How do young players actually go from youth soccer to a professional contract?
In this episode, former FIFA-licensed agent Miro Gladovic answers real questions from parents in our community. No fluff—just honest insight into how the process really works.
Coming up in this episode:🔹 1:40 – What Miro has observed separates players who make it🔹 7:08 – Why waiting to be "discovered" is a losing strategy🔹 7:50 – How coaching in his spare time shaped his perspective
We cover:✔ What scouts actually look for✔ Europe vs. U.S. pathways—what's different✔ The role of environment, culture, and timing✔ Trials, agents, and exposure explained✔ What parents should and shouldn't focus on
If your child dreams of going pro—or you just want clarity and direction—this one's for you.
About Miro Gladovic:Founder, Soccer Family Agent🌐 www.SoccerFA.com🌐 www.MiroGladovic.com🌐 www.WorldSoccerResourceCenter.com📲 @soccerfamilyagent
Special Offer:40% Off Soccer Family Agent – Use code: AST40👉 https://soccerfamilyagent.teachable.com/p/home
In this episode, I respond to a parent’s email about a nine-year-old losing confidence — not with solutions, but with honesty.
I don’t have all the answers, but I wanted to acknowledge the struggle and start a real conversation about confidence, environment, and what our kids actually need from us in youth soccer.
Sometimes the most important thing isn’t a fix — it’s realizing we’re not navigating this alone.
If you’ve ever wondered how young players go from youth soccer → academy → professional contracts, this interview is for you.In this special episode, former FIFA-licensed agent Miro Gladovic joins me to answer real questions submitted by parents from our community.40% Off Soccer Family Agent. Use discount code: AST40https://soccerfamilyagent.teachable.com/p/home
We dig into what scouts actually look for, how the process really works, and the common mistakes families make when chasing opportunities.Inside this conversation, we cover:
✔ What separates players who get noticed✔ The role environment, culture & timing play✔ Europe vs. U.S. pathways — what’s the difference?✔ What parents should (and shouldn’t) focus on✔ Trials, scouting, agents, and exposure — explained clearlyIf your child dreams of going pro — or you just want clarity, honesty, and direction — this episode will give you the roadmap.
When Frederick emailed me asking how to train his two sons—ages 8 and 10—it took me right back to those early days when I was trying to figure everything out myself. I remember the uncertainty, the frustration, and the feeling that everyone else somehow knew what they were doing… except me.
In this episode, I share what I’ve learned along the way: why structured training matters, how simple routines create momentum, and why mindset and consistency often matter more than natural talent.
I also walk through the resources I wish I had earlier—training tools, podcasts, eBooks, and communities that make the journey clearer and far less overwhelming.
This episode isn’t just about drills or technique. It’s about the parenting side of soccer—the role we play in supporting our kids, building confidence, and creating an environment where they can improve and still love the game.
In this episode, I go on a short rant that probably won’t make me more popular—but I think it needs to be said. I talk openly about why I don’t believe “bad soccer parents” are the biggest problem in youth development, why coaches focus so much on things they can’t control, and why the real work still happens Monday through Friday on the training ground.
If you’re a coach or parent who’s tired of hearing that you are the problem, this one is for you.
In this episode, I walk you through the newest improvements now available inside Anytime Soccer Training — designed to make home and team training even easier and more effective.
You’ll get a quick video tour of new enhancements across the platform, including:
Weekly Training Plans
Quick Sessions for Busy Days
Custom Training Plans for Any Player or Team
Key Skill Area Organization for Faster Navigation
And more…
Whether you're coaching a team, training your child at home, or using Anytime Soccer Training to stay consistent, these updates are built to save time, remove confusion, and help players improve faster.
Everyone wants their kid to train more at home… but nobody warns you about this part.
In this short, real-talk episode, I share a conversation with a friend whose son loves soccer — but doesn’t always love the work. If you’ve ever tried to get your child to do solo reps, wall passing, juggling, or even follow-along videos… you already know.
This isn’t about motivation hacks, gimmicks, magic apps, or the promise that training will somehow become “fun.” It won’t — not in the way kids expect fun. Solo training is delayed gratification — and that’s exactly why it works.
Press play. It’s short. It’s honest. And it may change how you think about training forever.
Everyone wants their child to have “better soccer IQ”… but what if we’ve been approaching it the wrong way?
In this short episode, I break down the real foundation—something I stumbled across while scrolling a coaching group—that might completely shift how you think about developing smarter players.
Listen now… the answer may not be what you expect.
In this episode, we sit down with neuroscientist Dr. Val Rytova to break down what’s actually happening in a child’s brain as they learn soccer skills.
We explore how kids develop movement patterns, why they sometimes perform skills in games they’ve never formally practiced, and whether parents need to be skilled players to help their children grow.
We also discuss the ongoing debate of unopposed vs. opposed training, the role of repetition vs. realism, and why a mix of structured practice, free play, and varied experiences may be the best path forward.
