Simon Clifford
Encyclopedia
Simon Darcy Clifford is an English football coach, and a businessman known for introducing Brazilian training techniques into the UK with his Brazilian Soccer Schools.
While a primary school teacher in Leeds
, Clifford 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 the teachers union to fund a trip to Brazil, where he spoke with Zico
and Rivelino
, and watched them coach. Having developed a close friendship with Brazil midfielder Juninho, Clifford used the knowledge he had learned and his own initiative to create a syllabus.
, teaching Brazilian skills as well as introducing his students to futebol de salão
, unheard of in England at the time.
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. He has since expanded his "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, Holland, Thailand
, Canada, Malaysia, Bermuda
, Singapore
. Mexico and Poland.
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
. After falling out with the coaching establishment there he returned to his own non-league club, Garforth Town, as manager.
In 2003 Clifford purchased the Northern Counties East Football League
First Division club Garforth Town
. At the time of the purchase Clifford expressed the desire to take the club, then at the tenth level of the football pyramid
, into the FA Premier League
within twenty years. The club have made good progress, gaining two promotions during Clifford's two full seasons as manager. Clifford has managed to attract a number of his high profile friends to play for the team including: Lee Sharpe
, Sócrates
and Careca. The club now plays in the Unibond First Division North league.
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.
After three seasons of managing Garforth Town, Clifford made the decision to step aside as manager of his club. This was in order to focus and develop more quickly his SOCATOTS and Brazilian Soccer Schools programs.
In 2001 Clifford also introduced his pre-school coaching programme SOCATOTS, 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. 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 Holland, Canada, Dubai, Poland and Singapore.
He lauds Everton coach, Tosh Farrell
as "light years ahead of anyone else within the academy system". 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 is now the largest football coaching organisation in the world, with over one million children regularly attending sessions around the globe. Players such as Micah Richards and John Bostock are the most successful graduates to date, though there are an estimated 1,700 youngsters working their way through the professional academy ranks.
Over the last 12 years, Clifford has worked with Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott among others, and following his departure from Southampton, Cardiff City approached him with a view to appointing him in a similar role at Ninian Park.
In September 2008, Clifford was approached by a South African consortium looking to purchase Newcastle United Football Club, with the party offering the 38-year old a role as Academy Director as well as shares in the club. 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.
,Keira Knightley
and Parminder Nagra
. Clifford also performed the same role in the film There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
with Robert Carlyle
and Ray Winstone
as well as the more recent Kicking and Screaming. He recently choreographed and advised on the film The Damned United
, due for release in 2009.
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. In May 2011, Clifford was made an official Yorkshire Patron for his work promoting the region around the world.
While a primary school teacher in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Clifford 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 the teachers union to fund a trip to Brazil, where he spoke with Zico
Zico
Arthur Antunes Coimbra , better known as Zico , is a Brazilian coach and former footballer. He is the current head coach of the Iraq national football team. Often called the "White Pelé", he is commonly considered one of the most skilled finishers and one of the best passers ever and possibly the...
and Rivelino
Rivelino
Roberto Rivellino is a former Brazilian footballer.The son of Italian immigrants from Macchiagodena , he was famous for his large moustache, thunderous long-range free kicks, excellent long passes, quick thinking and distinct way of controlling the ball...
, and watched them coach. Having developed a close friendship with Brazil midfielder Juninho, Clifford used the knowledge he had learned and his own initiative to create a syllabus.
Coaching career
Once back in England, Clifford blended his academic knowledge of coaching and his experience as a teacher to develop his own coaching programme. In 1998, he started a Brazilian-style soccer school for youngsters in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, teaching Brazilian skills as well as introducing his students to futebol de salão
Futebol de Salão
Futebol de Salão is a Portuguese word that, in spite of meaning futsal in its original language, has come to be used in English to designate a slightly modified version of the FIFA-sanctioned five-a-side football...
, unheard of in England at the time.
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. He has since expanded his "Brazilian Soccer Schools" school franchise to other regions and countries, even expanding overseas to the likes of Hong Kong, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, South Africa, United States, Australia, Holland, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Canada, Malaysia, Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Mexico and Poland.
Clifford is well regarded in the football industry, however, he failed to emerge onto the professional scene after being recruited by Sir Clive Woodward
Clive Woodward
Sir Clive Ronald Woodward OBE is an English former rugby union player and coach. He was coach of the team from 1997 to 2004, managing them to victory in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. He is currently the British Olympic Association's Director of Elite Performance.-Early life:Woodward was born in Ely...
in December 2004, to become his assistant coach at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. After falling out with the coaching establishment there he returned to his own non-league club, Garforth Town, as manager.
