This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Manny Onariase a defender whose journey through football reflects resilience, independence, and the realities of chasing the game at different levels.

Manny’s story begins in academy football, signing for West Ham United at a young age, but his path into the game wasn’t as straightforward as it might seem. In the early stages of his career, he was navigating football largely on his own even going as far as keeping it hidden from his dad, travelling to training and games independently, and managing the pressures of being in a professional environment without always having that support system around him.


In the first half of the episode, we explore Manny’s football journey from academy football into the senior game, adapting to different environments, and learning what it takes to build a career over time. We talk about the realities behind the scenes, the sacrifices made, and how those early experiences shaped his mindset both on and off the pitch.

In the second half, the conversation shifts into the mental side of the game. Manny opens up about injuries, setbacks, and moments where he questioned himself particularly the feeling of not being good enough when things weren’t going his way. He speaks honestly about how those challenges affected him mentally, and how he’s learned to deal with those moments, rebuild confidence, and keep moving forward.

This is a real and honest conversation about football beyond the surface independence, pressure, setbacks, and the mental strength required to keep going.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Junior Baker @skintuuteeet

a well-respected figure across the non-league and semi-professional game, whose journey reflects years of consistency, commitment, and love for football.

With strong connections to clubs like Cray Wanderers and Dulwich Hamlet, Junior has spent years competing within the semi-professional game, building a reputation not through hype, but through reliability, character, and presence within the football community.

His story highlights what it really takes to stay in the game over time. For much of his playing career, Junior was travelling to matches and training on public transport before eventually learning to drive later on a small detail that says a lot about the level of dedication required to keep playing at that level.

In this episode, we talk about his journey through non-league football, the lessons learned along the way, and how the game becomes about more than just playing it becomes about people, relationships, and the environments you’re part of.

That same journey has naturally led him into management, where he now leads Kenningwell United. A role built on trust and relationships within the club, reflecting the respect he’s earned over the years. For Junior, it’s not just about results it’s about building something meaningful and continuing to give back to the game.

This is a conversation about football in its entirety from playing to leading, from sacrifice to purpose and the people who dedicate themselves to the game at every level.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by a Brett lambert Wright with a family named expected to be a professional footballer his journey through the game has now taken him into a new chapter as a licensed football agent.

Having come through and spent time on trials at clubs including, Leyton Orient, Chelsea, Manchester City and Reading, this gave him a first-hand understanding of the realities, pressures and demands of football at different levels of the game. From academy environments his journey provided valuable lessons that now shape how he operates off the pitch.

In the first half of the episode, the experiences of trials at different clubs, adapting to different environments, and dealing with rejection and what it takes to navigate the professional game. We talk about how his career was cut short by dealing with a health implication that would change everything

In the second half, we speak about the battles and mental health challenges faced by him. We also speak about the struggles that at the time he didn’t know he had but on reflection it’s so much clearer. The conversation shifts into his transition into becoming an agent. After missing his first attempt, he successfully passed his FA agent exam in November 2024, showing resilience and determination to stay within the game in a new capacity. By January 2025, he had signed his first player, and within months, that journey reached a major milestone when his client secured Lincoln City’s first £1 million transfer in August 2025.

We dive into what it really means to be an agent the responsibility of managing careers, the importance of trust, and how his own experiences as a player now influence the way he supports others. This is a conversation about growth, transition, and finding purpose beyond playing.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by a lifelong Arsenal supporter whose story shows how football can become part of someone’s identity, community and personal journey.
Growing up fascinated by Highbury while watching games on television, the iconic stands and the famous “greenhouse” dugouts caught his imagination from an early age. That curiosity eventually turned into a lifelong passion when a close friend who attended matches with his dad helped persuade his parents to let him experience Arsenal in person.

His first game came during the 1977/78 season, and from that moment the connection to the club was set. By 1990 he became a season ticket holder, something that has remained a constant throughout his life.
Despite being raised in Northumberland Park (N17), in a household where football wasn’t particularly followed, the game found its way into his life anyway. Like many supporters, he also played the game himself through his younger years, mainly as a centre-half, enjoying the grassroots side of football well into his twenties.

Though he jokes about the moment he knew it was time to hang up the boots marking Gary Charles’ younger brother in a game and getting laughed at every time he was beaten the love for football never left.
But this episode goes far beyond results and matchdays.

In the second half of the conversation, we talk openly about the role football can play in people’s mental health and personal struggles. Arsenal has been a constant thread throughout his life not just as a team he supports, but as something that shaped friendships, community and belonging. Many of his closest friends today came through supporting Arsenal together.
He also speaks candidly about difficult periods in his life, including struggles with addiction, and why he now believes that speaking openly about those experiences matters.

His perspective is simple, if sharing his story helps even one person who might be going through something similar, then it’s worth it.

This episode is a reminder that football is never just about the 90 minutes on the pitch it’s about connection, identity, and the people you share the journey with.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Tashan Jordan, a West London–raised footballer whose journey through the game tells a powerful story of resilience, identity, and mental strength.

