| Simon Clifford | |
| Fullname: | Simon Darcy Clifford |
| Birth Place: | Loftus, England[1] |
| Manageryears1: | 2004–2009 |
| Managerclubs1: | Garforth Town |
Simon Darcy Clifford is an English football coach, pioneer, and a businessman most commonly known for introducing Brazilian training techniques into the UK with his Brazilian Soccer Schools,[2] being the very first of their kind.[3]
Clifford has worked in football for the last 30 years, from youth to senior and non-league to Premier League, with a number of clubs and individual professional players.[4]
Clifford currently works with a group of highly talented youth football players through his one-to-one coaching company, Integer Football. This company is based in Harrogate/Leeds and has had some great success in producing professional players over the recent years.
Brought up in Loftus in the North Riding of Yorkshire,[5] he moved to Leeds to study at the age of eighteen. It was there that he later started his teaching career in a primary school. He began training the children of the school using techniques derived from Brazilian football. He soon began an after school club that would become the first of a now worldwide chain of soccer schools. In 1997, he borrowed £5000 from a teachers' union to fund a trip to Brazil,[6] [7] where he spoke with Socrates, World Cup winning captain Carlos Alberto, Careca, Jairzinho and Rivellino, and watched them coach, whilst spending time residing at the training ground of São Paulo FC. Having developed a close friendship in the UK with Brazil midfielder Juninho,[8] Clifford used the knowledge he had learned and his own initiative to create a syllabus.[9] [10]
Once back in England, Clifford blended his academic knowledge of coaching and his experience as a teacher to develop his own coaching programme. In 1997, he started a Brazilian-style soccer school for youngsters in Leeds,[11] teaching Brazilian skills as well as introducing his students to futebol de salão, unheard of in England at the time and largely in the English speaking world.[12] [13] He brought these South American values back home to Leeds.[14]
Clifford became the first coach to bring over and popularise futsal in the United Kingdom.[6] This after school club became the first of the soccer schools and the first model of what now would be referred to as a 'private academy', common across the UK and Europe.
Clifford then set out to train his first batch of young footballers with his new methods, with a notably different philosophy, preferring to concentrate on improving ball skills and close control and an even greater emphasis on fitness and physical strength.[15] He went on to expand the "Brazilian Soccer Schools" school franchise to other regions and countries, even expanding overseas to the likes of Hong Kong, Nigeria, South Africa, United States, Australia, The Netherlands, Thailand, Canada, Malaysia, Bermuda, Singapore, Mexico and Poland.
The Brazilian Soccer Schools have been endorsed by many in football, including Sir Trevor Brooking, Tord Grip and Michael Owen.[16]
In 2001 Clifford introduced his pre-school coaching programme SOCATOTS,[17] the first such programme in the world to teach basic ball skills, movement and co-ordination exercises to children from as young as six months old. It was the first pre-school sports programme in the world. The programme also teaches language, numeracy and colour identification and the children attend with their parents who are an integral part of the classes. This programme, like Clifford's Brazilian Soccer Schools is also a franchise and is running throughout the UK as well as internationally in places such as The Netherlands, South Africa, Canada, Dubai, Poland and Singapore. It grew to be in over 30 countries.Visiting clubs such as Everton F.C., Manchester United F.C., Newcastle United F.C. and West Ham United F.C. in the late 1990s, Clifford aimed to help develop futsal within these clubs, and subsequently English football.[18]
At the time he lauded Everton coach, Tosh Farrell as "light years ahead of anyone else within the academy system".[19] Tosh said: "Our Under 7, Under 8, Under 9, Under 10 Academy players now use Futebol de Salão in 75% of their training. Our U9’s who have used the ball for two years are one of the strongest age groups in the club".
Brazilian Soccer Schools was one of the largest football coaching organisation in the world, with over one million children regularly attending sessions around the globe.[20] Players such as Micah Richards[21] [22] and John Bostock were some of the most successful graduates in the early years, with still many youngsters working their way through the professional academy ranks. The impact of Brazilian Soccer Schools and the syllabus created by Clifford is still being seen today. A number of emerging young talent in the Premier League/Championship have a strong background in futebol de salao, including Charlie Patino of Arsenal F.C., Charlie Webster of Chelsea F.C. and Archie Gray of Leeds United F.C. - all three captaining the England national team at their respective age groups.,[23] and Tyrhys Dolan of Blackburn Rovers F.C..
