Episode 03 - Sean Lane

Sean Lane has coached professional football in Bangladesh, built a residential academy squad from scratch in Ohio, and navigated club owners, six-month visas, and a team bus driving into oncoming traffic. He has never done things the conventional way. This conversation is about what the overseas coaching life actually looks like — the stuff that doesn't make the highlight reel.

Guest bio:

Sean Lane spent over 20 years in corporate sales before moving into professional football coaching full time. He spent three and a half years at Dhaka Mohammedan, one of Bangladesh's most historic clubs, before being headhunted to launch the soccer program at Spire Academy in Ohio — a residential sports facility that rivals anything in the world. Every job he has ever had came through a phone call, not a job board.

What the conversation covers:

• What it really takes to coach in a foreign country — managing culture, religion, hierarchy, and club owners who think they run the team

• The realities of working in Bangladesh: getting paid in cash, six-month visas, and why your network is the only protection you have

• Why some of America's most talented young footballers are turning down MLS contracts to go to college instead

• How Sean built a 20-player international squad from nothing in under nine months — and what he learned about trust, recruitment, and backing yourself

About The Overseas Athlete

Real conversations with athletes who have built careers overseas, and the people who help them. The Athlete Newsletter every Wednesday: read.athletenewsletter.com

Chris Broadfoot is an ex-pro footballer and founder of SportsFX, the currency and payments partner for professional sport. More at sportsfx.co