Tashan’s football journey began early, coming through the youth system at QPR from age 11 to 18, where he experienced the highs of academy football and the difficult reality of release. a moment that changed everything. Being let go forced him to step away from the environment he had known for years, leaving him searching for direction while trying to hold on to his love for the game.

After his release, Tashan spent time out of football before grafting his way back into it while working jobs to support himself, including stewarding at stadiums. His journey continued through clubs such as Wealdstone, AFC Hayes, Hillingdon Borough, Chipstead, and Harefield, each chapter bringing its own lessons, pressures, and challenges.

Behind the scenes, though, Tashan was facing battles few people saw. During his playing years, he struggled with depression while still trying to perform on the pitch,something he kept hidden from most people around him. Only a small circle of friends knew what he was going through, and even his family were unaware at the time. It’s only now, looking back, that he’s been able to fully understand and process what he was dealing with.

In this honest and moving episode, Tashan opens up about that period of his life, how football both challenged and saved him, and how he’s come full circle rediscovering purpose through writing, personal growth, and even running a marathon.

Today, he works for Transport for London, advocates for mental health awareness, and is preparing to step back into football through coaching, using his experiences to support others navigating similar struggles.

This episode is a powerful reminder that football journeys don’t always follow the path we expect, and that sometimes the biggest victories happen away from the pitch. It’s a story about resilience, reflection, and how the love of the game can help reshape perspective, purpose, and self-belief.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Ace Ishmael Francis, a coach, developer, mentor, and leader whose journey through football has been built on purpose, resilience, and creating opportunities for others.

Ace’s story begins within professional academy environments, spending time at different football clubs, experiences that shaped her understanding of both the opportunities and challenges within the game. But this episode isn’t just about the clubs it’s about carving out a space in football where impact matters as much as progression.

In the first half of the conversation, Ace reflects on her pathway through football and coaching, including her experiences working internationally in Canada and the USA, and how those environments influenced her approach to player development and culture. We talk about learning to lead in spaces where she often had to earn respect quickly, and how knowledge, consistency and authenticity became her strengths in an industry still evolving in how it supports women in football.

The second half of the episode moves into purpose beyond the pitch. As a Regional Talent Manager within the Women’s Talent Pathway, Ace speaks openly about responsibility, mentorship, and the importance of safeguarding young players both on and off the field. She shares the thinking behind founding Project Ace Sports, her development academy aimed at creating better environments for young players
This is a conversation about leadership, representation, and building structures that last. Ace’s journey shows that success in football isn’t just about where you play it’s about what you leave behind for the next generation.

A thoughtful, honest and inspiring episode about football, development, and using the game as a platform for real change.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Chris Dickson. a footballer whose career spans the professional game, international football, and the realities of longevity, reinvention, and purpose beyond the pitch.

Chris takes us through a journey that has seen him play across England and overseas, experience different football cultures, and represent Ghana at international level.
From early promise and moves through the Football League, to loans, transitions abroad, champions league and later chapters in non-league football, his story reflects the adaptability and resilience required to survive in the game.

In the first half of the episode, we dive into Chris’ football journey the excitement of opportunities, the uncertainty that comes with movement and change, and the lessons learned from playing in different environments both at home and abroad. He speaks honestly about expectations, pressure, and how each stage of his career shaped his understanding of football and himself.

In the second half, the conversation shifts to life beyond just playing. Chris opens up about mindset, wellbeing, and the importance of preparing for life outside football. He speaks about the love for his son and the difficultly of that relationship at the time of being a footballer going from club to club.

This episode is about growth, perspective, redefining success a powerful reminder that football is a chapter, not the whole story and also that goals never done.

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com

This week on The Set Peace Podcast, we’re joined by Josh Hare, current Hornchurch FC defender, whose football journey is deeply rooted in family, resilience, and perseverance.

Growing up surrounded by football, Josh’s path into the game was shaped early on. With his dad, cousin, and uncle all involved in football including family links to the professional game and youth setups such as Gillingham football was never just a hobby, it was part of everyday life. From watching, learning, and dreaming, Josh developed a strong understanding of what it takes to survive in the game from a young age.

In the first half of the episode, Josh takes us through his football journey the early promise, the expectations that come with a footballing family, and the challenges that tested him along the way. He speaks honestly about injuries, setbacks, and moments where his career could have gone in a very different direction, and how those experiences ultimately shaped the player and person he is today.

In the second half, the conversation shifts beyond football. Josh opens up about the mental side of the game dealing with frustration, recovery, self-doubt, and the importance of having the right people around you during tough periods. He reflects on how injuries affected his mindset, how perspective has changed over time, and why enjoying football again became just as important as chasing levels.
This is an honest, grounded conversation about football, family, and resilience a reminder that progress isn’t always linear, and that sometimes the journey itself builds the strongest foundations

The set peace podcast is about more than football it’s about the people behind it.

Every 2 weeks, we sit down with guests across the game from pros to physios, coaches to players, these are the conversations we all need to hear, in football and in life.

With 45 minutes talking football and 45 minutes on mental health and well-being these conversations are for everyone whether you’re in football or not.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1A9VTGxhEW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Instagram: @thesetpeacepodcast

TikTok: thesetpeacepodcast

Website: www.thesetpeacepodcast.com