Liam Vogel Q&A

QUICK FIRE 5:
1. Favourite team(s) supported: The mighty reds!

2. Favourite player past or present: Liverpool player would have to be Robbie Fowler – he was at his best when my obsession with footy started. Living every local (reds) kids dream playing and scoring in front of the Kop.

Favourite non LFC player would have to be Zidane – absolute genius!

3. Highlight(s) of your time with Maghull: As a player I was a small part of the first team that last won the league under Phil Stafford, that was a good season, but I always felt more at home with Dave Hughes’s ressies team. In the same season we won the league with the first team I was also part of Dave’s cup winning ressies team. It was incredible to win that cup with an amazing set of lads, who I am still mates with now and love everyone of them. So, I would have to go for that, winning a trophy with your mates…. nothing better!

4. Favourite drink: Can’t beat a nice cold pint…. especially after footy!

5. Best advice given in Football: As cheesy as this sounds “Hard work beats talent if talent doesn’t work hard”. I didn’t have much talent though to be fair so had to make up for it by trying to give everything.

Q: Can you start by giving us an overview of your own playing career? What highlights stand out?
I played for Town Green as my first club and we had a good side, winning a few cups and winning the treble one season. Ste Raff who also coaches the first team was in midfield with me and was the enforcer in that side so that season would stand out as a highlight. After starting senior school, I ended up with Osgood Schlatter which affected me playing wise for a couple of years and I stopped enjoying football a bit. I still tried to play for the school team and of a weekend but couldn’t really perform well and ended up giving up for a few years. I then got back into playing again with my Uncles Sunday league side at aged 16 – loved it! Proper laugh with loads of old school characters and just loved the environment. I then spent a few years playing for my mate’s team Hesketh Casuals in Lancashire leagues before joining Maghull in my mid-20s. I was always around the club as a kid as my dad played for the first team for a few years. Highlights then, Treble with Town Green, getting drunk on a Sunday after footy, league and cup win with the 1sts and ressies but best thing about footy is the laughs/mates you get. No trophy can top that.

Q: What sort of player were you when playing competitively? Key attributes…
Hard working, competitive, take a decent pen, occasionally a bit dirty, always a moaner but hopefully ultimately someone my teammates would want in their team.

Q: Who is the best player you’ve played with & against?
Maybe not the most gifted player I have played with but the player who always stood out for me was John Hastings, he was always the smallest player on the pitch but played centre mid and would throw in the hardest tackles you will see, he would run forever, give everything and technically he was quality. Also, a proper moaner like me. Loved playing with him.
Best player I have played against – I played against Rooney as a kid for the Copplehouse so ill go with that…. we beat them 2-0 though!

Q: How did you find making the transition from player to youth coach?
Easy – I had no choice; I wasn’t allowed to play anymore with 3 kids! I initially started helping Paul Brownrigg and Paul’s attitude to youth football was perfect for me. His approach was the opposite approach to senior football. Win at all costs, aggressive, loud etc. He made it a calm environment, made all the kids feel valued, gave them ALL a ball and just made football for the little kids enjoyable. I have tried to follow on from Paul with that ideology since taking over the now u10s team.

Q: You hold multiple roles at the club, can you begin by giving an overview of each?
As a youth coach…
Coach of the u10s since u6s, me and Ste Liston run the team and he is the brains! I love coaching the lads as we have had most of them since u6. Lovely kids and turning into good little footballers. But as much as some of my parents may not like hearing it, we just want them to be nice lads who have a good laugh together and remain mates when they are older. It’s a bonus that they are good little players as well.
As Youth Committee member…
Try and ensure that the youth set up is valued at a senior level and ensure that we retain as many boys and girls as possible by making them feel like it’s their club. My role on the committee is more from a welfare and safeguarding angle but will throw my two penny’s worth in on topics under discussion. John Mac has done an incredible job along with others making the youth set up as strong as it is following a difficult period a few years back.
As Safeguarding Officer…
Everyone in the club should really act as a safeguarding officer but my role is to act as specific point of contact for anyone who has any concerns, whether that be child, parent, or coach. It is important to keep children safe when they play football and I’m not just talking about having a pair of shinnies on. It is important that everyone involved in kids football feels able to enjoy the game. Anyone involved in grassroots football has a duty to ensure that they provide an experience that is safe, positive, and enjoyable for everyone. Too many people treat kids footy like Sunday league or the watching Everton/Liverpool and forget where they are. Unfortunately, far too many of these types of people are involved in kids’ football and it’s one of my jobs to ensure those that play, coach or support the club at youth level act in an appropriate manner.

