Start with the player
Understand where a player is now and what they want to improve. Give them clear, achievable things to work on.
About NB Academy
Personal coaching. Lasting confidence.
Private football development in Birmingham. One-to-one attention, group training and mentoring, with the player at the heart of it all.
The academy
A place to develop your game — and yourself.
NB Academy is built around a simple idea: meaningful progress starts with understanding the player. Every player arrives with different strengths, experience and ambitions.
Through private one-to-one coaching, group sessions and mentoring, the academy creates space to practise, ask questions and build confidence. The focus is on learning the details of the game while keeping the enjoyment that makes players want to come back.
Based in Birmingham, NB Academy is led by Nathaniel Barnes and shaped by his experience across grassroots, academy and professional football.
How we approach development
Individual attention. Shared ambition.
Three principles shape every session, whatever the age or level.
Make practice count
Connect technical work with the decisions players make in a game, from the first touch to the next pass.
Build confidence
Encourage effort, curiosity and resilience. Create room to make mistakes, learn and try again.
20+YEARS IN COACHING
- Grassroots foundations
- Academy development
- Professional experience
Nathaniel BarnesOwner · NB Academy
Meet the owner
Nathaniel Barnes
Over 20 years of coaching experience. A personal approach to every player.
Nathaniel has worked with grassroots players, academy players and professional footballers. That experience gives him a broad perspective on player development, from building the foundations to refining an established game.
At NB Academy, he brings that knowledge into coaching that considers the individual: their confidence, their understanding and the next step in their development.
- One-to-one coaching
- Small-group training
- Mentoring for players and parents
From the training ground
See the work. Feel the progress.
Real moments from NB Academy sessions. Tap a reel to watch the full clip on Instagram.
Take the next step
Your football journey starts with a conversation.
Tell us about your player and what they want to work on.