In 2003 Clifford purchased the Northern Counties East Football League
Northern Counties East Football League
The Northern Counties East Football League is an English football league that was founded in 1982 by the merger of the former Yorkshire League and Midland League. The league has two divisions at present; The Premier Division and Division One which stand at the ninth and tenth levels of the football...
First Division club Garforth Town
Garforth Town A.F.C.
Garforth Town Association Football Club are an English football team based in Garforth, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the 8th level of the English football pyramid.-History:...
. At the time of the purchase Clifford expressed the desire to take the club, then at the tenth level of the football pyramid
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
, into the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
within twenty years. The club have made good progress, gaining two promotions during Clifford's two full seasons as manager. Clifford has managed to attract a number of his high profile friends to play for the team including: Lee Sharpe
Lee Sharpe
Lee Stuart Sharpe is an English former footballer. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe joined Manchester United from Torquay United as a youngster in 1988, playing for the club up until 1996...
, Sócrates
Sócrates
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira, MD, , more commonly known simply as Sócrates, is a Brazilian former association footballer....
and Careca. The club now plays in the Unibond First Division North league.
In April 2009, Clifford guided his team to the final of the West Riding County Cup to face Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
. Heavy underdogs Garforth won 5-4 on penalties to claim the cup, a trophy which has been held by Leeds United among others.
After three seasons of managing Garforth Town, Clifford made the decision to step aside as manager of his club. This was in order to focus and develop more quickly his SOCATOTS and Brazilian Soccer Schools programs.
In 2001 Clifford also introduced his pre-school coaching programme SOCATOTS, 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. 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 Holland, Canada, Dubai, Poland and Singapore.
He lauds Everton coach, Tosh Farrell
Tosh Farrell
Tony "Tosh" Farrell is a former coach for English Premier League Everton FC. He is known for developing Wayne Rooney, Victor Anichebe, James Vaughan, Mikel Arteta and Phil Jagielka....
as "light years ahead of anyone else within the academy system". 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 is now the largest football coaching organisation in the world, with over one million children regularly attending sessions around the globe. Players such as Micah Richards and John Bostock are the most successful graduates to date, though there are an estimated 1,700 youngsters working their way through the professional academy ranks.
Over the last 12 years, Clifford has worked with Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott among others, and following his departure from Southampton, Cardiff City approached him with a view to appointing him in a similar role at Ninian Park.
In September 2008, Clifford was approached by a South African consortium looking to purchase Newcastle United Football Club, with the party offering the 38-year old a role as Academy Director as well as shares in the club. 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.
Noted graduates
The following noted players have all graduated from Simon Clifford's BSS system:- Micah RichardsMicah RichardsMicah Lincoln Richards is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national team. A versatile defender, Richards is equally adept at centre back and right back or in centre midfield...
, Manchester CityManchester City F.C.Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first... - John FarnworthJohn FarnworthJohn Farnworth is a football freestyler and entertainer. He holds four Guinness World Records including the most around the worlds in under a minute -Biography:John Farnworth was born in Longridge, and grew up in Preston...
, World Champion football freestylerFreestyle FootballFreestyle football, also known as freestyle soccer in North America, is the art of expressing yourself with a football, while performing various tricks with any part of the body...
Other work
Clifford worked as Technical Coach for the two lead actresses of Bend It Like BeckhamBend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha...
,Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley
Keira Christina Knightley born 26 March 1985) is an English actress and model. She began acting as a child and came to international notice in 2002 after co-starring in the film Bend It Like Beckham...
and Parminder Nagra
Parminder Nagra
Parminder Kaur Nagra is an English actress of Indian descent. She came to international prominence in 2002 after starring in Bend It Like Beckham. She starred as Dr. Neela Rasgotra in the Emmy Award-winning American medical drama series ER for six years until the series ended on 2 April 2009...
. Clifford also performed the same role in the film There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble is a 2000 film set around Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. The film centred on one young boy's dream to play for Manchester City F.C.-Plot:...
with Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle
Robert Carlyle, OBE is a Scottish film and television actor. He is known for a variety of roles including those in Trainspotting, Hamish Macbeth, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough, Angela's Ashes, The 51st State, and 28 Weeks Later...
and Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
as well as the more recent Kicking and Screaming. He recently choreographed and advised on the film The Damned United
The Damned United
The Damned United is a 2009 British sports drama film directed by Tom Hooper and adapted by Peter Morgan from David Peace's bestselling novel The Damned Utd, a largely fictional book based on the author's interpretation of Brian Clough's tenure as manager of Leeds United...
, due for release in 2009.
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. In May 2011, Clifford was made an official Yorkshire Patron for his work promoting the region around the world.