More than score – Do coaches get better with age?

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At the age of 78, Dutch football manager Dick Advocaat has led the Caribbean island of Curacao to the men’s World Cup finals for the first time in its history. It’s the latest achievement in a career that has seen him win league titles in four different countries and manage teams from the Netherlands to South Korea – and it has us wondering about the links between age and coaching ability. Aston Moore has trained some of the UK’s best track and field athletes, including world champions Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Phillips Edu. As he approaches his 70th birthday, Ed tells Harry how his training methods and philosophies have changed over time. He explains why the knowledge he gained during that time helped inform his methods, how he adapted to evolving techniques, and the importance of working out the best way to learn for the individual athlete. He also reveals which athletes have taught him the most about his job, and why he believes it’s best to encourage the people he coaches to find ways to improve themselves. Ed also talks to journalist Anthony Wootton about how age and experience are viewed in American football. With coaches like Andy Reid leading some of the NFL’s major franchises, and 73-year-old Bill Belichick coaching college football after his success with the New England Patriots, is trying something that is valued differently in American sports — and can the rest of the world learn from their approach to giving coaches time to establish themselves? Over Score is a daily podcast broadcast by the BBC World Service that explores stories from across the world of sport. Every Monday through Friday, we tell stories that go beyond the score, from tennis to soccer, from boxing to bobsleigh, from rugby league to the NFL. We’ve interviewed extraordinary athletes like pole vaulting giant Mondo Duplantis, boxing queen Cecilia Braijhus and tennis legend Boris Becker, as well as the experts who work behind the scenes, from top football scouts to the physical therapists who keep NBA stars in top shape. In addition, we have the experience of the BBC’s senior journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sports at all levels. And if you have your own opinion on the stories we cover, we’d love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0470 032 800 0044. You can find more information, as well as our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

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