Canadian-Turkish UEFA A License Coach and video analyst, Jeyhan Bhindi, is one of North America’s rising coaching talents. With over 150 professional games, 115 in the Canadian Premier League as an Assistant Coach, he has worked in the NASL, USL Championship, Canadian Premier League, and has spent 2025 leading Union Omaha’s defensive organization in USL League One.
Early Years: From Canada to Coaching
Raised in Canada with strong Turkish roots, Jay began coaching while attending college after stepping away from playing, working with U9–U18 teams at a local academy. The experience shaped his approach to youth development and confirmed his coaching ambitions. At 24, he joined NASL side Ottawa Fury FC, marking his professional debut. By 33, he had earned his UEFA A License, traveling between North America and Europe to complete the program.
“From day one, I gave everything to learning. I wanted to understand how players develop and how I could grow as a coach.”
“From day one, I gave everything to learning. I wanted to understand how players develop and how I could grow as a coach.”
Union Omaha: Taking the USL by Storm
In 2025, Jay joined reigning champions Union Omaha in USL League One, one of the league’s most successful clubs with five trophies in five years. Recruited by the two-time USL1 Coach of the Year, he brought his tactical expertise to the technical staff. Tasked with organizing the defense, Jay has helped Omaha remain one of the league’s most aggressive and disciplined sides, setting a USL1 record for PPDA and showcasing their trademark “controlled aggression.”
“I wanted to push myself in a new environment. Union Omaha gave me the chance to grow my reputation, work with talented players, and test myself in a different league.”
“I wanted to push myself in a new environment. Union Omaha gave me the chance to grow my reputation, work with talented players, and test myself in a different league.”
Video Analysis and Coaching Philosophy
Jay’s foundation in video analysis began with Ottawa Fury FC (NASL) and deepened at Austin Bold FC, where he earned a “Game Analyst Specialist” certificate from Spain’s MBP School of Coaches. He views analysis and coaching as inseparable; using video insights to shape training sessions and tactical structure. His philosophy centered on defensive organization and “controlled aggression,” his approach prioritizes pressing, duels, and second-ball recovery, with metrics like PPDA (setting a USL1 record) and duel success reflecting his teams’ intensity and discipline.
“The magic happens when analysis becomes training. It’s not enough to watch clips, you have to bring them to life on the field, while working under a new coach with a different leadership style.”
Canadian Premier League: Professional Growth at Home
Before moving to the U.S., Jay spent four seasons in the Canadian Premier League with FC Edmonton and Valour FC, coaching 115+ matches and gaining key insight into Canada’s evolving football landscape. He sees the next step as strengthening academies and expanding the CPL to create clearer pathways for players and coaches.
“It was special to coach in my home country. Every season, you could see the league and its players growing.”
Global Influences and Looking Ahead
Jay has worked under head coaches from Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, and Britain, gaining diverse tactical and leadership insights. His learning includes internships with FC Porto, Beşiktaş, and Fenerbahçe, as well as advanced courses with coach educator Raymond Verheijen. Fluent in English, Turkish, French, and Portuguese, Jay thrives in multicultural settings. Focused on mastering defensive strategy and video analysis, he’s committed to excelling as an assistant coach, while staying open to future opportunities across North America, Europe, Asia, or Turkey.
Our exclusive interview with Jeyhan Bhindi
This year, you took a role in USL League One with Union Omaha. What was it about this opportunity that appealed to you? What do you anticipate to be the biggest adjustments moving to a new league in the U.S.?
The opportunity to work under a new head coach in a new league, new country, new type of players, and new environment was attractive to me. After working three seasons with Valour FC in the Canadian Premier League, I felt I wanted to experience something different to extend my growth as an assistant coach. Union Omaha has been the best club in the USL ecosystem’s history, winning five trophies in five years, most recently being league champions. But of course, there is no current promotion or relegation system in North America yet. The coach who brought me to Union Omaha has won Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons. Football in the U.S. is growing at a rapid pace in all divisions. I wanted to expose myself to a new market, grow my reputation and network in football. With promotion and relegation on the horizon in the USL football pyramid and the World Cup coming in 2026, I felt this was a good time to go to the U.S. and try something new.
What motivated you to pursue the UEFA A Licence, and what were the biggest challenges along the way?
When I was working at Ottawa Fury FC at 24, being around the professional team every day, I knew this was the career I wanted to pursue. I chose the UEFA coaching education pathway because I wanted something globally recognized and it is the highest regarded coaching qualification in football. Since football is a global sport, I wanted to ensure I could work anywhere.
Earning my UEFA A Licence as someone from North America was a huge accomplishment for me. The biggest challenges were timing and finances. The UEFA courses were only offered in the summer when most European leagues are off, but here in North America, we are in season. I had to get permission from my teams to take time off to go to Europe. There was also the financial challenge of course fees, flights, and accommodations, but I saw it as an investment in myself.
You’ve collaborated with many top European clubs. What were some valuable lessons you learned from those experiences?
First of all, it was about building relationships with the people at those clubs, creating friendships with coaches. This job is about relationships. Building those connections expanded my in-depth learning from them.
