Wisdom from the top: Advice every young coach should hear from four elite coaches

They have coached in different competitions, led different teams and forged their reputations in different ways – yet Ange Postecoglou, Pia Sundhage, Sean Dyche and Sabrina Wittmann share a set of core beliefs that go beyond a tactical plan.

Those ideas were front and centre at the latest UEFA Pro Licence Student Exchange in Nyon, where student coaches – including ex‑international players and current head coaches from Belarus, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Scotland, as well as a group of recent female Pro Licence graduates – gathered to learn from one another and some of the most respected coaches in the game.

Postecoglou, Sundhage, Dyche and Wittmann provide powerful guidance that every developing coach should hear – offering insights in four important areas that shape not just how you coach, but who you become as a leader.

Curiosity and open-mindedness feed continuous learning

A shared message from all four coaches is that great coaching begins with a hunger to learn, throughout your career.

"Coach education is essential, and it never stops, so you need to have curiosity," says Postecoglou, who lifted last season’s UEFA Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur. "Once you get your first coaching job, you realise you are in at the deep end and you're only trying to swim. You need to make sure it's not just about surviving but learning all the time and knowing what's out there.

"I was always prepared to ask questions, and if you meet somebody that you want to learn from, don't say anything. Ask one question, then shut up and let them talk! The art of listening is very important."

Ange Postecoglou discusses his career with Pro Licence sudents

Sundhage, now in charge of Haiti’s women, reiterated the point on humility: "When I was 25, I thought I knew everything, but now, I'm really listening and I've become a good listener," she says.

Dyche, a veteran of 350 Premier League games in England, has regularly looked beyond football for inspiration, in particular through sports like rugby, golf, boxing and rowing, but also in business.

"I was told the best coach is the best thief," he says. "There's so much out there now, so much knowledge in football, so much coverage. coaches of all levels can access some amazing drills, practices and teaching styles, which is fantastic, but how can you add things to your toolkit that are not the norm? They might only be small things, but the more you add, the bigger your toolkit becomes, so you need to be open-minded."

Wittmann, head coach of Ingolstadt, is the only female coach in charge of a men’s professional team in Germany. At 34, she is closer to the beginning of her career, yet already sees the benefit in lifelong learning. "Continuous education is the most important thing, you always need to be learning and open-minded to understand how the game is changing," she says. "When you start as a young coach, you have so many influences, often not directly linked to the team you are working with, so watching Pep Guardiola in the Champions League, you cannot just copy it to your own coaching environment. My style has definitely changed over the years and hasn’t finished evolving yet, because I am still a young coach and have much more to learn."  

Identity and authenticity

While picking up as much experience and insight from others is crucial for growth, coaches must stay true to their own beliefs and philosophies.

"It’s a self-awareness and understanding who you are as a person,” explains Postecoglou. "My principles are so deep-rooted in me, where I've loved and been passionate about the game, that to change them would mean changing me as a person. You have to adapt but the things I believe in, and value highly have been a constant – and I've had a lot of success."

Sabrina Wittmann (left) takes part in a team-building exercise

Wittmann's journey to becoming the first female head coach in the German men's game has brought added pressure, but she insists staying true to herself has helped her career flourish.

"There are more people looking at what I am doing now and the pressure is high, but don't try to change as a person – stay authentic, there are going to be hard times but remember how you got there and you'll get used to the pressure. It's not meant to be easy, and you learn to accept that.

Consistency, culture and values

Consistent behaviours and messages are vital in building a winning culture, and intilling respect and trust from players and staff.

"Coaching is small things all the time," says Sundhage. "Words are important, but the actions behind those words are crucial… ‘Am I really doing what I say?’"

Postecoglou echoes those sentiments. "You need to stay consistent with your language and your behaviour – players need to believe in you as a person before they start listening to you as a coach," he says. "You might have the best information in the world, but if they don't believe in you as a person, you're not going to get them engaged."

Sean Dyche gets his point across

For Dyche, it's about instilling values in players that can create a winning culture, with one shining current example. "I go for culture first, not tactics or technical aspects," he explains. "That’s the values that you stand for, and if you instil enough of these into the collective, and they all align, you've got a better chance of success.

"If you look at Arsenal now, they all know the game, they're delivering it from practice, not living it by chance. They believe in it, and they're authentic to their belief in it, and they're doing it. That's a different kind of discipline, but it's still discipline. It's this that holds a team together."

Communication and connection

Communication isn't just about speaking – human connection and understanding players' individual needs are vital to success, though there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

"The most important thing is to get to know your players," Wittmann says. "They might have different ways of learning – some need clearer direction, some need trust and freedom, so you have to handle players differently and understand how they learn, and how they need to be spoken to. Players need to understand why we are doing what we are doing, and then, if someone is struggling to deliver, it's about caring and finding out why."  

If a coach can form this personal connection, then communicating ideas to players becomes easier. “To get people to believe in you, you have to open yourself up and allow people to understand who you are," Postecoglou says. "Once that happens, all the other stuff that you want to convey become more effective."

Sundhage, who as well as Haiti has coached China, USA, Sweden, Brazil and Switzerland, adds: "It all depends on the person – it's unfair to treat players all equally because they are different. Some are generous when it comes to building the environment, while others are fantastic on the pitch, and we need all of them."

Pia Sundhage (right) on stage with fellow coaching legend Anna Signeul

Generational shifts and the digital age have brought new challenges.

“Social media has meant these youngsters have a different way from my time," says Dyche. "Team meetings are probably eight minutes where they used to be 20 – the attention span is not the same, and as a coach, you’ve got to roll with that. They expect instant information, so we can use visual content to bring our messages to life."

More about the UEFA Pro Licence Student Exchange programme

Gaining the UEFA Pro Licence is a transformative experience, and for many students, a crucial step towards becoming a head coach at the highest level.

Now in its 15th season, our Pro Licence Student Exchange programme offers an invaluable extra experience, convening students from different national associations to learn from each other's ideas, network and listen to some of the game's leading figures.

Topics include creating high performance environments, leadership, decision-making, dealing with pressure and crisis situations, managing media, and player and supporter expectations.