Cathal Morrison
Thorrington,Essex
Summary
I am an experienced mentor professional with a long history in football at Director level with a strong knowledge in recruitment at grass roots, intermediate and 1st Team level. I am also a qualified coach mainly focusing on youth academies. In addition to the above I operate as a Self Employed Electrical Engineering Consultant, home based, therefore I can very much focus on my preferred career path, within the footballing industry. Over the years previously, I have held and been successful within various director roles, both Managing and Commercial across various multi-million pound companies. Committed Sports Professional skilled in teaching and developing students' football skills. I instruct with energy and enthusiasm to engage students and increase enjoyment. I recognise talent and praise good performance to encourage growth.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work history
Director Of Football
Brantham Athletic Football Club
Manningtree, Essex
05.2024 - Current
- Shaped a successful season campaign by meticulous planning and execution.
- Designed specific training drills to address team deficiencies effectively.
- Promoted an ethos of fair play and sportsmanship amongst players.
- Coordinated scouting efforts for the identification of promising young talent.
- Built strong relationships with staff and players, boosting morale and team spirit.
- Fostered a positive team environment with robust communication strategies.
- Worked closely with medical staff to manage player injuries effectively.
- Streamlined training schedules for maximum efficiency and player development.
- Analysed opponent tactics to predict their game strategy successfully.
- Achieved consistent team improvement by implementing new training regimes.
- Led pre-season conditioning programmes for optimal player fitness levels.
- Implemented strategies for talent recruitment that enhanced the quality of the squad significantly.
- Facilitated weekly meetings with coaching staff to discuss strategies and progress reports.
- Managed all aspects of team administration to ensure smooth operations.
- Enhanced player performance, utilising targeted coaching techniques.
- Improved overall team cohesion through effective leadership and management techniques.
- Established productive relationships with fans, media, sponsors, contributing to the club's reputation positively.
- Monitored individual player progress, ensuring continued skill development and growth.
Academy Director
Paris St Germain (PSG) Academy Brantham
Manningtree, Essex
05.2024 - Current
- Built a Football Academy and College in partnership with VLUK
- Built a partnership with a Global Sports brand
- Recruited and Structured a full organisation
- Revamped the Youth Structure from top to bottom
- Worked flexible hours, covering nights, weekends and bank holidays.
- Supported team by demonstrating respect and willingness to help.
- Offered friendly, efficient customer service and handled challenging situations with ease.
- Displayed energy and enthusiasm in fast-paced environment.
- Completed duties to deliver on targets with accuracy and efficiency.
- Used Microsoft Word and other software tools to create documents and clear communications.
- Applied critical thinking to analyse problems, evaluate solutions and select best decisions.
- Carried out day-to-day duties accurately and efficiently.
- Quickly learned and applied new skills to daily tasks, improving efficiency and productivity.
- Successfully delivered on tasks within tight deadlines.
- Demonstrated respect, friendliness and willingness to help wherever needed.
Technical Director
Altrincham Football Club
Altrincham, United Kingdom
10.2022 - 04.2024
- Involved in decision making on a number of fronts together with other board members to ensure we drive the club forward and eventually achieve EFL status
- Working with the Director of Football and 1st Team Manager on leading player recruitment
- Working with the Academy Manager and Community Manager to develop on the already sound infrastructure
- Encourage the expansion of football and promote the practice of football to as many people as possible (from grassroots to elite for men and women)
- Act as a vector for football's educational values
- Encourage the expansion of women's football
- Promote technical analysis at various levels
- Gather and manage as much information as possible on developments within football, both at the club and outside the club
- Produce documents on technical issues and visual presentations
- Set up and maintain a documentation centre and share point of recruitment information.
Local Recruitment Co-Ordinator / Academy Scout
Colchester United FC
Colchester, United Kingdom
08.2021 - 02.2024
- Attend and observe football matches and tournaments designated by the Head of Academy Recruitment
- Liaise with the Head of Academy Recruitment on all matters relating to their viewings and knowledge on players and teams
- Attend relevant in-service training for Academy Scouts, both internal and external
- Attend 1st Team and Academy Recruitment meetings
- Provide Academy Coaching at Elite Centres when required
- Provide detailed player reports and score cards and discuss with the wider scouting team.
