Brian Ashton

Hello coaches, welcome back to another Modern Soccer Coach podcast.

Big one today, we are joined by Brian Ashton, who has spent five decades at the highest level of coach and player development.

England rugby coach, took England to the World Cup final in 2007.

Also worked with the Premier League with player and coach development.

I wasn't, and I wasn't going to get a chance under Andy Robinson.

But luckily, Brian Ashton got appointed coach and he came and watched me play.

And I'd broken my, thumb so i was struggling but i'd had a bit of time off then come back and i i just had a great game and i mean you can obviously watch it on tv but he came in person and then i kind of knew yeah i'm probably going to get picked at this point and then obviously going up to training and they give you the dvd to wink wink here's the dvd of the uh scotland back row moves and the line outs and you i'm probably playing next week So at this point, you know, my family is talking about flying over from New Zealand.

You know, my brother and my mum are thinking I will come up, my dad's, you know, all that stuff.

It's a trophy.

But... um but 1998 we're staying at the Palace in Versailles and uh Warren Gatlin had only just come on and he'd been coaching um Buccaneers been coaching Connick and uh he took over from Brian Ashton I think um And he put a note in the press saying, Warren Gatlin, coach of the Ireland team, here's the fax number, here's where we're staying, please send us your messages.

So in that morning, we get to the team room outside and Warren says, I'm not saying anything today, just go in there.

So we open the doors and from floor to floor, wall to wall, floor to ceiling, there were just faxes from all around the world of people.