About Dr. David Adams
Chief Football Officer. UEFA Pro Licence Coach. Architect of the "Welsh Way."
With a unique background blending academic rigour (PhD in Coach Effectiveness) with elite practical experience at Premier League clubs including Swansea City, Everton, and Middlesbrough, David specialises in building sustainable football infrastructures. From designing national player pathways to architecting the "Welsh Way" syllabus, his work connects data-driven strategy with the emotional reality of the game.
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Career
Chief Football Officer
Technical
Director
Assistant
Manager
Head of Coaching
Head of Coaching
Interim Head
Coach
Assistant
Manager
U23
Manager
2021 - Present
Football Association of Wales
Leading the strategic direction of Welsh football, Dr. Adams oversees both the Men’s and Women’s National Team Head Coaches and the high-performance strategy. His remit includes aligning player pathways, sports science, and medical departments to ensure sustainable success on the international stage
2019 - 2021
Football Association of Wales
Responsible for the design and implementation of the "Welsh Way" technical syllabus and the FAW’s world-class coach education programme. During this tenure, he served as Course Director for the UEFA Pro Licence and oversaw a period that included qualification for the 2022 World Cup and a Euro 2020 Round of 16 appearance.
2017 - 2018
Middlesbrough
Football Club
Working alongside Garry Monk in the Championship, Dr. Adams was responsible for designing training sessions, tactical planning, and opposition analysis. His role focused on translating strategic game plans into on-pitch performance within a high-pressure first-team environment.
2017
Everton
Football Club
Headhunted to lead the coaching department at Everton’s renowned academy. Dr. Adams was tasked with mentoring staff and refining the player development curriculum to ensure the continued production of Premier League talent.
2014 - 2017
Swansea City
Football Club
Dr. Adams oversaw the academy’s successful transition from Category 3 to Category 1 status within two years. He designed the club’s technical syllabus and mentored staff, overseeing the development of future internationals including Daniel James, Joe Rodon, and Connor Roberts.
2015 - 2016
Swansea City
Football Club
Stepping up to the first team alongside Alan Curtis, Dr. Adams helped guide Swansea City to Premier League safety. The management team secured a 12th-place finish, stabilising the club during a critical transition period in the top flight.
2015 - 2016
Swansea City
Football Club
Dr. Adams was integral to the club's tactical planning and daily training operations. He supported the first-team management with detailed opposition analysis and session design, ensuring that the squad was physically and tactically prepared for the demands of top-flight competition.
2014 - 2015
Swansea City
Football Club
Combining youth development with a winning culture, Dr. Adams managed the U23 squad to back-to-back Professional Development League titles (2014/15 and 2015/16), proving that player progression and competitive success can coexist.
National Team
Youth Coach
2010 - 2014
Football Association of Wales
Leading the Welsh national team through two major qualifying campaigns (Euro 2013 and World Cup 2015), Dr. Adams was instrumental in professionalising the women's setup. Under his tenure, the squad achieved its highest-ever FIFA ranking at the time, laying the tactical and cultural foundations for the future success of the side.
Coach Education
UEFA Pro License
Advanced Youth Award
UEFA A License
2013
UEFA
The highest coaching certification available in world football, mandatory for managing in the Premier League and UEFA competitions. Dr. Adams not only holds this elite qualification but currently serves as the Course Director for the FAW, where he is responsible for educating the next generation of world-class managers in high-performance leadership and tactical strategy.
2016
UEFA
A specialist qualification designed for the leaders of elite player development. Dr. Adams utilises this award to drive the technical and tactical standards within academy structures. It focuses on age-specific coaching methodologies and the long-term development of "decision-makers," aligning perfectly with his work in EPPP Category 1 environments at Swansea and Everton.
2006
UEFA
The standard-bearer for senior professional coaching. This qualification underpins Dr. Adams' ability to deliver high-intensity, tactical sessions for first-team squads. It focuses on 11v11 tactical understanding, opposition analysis, and solving complex problems on the pitch — skills he applied directly during his tenure as Assistant Manager in the Premier League and Championship.
Education
PhD in Coach
Effectiveness
MSc Coaching Science
BSc Sports Coaching
2018
University of
South Wales
Completed at the University of South Wales, this doctoral research challenged traditional coaching methods and redefined the learning environment for elite youth development. The study provided the empirical foundation for an "athlete-centred" approach, emphasizing reflective practice and social learning over isolated technical drills — principles that now underpin the FAW’s world-class coach education pathway.
2001
University of Wales Institute
A rigorous exploration of the scientific disciplines that drive high performance. This master’s degree focused on integrating physiology, psychology, and performance analysis into practical coaching. It provided the framework for Dr. Adams’ "evidence-based" philosophy, ensuring that decisions on the pitch are supported by data and scientific rationale rather than just intuition.
1998
University of Wales Institute
The foundational degree that sparked a two-decade career in elite player development. This programme grounded Dr. Adams in the core principles of pedagogy and sports science. It was here that he began to formulate the "whole-person" approach to coaching — balancing technical instruction with the physical and psychological needs of the athlete.