Baldock: I want to instil Albion's ways into young players

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Former striker talks us through his new role.

Luke Nicoli

2024-09-25T11:15+01:00

Sam Baldock returned to the club in the summer as a pathway development coach. 📷 by James Boardman.

Former Albion striker Sam Baldock has returned to the club as pathway development coach.

Welcome back to the club, Sam. How did the job come about?

"I'd stayed in regular contact with Gordon Greer (the club’s pathway development manager) since our playing days together at the club and I was always intrigued by his role; what he was doing and how he was helping the young players loaned out at the club. When it became apparent that there was a similar role available, it really appealed to me. It wasn’t a role that was simply handed to me though; I had to go through the necessary interview process, but I was delighted to be offered the position."

What does your role entail alongside Gordon?

"Gordon and I are both out watching our loan players and talking regularly with them. As it’s a pathway development role, we're helping them with everything that we think can improve them as players and people. The role also provides a fascinating insight into how the club operates off the pitch and that’s something that really interests me. We all see the 11 players on the pitch, but there’s an incredible structure in place that leads to that moment."

How does your relationship with GG work?

Pathway development manager Gordon Greer. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

"We work remotely much of the time, but it's a day-to-day relationship. It's all about having good lines of communication, which we have, as our messaging needs to be aligned before we speak to the players. GG is the expert in the field. He's been doing it for a long time now, so he’s there to help me as I find my way in the role. As I say, we’ve always stayed in touch since our playing days, so that solid relationship really helps."

You’re one of a number of ex-players to have returned. It must also help in your role that you know the club’s DNA…

"That is something that the club clearly values and, of course, it’s what I want to help instil in the next generation of players. It’s not just the ex-players here though who have that feeling; I've never known a group of people who love the club as much as our staff do. And that's across the board. The pride and togetherness that I see is on another level. Everyone is working together and pulling in the same direction to make the club as successful as it can be. To help in my own small way is what I’ve set out to do."

In terms of the support network for players, was it a lot different when you were coming through as a player?

"Clubs didn't have half the resources they do now, so it was a completely different environment. The number of backroom staff now, and the people behind the scenes, it's massive and it reflects where the game has gone and also where it is going. There are now many more roles within clubs, including the position I’ve taken up here at Brighton, and that is only going to help aid the players’ development."

You've got a wealth of experience, so no doubt that will help with our young players hoping to make their way in the game, right?

Sam made 94 appearances in all competitions for Albion, scoring 20 goals. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

"Exactly. I've experienced many highs and many lows, at various levels of the game, and I want to draw on these to help the next generation. I’m in a position to be able to help them handle certain situations: how you need to adapt and how the psychological side of the game is just as important as the physical. I can help them understand why certain situations are happening and what the implications might be."

Let’s take a player – Jeremy Sarmiento at Burnley for instance. You’ll talk regularly but you can’t step on their manager’s toes too much, right?

"Ultimately, we want to help the players come back and play for our first team, and Jeremy certainly falls into that category, so we will send them to a club that we feel will benefit them in achieving that aim. Saying that, we have to be respectful of the loaning club; they've got their philosophy and their coaching methods, but we do have a duty of care for our players, so we’ll work with both the player and the club in question for the best possible outcomes."

We often send our young players to the lower leagues. Is it important for them to experience life outside the Lancing ‘bubble’?

The former striker also played for the likes of MK Dons, Reading and Bristol City. 📷 by Bennett Dean.

"Not every player will make it here, some will end up in Leagues One and Two, maybe beyond that, so they need to understand what senior football is like elsewhere. I’ve played at that level, so has Gordon, and so we can help guide them in respect of the different footballing styles, the personality traits, being in a dressing room with older players, the facilities. By preparing them pre-loan, we can make their eyes slightly wider before they leave us, and hopefully the shock won’t be as bad!"

We also send players on loan across Europe now – Malick’s gone to Sturm Graz for example. Does that make your task harder, especially with the language barrier as well?

"Google Translate is our friend at the minute! Seriously, it's not easy because we can't just pop in the car and drive up the motorway. But we have a standard set of times that we fly out and see our overseas loanees throughout the season – and, like the our loanees in the UK, the parameters around access to the club involved are usually pretty good. The players also know that we’re always on the end of the phone if they need us for anything."

Do you watch all our loan players’ matches each week?

"Yes. Every player. After a weekend we'll watch all the games back between us and we'll highlight aspects of their individual development plan that we think may need some working on, or conversely, we’ll highlight things that they are doing well. We’ll then discuss the games with the player involved,; making sure we keep everyone accountable, everyone motivated and ahead of the curve with regards to what their end goal is."

Finally, is Brighton a different club to the one you left in 2018?

Sam played an important role in our promotion winning team in 2017. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

"It’s evolving all the time. It's always been ambitious, but it just feels ultra-ambitious at the minute. Every minor detail, which other clubs might brush over, is meticulously looked at and that is the difference here. The club’s still got the same DNA as it did when I was a player, that same feeling, but everything is at a whole new level now. We’re one of the most progressive clubs in world football, and that is reflected in the way the club operates, from top to bottom."