What now For Skip Football- The way ahead

[MFKS]

So the dust has settling on our efforts at the WC and the reality is we quite frankly were not good enough

The reasons for this I think are reflective of the incompetence and failings of the FFA #ALeague and Grass Roots clubs across the country


What needs doing to fix these flaws??

[Roundball Enthusiast]

Clean out of FFA board/heads.

Review of all clubs that have youth development.
Introduce rules/laws to stop these "elite" pathways from profiting from juniors.

Remove the over arching play style implemented from FFA - "Possession at all costs" and simply allow the kids to play football. Showcase their ability.


Remove the restrictions for our youth to develop (cash and play style) and watch the game improve on its own.

oh and we could have a 2nd division nationally, or at least give it a decent crack for east coast/south & west coast.

[The Dunster]

Clean out of FFA board/heads.

Review of all clubs that have youth development.
Introduce rules/laws to stop these "elite" pathways from profiting from juniors.

Remove the over arching play style implemented from FFA - "Possession at all costs" and simply allow the kids to play football. Showcase their ability.


Remove the restrictions for our youth to develop (cash and play style) and watch the game improve on its own.

oh and we could have a 2nd division nationally, or at least give it a decent crack for east coast/south & west coast.

Agreed. Also I see a big issue with imported strikers. Great way to develop our defenders sure but leaves far too many up and coming strikers sitting on the bench rather than getting game time.

[halo se7en]

Yep, get rid of the one system for all rubbish & don’t throw all the eggs into the Dutch basket. Sure, look at other countries for ideas but we need to develop our own identity.

Also I don’t know how many games the youth team plays but is it enough? The absence of a second division is telling- the gap beaten a-league and NPL seems too big.

[Frodo]

Step 1. Make a plan.


Step 2. See step one.

I don't care who they have to get involved but the Australian Football program is a headless chook.

(I had more written but took it all out. We just need a plan of some sorts for at least 6-8 years.)

[baldrick]

This is part of quite a lengthy article on how Iceland stage their meteoric rise, written around the time of Euro 2016



Arrigo Sacchi famously suggested elite coaching should be open to people from any walk of life, from elevator operators to stockbrokers. At the end of the last century the Icelandic FA put this into practice. Bolstered by the TV money pouring into every Uefa country, Iceland set up an open, hugely popular training scheme. Currently this nation of 335,000 has around 600 qualified coaches, 400 with Uefa B licences, or one per 825 people. To put this into context, in England this number falls to one per 11,000.

The result is a spread of expertise right down to the lowest level. “Here you need a Uefa B licence to coach from under-10 level up and half of the Uefa B licence to coach under-eights,” Dagur Sveinn Dagbjartsson of the Icelandic FA says. This isn’t simply box-ticking. The Uefa B is one step off the level needed to coach a professional team in England. Yelling dads it ain’t.

Further on


The second strand is facilities. Iceland has brilliant ones. Football is rich. What, in the end, do you want to spend its money on? With TV money still stuffing its pockets, Iceland decided to do something else with this bonus. Something – and this is the key difference – actually useful.

Clubs and local authorities went into partnership, building unapologetically vast indoor football pitches up and down the country. The halls are heated, open to all and staffed by qualified coaches. They are, in their own way, the key to all this.

Finally..


Finally, Iceland did something great with school football. The FA has been buying land next to schools and building pitches: enclosed timber-built, artificial-turfed pitches, paid for by money that might otherwise have ended up in some familiar dead end: unnecessarily showy mega-stadiums, executive salaries, another Bugatti in the garage.

Full article:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/08/iceland-stunning-rise-euro-2016-gylfi-sigurdsson-lars-lagerback

[MFKS]

Step 1. Make a plan.


Step 2. See step one.

I don't care who they have to get involved but the Australian Football program is a headless chook.

(I had more written but took it all out. We just need a plan of some sorts for at least 6-8 years.)
It seems to be the FFAs main problem

There is no plan


Cant be hard to say

We want 12 teams next season

Then we want 14 in 2020

Then we want 16 in 2022

We want teams from here here and here etc

But no

These ****s are making it up as they go

[Jeterpool]

They're too busy arguing amongst themselves

[plague]

This is part of quite a lengthy article on how Iceland stage their meteoric rise, written around the time of Euro 2016


The FFA SAP program introduced this year for U/9's looks like it is based around a few of those points.
its been pretty interesting being involved in it. i think its a great first step, but year the kids starting that will be ready in 15 years.

hope everyones happy to wait that out.....

[380]

The FFA SAP program introduced this year for U/9's looks like it is based around a few of those points.
its been pretty interesting being involved in it. i think its a great first step, but year the kids starting that will be ready in 15 years.

hope everyones happy to wait that out.....

