David Webb describes his move to Georgia’s backroom in 2023 as starting with curiosity and ending in something much larger. A year later he was part of the staff that guided Georgia to their first major tournament at Euro 2024. With that chapter closed, Webb has made clear he now wants to lead a team as a head coach.
His journey into coaching was unconventional. Webb never signed a professional playing contract and worked ordinary jobs and in gyms before deciding at 21 to pursue academy coaching. He cut his teeth at Wimbledon and Crystal Palace, surviving on small wages because he loved the work, and later secured his first full-time role at Millwall.
Over the years Webb has occupied many different roles across the game: scouting at Southampton, involvement in Eddie Howe’s early recruitment setup at Bournemouth, study trips to Ajax and Athletic Club, conversations with figures such as Rudi Völler at Bayer Leverkusen, recruitment work at Tottenham and a spell as sporting director at Östersunds in Sweden. These detours never replaced his coaching ambition, but they broadened his skill set and profile.
Aware that a limited playing CV can be a hurdle, Webb invested in other strengths, completing a master’s degree in sports psychology. He says the degree taught him the human side of coaching: tactical ideas are worthless if players do not buy in, and understanding personality and culture is critical when evaluating signings and building a dressing room. That psychological perspective has informed both his scouting and his coaching.
In Georgia his remit extended beyond a single brief. Webb contributed to tactical preparation, organised coaching camps, built group presentations and worked on the psychological management of players. He recalls one-on-one conversations where off-field issues, such as a player dealing with a sick child, came to light and required sensitive handling — underlining how personal circumstances can influence performance.
Webb credits much of his professional growth to Georgia head coach Willy Sagnol. Their working relationship began after a chance meeting at an under-19 fixture and grew into a regular dialogue. Webb learned from Sagnol’s calmness and his composed approach to man-management and tournament planning, traits shaped by Sagnol’s own experiences at elite clubs. Sagnol also provided Webb access to top players, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and exposure to the networks of the modern game.
Georgia’s Euro campaign produced some of the highlights of Webb’s time with the national team. The side upset expectations by beating Portugal and reached the knockout stages before being knocked out by eventual winners Spain, in a match Georgia had led into the later stages of the first half. Across two years the team transitioned from a counter-pressing identity to a more possession-oriented style, consolidated their position in UEFA Nations League Group B, and saw several players move to larger clubs, with Kvaratskhelia emerging as a globally recognised talent.
Looking forward, Webb is open to both international and club opportunities. He emphasises the appeal of international work, where precision and short preparation windows demand efficiency, but says he has also been approached by clubs in England and abroad. He has held conversations with multiple European federations about head coach roles.
His only previous managerial stint was a short spell at National League side York City, an experience he views with some regret. COVID-19 prevented him from taking the team initially, and Webb admits his own fitness then was poor — something visible to players and a lesson in the standards required at the elite level. Now 46, he says he has worked on his fitness and on the other attributes necessary to lead a team.
Webb summarises his current priorities simply: he wants to work with ambitious, successful people and to fit the right players into the right tactical puzzle. He describes himself as open-minded and adaptable, confident that his varied background — from recruitment and sporting director roles to sports psychology and national-team coaching — has prepared him to make players better as a head coach.