Oliver Glasner Opens Nottingham Forest's Doors to Grassroots Coaches and Schoolchildren

During the extended international break, Oliver Glasner welcomed 20 local coaches and a class of nine and ten-year-olds into Nottingham Forest's Nigel Doughty Academy for a day built entirely around grassroots football.

The day started early, with the 20 grassroots coaches joining Head of Football Development Andy Reid for breakfast at the City Ground before boarding the first team bus out to the training ground. Waiting for them at the Academy were 16 children from Kirkby Woodhouse School, a partner school of Nottingham Forest Foundation, kitted out in brand new Forest shirts the club had donated specifically for the occasion.

The children watched first-team training, then joined a rondo alongside Callum Hudson-Odoi, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Ryan Yates, before Glasner personally ran them through a tailored 45-minute session.

Glasner’s session wasn't built purely for the children's benefit, as the watching coaches were there to take lessons back to their own junior teams, turning what could have been a one-off treat into something with lasting value for the wider grassroots network.

Coaches from twenty Nottinghamshire clubs attended, including Bingham Town, Sherwood FC, Woodborough Celtic and Radcliffe Olympic among others, before joining Glasner and Reid afterwards for a coaching discussion and Q&A in the first team analysis suite.

Wayne Oakes, a coach at Woodborough Celtic Youth, said the day had reminded him why he started coaching in the first place. “Becoming a grassroots coach helped renew my passion for football, and days like today are such a high motivation for me,” he said. “The first part of training reminded me that fun is a massive part of it. When our little ones are squabbling over a point, it's the same here. They're fighting to win every single point and for the opportunity to get one over on their teammates, it's really good to see.” 

He added that he expected the day to leave a mark well beyond the session itself. “I'm glad the Club can put on days like today, not just for the coaches but also for the kids. What an experience for them, they'll be at home tonight telling their parents about it and going to sleep dreaming about it.”

James Libecans, PE and Sports Lead at Kirkby Woodhouse Primary School, said the anticipation had been building for weeks. “We've been counting down the days since we found out about this,” he said. “It will hopefully inspire the children to play football, and it aligns with our school values of working hard and dreaming big. We're seeing an increasing amount of Forest shirts in the school, which is great to see.”

Speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham, Glasner was clear that opening up the training ground mattered to him personally, not just as a club initiative. “It is very important to be accessible to grassroots coaches and kids,” he said. “Everything usually happens behind closed doors, so if there's ever an opportunity then I'm always open to it.”

He went further on why grassroots football specifically deserved that access: “It is where football starts. It is responsible for developing all of the kids in the villages where they grow up. It is also important to have coaches who love the kids and love football. The wider the foundation is, the higher the top level gets.”

Glasner also spoke about what the day gave back to him, not just the children and coaches involved. “I love training with kids because I love their enthusiasm. It is just pure joy because life is all about football for them” he said. “I try to remind my players that we are all living our childhood dreams and we should never forget that.”

The Q&A with Glasner and the attending grassroots coaches was uploaded to the club’s Youtube channel and is available to watch here. 

The club has confirmed this was the first of several initiatives planned for the season to champion local grassroots footballers and coaches, a reminder that the relationship between elite and grassroots sport can run in both directions. Premier League and professional clubs can lend resources and access downward, and grassroots football supplies exactly the enthusiasm and foundation that a manager like Glasner recognises as vital to the professional game.