Probs because they have a system in place that is about making kids the best they can be as opposed to our FFA who see development as a business and a vital part of there revenue.

[mic22]

The real question is: how many hours/week do kids play football in Australia vs. any other "developed" football country?
No point blaming the FFA when there is a lack of players quality with a clear cause: kids don't get to play enough football.
If we think 45 minutes/week for about 25 weeks/year is enough... we should think again.
It's a cultural problem, I know. I used to play football at least 1 hr/day, and it wasn't structured training. And I was never a football player!!! That's just the way it is... you play with the older kids, learn from them, develop your skills, repeat... that's what happens in the streets, parks, schools, everywheres, of South America, Europe, Africa. Now look at these national teams and what they achieve on the world stage, the amount of quality players they produce.
I know, they don't have the competition from NRL and AFL, but there are other important sports in "football" countries too.
FFA is a problem, but they can't change a culture.

[Bremsstrahlung]

1. Anybody that won’t be around to play in 2022, clear em out.

2. As a collective we need to create our own “style”, we can’t out holland the Dutch, we can’t out Brazil the Brazilians and South Americans. We have to develop something that suits our attributes.
Which is the challenging part in some ways. To create this we may sacrifice some of our pragmatic results. That in some ways was a strength of our qualification, being able to grind out 1 goal wins and draw. What we lacked was fire and flair. We are so mechanical. But to switch it up, we might lose a few of those games.

Personally, I want a creative team that will attack. All these players aren’t stupid, they’ve all played this game enough to know when there is a need to be pragmatic, when to go backwards, when to keep possession. They know this. But this shouldn’t be option a, b and c. I was watching Sweden with a few similarities. I don’t think they are a brilliant squad, they have a few players playing EPL or top divisions. When they get the ball they lump it forward and win their battles. In defence they are compact and solid. On the counter they are quick as, and when they are under pressure their backs clear it and somehow they end up in a good position. They have a handy forward, similar build to Juric, big and tall. But he does a whole lot more for them.

You know what, it was actually a bit exciting watching Arzani take defenders on. Even though I knew he was gonna fake left and cut across the box each time, at least he drove into the box.

Go back to a basic 4-4-2.

Was the tournament a failure? I’m gonna say yes. But a lot of the negativity is because we played well against France and Denmark, everyone had raised hopes that we could get a win over Peru. The same Peru that is ranked Top 15. A lot of people underestimated them. They are a strong team.

Pre tournament I thought we’d snag a draw against France, beat Denmark and lose to Peru.

[Couscous]

I've been studying a few newspaper columns on this topic, and have come to the conclusion that we shouldn't bother with soccer any more because it's too hard.

[plague]

we can’t out holland the Dutch, we can’t out Brazil the Brazilians and South Americans. We have to develop something that suits our attributes.

whilst not a direct shot at you Brem, im always fascinated by comments like this.

Can you explain to me why in fact we cant, 'out Brazil the Brazillians'?

because we can, but unless we believe we can, we never will.

[Bremsstrahlung]

whilst not a direct shot at you Brem, im always fascinated by comments like this.

Can you explain to me why in fact we cant, 'out Brazil the Brazillians'?

because we can, but unless we believe we can, we never will.

Idk, I just think football philosophy comes and goes in waves.
By copying somebody else’s blueprint we are already behind the 8 ball.
Everyone thought Tikka Takka was the future.
Now we see a high press, high intensity game.
Before, we saw a possession based style which was based on, they can’t score without the ball.


I’m just saying we need to kind of stop this “curriculum” of 4-3-3 the Holland way.
Educate coaches who will educate players. If a player plays under a few coaches, hopefully he or she can learn different ways and attributes from each style. Each manager or coach has their preferred style or what they think works best.


Sure, we can copy Brazilian style and tactics but as a few others have suggested, their success is largely due to the fact football is a way of life, not a sport.

[plague]

Idk, I just think football philosophy comes and goes in waves.
By copying somebody else’s blueprint we are already behind the 8 ball.
Everyone thought Tikka Takka was the future.
Now we see a high press, high intensity game.
Before, we saw a possession based style which was based on, they can’t score without the ball.


I’m just saying we need to kind of stop this “curriculum” of 4-3-3 the Holland way.
Educate coaches who will educate players. If a player plays under a few coaches, hopefully he or she can learn different ways and attributes from each style. Each manager or coach has their preferred style or what they think works best.


Sure, we can copy Brazilian style and tactics but as a few others have suggested, their success is largely due to the fact football is a way of life, not a sport.

I'm not even talking about tactics.
I'm more talking about individual skill level.

