Erica Parkinson’s mindset coach Martin Fairn explains the importance of mental preparation in football
How much attention do we really pay to the mental side of football, particularly when it comes to young players?
It’s easy to focus on talent, technical ability and performances on the pitch, but what happens when a young player has to deal with the expectations that come with reaching the highest level, the pressure to constantly prove themselves and the scrutiny that comes with playing the game professionally?
These are some of the questions Sports News Blitz sub-editor Nicole Powell explored in a recent interview with Martin Fairn, co-founder and CEO of Gazing Red2Blue.
Fairn is a mindset coach who has worked with sports professionals, including England international Erica Meg Parkinson, whom he has supported since she was 12.
Parkinson is a midfielder currently playing for North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), having joined the American side from Portugal’s Valadares Gaia in July 2026.
During the October international break, Parkinson made her senior England debut against Greece in the first leg of their FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying play-off.
Erica Parkinson’s ambition was clear from the age of 12
When Fairn first met Parkinson, he was working with her footballer brother, Denis, having been approached by their father.
Erica expressed an interest in receiving the same mindset coaching as her brother, and during their first conversation, she told Martin: “I’m going to play for England in the World Cup.”
It was a bold statement from a 12-year-old, but that was all Martin needed to hear.
“It was that statement that was less about an ambitious dream, but more a statement of intent from Erica,” said Martin. “That purposeful intent, and the determination shines through in everything that Erica does, and it was there at the age of 12.”
Parkinson has since progressed through the England youth teams and earned her first senior cap. However, reaching that level also brings new expectations and pressures.
Martin has previously explained that Parkinson’s own expectations are one of her biggest sources of pressure, which he said is natural among many elite athletes.
Preparing young players for the pressures of elite football
This brings us to an important point Martin raised during the interview.
He explained that while “mentality is often presented as a problem to fix,” partly due to increasing awareness of mental health, Gazing Red2Blue takes a different approach.
Instead, the organisation views mindset as a skill that can be developed, just like technical ability on the pitch.
“When it comes to big moments [and] big events, like the invitation to the [England] camp, like anything in life, there are some moments that are bigger than others. The invitation to the camp was one that required a particular focus,” Martin said.
He explained that Parkinson uses the Red2Blue mindset framework and its tools to prepare for these situations by identifying where the pressure might come from, recognising the risks and focusing on what she can control.
Part of this preparation involves anticipating what an unfamiliar environment might feel like before arriving.
“She’s arriving at a camp that is full of celebrities and stars. Predicting that and how that might feel helps you be ready for it,” Martin explained.
The preparation also goes beyond what happens on the pitch, with players having to manage the wider experience of being part of an international squad.
“The application for Erica is on the pitch, around the pitch and then, of course, away from the pitch,” he said.
How do you measure mindset development?
Another important point Martin discussed was how to measure the impact of mindset coaching.
While technical development can often be assessed through specific skills and performance data, measuring the direct impact of mindset coaching can be more difficult.
“Why mentality is lagging behind other areas of contributing to the development of football is because it is traditionally difficult to credibly measure very specifically the impact of mindset,” Martin said.
However, he explained that progress can be seen in how players incorporate what they learn into their daily routines, language and thought processes.
“So it enters their language, enters their thought process, and it enters the preparation they do, so that each time they arrive at an event, match or tournament, they’ve done the work to prepare for the pressure,” he said.
Martin added that performance on the pitch is also part of the assessment, alongside how players use the tools and prepare for challenging situations.
For young players like Parkinson, this preparation can help them approach important moments with a clearer understanding of the pressures they might face and how to respond to them.
Watch the full interview
Parkinson’s journey from a 12-year-old with ambitions of playing for England to making her senior international debut offers an insight into the importance of preparing young players for the demands of elite football.
As women's football continues to grow, developing players involves more than technical ability and performances on the pitch.
Mental preparation is another part of helping young footballers navigate the pressures that come with reaching the highest level.
Watch the full interview with Martin Fairn on the Sports News Blitz YouTube channel, where he discusses his work with Erica Parkinson, mindset coaching and the mental demands facing young athletes.