If you’ve ever wondered how kids truly learn—not just with their bodies, but with their brains—this conversation will give you clarity, confidence, and science-backed insight.
Connect with Dr. Val: http://www.drvalrytova.com | Instagram @love_of_brain
It’s the holidays — and every year I get the same questions about new gadgets, apps, and “fun” soccer programs.
In this episode, I reveal why most kids lose interest fast… and why real development is more nuanced.Enjoy!
In this short preview, Dr. Val Rytova reveals one of the biggest myths about practice — and what neuroscience says actually builds skill.
Learn more here https://www.drvalrytova.com/
What’s really happening inside your brain when you practice a skill over and over again?
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Val Rytova, neuroscientist and creator of Neuroplasticity and Epigenetics 101, to explore how consistent practice literally rewires your brain.
Dr. Rytova breaks down the science of neuroplasticity — how repetition and focus reshape your brain’s structure — and explains why practice isn’t just about muscle memory, it’s about rewiring your identity at the neurological level.
Learn more at: https://www.drvalrytova.com/
In this episode, I challenge the myth that playing more games leads to better players. Games don’t build skill — they reveal it.
I explain how true development happens outside the spotlight, through repetition and deliberate practice, not in the flow state of competition.
In this episode of The Inside Scoop, I unpack what I call the universal answer — a framework I use to respond to nearly every question parents ask about their child’s soccer development.
This time, the question was: “How can I help my child be more aggressive on the field?” Instead of offering a quick fix, I explain why words like “aggressive” are often too vague to be useful — and how to transform that frustration into teachable moments.
I walk through a clear, step-by-step method:
Because “aggression” isn’t about changing your child’s personality — it’s about building clarity, repetition, and confidence.
Tune in, take notes, and join the conversation in the Anytime Soccer Training Facebook group. Let’s keep growing together.
In this episode of The Inside Scoop, I share what I call the universal answer — the framework I use to respond to almost every question parents ask about their child’s soccer development.
This time, a parent asked how to help their child become more “aggressive” on the field. Instead of giving a quick tip, I break down why terms like aggressive are too vague to be helpful — and how to turn that frustration into something you can actually teach.
I walk through a step-by-step method to define what you want your child to do, identify who does it well, when and where it happens, and how to help them practice it — all in a positive, developmentally appropriate way.
Because “being aggressive” isn’t about personality — it’s about clarity, repetition, and confidence.
Tune in, take notes, and join the conversation inside the Anytime Soccer Training Facebook group.
In this episode, I answer a parent’s question about how to help their child who’s technically solid but finding it hard to stand out on a stronger team.
I share how I’d approach this situation using the principles of play and my experience as both a coach and parent. We talk about balancing technical work, physical training, and tactical awareness, and why development often happens in phases.
Sometimes the answer isn’t more practice — it’s helping your child see the game differently and rebuild confidence as the level rises.
Check out www.anytime-soccer.com
In this follow-up episode of The Inside Scoop, host Neil Crawford sits down again with Joao Plantier, General Manager of FuteBALLER and former scout for Sporting CP and other top European clubs.
This time, the spotlight is on how FuteBALLER actively creates opportunities for young players to be seen and evaluated by European scouts.
Joao explains the systems and strategies FuteBALLER uses to connect talent with real chances abroad—from curated trials and video scouting to mentorship and development tracking. He shares what makes their approach different, how they prepare players for the moment, and what families need to understand about the journey.
If you're serious about helping your child break into the European soccer scene, this episode shows how FuteBALLER is making it possible.
In this quick recap episode of The Inside Scoop, I revisit my approach to starting every team training session with unopposed technical work. I wanted to make this short and clear—just breaking down why I do it, what the benefits are, and some of the drawbacks too.
I also share a great conversation we had in the Anytime Soccer Training Facebook group about how unopposed drills fit into modern coaching and player development.
If you’ve ever wondered why I emphasize repetition, confidence, and control before adding pressure, this episode will make my strategy crystal clear.
Brought to you by Anytime Soccer Training — with over 5,000 follow-along videos covering every major skill area.
Visit anytime-soccer.com to learn more.
#2 Rank Football Podcast!
https://podcast.feedspot.com/youth_football_podcasts/
In this episode of The Inside Scoop, host Neil Crawford talks with Joao Plantier, General Manager of FuteBALLER and a former scout with Sporting CP and other top European clubs.
Joao shares what scouts really look for during a two-week trial — from technical quality and decision-making to mentality and adaptability. He breaks down the difference between American and European development, what separates elite players from the rest, and how parents can better prepare their kids for opportunities abroad.
A must-listen for any parent or coach serious about understanding what it takes to reach the next level.
In this episode, I share why I always start my soccer sessions with unopposed technical training — even though some coaches wouldn’t.
After talking with a fellow JV coach and alum who gave me great feedback, I wanted to explain my approach and the strategy behind it. For me, it’s about getting a high volume of touches, maximizing football actions, and never wasting time.
I also touch on what happens in the brain during repetition — and why that foundation helps players think faster and perform better when it matters