​New Nottingham Forest Women head coach Tom Mallinson says he aims to cultivate a “Ryan Yates culture” in his coaching career, inspired by the time he spent guiding the now Forest captain during his development in the club’s academy. Yates joined Forest as an eight-year-old and endured four loan spells before eventually breaking into the first team, becoming a central figure in the side that sealed promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years.
“It means everything to the academy and the people of Nottingham to see one of your own playing and captaining Forest,” Mallinson told the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast. “To be the smallest part of that journey means a lot to all of us. I’m really fortunate to have worked with some fantastic players and wonderful people along their journeys. It means so much to be part of such a special club.”
There are always photos of Ryan around, Mallinson noted, and at times he believes Yates has been slightly underrated because he is such a hard-working player. Yet he possesses many excellent qualities as a footballer, and what consistently stands out is how good a person he is. “He embodies the Nottingham Forest culture of the Forest family—he wants to sacrifice himself for others. That’s one thing I’d always say to young players: you can be a good player, but can we develop truly good people?”
Mallinson emphasized the message he passes on to youth players: can we instill that Ryan Yates culture of sacrificing yourself for the team, for the person next to you, and for the deeper care about what you do and what those around you do? What makes Ryan so successful, according to Mallinson, is his personality and his consistent character. He has been a loyal servant to the football club, both on and off the pitch.
Listen below or on BBC Sounds to hear the full discussion, and gain more insight into Mallinson’s philosophy and the influence of Ryan Yates on his approach to coaching and culture.