Head Of 1st Team Recruitment / Football Operations
Brightlingsea Regent Football Club
Brightlingsea
10.2020 - 10.2022
- Assist First team management
- Understand how and when to apply objective and subjective recruitment methods
- Build relationships to key stakeholders in the market-place: agents, clubs, players etc
- Use technology where it makes the recruitment process more effective
- Translate a recruitment strategy into specific actions and weekly targets
- Structure information and present it in an effective way for review with senior club management.
Football Development Director
Altrincham Football Club
Altrincham
08.2020 - 10.2022
- Involved in decision making on a number of fronts together with other board members to ensure we drive the club forward and eventually achieve EFL status
- Manage the pathway from academy football to senior level
- Lead and manage all Scouting activities for the 1st Team
- Lead the design and development of a 'Future' Training and development center
- Player negotiations
- Contract negotiations
- Built a player care system
- Assisted in building a business club to increase revenue
- Assisted in building a fan zone to increase revenue
- Instrumental in changing kit supplier to increase revenue and sales.
Director Of Football
Brightlingsea Regent Football Club
Brightlingsea
11.2022 - 02.2022
- Manage First Team Budget
- Contract Negotiations
- Dealing with Agents
- Manage Safeguarding and Player Welfare
- Manage Training Facilities
- Manage Footballing Structure from Youth to Senior Level
- Set club realistic and sustainable goals that are within the budget
- Build a profitable player pathway
- Direct all analytics via GPS and VEO 2 technology
- Build and maintain a recruitment network
- Use technology where it makes the recruitment process more effective
- Translate a recruitment strategy into specific actions and weekly targets
- Responsible for all footballing matters.
Regional Academy Scout
West Ham United FC
London
03.2020 - 08.2021
- Observe football matches and tournaments designated by the Head of Academy Recruitment
- Liaise with the Head of Academy Recruitment on all matters relating to their viewings and knowledge on players and teams
- Attend relevant in-service training for Academy Scouts, both internal and external
- Attend West Ham Academy Recruitment meetings
- Keep continual professional development and qualifications updated
- Ensure guidance, advice and supervision to children is in keeping with Club, FA and Premier League Codes of Conduct and the Club's Volunteer Agreement.
Regional Academy Scout
Cambridge United Football Club
Cambridge
11.2019 - 09.2020
- Attend youth league fixtures at Weekends
- Compile player reports
- Develop a knowledge and understanding of the Academy Recruitment Strategy at Local and Regional Level
- Following up any leads and recommendations ensuring all avenues are explored to identify potential elite players
- Produce Monthly communication and report along with weekly feedback on Recruitment reporting programmes
- Relationship building with local clubs, organisations and other relevant recruitment sources in the Essex and Suffolk Region.
1st Team Scout
AFC Fylde
Fylde
12.2019 - 06.2020
- Using approved platforms, view footage of the team / player being watched to supplement the quality of the live report, and to check consistency regarding styles of play, ability and other necessary areas of focus relating to team requirements
- Attend a minimum of 2 games per week, mainly focusing on Step 3, 4 and 5
- Provide a weekly report as per the management instructions
- Provide reports using approved club templates
- Always represent AFC Fylde in a professional manner
- Research and maintain an up to date working knowledge of all current AFC Fylde players
- Provide reports in an accurate and timely manner.