Clifford sold the Brazilian Soccer Schools and SOCATOTS franchise to Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe in the 2012,[24] with Brazilian Soccer Schools being on every continent.
Clifford is well regarded in the football industry; however, he failed to emerge onto the professional scene after being recruited by Sir Clive Woodward in December 2004, to become his assistant coach at Southampton.[25] [26] Woodward had arranged meetings with Clifford before they went into football together to learn from the methods he was using[27] and look at the work he was doing with the soccer schools, viewing him as the best one-on-one coaches he had ever come across, hailing him as the best coach he had ever worked with.[28] [29] [30] After falling out with the coaching establishment at Southampton and leaving his role,[31] [32] he returned to his the non-league club he owned, Garforth Town, as manager.[33]
In 2003 Clifford purchased the Northern Counties East Football League club Garforth Town.[34] At the time of the purchase Clifford expressed the desire to take the club, then at the ninth level of the football pyramid, into the English Football League within twenty years. The club made good progress, gaining two promotions during Clifford's first two full seasons as manager. Within the six years, they managed to reach the EvoStick Premier League - the highest in the clubs history. Clifford managed to attract a number of his high-profile friends to play for the team including: Lee Sharpe,[17] Sócrates[35] and Careca.[36] The club now plays in the Northern Counties East Football League Premier Division.[37] [38]
In April 2009, Clifford guided his team to the final of the West Riding County Cup to face Bradford Park Avenue. Heavy underdogs Garforth won 5–4 on penalties to claim the cup, a trophy which has been held by Leeds United among others.[39] After three seasons of managing Garforth Town, Clifford made the decision to step aside as manager of his club. This was to focus and develop more quickly his SOCATOTS and Brazilian Soccer Schools programmes.
Over the last 30 years, Clifford has worked with Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Micah Richards and Theo Walcott[40] among others.[41]
Many players have been fans of Clifford's work and methods, including Jay Jay Okocha,[17] Michael Owen and the legendary Brazilian footballer and coach, Zico.[30] Other Brazilian stars Socrates, Rivellino, Jairzinho and World Cup captain Carlos Alberto have also supported Clifford.[42] [43]
In September 2008, Clifford was approached by a South African consortium looking to purchase Newcastle United Football Club,[44] with the party offering the 38-year-old a role as Technical Director as well as shares in the club.[45] In the same month, he was also approached by Tottenham Hotspur midfielder David Bentley, with the England international asking Clifford to devise an elite training programme and to undertake one-to-one sessions with him. Work commitments, however, saw Clifford turn down the opportunity.
In 2017, Clifford began working with Hayden Evans and Andy Gray within HN Sports agency, and in 2019 moved over with Gray, Evans and Richard Cresswell to Blue Sky Sports football agency.[46] Clifford has worked with Blue Sky Sports since its inception, in the role of expert elite performance coach, helping to individually mentor players that are signed to the agency. Such players include Archie Gray, Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell and more.
In 2015, Clifford started his latest and current venture with the inception of Integer Football[47] - an individualised and bespoke one-to-one training programme that looks to work on all parts of the game - technical, physical, tactical and psychological - made up of around 132 components according to Clifford.[48] Working with talented young football players from ages 6–professional, the idea of Integer Football is to make the most complete players - and good people - who can become the very best version of themselves.
Notable players who have graduated from this programme, even in its short time, include Ryan Edmondson (Carlisle United), Archie Gray (Leeds United & England Youth), Harry Leonard (Blackburn Rovers), Kian Spence (Barrow), Harry Gray (Leeds United & England Youth), Will Hugill (Burnley) and George Horbury (Harrogate Town).
Archie Gray has been in all of Clifford's programmes and began at Socatots aged one, actually being carried into the session; his very first coach was Clifford's wife who coached at Socatots at the time. Gray worked all the way through the stages of Brazilian Soccer Schools, and has been working with Clifford directly since 2014 and individually since 2016. Simon has coached and mentored Archie, working with him individually on strength, speed, endurance, nutrition, psychology and technique.
