enough that what comes out is actually you.Some of what we got into:– Why 70% of people would rather die than speak in public– What your voice reveals about you that you don't even know you're broadcasting– The "poor girl" label that shaped her self-image for decades — and how she undid it– Why silence is a skill most high performers can't handle– How self-image quietly controls how much money you make and how much love you let in– Why miscommunication is often stronger than communication– The difference between preparing and memorising– How to actually listen — and why most people never learnedIf you've ever frozen up before speaking, talked yourself small in a room, or wondered why your words don't land the way you want them to — this conversation is for you.⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Episode 1004:54 Self-introduction: Andreea Zoia07:12 Communication Skills13:00 Change in Environment Makes One Adaptive16:14 Pain is a Great Teacher18:01 Life is a Divine Gift21:22 Communication Reveals Everything25:13 Podcast's Intention is to Educate & Empower28:20 Victim Mode = Brain Chemistry Changes32:49 Voice and Body Language33:10 Authenticity35:20 Stimulation and Subconscious36:03 Good Public Speaker = Good Storyteller38:00 Communication is Precision42:01 Silence is Sacred46:17 Miscommunication is Way Stronger Communication48:31 It's Good to Make Mistakes53:47 Book: Psychocybernetics by Dr Maxwell Maltz58:11 Investigate What Triggers You01:00:27 Coaching Growth is Being Aware in the Moment01:02:51 Oxytocin Created by Compliments01:05:43 We Can't Give What We Don't Have01:08:35 Power of Listening01:10:39 Good Listeners = Habit of Generosity01:11:30 Communication is 93% Non-Verbal, 7% Words01:15:14 Voice, Eye Contact, Breathing01:16:07 Biggest fear of Playing Small01:18:20 Rowshan Podcast is Leadership in Motion🎙 FOLLOW ANDREEA ZOIALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreea-zoia-00a70621/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreeazoia📲 FOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @rowshanpodcastTikTok: @rowshan.podcastIf this conversation gave you something to think about — share it with someone who needs to hear it.#RowshanPodcast #PublicSpeaking #Communication #ExecutivePresence #Confidence #AndreeaZoia #SelfImage #PersonalDevelopment #DubaiPodcast #Leadership

Nobody films the boring hours. But that's exactly where elite players are built.Everyone watches their favorite player score and celebrate. Nobody sees what happens off the pitch — the sleep, the hydration, the nutrition, the 20 minutes of boring work every single day.This video is not motivational content. It's not about buying expensive boots or following a trick.It's about building a system around your life. Because if your life is messy, your football will be messy.Commit to the things in this video for 90 days — not 7, not 20 — and you will see massive improvement. In your football and in your life.What we cover:00:00 Building a system 01:06 Intensional decisions 02:21 Consistent Sleep Routine03:58 Hydration 04:59 20 minutes of boring things daily 05:52 Tracking Calories & Macros 10:05 Supplements 11:37 Fixed Sleep Schedule14:28 Building the Right Mindset 17:28 Set a clear goal 18:17 Commitment starts by sharing 19:01 Final words💬 Tell me in the comments — what's your number one habit you're committing to for the next 90 days?🔔 Subscribe — I talk about what football development actually looks like behind the scenes.

You're talented. Everyone around you knows it. So why aren't you progressing?I've seen this pattern on every continent — a player with everything it takes, quietly going nowhere. Not because they're lazy. Not because they lack talent. But because nobody told them the truth.In this video I break down exactly what's keeping talented players stuck — the things coaches won't say and players don't want to hear.What we cover:00:00 – Why talent alone means nothing02:00 – Training without structure (and why it's destroying your progress)If you're talented and stuck — this video was made for you.💬 Were you ever stuck in your football journey? Tell me below.🔔 Subscribe — I talk about what football development actually looks like behind the

