Has football’s evolution opened doors for fresh managerial talent?
A playing career once ruled the path, but today it’s no longer required.
Now thirteen coaches under 40 run England’s top four tiers, with Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler the youngest at 33.
Yet the Cymru Premier hosts Europe’s youngest top‑flight boss.
Last season Hadaway lifted Llandudno into the Premier after winning the Cymru North, and he turned 25 in July.
A thirst for knowledge and a willingness to put in the hard yards.
By age 14 he chose coaching over playing, showing early focus.
Two days after his 16th birthday he earned the Level 1 Leaders Award and was chasing a UEFA B Licence by 18 while leading Caerwys and mentoring a 41‑year‑old captain.
He later joined the Real Madrid Foundation and secured his A Licence in 2024, crediting Nigel Adkins and Robert Earnshaw for guidance.
While at Caerwys, Hadaway wrote to Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson.
He received an email from Hodgson’s assistant and an invitation, but Covid cancelled the visit and Hodgson was sacked before it could happen.
A nightmare, he laughed, but perhaps fate had its own plan.
His relentless work ethic clearly fuels his rapid rise.
Studying at Liverpool Hope, he juggled early mornings in a bakery for a family friend after staff fell ill to Covid.
He’d finish at 9:30 am, attend a 11‑2 pm lecture, then coach until 9 pm – a relentless grind.
Today he still splits his part‑time manager role with a full‑time teaching job.
Achieving the unachievable.
In December 2022 he left his assistant post at Cefn Druids to run Llandudno’s U‑19s and head youth development.
When the 2023/24 season began, he was named interim first‑team manager after the club’s artificial pitch was condemned, leaving the squad depleted.
“Everyone had walked away and we were two weeks from kickoff,” he recalls.
The chairman begged him to keep the club alive, even if relegation was inevitable.
Friends warned him off; his mother still questions his decision.
He saw a chance to prove doubters wrong at a storied Welsh club with great facilities and fans.
With the league’s smallest budget, a single player two weeks out, and no staff, he built a squad in fourteen days, defying relegation odds.
They finished 12th of 16 and reached a cup final – an astonishing turnaround.
Two seasons later he pushed the club even further.
He always aimed for a Welsh Premier role by 27‑28; he never imagined achieving it so early.
Credit goes to strong players and staff; success isn’t a solo act.
Will he stay at Llandudno and keep shaping Welsh football for years to come?
When asked if he’s older than his years, he jokes, “My hairline says it!”
People call him the oldest 25‑year‑old they know, but he attributes maturity to his mentors.
That seasoned outlook shapes his plans ahead.
Many assume a move to England is inevitable after his Welsh success.
He says there’s no rush to leave.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a Premier League or EFL role,” he admits.
“But I cherish teaching and supporting students; any new job must outweigh what I have now, and I’m not naïve.”
“I deserve a chance not just because I’m the youngest, but because I’ve earned it.”
If we interview him again in ten years and he’s still at Llandudno, he’ll be content – he values steady impact over chasing stardom.
For my view, his greatest strength is knowing there’s no need to sprint.