James Brierley Eccles

The feeling of waking up and going out onto the pitch to coach and nurture others is a wonderful experience and it is what I want to do as part of a future career. I want to inspire and help others and nurture individuals into not only great footballers but great people who are able to make good memories from the football world. I currently coach at Cambridge United as Head Of Academy Goalkeeping leading the department for 9-21’s while working closely with relevant First Team staff to create a strong programme for our goalkeepers. I previously coached at AFC Wimbledons academy leading the 9-18s goalkeeper programme as well as supporting the First Team regularly. At university I studied football coaching and Performance (BA) at the University of Chichester, which covers coaching, as well as: Psychology, Analysis, Children in Youth Sport and Physiology. As a football coach you need to be a role model, motivator, and educator – skills which I developed during my three years at Chichester and have implemented in my roles within professional football. In my first paid role after graduating I coached at Charlton Athletic leading the GK coaching for their Post 16 college programme as well as weekly development centre which looks to provide a pathway into the academy. I built a great relationship with Yilmaz Aksoy; Head of academy goalkeeping, at the club and I volunteered as a scout for the academy and created a pathway for our development centre goalkeepers into the academy with multiple goalkeepers receiving trials at the club. I previously volunteered with Sutton United’s first team assisting the goalkeepers with goalkeeper coach Andy Little to gain exposure in a professional environment and further understand the processes of pro license and UEFA coaches as well to take into my sessions and conversations with peers and keepers. Since graduating in 2021 i have completed both Level 2 outfield + GK goalkeeper courses and most recently completed my UEFA B GK. Furthermore, I have connected with various coaches and scouts in the professional circuit who have aided me on my journey allowing me to coach and learn off them in their respective clubs which has boosted my knowledge of the game on and off the pitch. I am a goalkeeper and feel this position is so much more than a position in football. I started my goalkeeping journey as a young boy since I was the only the person confident enough to put my head near someone's feet; I now find it exciting and challenging. It is a high risk position, which demands resilience, mental toughness, alertness, responsibility and bravery, as well as self-belief - all qualities that are key for coaching. I feel I would flourish in a full time academy environment and I hope to be given the opportunity to do so as I am an organised, ambitious and passionate individual who has a real love for goalkeeping and coaching within the elite level of the game.

• Martin Davies, Cambridge United First Team goalkeeping coach, Martind@cambridgeunited.com, 07725359381
• Jack Johnson, Fulham FC Under 14’s Lead Coach, JJohnson@fulhamfc.com, 07756735295
• Andy Little, Sutton United First Team Goalkeeper Coach, 07956531870
• Jack Mattews, AFC Wimbledon Head of Coaching, Jack.Matthews@AFCwimbledon.ltd.uk, 07842310396

· Support & coach 2 England international goalkeepers (Spike Britts & Charlie Wilson Papps)

· Support & coach 18’s scholar (Harry Griffiths – Pro at Nottingham Forest)

· Support First Team GK sessions with various EFL goalkeepers at league 1/2 (Nathan Bishop, Vicente Reyes, Nik Tanz, Jack Stephens, Nathan Broome, Alex Bass)

· FAW Level 2 goalkeeper Award

· FAW Level 2 Outfield award

· UEFA B GK award

· FA Safeguarding Award

· FA First Aid award

· FA Level 1 Talent ID award