The biggest thing I learned from being inside a genuine professional environment every day was about coaching methodology. In my mid-20s, I really took the time to study Tactical Periodisation because the coaches I worked with at Ottawa Fury FC were students of Prof. Vítor Frade and used this coaching methodology. Theory alone is not enough when it comes to education. I wanted to learn directly from the source about its application.
That is why in 2018 I went to FC Porto for a coach education club internship, to the birthplace of the methodology. They opened their doors to me and allowed me to truly understand the application process. From there I gained in-depth knowledge of how to apply it in daily training, which completely changed my perspective on constructing exercises and the weekly cycle.
Can you tell us about your early years and how you first got into coaching? What experiences growing up in Canada shaped your love of football?
I worked with various teams, boys and girls U9–U18, to gain experience coaching different age groups and to learn about myself, to see where I best fit in the coaching world based on my personality. I started this journey at 21 and devoted so much effort to developing as a coach. I wanted to expand my learning and see how player development worked in other parts of the world, so I made connections and spent my own money to visit clubs in Europe for educational internships. I went to Turkey to spend time at Manisaspor, Fenerbahçe, and Beşiktaş, observing their daily work and joining them for a week each. They opened their doors and allowed me to be part of training sessions and team life.
Afterward, I researched which country produced the best coaches, and at that time Portuguese coaches were winning titles all over the world. I decided to go there to learn from the source. I visited FC Porto, Vitória de Setúbal, and Académica de Coimbra. During this period, I also completed courses with the renowned coach educator Raymond Verheijen on Football Periodisation.
In 2014, the academy I worked for in my city bought a professional team in the NASL, Ottawa Fury FC. That was my introduction to professional football. I was part of the organization and experienced the professional environment daily, training sessions, meetings, and staff collaboration. Working closely with a small team gave me invaluable experience in what it means to operate inside a professional club. From there, my ambition truly took off.
What courses or certifications in video analysis have you taken? How have they shaped your coaching approach?
While working as an analyst at Austin Bold FC in the USL Championship, the head coach enrolled me in a video analysis course with MBP School of Coaches in Spain. It was an intensive, year-long program that taught me video analysis from a structured, professional perspective. I earned my Game Analyst Specialist certificate from MBP. During the pandemic, I also took part in several online courses and webinars to continue developing my analytical and technological skills.
Why do you believe it is especially important for assistant coaches to have expertise in both on-field coaching and video analysis or technology?
In today’s game, these roles are often intertwined. I have held dual roles as both an assistant coach and analyst. From the analyst’s perspective, it is crucial to think like a coach, to prioritize and present video content in a way that is meaningful.
Anyone can say, “They play in a 4-4-2,” but true analysis is about asking, why is this information relevant, how can we use it, how does it connect to our model of play or game plan. From there, you can help design exercises that reflect your analysis, translating ideas into training reality. That is where the real magic happens. Technology is now a huge part of the professional environment, and teams are constantly seeking an edge. This was something emphasized heavily in our UEFA A course, the importance of being tech-savvy.
How would you describe your coaching philosophy? Are there particular styles of play or values you try to instill in your teams?
I am passionate about the defensive side of the game. I believe that if your team is strong in defensive organization, you always have a chance to get results. Of course, today’s game is fluid, defense and attack are interconnected.
I aim to instill controlled aggression, a phrase a former coach of mine used often. Whether pressing high, medium, or low, I emphasize being aggressive and proactive when out of possession. I use data to support this approach, metrics like PPDA, duel success, and second-ball recoveries help measure our defensive intensity.
This past season, in my role with Union Omaha, I have been given responsibility for working closely with the defensive line and contributing to our defensive organization and opponent strategy. This season, we have consistently had one of the highest PPDA numbers in the league, thanks to our players’ bravery, aggression, and tactical discipline.
Having coached in various roles in Canada, what do you see as the strengths of the Canadian football system? What are its biggest areas for growth?
Many people might be surprised that football has the highest youth participation rate in Canada. The country’s ethnic diversity means many families come from nations with deep football cultures. Over the last seven years, football in Canada has grown rapidly. The national team now regularly competes for the top spot in CONCACAF, qualified for the last World Cup, and will be a host in 2026. Many Canadian players are now at top European clubs, and the domestic game has advanced tremendously.
Since the launch of the Canadian Premier League in 2019, with eight professional teams in addition to the three Canadian MLS clubs, the quality and infrastructure have improved each year. I have worked in the CPL for four seasons, from 2021 to 2024, and witnessed this growth firsthand, tactically, technically, and professionally. In 2025, the launch of the Women’s Professional League added another milestone. The next step for Canadian football is to expand the CPL and strengthen professional academy systems to elevate player development nationwide.
Do you have any ambitions to work in Turkish football, either as a coach or in another role?
After seven years in professional football, I have learned that this job is about the present, today and tomorrow. Right now, my focus is on being the best assistant coach I can be. That is the role I want to specialize in.
At this moment, I do not have the desire to be a head coach. Maybe that will change in a few years, but I prefer to take things one step at a time.
I would love to work outside North America one day, whether in Europe, Asia, or the Middle East. Of course, working in Turkish football would be special, given my background. It is a highly competitive environment, but I believe my multilingual ability would be a real asset, especially in a country where communication with foreign players is key.