There's absolutely no reason why we cant produce players with same technical ability of Neymar, Basquets, Messi etc.

This SAP program is at least trying to point in that direction.

Prob is (and it will come as no shock) that some clubs are neglecting the blueprint in favour of doing what they can to 'win' games on the weekend.

It's no surprise that the 4 strongest teams in the program all train at the Speers pt facility on the same day doing the same drills under the watchful eye of coaching instructors.

At least half the kids signed up to the program are already behind the 8 ball due to lack of effort on the part of their clubs.

It's frustrating to see.

[Macca]

I'm not even talking about tactics.
I'm more talking about individual skill level.

There's absolutely no reason why we cant produce players with same technical ability of Neymar, Basquets, Messi etc.

This SAP program is at least trying to point in that direction.

Prob is (and it will come as no shock) that some clubs are neglecting the blueprint in favour of doing what they can to 'win' games on the weekend.

It's no surprise that the 4 strongest teams in the program all train at the Speers pt facility on the same day doing the same drills under the watchful eye of coaching instructors.

At least half the kids signed up to the program are already behind the 8 ball due to lack of effort on the part of their clubs.

It's frustrating to see.

The other thing along these lines that people bagging out the "dutch" method are missing is that (at least from my perspective), the point in these youth teams isn't to pass backwards all day and always play safe so you don't lose - its to teach the players how to be comfortable and confident in possession of the ball. Yes, many teams are successful without ever developing this, and find it easier to lump it forward and create physical battles. But if you create an environment where the players value possession and try to play with the ball, you encourage them to improve those technical skills and actually become skillful players, rather than just fast or strong blokes who kick a ball when they have to.

[MFKS]

There's absolutely no reason why we cant produce players with same technical ability of Neymar, Basquets, Messi etc.




I not going to argue with you on this point but I going to peel back what you just said and ask you another question based on it

Obviously your Neymars Messis etc have a high degree of techincal skills etc obviously producing this is hard takes a lot to fall into place etc

Why though can we not produce "world class" defenders and DMs??

The skills needed to be a Maldini or a Cannavarro or a Kante or Makele etc are not technical unlike Messi Neymar etc

So why in ****sname are we producing Milligans Mooys Jedinaks and Boogaards??

[plague]

Why though can we not produce "world class" defenders and DMs??

The skills needed to be a Maldini or a Cannavarro or a Kante or Makele etc are not technical unlike Messi Neymar etc

So why in ****sname are we producing Milligans Mooys Jedinaks and Boogaards??

Yeah this is a very good and valid point.

I'd def agree that defending requires more 'coaching' re:positioning and technique.

I'd also point to bloke like Pique and Marcello who's technique and ability on the ball are as good as anyone on the planet.
I'd also never be persuaded from thinking that blokes like Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo could play in the backline of any major team with ease (attitude notwithstanding).

This SAP program is all about developing their 1st touch. That is the first 2nd and 3rd priority.
Theory is that once kids are confident on the ball,they can be positioned anywhere and 'coached' what to do from there (from age 12 onwards).

Messi's goal against Nigeria was nothing more than 3 steps of the 'home program' we all did as kids.
Thigh touch.
Top of the foot touch.
Side foot finish.

Every kid 'can' do that if they practice it enough. These top players dont have special powers.

I can dig that approach.

[MFKS]

Yeah this is a very good and valid point.

I'd def agree that defending requires more 'coaching' re:positioning and technique.

I'd also point to bloke like Pique and Marcello who's technique and ability on the ball are as good as anyone on the planet.
I'd also never be persuaded from thinking that blokes like Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo could play in the backline of any major team with ease (attitude notwithstanding).

This SAP program is all about developing their 1st touch. That is the first 2nd and 3rd priority.
Theory is that once kids are confident on the ball,they can be positioned anywhere and 'coached' what to do from there (from age 12 onwards).

Messi's goal against Nigeria was nothing more than 3 steps of the 'home program' we all did as kids.
Thigh touch.
Top of the foot touch.
Side foot finish.

Every kid 'can' do that if they practice it enough. These top players dont have special powers.

I can dig that approach.

That being said Marcelo and Pique to me aint that great at the pure art of defending

Yes they very good on the ball actually they exceptional for their positions and playing for NTs and clubs they do they both dont have to defend that much anyway

Put them in shit sides and their defending doesnt stand up enough

You can be a World class defender without really being a world beater on the ball anyway

Vidic Baresi Terry Maldini Chiellini etc

None of them were Xavi Iniesta like on the ball


So our coaching system of this skill acquisition shit is flawed

Yes it will help to create better players in the 7 9 10 11 roles

But it is actually doing **** all at creating World class defenders and DMs and Keepers

By my thinking that is 7 positions that there is no realistic reason why we can not have world class players in

That is 65% of a team FFS


You have a look at the goals the Socceroos conceded in the WC

Nearrly all through basic incompetence on some level
Nearly all we had 5/6 blokes back yet allowed 1/2 players to violate us how they seen fit


No real excuses as to why we continue to be so poor in these areas

[plague]

That being said Marcelo and Pique to me aint that great at the pure art of defending


yeah but what is 'the pure art' of defending?

i think the strategy is to produce footballers, who then get adapted into positions, rather than concentrating a 9 year old into being a lumbering oaf.