We use AI every day. Most of us have no idea what we're actually doing.In Episode 9 of the Rowshan Podcast, I sat down with my good friend Kaveh Vessali — 30 years in tech, urban planner and economist by training, and one of the sharpest thinkers I know on what AI is actually doing to work, jobs, and the way we live.This wasn't a hype conversation. We didn't talk about which prompts make ChatGPT better or which tools to download. We went deeper.Kaveh's argument: AI isn't a technology problem. It's an ownership problem. And every time a major technology shows up — the internet, automation, even agriculture — humans do a terrible job of distributing the wealth it creates. We're about to do it again, unless we pay attention.Some of what we got into:– Why most companies are throwing AI at old problems and it's not working– The difference between AI doing your work and AI taking your job (it's not the same)– Why I switched from ChatGPT to Claude — and Kaveh's take on Anthropic's recent stand against the US government– What "pro-worker AI" actually means, and why most companies aren't building it– Should a 17-year-old study AI? (Kaveh's answer surprised me)– Why learning a new language might matter more than learning to code– What books still give us that AI never will– Why Kaveh believes consciousness can't be created — only received– His one real fear in lifeIf you're trying to make sense of AI without drowning in hype or fear, this is the conversation.⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro02:12 Who Is Kaveh Vessali?06:47 Why We Throw New Tech at Old Problems09:18 We Always Overestimate AI in the Short Term11:26 What AI Actually Is (and What It Isn't)12:20 The Three Categories of Artificial Intelligence14:02 Large Language Models vs Small Language Models16:44 ChatGPT vs Claude — Which One and Why18:26 Why Anthropic's Stand Against the US Government Mattered21:14 The Real Dangers of AI Right Now23:02 The Power You Have as a Consumer24:01 Is AI Replacing Real People at Work?27:40 Why AI + Human = More Value Than Either Alone32:49 How AI Is Quietly Saving Us Hours Every Day34:00 What "Pro-Worker AI" Actually Means35:36 The Policies We're Going to Need38:50 AI Is Not a Tech Problem. It's an Ownership Problem.44:06 Government, AI, and the People Caught in the Middle48:01 What Smaller Nations Should Be Doing About AI49:23 Sovereign AI — Why Every Country Needs Its Own52:12 The UAE and Government Digitization53:03 Should a 17-Year-Old Study AI?57:03 Where the Industry Is Actually Heading01:02:26 Why Continuous Learning Matters More Than Ever01:03:33 How Language Shapes the Way Your Brain Works01:07:57 Is AI the Same as Knowledge?01:10:01 Why Books Still Matter (Even With AI)01:14:04 AI, Consciousness, and What Makes Us Human01:20:01 Kaveh's Biggest Fear01:22:20 The Concept of Ikigai🎙 FOLLOW KAVEH VESSALILinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaveh-vessali-0b3229/📲 FOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @rowshanpodcastTikTok: @rowshan.podcastIf this conversation gave you something to think about — share it with someone who's also figuring out AI. That's how this stuff actually moves forward.#RowshanPodcast #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #Anthropic #Claude #ChatGPT #KavehVessali #AIPolicy #DubaiPodcast

Less than 1% of kids who train seriously will ever become professional footballers,even in the world's biggest football countries. So why do so many parents act like their child is the exception?In Episode 8, I sat down with Nuno Samarra — COO of Alliance Football Club, ex-Portugal national team footballer and one of the most experienced youth football developers I've ever worked with — to break down something most parents never hear honestly: how parents themselves quietly sabotage their kids' football journey, often without realising it.This isn't a feel-good conversation. It's the one most academies are afraid to have with the parents who pay them.We get into:– Why parents are either the biggest ally or the biggest obstacle– The triangle that decides whether a kid makes it: Club + Player + Family– Why "be tougher with my son" is the worst advice parents give coaches– The real reason most kids don't make it (and it's not talent)– What to actually do during the car ride home after a tough game– Why winning the under-12 league means almost nothing– The single best advice for any football parent: just observe– How to evaluate whether a coach is right for your child (it's not the wins)– Why football develops character that lasts long after the sport ends– What every parent should ask themselves: "Do I want my child to end up like his coach?"If you have a child playing football — at any level, anywhere in the world — this conversation will change how you show up at every training session, every match, and every car ride home.🎓 FOOTBALL PARENT CODE — THE COURSEMost of what we talk about in this episode is built out in full inside The Football Parent Code — my course for parents of footballers who want to support their child the right way without becoming the obstacle.If this episode hit home, the course is the next step.👉 https://mehran-rowshan.mykajabi.com/footballparent⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Episode 801:43 Self-Introduction: Nuno Samarra03:05 UEFA B04:22 Bachelor's in Sports Science05:00 MBA and Asian Football Confederation08:07 Parents: an Ally or an Obstacle09:14 Youth Football = Triangle Relationship10:05 The Club, The Players and The Family12:03 Transparency in Football15:15 The Club as a Safe, Second Home with Standards17:40 FC Porto20:35 Overcrowding at the Pitch, Less Exposure23:53 One-on-One Coaching25:41 Educating Parents on Their Kid's Development27:40 Encouragement vs Pressure31:21 Parents' Behaviour vs Coaches' Perspective33:56 Talent Doesn't Guarantee Becoming a Pro35:43 Football Promotes a Good Adult38:49 Football Develops Character42:22 Observe Behaviours, Not Technicalities46:20 Never Stop a Group to Coach 1 Player47:16 Biggest Fear of Not Being Supportive Enough as a Parent🎙 FOLLOW NUNO SAMARRALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuno-samarra-62491430/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealnunosamarra/⚽ ALLIANCE FOOTBALL CLUBWebsite: AllianceFootballClub.com Instagram: instagram.com/alliancefa📲 FOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @rowshanpodcastTikTok: @rowshan.podcastIf this conversation gave you something to think about — share it with another football parent. That's how we move the conversation forward.#RowshanPodcast #FootballParenting #YouthFootball #FootballAcademy #FootballDevelopment #AllianceFC #ParentingInSports #FootballCoaching #DubaiFootball #FootballParentCode

Talent will get you picked. Class will keep you there.