Q: Focussing on the clubs Youth development framework (DNA document attached below) can you explain a little more what it is and the important features that the club promotes?
It is a framework which we can show to all parents and coaches which explains how we think kids’ football at Maghull FC should be like. So, it acts as a code for coaches & parents on how they should behave. There is a parental behaviour form attached as we do not want any of our parents and/or coaches screaming and shouting on the side line of an u6 game!
For coaches, it emphasises the need to get kids a touch of the ball, not standing in lines waiting 2 minutes for each kick, it emphasises equal game time and the need to make the sessions they put on/environment they create fun. This is the only way we maintain kids interest if they want to come back.

Q: You are a passionate supporter of equal game time, developing the person and the player as well as promoting the various mental health and social benefits for children playing sports, can you give a more insight into your approach and mindset?
As I have said earlier the key for me is that kids enjoy coming to football, we don’t know sometimes what is going on at home and therefore its imperative that we give them at least a few hours a week they can enjoy. Equal game time forms a major part of promoting social and mental wellbeing for me especially at the junior school ages. How anyone can look at a 7-year-old and make him/her stand on the line until the game is ‘won’ is beyond me. How can they look at that kid or their parents in the face and feel okay with that? It also shows the ‘better’ kids in the team that every child is valued and that they are part of a TEAM. Try and think of your younger self and think about how excited you would have been going to football. You have your nice clean kit on, boots on, shin pads on, parents with you excited and proud ready to watch, maybe even grandparents attending as well……then ‘Grassroots Pep’ decides not to bring them on or gives them five mins…. just to ensure they win a kid’s footy match! Some may think its over the top but it proper sickens me when I see it and normally it’s not the children that find equal game time difficult to handle, unfortunately it’s their parents or some coaches.
Again, as I said earlier the best memories, I have from football is the mates I have made – if everyone kept this thought front and centre when attending/coaching footy it would be a much better environment for all. Don’t get me wrong, we all like to win, but its should never be the priority at kid’s football.

Q: What are the key issues and challenges you see with grassroots football today?
Behaviour and the ever-increasing costs!
Behaviour is driving away officials and volunteers and soon there won’t be enough left to run/referee leagues. The costs of the supposed ‘community’ hubs needs to be reviewed to make them more affordable to grassroots teams. Unfortunately, as the councils cut back on grass pitch maintenance the need for all weather pitches is increasing. But the costs aren’t sustainable and will put off a lot of kids/parents from joining teams as they just can’t afford the subs.

Q: Safeguarding is such an important area for any club. How does the club apply FA policies on Safeguarding and importantly ensure teams are following the advice and regulations?
The club ensures that every coach has a valid DBS certificate whilst ensuring that committee members attend FA safeguarding courses.

We regularly update coaches on what we as a club expect from them whilst ensuring that all new parents/coaches receive a copy of our DNA document.

Q: If anyone has Safe Guarding concerns, where should they contact? Explain the procedure for reporting concerns.
They should contact myself (07496 316 071) or John McInnes (07740 444 912) directly to report any concerns they may have. There is an open-door approach so whether that be player/coach or parent. We will always act in strictest confidence and will listen to any/all concerns/questions.

You can also email the club at secretary@maghullfc.co.uk

Q: As a youth coach with a lot of experience and potential, do you have aspirations of one day managing the clubs open age teams, be it the Reserve or First teams… or to move up through the pyramid higher?
I probably would if I had the time but now with three young kids, the U10s and all the numerous hobbies the kids and I have. I would rather spend the Saturday’s with them at the moment otherwise divorce could be on the cards!!!

Q: Looking to the future, as our children progress through youth teams to playing competitively in open age, what would success look like for you and the club?
For me, if kids are still playing past the age of 16, that’s success, whether that be for Maghull or anywhere else. If our kids get to adult age and are respectful, kind humans that’s success (not that this is all down to coaches/ but we can set an example for them to hopefully follow). If we can make the club a local community asset for everyone to share in and be proud of being associated with. That’s success.
Also being a local lad myself, there is nothing better for the club to have kids who have been involved in the youth set up go onto play for the senior side and go even higher up the pyramid if they can.

Q: What advice would you give to new coaches or parents who might consider setting up a team with support from the club?
Do it! It’s the best thing you can do. I love it. The club will offer as much and little support as you need, and you will never be left out on your own. With over 30 teams at Youth level, boys& girls through the age groups…there is already a great group of coaches here who all help each other.