All of these squads are made up of the best kids in the kickaround comp anyway, they were all the kids who could weave through everyone and score. through natural selection some have had to play in defense. because at training, there is generally an even better kid who can score goals.

trust me those kids are pretty quick to decide if they wanna go back and score 20 goals a game in shits and giggles or adapt to a different position in a much better environment.

[MFKS]

yeah but what is 'the pure art' of defending?

i think the strategy is to produce footballers, who then get adapted into positions, rather than concentrating a 9 year old into being a lumbering oaf.

All of these squads are made up of the best kids in the kickaround comp anyway, they were all the kids who could weave through everyone and score. through natural selection some have had to play in defense. because at training, there is generally an even better kid who can score goals.

trust me those kids are pretty quick to decide if they wanna go back and score 20 goals a game in shits and giggles or adapt to a different position in a much better environment.

Pure art of defending

By that i mean the artform of defending


Marcelo is a great attacking weapon as a Fullback

Defensively though I wouldnt say he was great serviceable at best

His defending isnt getting him selected though is it??


This idea to produce footballers who can adapt is where we are going wrong

This is why people.put Jacob Pepper at RB and Turn Hoffman into a RB bacause he shit up front etc
It doesnt really work

Look at the HAL sides

Right Back isnt a position we should have problem filling from the 9 clubs

Best we can come up with is Josh Risdon FFS


If Georgevski hadnt been capped by Macos he walks into aWC


This is one reason we struggle

Pick players appropriately by there skills at 14/15/16 and get them into their position

Not try making something out of one when they 20/22 years old and not working out at HAL level

[StannyCFCJET]

Pure art of defending

By that i mean the artform of defending


Marcelo is a great attacking weapon as a Fullback

Defensively though I wouldnt say he was great serviceable at best

His defending isnt getting him selected though is it??


This idea to produce footballers who can adapt is where we are going wrong

This is why people.put Jacob Pepper at RB and Turn Hoffman into a RB bacause he shit up front etc
It doesnt really work

Look at the HAL sides

Right Back isnt a position we should have problem filling from the 9 clubs

Best we can come up with is Josh Risdon FFS


If Georgevski hadnt been capped by Macos he walks into aWC


This is one reason we struggle

Pick players appropriately by there skills at 14/15/16 and get them into their position

Not try making something out of one when they 20/22 years old and not working out at HAL level

Hoffman is a good Aleague RB though

[MFKS]

Hoffman is a good Aleague RB though

When we are sending Josh Risdon to a WC on the basis he is better than the likes of Hoffman then you are only just reiterating my point

It isnt good enough

[Captain Obvious]

Pure art of defending

By that i mean the artform of defending



Hello to you as well.

[380]

Hoffman is a good Aleague RB though

No he is not, He played the best football of his entire HAL career away from that position. What more obvious evidence do you need than this past season to highlight that. Bloke is a average RB on a good day.

Too further add to that i would almost bet my left one that when the sheep shaggers from across the ditch came calling making an offer it would NOT have been with RB in mind based on what they had seen from him further up the park.

[StannyCFCJET]

No he is not, He played the best football of his entire HAL career away from that position. What more obvious evidence do you need than this past season to highlight that. Bloke is a average RB on a good day.

Too further add to that i would almost bet my left one that when the sheep shaggers from across the ditch came calling making an offer it would NOT have been with RB in mind based on what they had seen from him further up the park.

Ive seen enough to stick to my opinion so no point continuing this argument

[MFKS]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos/adam-peacock-why-be-the-biggest-if-you-cant-be-the-best/news-story/486bf7cfdad041cb4919db7da9dcb75d

[Bremsstrahlung]

Good article.
Fox got Arzani in the team, maybe they can get some good systems in play.

[MFKS]

Good article.
Fox got Arzani in the team, maybe they can get some good systems in play.

Fox also got Ange to quit qnd Arnie into NT manager

If they could go after Lowy and Gallop and rid us of thgem and get promotion and relegation happening they be on track

[plague]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/football/socceroos/adam-peacock-why-be-the-biggest-if-you-cant-be-the-best/news-story/486bf7cfdad041cb4919db7da9dcb75d

FINALLY!!!!!!!