The best footballers in the world aren't just technically gifted, they carry themselves with a standard that separates them long before they reach the top. Talent opens doors. Class keeps them open.

In this video, I break down the 8 traits every young footballer must develop to become respected on and off the pitch, the things coaches notice, teammates remember, and scouts quietly track.

If you're a parent or young player serious about the game, this is the part of development almost no one teaches.🎯

FOR FOOTBALL PARENTS:

Character is built at home before it's built on the pitch. If you want to support your child's development the right way — without pushing, comparing, or burning them out — I built a course for exactly this:

👉 The Football Parents Code: https://mehran-rowshan.mykajabi.com/footballparentLearn how to raise a player with skill, class, and a long-term love for the game

.Chapters:

0:00 How to become a classy footballer

0:49 Team before self

2:07 Never chase status

3:01 Let others speak about you

4:03 Treat everyone the best way you can

4:54 Right body language

6:18 Win with class, lose with dignity

7:06 Look after the young players

7:58 Be classy on and off the pitch

I'm Mehran Rowshan, founder of Alliance FC in Dubai. We develop players the way the game deserves to be played — with skill, with intelligence, and with class.

📍 Alliance FC: AllianceFootballClub.com

🎙️ Rowshan Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@MehranRowshan

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/mehranrowshan#footballmindset

#classyfootballer #youthfootball #footballparents #playerdevelopment #footballculture #footballcoach #footballacademy #dubaifootball #soccertraining #footballtraining #footballcharacter #youthsoccer

Most people think a personal brand is what you post online. Robyn Abou Chedid disagrees — and she's spent years working with some of the world's biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo, to prove it.In this episode, I sit down with Robyn — one of the most respected voices on personal branding, communication, and self-leadership — to break down what most people get wrong about building a brand, why the online world is a performance most of us don't realise we're playing, and what actually separates the people who stand out from the ones who just shout louder.We get into:– What Ronaldo understood early that most people still miss– The two types of personal branding (and why most people fall into the wrong one)– Why everyone has a personal brand whether they like it or not– The traits that quietly disarm people: empathy, presence, self-honesty– Why slowing down creates clarity in a world built on speed– The difference between thinking and doing — and why one is killing your progress– Doomscrolling, attention culture, and the cost of consuming instead of creating– Communication and listening as skills that have to be practised– Emotional regulation, handling triggers, and the inner work behind every strong brand– The fears most people carry quietly — including the fear of not fulfilling your purposeIf you're building anything — a business, a brand, a life with intention — this conversation will change how you think about it.⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Episode 702:57 Two Types of Personal Branding04:15 Self Introduction — Robyn Abou Chedid07:06 Narcissistic Relationships08:43 Self-Honesty in Personal Branding10:15 Personal Values12:26 The Beginnings of Ronaldo as a Brand13:31 Foundation of a Values System14:10 Don't Be Transactional14:40 Empathy15:30 Positive Energy15:45 Progression16:20 The Ability to Disarm People18:32 Not Seeking Validation24:06 Feelings and Name Association26:16 Everyone Has a Personal Brand27:13 The Influence of Ronaldo29:04 Attention Culture33:47 Leveraging Personal Brands36:33 The Online World Is a Performance39:11 People Should Not Trigger You40:50 Podcast Host vs Guest44:02 Speaking Has to Be Practised51:48 Slowing Down Equals Clarity55:29 The Importance of Asking Questions57:26 Communication and Listening01:01:35 Sports Mentality01:03:29 Emotional Regulation01:05:50 Self-Regulating Teams01:10:49 Thinking vs Doing01:16:46 Doomscrolling01:18:39 Consuming vs Creating01:19:40 Biggest Fear of Not Fulfilling My Purpose01:21:43 Biggest Fear of Cruel Humanity and Indifference🎙 FOLLOW ROBYN ABOU CHEDIDInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlnamedrobynLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynabouchedid/Website: https://girlnamedrobyn.com📲 FOLLOW THE SHOWInstagram: @rowshanpodcastTikTok: @rowshan.podcastIf this conversation gave you something to think about — share it with someone who's building something. That's how we move the conversation forward.#RowshanPodcast #PersonalBranding #Ronaldo #SelfLeadership #Communication #ContentCreation #Mindset #DubaiPodcast #Entrepreneurship #PersonalDevelopment