At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, Integer Football had a number of young players starting for their respective football league clubs. Archie Gray (Leeds United) started in over 16 of the first 20 games of the season at just 17 years of age. Harry Leonard (Blackburn Rovers) started the first game of the season and scored the winning goal against West Brom, going on to score two more and tally two assists in his next 13 appearances. Kian Spence (Barrow) won League Two Goal of the Month for August for a wonderstrike against Tranmere Rovers.[49]
It was a successful 23/24 season for many of the Integer Football graduates. Archie Gray became the youngest Leeds United player to reach 50 appearances,[50] Ryan Edmondson won the A-League in his debut season in Australia,[51] Kian Spence was named Barrow's Young Player of the Season,[52] with many more individual and team achievements for Integer Football alumni.
On Saturday 9 December 2023, Integer Football reached a milestone with two graduates starting for opposing teams in the EFL Championship.[53]
Notable players that have graduated from Simon Clifford's BSS system and syllabus include the likes of Micah Richards (ex-Manchester City and England defender),[54] [55] John Farnworth (World Champion football freestyler),[56] Ryan Edmondson (Carlisle United), Stan Mills (Everton F.C.), Ryan Fraser (Newcastle United and Scotland), Renny Smith (LR Vicenza), Harry Leonard (Blackburn Rovers FC), Archie Gray (Leeds United), Robbie Gotts (Barrow AFC), Charlie Webster (Chelsea FC) and Liam Kitching (Barnsley FC).
Others include: Oli McBurnie (Sheffield United) - who graduated from Simon's Leeds BSS, Marlon Fosse (Fulham), Rhys Bennett (Rochdale AFC), Luke Lundall, Jimmy Ball, McKenzie Ball, Finn Tonks (AFC Bournemouth), James Morris, (Watford) and Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers).
It has not only been players that have graduated from this syllabus and gone on to professional football, but also some coaches. Notable coaches have also graduated from Simon Clifford's system, including: John Herdman formerly of Canada Men's National Team[57] taking them to their first World Cup in 36 years and gaining them their highest ever FIFA ranking position. He is now head coach at Toronto FC; Sunderland manager Micheal Beale (football coach) formerly the manager of Glasgow Rangers, Queens Park Rangers and assistant at Sao Paolo FC, thought to be one of the rising stars of British coaches; Beverly Priestman, (Canada Women's National Team, Kristian Wilson, (Crystal Palace FC), and Pete Sturgess (FIFA Futsal Instructor and ex-England Futsal National Team manager). Ben Wrigglesworth (Head of Scouting at Wolverhampton Wanders, former Arsenal and Leicester City) - one of the most highly regarded scouts in the country - also came from Simon's programmes.
Clifford has been involved number of TV and film productions, working with directors and actors in various roles.[58]
He worked as Technical Coach for the two lead actresses of Bend It Like Beckham, Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra.[59] Clifford also performed the same role in the film There's Only One Jimmy Grimble with Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone[60] as well as the more recently on Kicking and Screaming with Will Ferrell. He choreographed, coached and advised on the film The Damned United starring Michael Sheen.[61] [62] [63]
In November 2008, Clifford was approached by Setanta Sports with a view to him doing a regular blog for the company's website. His first, a critique of the state of the game from grassroots level up, was particularly damning of Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, while subsequent articles have highlighted problems within the game.
More recently, Clifford was choreographer and coach for Julian Fellowes' Netflix hit The English Game.[64] This six part miniseries explored the beginnings of modern association football in England.
Clifford has also worked on his own TV documentaries, DVD's and books, individually and in collaboration with others.
Such work includes Learn to Play the Brazilian Way (Book: Macmillan) and Learn to Play the Brazilian Way (DVD: Momentum Pictures),[65] Soccer Superskills With Jay Jay Okocha (Sony - Play Better Sport DVD), Michael Owen's Soccer Skills (DVD and paperback book (HarperCollins)), Soccer Super Skills FAI with 7UP (CD-Rom) andSoccer Super Skills FAI with PepsiCo (DVD), A Whole New Ball Game (BBC), Gol! (DVD) and Boys To Brazil (BBC).
Clifford was an editor and contributor of the Jilian Hickey book: Understanding Football.
In May 2011, Clifford was made an official Yorkshire Patron for his work promoting the region around the world.[66]
Clifford is currently working on a football related PhD that is due to be completed by 2025.