Skills
- I am an effective communicator, and expert organizer and good motivator I feel that I will bring commitment and loyalty to any position I undertake I have worked extremely hard in all areas of my current job to ensure I achieve the best possible results I approach every situation in a calm manner and I am also grateful that my sense of humour helps me to keep thing in perspective at all times
- Calm under pressure
- Public speaking
- Team building
- Leadership
- Nutrition and recovery techniques
- Statistical interpretation
- Football equipment operation
- Technical drills execution
- Sports science knowledge
- Sport psychology principles
- Knowledge of football laws
- Working with children
- Training
- Player development programmes
- Injury management
- Injury Prevention
- Strength and conditioning training
- FA regulatory compliance
Certification
- DBS Certificate, 001676341136
- FAN, 65078086
Languages
German
Proficient (C2)
french
Proficient (C2)
Accomplishments
- 2025 Thurlow Nunn League Champions - Brantham Athletic Football Club
- 2024 National League Playoff Semi Final - Altrincham Football Club
- 2022 National League North Playoff Winners - Altrincham Football Club
- Princes Trust Volunteers Community Award, 1998
Education and Training
- ISSPF - Soccer Performance Analysis
- ISSPF - Masters - Sports Psychology & Mental Skills
- Kingston Open College - Professional Football Coach Certification
- Courseline - Level 6 Advanced Football Coaching
- Training Express - Diploma in Sales and Marketing
- Training Express - Diploma in Digital Marketing
- Skill Up - Diploma in Tax Accounting
- Oplex - Human Resources Management Level 5
- Oplex - Human Resources Management Level 4
- Oplex - Human Resources Management Level 3
- Oplex - Human Resources Management Level 2
- SOHC - Sales Management Level 7
- SOHC - Retail Management Level 5
- SOHC - Time Management Level 4
- SOHC - Business Management Level 7
- Training Express - Diploma in Sales and Marketing
- Training Express - Diploma in Digital Marketing
- Level 3 Advanced - Sports Science
- IOMH - Sports Psychology
- IOMH - Sports Therapy
- IOMH - Sports First Aid
- IOMH - Sports Management
- IOMH - Physiotherapy
- IOMH - Sports Coaching and Fitness Training
- IOMH - Diet and Nutrition
- IOMH - Sports Medicine Fundamentals
- MBA - Master of Business Administration
- Masters Degree - Football Coaching & Sport Direction
- UEFA B, Expired, IFA
- IFA Attracting and Retaining Club Members
- IFA Club Development Planning and Fundraising
- FA Referee [Amateur] - Guide to Laws of The Game
- FA Player Welfare in Open Age Football
- FA Licensed Coaches Club, 2020, The FA
- FA Level 1 in Coaching Football, 2020, The FA
- FA Safeguarding Children, 2020, The FA
- FA Level 1 - First Aid in Football, 2020, IFAiF
- FA Level 2 in Coaching Goalkeepers, 2019, The FA
- FA Level 1 in Coaching Goalkeepers, 2019, The FA
- FA Level 1 in Talent Identification, 2019, The FA
- PFSA - Introduction into Football Scouting, 2019, PFSA
- PFSA Level 1 - Talent Identification in Football, 2019, PFSA
- PFSA Level 2 - Talent Identification in Football, 2019, PFSA
- Chartered Management Institute FCMI, 2013, Chartered Management Institute
- IOSH Managing Safely, 2010
- First Aid Familiarisation, 2002, Safety Solutions
- City & Guilds Key skills Communication Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
- City & Guilds Key skills Application of Number Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
- City & Guilds Key skills Information Technology Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
- City & Guilds Key skills Personal Skills Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
- City & Guilds Key skills Working with others Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
- City & Guilds Key skills Problem Solving Level 2, 2000, City & Guilds
Personal Information
- Date of birth: 04/03/80
- Nationality: Irish (UK Passport)
- Marital status: Married
Timeline
Director Of Football
Brantham Athletic Football Club
05.2024 - Current
Academy Director
Paris St Germain (PSG) Academy Brantham
05.2024 - Current
Director Of Football
Brightlingsea Regent Football Club
11.2022 - 02.2022
Technical Director
Altrincham Football Club
10.2022 - 04.2024
Local Recruitment Co-Ordinator / Academy Scout
Colchester United FC
08.2021 - 02.2024
Head Of 1st Team Recruitment / Football Operations
Brightlingsea Regent Football Club
10.2020 - 10.2022
Football Development Director
Altrincham Football Club
08.2020 - 10.2022
Regional Academy Scout
West Ham United FC
03.2020 - 08.2021
1st Team Scout
AFC Fylde
12.2019 - 06.2020
Regional Academy Scout
Cambridge United Football Club
11.2019 - 09.2020
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