Shayne Murphy is a highly accomplished performance coach with over 15 years of experience in elite football, collaborating with some of the most prestigious clubs and organisations in the sport. He graduated with First Class Honours in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Limerick and earned a Master's degree from UCLan before embarking on a dynamic career in professional sports.
His career began with Cardiff City FC, UK Athletics, and Blackburn Rovers under Sam Allardyce. He then transitioned to Liverpool FC Academy, where he played a key role in the athletic development of future stars such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Wilson.
Following this, Shayne spent seven years at Manchester City, working across all age groups—from U12s to the U21 Elite Development Squad—helping nurture talents like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho, and Brahim Diaz into the stars they are today. Shayne’s tenure at Manchester City also included involvement in pre-season tours with Pep Guardiola’s first team and contributions to the Women’s First Team, further broadening his experience.
Shayne later founded SDM Performance, a high-performance consultancy through which he collaborates with elite athletes and organisations worldwide. His work as spanned across the MLS with New York City FC, Lommel FC in Belgium, Indian Cricket, and prestigious institutions such as Aiglon College in Switzerland. In the leadership space, Shayne has worked with leading organisations like Accenture and Castle International.
Currently, Shayne serves as a consultant for the City Football Group, a global football organisation, and the Scottish National Team, contributing to their historic qualifications for Euro 2020 and Euro 2024.
Shayne’s expertise lies in translating the principles of high performance from elite sport into actionable strategies for corporate teams and leaders. His talks and workshops have been well-received across a range of events. Two of his signature sessions include:
Shayne’s corporate sessions have received glowing testimonials:
“Bringing his unique perspective from professional sports, Shayne has an ability to make compelling comparisons and bring simplicity and clarity to team optimisation.” – Aoife Moore, Managing Director, Global Innovation
“Shayne stretched our thinking, opened our minds, and injected fascinating insights into our group’s discussion. His sessions spurred a reset moment in my life, specifically regarding my health, wellbeing, and goals.” – Edward Mackle, Managing Director, Innovation
“Extremely engaging, honest, thought-provoking, and developmental. The series of talks had a positively profound impact on the team.” – Dean Currall, CEO & Investor, Castle International
“Shayne's expertise and passion for his subject resonate in the world of business as much as sport. I took away many insights for improving my own and my team's performance.” – Dave Kerins, Director of Innovation Operations, The Dock
“Insightful, provocative, and most importantly left time for open discussion and created a safe space to share honest feelings and thoughts.” – Brian Smyth, Managing Director, Global Comms & Media