Chelsea have hired Owen Eastwood to lead a club-wide history and identity project.
The New Zealander was hired by sporting directors Lawrence Stewart and Paul Winstanley as part of a wider project to improve
the culture of Stamford Bridge and Cobham by incorporating elements of the club’s history. In a 2022 interview with
Training Ground Guru, Eastwood said: My specialty is creating the optimal environment for people to compete.»
Eastwood had previously worked closely with Chelsea’s performance director Bryce Kavanagh to prepare the England team.
Kavanagh was in charge of performances during Eastwood’s stint with Gareth Southgate’s England side from 2016 to 2022.
Part of his job at the Football Association under the respected duo of Dan Ashworth and Dave Reddin was to establish the
‘legacy numbers’ currently assigned to England players. Players will receive a cap, identification card and have their number embroidered on their back.
These figures have been highly praised by the players, and the atmosphere surrounding the England team has radically improved under Southgate’s reign.
Eastwood recently worked with the 2023 European Ryder Cup golf team and the South African rugby team from 2010 to 2019.
A self-described “performance coach,” he draws inspiration from the Maori culture of his native New Zealand, writing in his book Belonging:
Define common goals. Vision of future success. Share property with others. Understand the “silent dance” performed in groups.
Create conditions for human resource development. Turning our diversity into a competitive advantage.
He has also worked with NATO and the Royal Ballet School.