Captain Obvious' identity is revealed.

[Jetmaster]

We are starting to see the results of this "play for fun" mentality.
Kids don't know how to win and can't understand adversity in this new age.

[The Dunster]

We are starting to see the results of this "play for fun" mentality.
Kids don't know how to win and can't understand adversity in this new age.

True - Though I wouldn't like to see it go back to how it was when I played either with no yellow cards and pretty much free licence to do whatever was required to get the win.
But I also think it was under those conditions that we learned how to tough it out.
Technically we were shit compared to kids today - even the lower division kids these days were better than rep players from my day as far as dribbling / ball control goes.
All we really had over them was being mentally stronger. We didn't get rattled / upset as easily and when we did we would take out an opposition player in a calculated way more so than simply lose the plot like you see these days.

[MFKS]

We are starting to see the results of this "play for fun" mentality.
Kids don't know how to win and can't understand adversity in this new age.

It is also evident in the kids coming through the system trying to make it as professional footballers

Reality it us a dog eat dog world for them.

The HAL clubs are not producing kids with sufficient spine for a fight

You can see this when the kids fall back to the NPL system
You just dont see enough of them come back and dominate

They may have the skills but they dont have the fight and work rate required

HAL clubs are failing to produce enough players coming through as they treat it as a joke

[plague]

We are starting to see the results of this "play for fun" mentality.
Kids don't know how to win and can't understand adversity in this new age.

i nea is there any sort of evidence to support this theory.

because it sounds fairly selective.

and i think they said that about the 'generation x kids' (they were all slackers.
and the Gen Y kids (they were all entitled).
and now they are saying it about those dang Millenials.

successful people gonna be successful, in all walks of life.
ill def concede the definition of success has changed, but thats generally on the individual to aim for.

[plague]

They may have the skills but they dont have the fight and work rate required

HAL clubs are failing to produce enough players coming through as they treat it as a joke

agian, going back to the SAP program. winning, and scores and results arent recorded by the association.
the reason behind this is that once again, as 9 year olds, their first touch and basic football skills are paramount.
the classic example is one club in particular having a reputation within the coaches of being overly physical and direct. this club wins many games but the football is garbage and the kids will get found out sooner rather than later.

now, having said that.

EVERY coach in the program is keeping score, EVERY kid is keeping score during the games, and they are desperately playing to win.
its no surprise though that the 4 best performing clubs in every metric so far have been winning the majority of their games, and developing a style of play that is really cool to watch. but in my observation I've never heard one coach from the 4 clubs EVER talk to their team mid match about if they were winning or losing.

people who want to do this for a living wont need any help developing the attitude to want to win.
the hope is that when they get that attitude, they have the skills and knowledge to do something about it.

[The Dunster]

agian, going back to the SAP program. winning, and scores and results arent recorded by the association.
the reason behind this is that once again, as 9 year olds, their first touch and basic football skills are paramount.
the classic example is one club in particular having a reputation within the coaches of being overly physical and direct. this club wins many games but the football is garbage and the kids will get found out sooner rather than later.

now, having said that.

EVERY coach in the program is keeping score, EVERY kid is keeping score during the games, and they are desperately playing to win.
its no surprise though that the 4 best performing clubs in every metric so far have been winning the majority of their games, and developing a style of play that is really cool to watch. but in my observation I've never heard one coach from the 4 clubs EVER talk to their team mid match about if they were winning or losing.

people who want to do this for a living wont need any help developing the attitude to want to win.
the hope is that when they get that attitude, they have the skills and knowledge to do something about it.

Most people don't really change attitude / personality wise after the ages of eight or nine years of age. So it's probably best to get the thinking / mentality right early otherwise it rarely develops later on.
Skills wise - you really don't need to do it that early be it sports, musical instruments... whatever. Muscle memory can be developed easily enough well into and beyond your teens. Changing peoples attitudes / personalities though is very difficult if not impossible even with early teens.

All the technical efficiency in the world doesn't mean shit if you don't think like a winner - and most of these academy kids - especially the ones who over compensate with the skills / technical stuff can be very easily sorted out.
What eventuates is they become too reliant upon a system / network around them and when they have to face adversity they essentially shit themselves.

There are exceptions but it's rare - I'm not limiting this to football either.

[MFKS]

agian, going back to the SAP program. winning, and scores and results arent recorded by the association.
the reason behind this is that once again, as 9 year olds, their first touch and basic football skills are paramount.
the classic example is one club in particular having a reputation within the coaches of being overly physical and direct. this club wins many games but the football is garbage and the kids will get found out sooner rather than later.

now, having said that.

