Manraj Sucha is a shining light in the coaching community. While he once had hopes of playing the game professionally, his life is now dedicated to ensuring future generations are prepared to play the game at any level.
Manraj is part of the Premier League Coaching Inclusion and Diversity Scheme (CIDS) – a Premier League program aimed at increasing the number of female coaches from diverse backgrounds and male black, Asian and mixed heritage coaches in English professional football.
The scheme, first introduced in 2020, offers coaches a bursary and a 23-month placement at a Premier League or Category One club.
The aim is for trainees to achieve stable training roles after recruitment. In becoming role models, they can also inspire new generations to become coaches within the professional game.
as As Brentford continue preparations for their re-established academy, it's no surprise that there is a real sense of excitement about the caliber of player the club can produce and how Sucha can play a key role in that.
speaks vs. Manraj talks about his journey through coaching, how the Premier League has helped him in his journey so far and why his work is bigger than coaching.
“For me, it is [coaching] About providing opportunities and supporting players to maximize their potential.
“I saw the benefits of training when I was young playing football, so now I try to do the same for the younger generation.
„Sometimes, it could be the mechanisms or the environment. The important thing is that good training will help these players. That's why it's so important to me.
„I try to support players to see their development as people first. For me, it's not just about their technical ability, we have to look at people as a whole.
„I think diversity is very important. I was in an environment where there were no other coaches from ethnically diverse backgrounds. It was probably the first time a young person met anyone from a diverse background – especially a Sikh. Someone like me as a coach.
„Being coached by someone like me gives them an education within those contexts. It might be in football but that experience lasts their whole life. They may not have met someone from a diverse background up close, but now they can understand. There's not a big difference that we're all people.
„To stay in the game, I started coaching. It started with coaching at the grassroots level for 6 years, as well as training with MK Dons in schools and development centres. I became a coach at the academy at MK Dons before I volunteered and moved to Luton. The city.
„Before I decided to go into full-time coaching, I coached part-time. I've been coaching for 18 years, and for 12 years in academy football, I've held full-time roles in community charities. Today I manage Brentford FC in non-league football.
“I entered the program [CIDS] In 2023 but I have been on the Premier League's radar for a long time after interviewing for other projects. Back then, you had to find the clubs yourself which was much more difficult compared to now.
“The great thing about the program was the ability to network with many coaches across the game and I was able to improve myself in terms of coach education through all the training run by the Premier League.
„Having the ability to continuously learn and improve in a formal program is very important. I support myself very well in my journey.
„I try to support other coaches as much as I can. I'm not trying to see what I'm doing, but I hope my journey inspires people from all backgrounds, not just those from similar backgrounds. I know role models are needed. If I can be a role model, I should appreciate it.
„The club knows the goals and ideas of my next steps. At the moment, the club and all the staff here have been very supportive and helped me develop in different situations. The main thing is to do my part well and I hope to progress from here and help these young people while growing as a coach. .”
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Impact of training programs on PL
– 56 (88 per cent) of the 63 coaches who progressed through the Premier League's inclusive coaching schemes PPCS or the Coach Inclusion and Diversity Scheme (CIDS) are employed full-time at clubs.
– All 25 coaches supported by PPCS work as coaches in English professional football.
– Of the 38 coaches supported by CIDS, 31 work in men's English football, one in the Women's Super League and two overseas.
– 45 clubs across the Premier League and EFL are involved with PPCS or CIDS.
– 361 coaches are registered in the Coaches Index (self-registration system for coaches from underrepresented groups), 72 clubs are registered to use the platform when recruiting.
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„Całkowity introwertyk. Nieprzejednany specjalista od sieci. Przyjazny fanatyk bekonu. Student ekstremalnych. Miłośnik piwa. Organizator.”