At the top of Justin Richards’ LinkedIn profile, just beneath his name, you can read four words (Unlock The Potential Within) that mean an awful lot to the former striker.
Richards' beginnings
After spending the best part of two decades scoring goals for 15 different clubs from the Championship down to the Southern League Premier, the 43-year-old’s new passion is helping others to better themselves.
As a certified personal trainer and UEFA B licence holder Richards can offer private one-on-one coaching in both a fitness and footballing capacity, building up a wide range of clients since 2016.
That experience increased his interest for developing young footballers, and after being persuaded by his former Oxford United team-mate Jon-Paul Pitman to apply, he reached out to the Professional Player to Coach Scheme in the summer of 2022.
A joint programme run by the Premier League, PFA and EFL, the scheme is open to PFA members from black, Asian or mixed heritage providing opportunities to earn 23-month fixed term employment contracts at a selection of EFL clubs.
Where possible, successful candidates are given a chance to work with as many age groups as possible, while also taking a Diploma in Football Coaching.
At the time of his application, Richards was managing a grassroots side and felt as detached from the pro game as he had ever been, with little hope of making a return.
But then, following an extensive interview process the ex-front man, best known for his goalscoring exploits with Woking, Kidderminster Harriers, Cheltenham Town and Burton Albion, was offered a role with Forest Green Rovers.
Now approaching the end of his contract we caught up with Richards to discuss how it’s all gone…
What Richards has discovered while being on the Professional Player to Coach Scheme
“It’s really opened my eyes on how much impact you can have on people as a coach, and my outlook on what football coaching and player development looks like has changed dramatically.
“Prior to this programme I imagined there would be a lot of command type coaching where you tell players what to do, step in with a ‘stop stand still’ and tell them what they can do better, but it’s not been like that at all.
“I’ve learned how to build in constraints to get specific outcomes, there’s a lot of two-way discussion with players, I’ve experienced some incredibly helpful workshops, I’m now creating problems for players to solve themselves, and in general they just have a bit of autonomy over their own development.
“There is so much more to it than turning up and expecting the coach to put on a session.”
The age group Richards has enjoyed coaching the most at Forest Green
“It’s definitely the Foundation Phase, which has really enhanced my growth as a coach. I’ve learned how to ask better questions, how to build relationships with young players, and by trying to submerge myself in the world they see through their eyes, it has helped me create stronger connections.
“You get frustrations at that level because your expectations have to keep being readjusted. By that I mean one week the boys will be flying and you think they’ve nailed it. Then the following week it’s different, and you realise they haven’t. Working with the young lads is not a linear journey, and as a coach you need to understand that.
“I can say this with certainty though. If I had a choice of coaching the Under-10s or the first team, I promise you I’d choose the Under-10s. It’s so rewarding.”
What Richards has learned on how to handle players as a coach
“I’ve learned that you need to build them a structure they can follow, and I don’t want to sound bad here, but I quickly realised you can also be a lot sterner than you think with the younger players.
“It’s important to set boundaries and kids will accept it, which then allows you all to get on and have fun. Marrying the two is a skill I think I’ve done pretty well at.”
How staying true to yourself is vital when communicating to players of all age groups
“It’s interesting that you asked this because having gone down the age groups and then back up into the first team space, I found that the manager was constantly telling me to ‘drive it more’ and by that he wanted me to be more vocal and firmer.
“Being honest, that just didn’t sit right with me. Everyone has their own version of what commanding looks like, and for some that may mean barking instructions and being forceful in what they do and how they act. That is the environment I come from, but for me personally, I am not sure how well that goes down now.
“I started my role with the Under-18s at Forest Green alongside Jon-Paul [Pitman] and I must confess that initially he would check and challenge me all the time on what I could and couldn’t say, which was so helpful. I didn’t get it right every time.
“With the foundation phase I don’t think too much change is needed. You do need to adjust your vocabulary, but it’s important to be the person you are. Players of all ages want you to speak to them normally, and one thing that’s struck me is that their knowledge of the game is ten times better than mine was at their age. They understand so much more than you expect.”
The importance of connecting with players on a human level
“The more you know about someone’s life and values and personality, the easier it is to bring the best out of them. Every player has different buttons that need pressing, and if we didn’t try and get to know them we’d be doing them a disservice.
“On a wider scale we also have a responsibility to prepare lads for what might be to come. The most talented kids are on an upward trajectory skill-wise and technically, so in a sense the football side does not require all your attention. It might be that some of them are lacking the social element or struggling with something else away from the game.
“Coaches can develop them in those areas too, so that when they are 16, 17 or 18 and thrust into full-time football, or work, they are better equipped to handle it. So many good players struggle at dealing with the step up where it all becomes more cut-throat.”
How time with the first team led to a change in perspective
“If truth be told I didn’t come away inspired from my experience with the first team.
“The main issue I had is the lack of specificity around individual players. I know that it’s a results business and this has to be a priority, but seeing players get moved on because there’s something in their make-up that doesn’t fit right, rather than working with them to improve, causes me frustration.
“I know it’s not the same everywhere, and that great time is spent at first team level working to develop players, but regrettably that doesn’t happen at all clubs.
“In my view there must always be a place for individual development, whichever level you’re at.”
New experiences and workshop learning helped Richards
“I did a number of workshops on the programme and each of them helped me no end. The ‘Challenging Conversations’ session with actors was great, and especially useful for me because emotional control was high on my list of areas to improve. Saying the right thing in difficult situations isn’t easy, and I picked up lots of good advice. Learning that it’s OK to say less, or even nothing, was useful too.
“We did an improvisation workshop at the Comedy School workshop which was class. Learning how to listen better, how to hone in on what’s being said and adjust to it quickly, was a valuable skill.
“The military experience challenged me the most. Sleeping outside, walking for what seemed all day and night in the cold, operating on zero sleep was seriously tough! I was fully immersed in it, and at one point when my flashlight stopped working and I was walking in the most horrendous mud, I was on the verge of quitting.
“It was sending me crazy, but I dug in and learned how to deal with that different type of pressure, and how to lead a team when it was really hard to focus.”
Further development
“I’m thrilled to say Forest Green Rovers have offered me a further two-year contract beyond the Professional Player to Coach Scheme, which is so pleasing.
“The good thing about this club and our new academy manager Yan Klukowski is that we have a constant dialogue, revisiting my development and talking about my learnings and aspirations.
“Right now, I see myself as more of a development coach, and that’s what I have expressed to the club. Hopefully further opportunities pop up where I can focus on specific players or units, maybe narrowing in on striker work sometimes too.
“Outside of that I am very happy working with the younger age groups, maybe up to Under-21 level. The club are on the same page as me, which is fantastic.”
Richards encourages others to apply for the Professional Player to Coach Scheme
“100 per cent! In fact, I have already suggested to four or five people that they should apply for the next cohort.
“You learn so many things that you would never think about working on your own, and over the last 22 months the whole process has encouraged me to ask questions that I would never have asked of myself before.
“That’s the biggest thing for me. It’s been a brilliant experience.”