EVERY coach in the program is keeping score, EVERY kid is keeping score during the games, and they are desperately playing to win.
its no surprise though that the 4 best performing clubs in every metric so far have been winning the majority of their games, and developing a style of play that is really cool to watch. but in my observation I've never heard one coach from the 4 clubs EVER talk to their team mid match about if they were winning or losing.

people who want to do this for a living wont need any help developing the attitude to want to win.
the hope is that when they get that attitude, they have the skills and knowledge to do something about it.

Disagree you want to see this non competitve attitude then go watch the EJ play and see how this shit attitude manifests

Those kids have the talent. That isnt in dispute
When they play well and get on top they tend to win well

When the opposition gets into the game. They dont have the fight in them to suceed

That why they lose

It also why so many of them are failing to break through into the HAL

They are not being taught how to win
They are not being taught how to scrap
They are not being taught how to fight

They are proof that being a winner ls ingrained in you at a young age and this no score crap doesnt work

[Bremsstrahlung]

Few questions for those with kiddies.

1. What age does SAP stop? At what age is it full field?
2. Do SAP teams train?
3. What do you have to do to coach SAP?
4. At what age do kids start being “selected” or graded

[plague]

Few questions for those with kiddies.

1. What age does SAP stop? At what age is it full field?
2. Do SAP teams train?
3. What do you have to do to coach SAP?
4. At what age do kids start being “selected” or graded

1. SAP is a new program introduced this year starting at U/9. Each club has 2 teams of 9 players. The reasons for the new program are varied and boring, but there was a lot of emphasis on making the clubs responsible for the kids instead of these satellite programs that cost parents a lot of money and are more ingrained in the politics of the system. SAP is supposed to be the program implemented each year at U/9 and taken all the way through to kids make 1st grade NBN level. The best players along the way will get funnelled into the emerging Jets and hopefully to higher honours. At the moment its 7 players on the park (using a half pitch). It is a bit unclear when they go to full field, but either 10's or 11's each club merges their teams into one full squad of 16/17 players and goes full field.

2. SAP teams train 2 x a week. Once at their home ground and once at the 5 a side facility at Speers Pt. At Speers pt each team has its own court and the NNSW/FFA coaches are there to observe the coaching technique of the kids. The drills the kids do are all the same for each team and emphasis is placed on getting the coaches doing it correctly and passing down the correct knowledge. The NNSW coaches are really approachable to give feedback to the parents about the system. Ive been impressed.

3. This is the big difference in performance so far. Our club has 2 ex-players (high level) coaching. they take it very seriously and are on the ball with the cirriculum and their implementation of it. there are def times where their old school instinct disagrees with whats being done, but they always defer to the program. They are both doing extra seminars (as well as the FFA mandated stuff) to better themselves. Plague Jnr is def lucky to have those blokes in charge. Other teams out there have a bunch of dads doing their best and its pretty sad. Id hate to be a parent seeing the lack of effort on the part of some clubs. its frustrating.

4. The kids in SAP are pulled from each clubs pool of existing juniors, and any other kids of that age that want to trial. Trials were held back in August and our club had about 120 kids show up. Some kids trialled at a bunch of clubs in order to get a spot. So some were selected but then declined as they had a 'better offer'. I think all of our kids ended up being from the clubs junior program. Our club has vowed to keep it local but at the end of this season (september) trials will start again for U/10's and it will be interesting to see if the club wants to sign 'better' players or remain loyal. there a re 4 strong clubs in Newcastle and without doubt the best kids from the 'lesser' clubs will come trial with the big clubs. It will def bring the talent into a more concentrated area, which has good and bad connotations.

[The Dunster]

Plague. Are the trials free entry?

[plague]

Plague. Are the trials free entry?

Yes.

[Hunter403]

Our club got a SAP licence. We don't have juniors within the club.

Our first trial attracted 2 kids.

We advertised and I personally visited 15 primary schools to drop off flyers the week prior to our second trial (fresh in the mind).

Our second trial attracted 9 kids.

I begged NNSW Football for help in approaching other clubs and emailing every under 8 kid from the season before. They have the database to do this. The result was that our licence was revoked.

There are similar stories at other Premier clubs.

I am sure that there are dozens of kids out there that missed out with their club that we could have helped improve but they never got to trial with us.

We will apply again this year and do all we can to recruit.

If any of you know kids that might be interested PM me. If your club has a SAP squad but good kids that aren't in it but are good enough, PM me. Advance the kids, don't hang on to them.

NNSW could essfully email every under 8 kid with every SAP trial date so a larger catchment is informed.

