Peak Performance for Soccer Podcast

In this guest episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex sits down with Pelly for an honest and insightful conversation around performance, mindset, and the realities of working within football environments. 

The discussion explores the day-to-day demands of high-performance settings, from managing physical preparation and recovery to navigating pressure, expectations, and consistency over time. Pelly shares his perspective on what it takes to sustain performance, highlighting the importance of habits, routines, and staying prepared regardless of circumstances. 

A key theme throughout the episode is mindset — including how to deal with setbacks, maintain focus, and continue progressing in challenging environments. The conversation also touches on the importance of strong relationships with staff, clear communication, and creating environments where individuals can perform at their best. 

This episode provides practical insights into the human side of performance — where preparation, behaviour, and mindset all come together to support long-term development. 

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex sits down with Brett Singer, one of the most respected sports dietitians in the United States and a long-time leader in applied performance nutrition. Brett has spent 15 years working across hospitals, high-performance centers, and multiple MLS clubs — including the Houston Dynamo, Austin FC, Atlanta United (consulting), and now the Seattle Sounders.

Brett shares his journey from clinical dietetics to elite sport, including his mentorship of young practitioners through a unique residency program that has produced multiple MLS and NWSL dietitians. He and Alex explore the real-world challenges of nutrition delivery in Major League Soccer: navigating limited staffing, collaborating remotely, communicating with performance and medical teams, and balancing athlete education with the practical constraints of the league.

The discussion also dives deep into travel nutrition, cross-country time-zone management, post-match fueling on charter flights, and how to maintain consistency on the road when hotel food, delivery errors, and logistical variables threaten performance routines.

Brett also gives his perspective on overrated vs underrated supplements, what truly matters on matchday, and why carbohydrates remain one of the most powerful and overlooked performance tools in the game.

A highly practical, honest conversation about implementing nutrition in the messy, fast-moving world of modern football.

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex is joined by António Pedro Mendes, Head of Nutrition at Sporting Clube de Portugal. António shares his unique journey through European and Middle Eastern football, from FC Paços de Ferreira and FC Porto to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, before leading one of the world’s largest and most structured nutrition departments at Sporting CP.

The discussion explores how nutrition supports long-term player development, the practical challenges of implementing daily habits, and the importance of cultural context when working across countries and environments. António dives into how he collaborates with chefs, coaches, and performance staff, and why informal conversations often create more meaningful behaviour change than formal presentations.

He also breaks down his evidence-based approach to supplements, the role of placebo, and why flexibility and consistency matter more than perfect nutrient timing.

This episode is packed with practical insights into the human side of applied sports nutrition — and how elite environments use food, communication, and education to drive performance.

In this special guest episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex sits down with U.S. soccer legend DaMarcus Beasley. The only American to play in four consecutive World Cups, Beasley reflects on a career that spanned MLS, the Eredivisie, Premier League, Scottish Premiership, Bundesliga, and Liga MX. He shares candid insights into how performance practices evolved across different cultures, his journey from avoiding the gym to embracing individualized preparation, and the injuries that shaped his outlook on longevity. Beasley also opens up about his biggest career highlights, toughest setbacks, and his post-retirement role building Fort Wayne FC. This is a conversation packed with lessons from one of the game’s most enduring figures. 

In this recap of Chapter 7: Wearable Technology, Alex and Adam reflect on the key insights from Josh Rice (Tottenham Hotspur) and Joel Carter (Crystal Palace FC) — two practitioners redefining how data is applied inside elite football environments.

They explore how wearable technology has evolved beyond tracking numbers — becoming a vital communication and decision-making tool. From GPS and heart-rate data to acceleration profiling and live session feedback, the discussion highlights how practitioners use technology to enhance performance, not restrict it.

The three pillars — periodisation, fitness change, and injury risk — frame the conversation, while Joel’s developmental focus shows how wearable data can bridge the gap between science and coaching. Together, their insights demonstrate how context, collaboration, and clarity transform raw data into meaningful performance strategies.

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex is joined by Joel Carter, Head of PDP Development at Crystal Palace FC. Joel shares his journey from Australia to the Premier League, with stops across India’s national team setup and Millwall FC along the way. The conversation explores how wearable technology, monitoring systems, and data-driven insights can elevate player development and training design. Joel discusses how acceleration and deceleration profiling influence session planning, how live data informs coaching decisions, and why context and communication are more important than the numbers themselves. It’s a deep dive into the evolving landscape of player development and applied sports science at the elite level. 

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex sits down with Josh Rice, Head of Academy Sports Science and Nutrition at Tottenham Hotspur. Josh shares his journey across Everton, Liverpool, and Spurs, reflecting on his evolution from intern to department leader. The discussion dives into wearable technology — from GPS and heart rate integration to the three pillars of periodisation, injury risk, and fitness development. Josh explains how data informs daily training, how to balance internal and external load, and the importance of communication so that sports scientists are seen as performance enhancers, not limiters. This episode blends practical insights, applied research, and real-world examples from one of the Premier League’s top academies. 

In this recap episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex and Adam reflect on Chapter 6: Player Monitoring & Practical Application, featuring insights from Lewis MacMillan (Fulham FC) and Lorcán Mason (PhD researcher). Together, they break down how to balance internal and external load, integrate subjective and objective data, and make fast, informed decisions in real-world environments. The discussion explores the “dose and response” model, managing injury risk through Fulham’s ‘Eyes On’ period, and applying monitoring principles in both high- and low-resource settings. Alex and Adam also highlight the importance of communication, critical decision-making, and the art of interpreting data with a coach’s touch.

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex is joined by Lorcán Mason, a PhD researcher and performance practitioner from Ireland. Lorcán shares his journey across Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk, and Finn Harps, reflecting on the challenges of being a “one-man department” in smaller clubs. The conversation explores practical monitoring tools like wellness questionnaires and session RPE, how to apply low-resource strategies effectively, and the importance of contextualizing data through conversations with athletes. Lorcán also discusses periodisation in congested schedules, triangulating data points, and why communication and trust matter as much as the metrics themselves. 

In this episode of Peak Performance for Soccer, Alex is joined by Lewis MacMillan, Head of Player Insights at Fulham FC. Lewis shares his journey from internships at West Ham to leading performance data and monitoring at a Premier League club. The discussion explores how Fulham integrates internal and external load metrics, manages injury risk with their “Eyes On” period, and balances subjective vs objective data in daily decision-making. Lewis also highlights the evolving role of ACWR, interdisciplinary collaboration with analysts, and the practical tools that truly make a difference in player availability and performance.