Meet the coaches - Lewis Mayhew
Where have you previously coached?
My coaching pathway began at the University of Central Lancashire where I studied Sports Coaching and was fortunate enough to play and coach for one of the men’s university football teams for my last year of study. I then moved back to the Netherlands, where, alongside my Masters in Sports Management, I began coaching at an amateur club with a large contingent of international students and parents. Working initially with the girls under 13’s and under 15’s sides, I then progressed to become the head coach of the boys under 15’s and assistant coach of the boys under 19’s. I am fortunate now to work with a great team of coaches here at Bloomsbury and I hope to share with them the Dutch football culture where I can.
What coach do you aspire to be like?
I would aspire to incorporate traits shown by a variety of managers into my own coaching style, the man management of Sir Alex Ferguson, the daring tactics of Marcelo Bielsa and the organisation and pressing play of Jurgen Klopp to name but a few. Many managers have influenced how I watch and think about the game, and I am still in the process of developing my own coaching philosophy, one that will inevitably change and adapt over my time as a football coach around the players and coaches that I work with.
What is your fondest football achievement?
My fondest footballing achievements would be being part of the university football club during my final season as a student when we won the league and cup double. The bonds and friendships built during the three years, but most importantly during our last year as players, will last a lifetime. I also got great joy from my first coaching role back in the Netherlands. I was working with kids who I could very easily relate to having gone to the same schools as some of them growing up from the age of 12 in Amsterdam. Being able to form that special bond with them proved a unique and enjoyable experience for me in my football coaching career. It provided its own challenges along the way, but it’s a club and team of young people that I will always have a lot of respect, and will always admire.
What is the most rewarding aspect of coaching at Bloomsbury Football Academy?
Definitely incredibly rewarding is having the ability to be challenged by other coaching staff, being able to learn from them, and having the freedom to freely share ideas with the coaching staff. There is no one right way to coach, so you can definitely gain real reward from just being in and around the academy. There’s an innate sense of family and enjoyment around the place whether it's at the office, school sessions, or matches and holiday camps - everyone is always in good spirits and you can just tell we all love what we do. This is reflected by the attitude we can see on a daily basis in training sessions, matches and competitions from the kids and parents. Of course, we gain a great sense of pride from the positive feedback we receive from our members.
What football club do you support?
Arsenal FC, as heartbreaking as it is these days!
Who is your favourite player?
I was always a huge Alan Shearer fan growing up and I idolised him at Newcastle. Jack Wilshere was another favourite during his short spell as a huge prospect for Arsenal, but I have always admired midfielders such as Lampard, Iniesta, Xavi, Pirlo, Ozil for their control, passing and ability to effortlessly change a game in an instant.