Using video docuseries to explore male professional football head coaches’ well-being experiences throughout a season

• Published in: Psychology of sport and exercise 2023-11, Vol.69, p.102488-102488, Article 102488
• Main Authors: Higham, Andrew J., Rumbold, James L., Newman, James A., Stone, Joseph A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: coaching; Documentary; Ecological niche; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Professional soccer; Well-being
• ISSN: 1469-0292; 1878-5476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102488

Football coaches have disclosed how their work environment is unpredictable and demanding, comprising a multitude of stressors which can impede well-being. Additionally, the masculine culture within football often promotes suppression of voice, causing internalisation of thoughts and isolation. Due to professional football head coaches being a seldom-heard group, little is known about how they experience well-being within their given context (i.e., ecological niche). The present study utilised football docuseries and a bioecological framework to explore how four male professional head coaches experienced well-being whilst working in one of the top European football leagues (Premier League, La Liga). Four docuseries were sampled and resulted in the analysis of 31 episodes (Mduration = 46.6 min, SD = 4.5 min). The study implemented an adapted interpretative phenomenological analysis approach to illuminate convergences and divergences in contextual accounts. These accounts resulted in five group experiential themes: ‘I belong to the game’; ‘he belongs to the game’; ‘you need the right people around you’; ‘it’s difficult to describe the manager without describing the person’; and ‘people are trying to stab you’. The findings indicate that football coaches may experience identity conflicts and become deeply absorbed in their work. This impacts not only their well-being but also their family’s, who they often turn to for social support. Consequently, by unveiling nuanced challenges to coaches’ well-being, organisations may be better informed to offer more aligned and bespoke well-being support systems. •Docuseries granted access to male professional head football coaches.•A bioecological framework holistically conceptualises well-being.•An adapted interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was implemented.•Five group experiential themes relating to well-being were established.•Docuseries represent a useful way to explore intra and interpersonal well-being over a season.