The Football Coaching Life Podcast recap with Vicki Linton

Gary Cole Podcast

On Season 2 Episode 2 of The Football Coaching Life, Gary Cole interviews Canberra United head coach Vicki Linton.

It details her playing career where she featured in both Australia and the United States, before heading into coaching early. She was assistant coach to the Matildas during a World Cup, and the first coach to make the finals with Melbourne Victory.

She details her start in football at six-years-old, being the only girl in the entire junior club. After playing for the state leagues in Australia, she played for her country at the World University Games before moving to America to play college football. After this, she has played and worked four different times in the United States. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t playing,” Linton says.

She explains it was in Australia where she first got into coaching, completing a level 2 coaching course in 1997. She started coaching through the state league pathways for juniors, while also working for New South Wales Football.

Linton highlights the differences in the roles of being an assistant coach compared to a head coach. Linton gave 7 players their W-League debut during the most recent season. “I haven’t had a team to coach myself since 2014,” she says. She felt like she was a much better coach than the last time she was in charge.

Linton says it’s important to build upon and implement ideas that you’ve work. “There is reflection during the season, but at the end, you get the time to look back at all the things that have worked out how you wanted and the things you have achieved,” she added.

One of the things Linton has learned during her time in US soccer, after being exposed to different environments, was the ability to improve processes and thinking. She was exposed to a talented group of colleagues who have helped her improve her analysis and professional development.

Linton says her coaching philosophy is working with the players, and having them achieve their potential, grow and develop, adding you can be pragmatic and stick to your values while achieving your goals in different ways.

“We want to be successful, but we also want to solve the problem of how do you these eleven or twenty players fit together,” she said. Linton explains that is where part of her enjoyment in football comes from. With a brand new group of players, and a new coach, it took time to figure out how it all fits together.

Linton highlights the importance of mentors and learning from different environments, even outside football. Coaching has been a hard journey, but she says it is a vocation, and there is nothing else she wants to be doing.

Cole commends her ability to get the best out of Michelle Hayman as a striker after some time away from the game. Linton elaborates that it was great to see her enjoy her football and perform on the field. “As a coach, is creating a positive learning environment,” she noted. She has learned to try to find an enjoyable workplace with people around her.

Cole mentions that Canberra United’s technical department is all women, and Linton confirms that this is the first time in W-League history where a team has achieved this.

Finally, Cole asks Linton to offer one piece of advice to upcoming coaches. “Be true to yourself, that involves knowing what you are about, knowing who you are, and being confident and strong in your convictions,” Linton concluded.

All episodes of the Football Coaching Life can be found here.

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A-League Reaches Historic Goal Milestone as Viewership Surges

A-League reach scoring and viewership record

Just this week the Isuzu UTE A-League has announced it has reached the 500-goal mark in record time this season in line with another recent report of another increase of viewership for the a-league.

Highlighting an exciting period of growth for the competition both on and off the pitch.

Western Sydney Wanderers defender Alex Gersbach’s strike against Western United on Sunday became the 500th goal of the 2024-25 campaign.

The milestone was achieved after just 150 matches, making it the fastest the league has ever reached this tally, surpassing last season’s record of 152 matches.

The current season’s goal-scoring rate dramatically outpaces historical comparisons.

During the 2000-01 National Soccer League season, it took 159 games to reach 150 goals, while the 1996-97 campaign required 161 matches. The 2022-23 season needed 163 games to hit similar numbers.

This scoring record was presented the same time as the encouraging news on the viewership front.

The A-Leagues reporting an 11% increase to last season in total viewership audience for 10+ and 10 Play according to recent data shared by the competition.

The league viewership currently sits at 3.96 million nationally and is expected to hit 4 million people at the end of the season.

This is a record increase of viewership and shows the popularity of the sport in a very saturated sporting market.

The twin developments of record-setting goal production and increased viewership point to a positive trajectory for Australian football and its ability to be an enjoyable an action-packed season for audiences.

The growth of the viewership should be built upon in coming seasons and proves that the league is continuing to grow traction.

One must point out if there is a connection between the number of goals and the rise in viewership.

The spread of goals however points towards not a league with huge differing quality of teams.

Another point to highlight, is that viewership is high is also being backed up by the active support at the grounds.

Big matches such as the Sydney Derby has brought in huge numbers, however, it will be at the end of the season if we see an all -round rise in ground attendance.

With this year also capping of the largest increase in transfer revenue and playing minutes for under 23 players.

These results points towards a wealth of quality players who can excite the league and develop its quality.

Also, with this comes the opportunity for increased transfer opportunities, revenue streams and sponsorship deals.

The potential for this league and its increasing popularity is something that needs to be supported and developed in the coming seasons.

AS Monaco Signs Five-Year Deal with Mizuno for 2025/26 Season

AS Monaco has entered a new five-year partnership with Mizuno, a Japanese sportswear manufacturer, that will become the club’s official technical equipment partner across all teams beginning 1 July 2025.

The agreement marks Mizuno’s first entry into Ligue 1 as a technical sponsor, continuing its strategic push into European football markets, where it already has a presence in Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A.

Comprehensive Supply and Distribution for AS Monaco and Mizuno

As part of the deal, Mizuno will supply match kits, training gear, and off-field apparel for all levels of the club. The partnership will also see the launch of premium merchandise lines, including lifestyle pieces and exclusive collections that combine Mizuno’s design philosophy with AS Monaco’s visual identity.

The collections will be available through Mizuno’s global retail network, helping the club connect with its growing international fan base, now exceeding 26 million social media followers.

For Mizuno, this partnership reinforces its long-term aim to re-establish its football brand presence across Europe by collaborating with historic, performance-focused clubs. The AS Monaco deal expands its footprint in France and strengthens its presence across multiple leagues.

Executive Insights: Looking Ahead to the 2025/26 Season

Mizuno EMEA Head of Sports, Mark Kaiway, highlighted the importance of the collaboration for brand growth and long-term positioning.

“We are thrilled and deeply honoured to announce our partnership with AS Monaco. At Mizuno, we are committed to delivering high-performance gear that empowers athletes to reach their full potential,” he said via press release.

“This collaboration represents a shared passion for excellence and we look forward to supporting AS Monaco as they continue to inspire fans around the world.”

AS Monaco CEO, Thiago Scuro, referred to the agreement as a key step in the club’s commercial development.

“We are proud of this future collaboration with Mizuno, an extremely innovative and creative brand with a unique history in football,” he said via press release.

“This partnership marks a new stage in the development of AS Monaco, and we are convinced that Mizuno will be able to support our aspirations and ambition.”

Both executives emphasised the partnership’s potential to extend beyond kit supply, exploring co-branded storytelling, fan engagement, and long-term retail initiatives.

Mizuno will begin supplying match and training kits to AS Monaco for the 2025/26 season, with the official unveiling of the new designs scheduled for the summer of 2025.

This collaboration includes support for the club’s academy system and association-level teams, reflecting a full-service technical sponsorship.

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