[MFKS]

Nice to see Robbie Slater teeing off at Schwab and the PFA on Twitter about the obscene amount of money the Socceroos are getting

[Jeterpool]

Nice to see Robbie Slater teeing off at Schwab and the PFA on Twitter about the obscene amount of money the Socceroos are getting

Robbie is a bit bored this off season

[Bremsstrahlung]

In Norway at the moment and made it my goal to visit this pitch.
When I got there, at maybe 3:30 in the afternoon the place was packed. They’ve got goals all along the side, artificial pitch, anybody can use it. Their little island would be home to no more than 500.
Yet, they have this facility which would put a lot of our suburban fields to shame.
Waited til people left and took my drone up.

https://ibb.co/kAEpGd

[MFKS]

In Norway at the moment and made it my goal to visit this pitch.
When I got there, at maybe 3:30 in the afternoon the place was packed. They’ve got goals all along the side, artificial pitch, anybody can use it. Their little island would be home to no more than 500.
Yet, they have this facility which would put a lot of our suburban fields to shame.
Waited til people left and took my drone up.

https://ibb.co/kAEpGd

Fantastic that they can have that

Compare that with NNSW

2 artificial pitches and a handful of 5 a side fields which are closed to the public for free useage and just a cash cow for Northern to fund their entourage of staff


So exactly why have none of the NNSW NPL clubs gone for the artificial pitches
Sydney NPL it pretty much 90% have them

Akso why have Northern not went cap in hgand to givernmemt again to replicate thge LMRFF somewhere else whether that be Newy Maitland Taree Coffs Harbour etc??

[plague]

Fantastic that they can have that

Compare that with NNSW

2 artificial pitches and a handful of 5 a side fields which are closed to the public for free useage and just a cash cow for Northern to fund their entourage of staff


So exactly why have none of the NNSW NPL clubs gone for the artificial pitches
Sydney NPL it pretty much 90% have them

Akso why have Northern not went cap in hgand to givernmemt again to replicate thge LMRFF somewhere else whether that be Newy Maitland Taree Coffs Harbour etc??

again, this new program has the kids playing on 1st grade grounds all across the Hunter. They play all their games (except one venue)on carpet surfaces. Magic Park, Edden oval, the Jets facility out at Lakes.
Again, not sure if previous years its been done like that but it was a big selling point, and the one time they have to play on the shitty ground you can tell the differnce it makes in their football.

Top quality grounds are such an important part, and my word one of those venues up the valley should be a priority, as well as a 2nd one closer to the centre of Newy (district park tennis courts, part of the National Park area perhaps?).

[Bremsstrahlung]

This pitch was open to everyone. Could drive right up to the field and probably around it, onto it even.
It’s in pristine condition.
Not sure if they could do something like that in Newcastle without it being destroyed by people. Would obviously need to be fenced off and controlled.

But yes. I know there’s questions about the quality of artificial pitches and the effects on the body.
But yes, I agree. It would be great if Macquarie, Newcastle and Hunter Valley all had one facility.


When I played, our club hired a top class surface for training once a week. And even the quality of training on such a good surface was so much better.

Idk.
Seem like this SAP is a good step forward.
Are these only NPL clubs with SAP licenses??

[Hunter403]

NPL and NEWFM

[MFKS]

So serious question

Why do these coaching courses cost the individual money and why are they not free from the FFA??

After all if you want people to essentially volunteer their time and expertise to teach plkayers skills tactics technique etc to make them better footballers

Why do the FFA see educatinbg coaches as a profit motive business rather than a free education system to educate the football public??

[Bremsstrahlung]

I think beginner coaching should 100% be free. Parents educating young players is paramount and I seem to remember my junior club offering free coaching clinic day for the parents that wanted to coach. That was ages ago.

I guess, devils advocate, they charge because their course allows people to make money.
Same premise if university costing money. Same reason doctors pay thousands to attend conferences that help them treat patients better.

I’d be interested so see pricing structure for courses though..

[MFKS]

I think beginner coaching should 100% be free. Parents educating young players is paramount and I seem to remember my junior club offering free coaching clinic day for the parents that wanted to coach. That was ages ago.

I guess, devils advocate, they charge because their course allows people to make money.
Same premise if university costing money. Same reason doctors pay thousands to attend conferences that help them treat patients better.

I’d be interested so see pricing structure for courses though..

Go one better

It should be 100% free at all levels

It is just the passing on of knowledge about the game

They aint providing anything that is top secret or patented


The more education we can get into people is only going to help us immensely

To limit the supply of this knowledge to make profit is negligence and criminal

[late_to_the_game]

Our club got a SAP licence. We don't have juniors within the club.

Our first trial attracted 2 kids.

We advertised and I personally visited 15 primary schools to drop off flyers the week prior to our second trial (fresh in the mind).

