Coach Quiz: John Griffiths (England Women’s U-17 National Coach)

The Coach Quiz slot puts its questions to John Griffiths, England Women’s U-17 National Coach, who holds a UEFA A Licence and an Academy Manager’s Licence. He favours possession-based, problem-solving practices built around defence against attack, and cites time spent at Barcelona in 2012 working with their coaches and performance staff, and watching Xavi and Puyol train within the club’s style, as leaving a lasting impression. Griffiths admits his house and car are immersed in football, says his players moan most about ice recovery and protein shakes, and explains he does not join in training, preferring effective practice design and constraints-led learning. He names John Wooden and Pep Guardiola as the coaches he most admires for putting people and playing style first, offers knowing the person behind the player as his latest lesson, and would pick Carli Lloyd for her leadership. His advice to new coaches is to keep learning.