Football understanding
Experience across different clubs, development stages and football environments.
MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND CLUBMODELFootball experience.
Football experience.
Made useful for your club.
I'm Dean Simpkins. I created ClubModel to help clubs turn their football ideas into a shared direction their people can understand, apply and build on — long after a document has been written.
25+ YEARS · FOUR COUNTRIES · ONE PURPOSE
A lifetime in football. A focus on making learning stick.
Across England, South Africa, the United States and Australia, my work has connected player and coach development, academy football, technical leadership and education. One lesson has stayed with me: a club identity matters only when it influences what actually happens on the pitch.
Learning that changes practice
Turning ideas into understandable principles, relevant education and practical coaching action.
Commitment to people
Helping leaders and coaches shape a model they believe in, own and can improve.
EXPERIENCE ACROSS THE GAME
Different environments. Valuable perspectives.
My background spans community, academy, professional football and coach education. Those experiences shape how ClubModel supports clubs of different sizes and ambitions.
Peterborough United FC
Community Manager
Norwich City FC
Academy Coach
West Ham United FC
Academy Coach
Brisbane Roar FC
Academy Coach
Coerver Coaching
Regional Director
Football Australia
Skill Acquisition Specialist and Advanced Coach Educator
FOOTBALL EXPERTISE MEETS LEARNING DESIGN
Knowing the game is only part of the job.
ClubModel combines football knowledge with experience designing learning that people can put into practice. That means helping clubs build a shared understanding — not just handing over a Game Model.
Football and coach education
Player development, technical leadership and educating coaches have shaped how I connect football principles to the realities of training and matches.
Professional learning design
As a Learning & Development Manager, I design accredited education and practical learning for a large national organisation. That experience informs how ClubModel develops understanding, application and reflection.
Qualifications and professional development
- Advanced A Coaching Licence
- Experienced Coach Educator
- Postgraduate Diploma in Football Business — Johan Cruyff Institute
- Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
- Professional Certificate in Learning Design
LEADERSHIP, CULTURE & PEOPLE
Meet Jillian Simpkins.
Strong club alignment depends on people as much as football. Jillian brings extensive experience in leadership, human development and resolving the challenges that can arise when people work together.
LEADERSHIP & CONFLICT RESOLUTION SPECIALISTHelping good teams work better together.
Squadron Leader (Retired), Royal Australian Air Force · 30 years of service.
Jillian holds a Bachelor of Social Science with majors in Counselling and Mediation, and Human Resource Development. She is also an accredited business coach.
Areas of expertise
- Leadership development and coaching
- High-performance team dynamics
- Conflict resolution and mediation
- Shared culture, resilience and communication
Jillian's work helps connect club strategy with the people and relationships needed to put it into practice.
HOW WE WORK WITH CLUBS
Built with your people. Not imposed on them.
Every club has a story, an environment and people who care. Our role is to help connect their strengths, build shared understanding and establish a football direction that can keep developing.
Listen before designing
Understand your club's ambitions, people, environment and existing strengths before proposing a direction.
Develop people, not dependency
Build capability, shared understanding and confidence so your people can lead the work.
One direction, room to coach
Connect teams through agreed principles while protecting coaches' judgement and individuality.
ONE NEW PARTNER CLUB EACH YEAR
Let's talk about the future of your club.
In a 30-minute conversation, we can explore your ambitions, your current challenges and whether working together would be the right fit.
No obligation · A conversation about your club