Miguel Llera: Former Real Madrid prospect and Sheffield Wednesday star reveals coaching techniques and the secret to transitioning from La Liga to the EFL

By Jake Stokes

Miguel Llera has stressed how important it is for academy coaches across England to enforce a tactically multi-dimensional education on their players.

The Spanish centre-half grew up in Seville and began his career at Recreativo de Huelva before going on to play against the likes of Sergio Aguero, Dani Alves and Roberto Carlos in La Liga Santander.

Growing up playing football in Spain, passing football was in the Walsall Academy manager’s DNA so when he joined MK Dons in 2008, life on the pitch was soon to change.

Roberto Di Matteo was at the helm of the Dons when the now 41-year-old defender signed. The Italian’s attractive style of football knitted together a strong base for Llera to work with both on and off the pitch.

“He helped me a lot, he helped me a lot with language; I am Spanish, and he is Italian so we could understand well between both. I didn’t speak too much English, so learning it when I first arrived was one of the most important things.

“Di Matteo’s play style helped me a lot. He loved passing football which was better for me and helped my situation. Generally, the style of football didn’t faze me, and I soon adapted.”

Llera continued, as he discussed how his move from top-flight football in Spain to the EFL moulded his coaching techniques he now implements at Walsall.

He said: “I try to convey everything I know to my academy players. My experience, my knowledge and that is why I think we are producing players in the Walsall first team. 

“I try to work individually with each of them to help them focus on the thing that needs improving, for them to earn a professional contract and get into the first team.”

“Of course,” Llera said, when asked whether his time in Spain merged with time in England has moulded his style as a coach. “I try to always mix both styles and I think this is the key to success. I try to mix the best attributes from Spain with the best from England. 

“I will never say Spain is better than the UK, or the UK is better than Spain, I think mixing them both is the best.”

From playing at the Vicente Calderon to the MK Stadium, Llera explained his reasoning behind his passion for ensuring youngsters are sufficiently educated for the professional game.

He said: “You don’t see too many Spanish players play in the lower divisions [in England] because the English football is not for everyone. 

“It is very physical, very demanding and not everybody is ready to play that football. That is why I want to teach the best from each side, and it seems to be working at the moment as we continue to produce players.”