Our second trial attracted 9 kids.

I begged NNSW Football for help in approaching other clubs and emailing every under 8 kid from the season before. They have the database to do this. The result was that our licence was revoked.

There are similar stories at other Premier clubs.

I am sure that there are dozens of kids out there that missed out with their club that we could have helped improve but they never got to trial with us.

We will apply again this year and do all we can to recruit.

If any of you know kids that might be interested PM me. If your club has a SAP squad but good kids that aren't in it but are good enough, PM me. Advance the kids, don't hang on to them.

NNSW could essfully email every under 8 kid with every SAP trial date so a larger catchment is informed.

I have been asking NNSW to do the same thing to help make sure the girls who are passionate about their football find their way to the WPL 14's and 17's - but no luck after 3 years of trying....

[plague]

I have been asking NNSW to do the same thing to help make sure the girls who are passionate about their football find their way to the WPL 14's and 17's - but no luck after 3 years of trying....

Our club has a development program for girls U/9's this year.

Not sure if it was part of the same FFA boys program or if its club specific but there's def clubs out there trying to get the girls firing..

[belchardo]

oh god, we are rooted. arnold to ruin two generations at the same time by coaching the Socceroos and the U-23s national team

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/08/09/arnold-unveils-new-socceroos-coaching-team-announces-he-will-also-coach-the-ollyroos/

[Bon]

oh god, we are rooted. arnold to ruin two generations at the same time by coaching the Socceroos and the U-23s national team

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/08/09/arnold-unveils-new-socceroos-coaching-team-announces-he-will-also-coach-the-ollyroos/

Yeah.. I thought it was a horrible joke..
It's not..

[Negative Police]

Dykes a big loss to Australia

Dominant in the air, tireless in his application and deft in possession, the Gold Coast-born attacker was the embodiment of a modern-day target man as Scotland defeated Serbia on penalties yesterday in Belgrade to reach their first major tournament in 22 lean years.
Legendary Rangers and Scotland striker Kenny Miller, now assistant to Carl Robinson at Western Sydney Wanderers, believes Dykes is the answer to Clarke’s prayers and has made the number nine spot his own.

He also believes the forward he recommended to his friend, Queens Park Rangers coach Mark Warburton, is the one that got away for Australia.
“Dykes is physical, quick and mobile - and puts himself about,” said Miller.
“He’s quickly made that spot in the Scotland team his own, and it’s a position that’s been crying out for somebody to take by the scruff of the neck.
“He’s a handful all around and gives you that option to go direct, whilst also being a technically good footballer.
“It’s a loss for Australia for sure but it’s also important not to heap too much pressure on him so early in his international career, and portray him as a kind of saviour.
“I’m sure Australia would love to have him but these things happen - he had a big decision to make and now it’s boosted his profile and given himself the chance to show what he can do on a world stage.”

Arnold and Meulensteen were convinced Dykes, 25, had a foot in the Socceroos camp until his switch to the Championship, with a change of heart kicking in when he arrived at Loftus Road from Livingston before the start of the season on a $4 million deal.
Miller, who scored 18 goals in 69 appearances for Scotland, isn’t convinced the QPR move sealed the deal in terms of opting for Scotland, the land of Dykes’ parents and extended family.
“Who knows?” he added. “But I suspect the decision was purely down to him (and nothing to do with pressure from QPR to limit the long distance involved in representing Australia).
“He’s shown he can take that step (with three goals in nine games) and now he’s proving he can also do it at international level.
“He’s at the stage of his career now where you don’t know where he’s going to end up.”
Dykes now has group games against Czech Republic, England and Croatia to look forward to at Euro 2021, with two of those at Hampden Park.
And Dykes, who has scored twice so far for his adopted country, will be back in action again as group leaders Scotland tackle Slovakia in the Nations League on Monday (AEDT).
He revealed how hard it was to make the call after the Serbia game, saying that choosing Australia would have been “taking the easy route”.
“It was really hard," he told the BBC. “You look at Australia as an easy route really. You can go to World Cups, you can qualify for things easier, just stuff like that.
"A lot of their players … I’m looking at their teams, I’m looking at my career, I’m looking at my opportunity to play.
"So, at the end of the day I kind of went with my gut feeling and my heart.
“I know I was born in Australia but I think from the get-go I was always saying Scotland in my head and even in my gut.
"I said to my wife and said 'Scotland', and she said 'are you sure?', and I said 'yeah'. We went back and forth.
"So it was a really hard decision but it’s something I do not regret one bit because I’ve loved every moment of it.
"Being in Australia I had opportunities to play professional but I always got turned down. I always was not good enough for this and that and then obviously coming over here it gave me my whole career."

Aussies ever have any idea?