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Chris Ramsey

Chris Ramsey

Coaching Sessions

Chris Ramsey: Polishing the strengths

Chris Ramsey: Polishing the strengths

The FA’s professional development phase lead Chris Ramsey speaks to Ben Bartlett about his passion for supporting players and coaches, his innovative work – and why nobody ever has all the answers.
Controlling the switch

Controlling the switch

This session is about controlling the opposition’s switch. It’s designed to support players to face a team who are very good in possession, dictating play in the centre of the pitch with switches of play. 
Attacking centrally

Attacking centrally

Get your attacking runners playing through the lines centrally, then progress to get players ‘going around the outside’ and pinning the far post with runners in the box.

Biography

As a player, following a youth career at Bristol City, Chris Ramsey represented Brighton & Hove Albion, Swindon Town, Southend United, Naxxar Lions and Cocoa Expos. His coaching career began during his time with the Lions, where he was a player-coach.

In 1998, he began two and a half years working for the English FA, during which time he was regional director, and assistant coach for the u16, u17, u18 and u19 teams and head coach for the u20 team. Under the stewardship of Les Reed, Ramsey assisted the u16s at Euro 2000. He led the u20 team to victory at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria.  

After leaving the FA, Ramsey joined Luton Town as assistant coach, before becoming a development coach at Barnet FC.

He moved to the USA in 2001 to take on the role as manager of Charleston Battery. He led the Battery to the USL A-League championship during his time at the club. He then made the move to Florida Premier as director of coaching.

Ramsey returned to England in 2005, as assistant academy manager at Tottenham Hotspur. Over nine years at Spurs he was also senior professional development phase coach and first team coach.

In 2014, Ramsey rejoined the FA as assistant manager of the England u17 team, before being appointed head of player development and academy manager at Queens Park Rangers.

In February 2015, following the resignation of manager Harry Redknapp, Ramsey was placed in temporary charge of the first team. He was given the job until the end of the season, then awarded a three-year contract. 
Ramsey left the head coach role in November of the same year, but returned to the club in January 2016 as head of player development and academy manager, before progressing to technical director and head of coaching. He left QPR after a decade of service.
In 2025, Ramsey returned to the FA as professional development phase lead across England’s u17 to u20 squads.

He holds the UEFA Pro Licence and was awarded an MBE for his services to football and diversity in sport in 2019.

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