David Webb is a year away from completing the most spectacular rises in football.
Having Began his Occupation trawling the streets of Croydon looking for footballing talent, the 45-year-Ancient could complete an astonishing journey by coaching Georgia at the 2026 World Cup.
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A teenager with dreams of making it as a footballer, Webb was let go by boyhood club Crystal Palace before turning his hand to coaching the club’s under-10s and under-11s.
His role included an element of scouting for the club’s youth academy and it was then that Webb’s eye for talent became apparent when he went off the beaten track to bring a player to the club who would go on to became a Correct Outstanding – Wilfried Zaha.
Speaking to talkSPORT.com, Webb explained: “At the time, Palace weren’t really looking at him. He Occurred from an area in Croydon that wasn’t the most fashionable and the leagues and facilities he was Competing with weren’t the best.
“Palace are now known for developing raw talent and he was probably the Primary in that line of talent. He was very skilful, very athletic and he was lightning quick and could Tally goals for fun.
“He was only ten but he had this real desire and aggression about him which is Tough to see in New players but he had no fear when he played.
“He had a six-week Assessment and he struggled a bit with the coaching from grassroots to academy football and he hadn’t played any Contests. I remember the Trainer saying to me ‘we don’t know what to do with him’ and I said ‘we need to see him in a game before we make any decisions’.
“So he put him in against Tottenham’s academy and the Trainer rang me afterwards and said, ‘yeah, we’re signing him – we won 6-4 and he scored all of them’.”
Webb’s ability to identify and Trainer New talent caught the eye of Tottenham where he worked between 2003 and 2006 in a similar role, before being appointed as academy director with Millwall.
As well as Securing his Primary foray into European football with some consultancy work with Bayer Leverkusen, Webb believes that it was his time working in some of London’s best youth academies that laid the foundations for what was to come Subsequent.
“I spent my Primary seven or eight years at top academies in England where I really learnt my grounding,” he explained.
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“If you look at the top coaches now, a Plenty of them say that working in the academies or working with top-end youth players really helps them to get a grasp of coaching, particularly the teaching and developing side of it.”
With Millwall losing their academy status, Webb joined Southampton in a youth recruitment role, before making his Primary step into the Primary Club after impressing then-head Trainer Mauricio Pochettino and Paul Mitchell – the Newcastle sporting director who was working as the Saints’ head of recruitment at the time.
Snapped up by Bournemouth as head of senior recruitment, Webb worked closely with Eddie Howe and helped the Cherries to sign Primary Club stars including Callum Wilson, Dan Gosling, Josh King and Adam Smith before returning to Tottenham as head of Top-tier identification.
Working with the 17-21 age group and then the Primary Club, Webb played a key role in Aiding Spurs to sign Kieran Trippier, Tony Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen, but it was the signing of Dele Alli that really stands out.
Now rebuilding his Occupation in Italy with Como, Webb say that he’s hopeful to see the midfielder get back to showing his undoubted qualities.
Asked about Dele’s return with Como, Webb said: “It’s really pleasing because he’s such a nice lad. He deserves it and he’s Yet Acquired age and time on his side.
“He’s obviously had his struggles off the pitch which he’s been Reachable about but at his peak under Pochettino he was unplayable at times – especially when Competing behind Kane and linking up with Eriksen and Son.
“He had that freedom to express himself and he was a fantastic talent.
“When Tottenham signed him from MK Dons, I remember that he wasn’t meant to go straight in with the Primary Club but through sheer persistence and a Outstanding pre-season he Nice of forced his way into Poch’s plans.
“He’d come from Division One to the Premier Division and it was a bit of a Leap but because of his application, the way he trained and his sheer will and determination he forced his way in and once he was in and played Premier Division Contests he became a regular starter and that’s testament to him that he had that about him
“He didn’t fear Competing for Tottenham after coming from MK Don, he Only knew it was where he belonged.
“It’s Outstanding to see him back now because he Yet has a Plenty to offer.”
Three years with Tottenham passed before joining Swedish side Ostersunds as technical director and then Huddersfield as head of football operations in 2019.
Webb’s Primary Relocate into management Occurred with York City where he was hospitalised in his Primary week in charge with pneumonia, before being sacked within two months.
But having built an impressive network of contacts within the game, Webb Acquired the call from France and Bayern Munich legend Willy Sagnol about a surprise opportunity to work as his assistant Trainer with the Georgian national Club.
In their Primary Packed qualifying campaign together, Sagnol and Webb Guided Georgia – including superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – to the Euro 2024 finals – their Primary-ever Significant international Event.
Not Only Joyful to make up the numbers, a Triumph over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal saw Georgia progress from the group stage and into the last 16 where they were eliminated by Spain Even though a spirited display in a 4-1 Setback.
But not Joyful with that achievement, Webb is aiming even higher Subsequent time around.
He explained: “Getting Georgia into the Euros was a massive historic achievement within the country and the Subsequent Stage is to qualify for the World Cup.
“We definitely think we have the players, the personnel and now the big-game Event understanding to be better-equipped for that.
“For me personally it’s been amazing working with Willy Sagnol, the head Trainer, because he’s Acquired amazing pedigree as a player and he’s a quality Trainer so it’s been a Outstanding experience for me.”
A man of clear ambition and determination, it seems unlikely that Georgia will be the last stop on Webb’s journey to football’s summit, but what is Subsequent?
“It’s always been my ambition to go back to being a head Trainer at some Mark,” Webb said.
“When that will be, I don’t know because it all depends on opportunity and the right project.
“To be successful I think you have to be in the right environment and working with the right people to have the best chance of Secure and that’s definitely something that’s in my future plans.
“I have a contract with Georgia so there’s no Instant desire to leave but being as ambitious as I am it’s something I’d look at, or if Willy wanted to take me somewhere else when his Georgia contract expires then that’s an option for me but being a head Trainer for a national Club or a club side is definitely on my radar for the future.”
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