Coach Education: Changing for the better?

It has been mooted for a while now that the shape of coach education is set to change in major ways. Exactly how it would change it wasn't easy to say, but it was quite clear that different courses and pathways are to become more 'aligned'.

After attending a CPD (Continuous Professional Development) event last Monday - based around the FA Youth award - we were given a snippet of how it was going to look come the end of 2016. Coach education is set to become more modular, and set in blocks. For example - the Level 1 Football could be block one, while the Level 2, Youth Modules 1 + 2 could fall into block two. We weren't given the exact or full detail, but you get the picture!

Equally, the way in which candidates will be assessed is changing. You do get the feeling that the Football Association want to move away from the old school, high-pressure assessments. Back in August I attended a UEFA B assessment day and the tension was immediately obvious. This was very much make or break for some people, they had a lot riding on completing this qualification.

It was not at all nice to see that pressure affecting people. There were sighs of relief for those who weren't to be assessed that day. They didn't feel ready whatsoever. And while it didn't put me off applying for the course - it made me consider if I was ready just yet. To hear that the form of assessment was to become more competency based pleased me.

There will of course be those who disagree, of the belief that this might water down the courses and make them easier. But there are good coaches out there who are let down by the system currently in place. They need support, not rejection.

The brilliant candidates on the recent Futsal Level 2 course!

I was able to see this in full flow last weekend as I completed the FA Futsal Level 2 course. My own session went swimmingly and I passed well. There was a great mix of people from various backgrounds on the course but for a couple of candidates there was an obvious language barrier and this had become evident in their assessed topics. I don't think any of us doubted their knowledge of Futsal, in fact one was a truly excellent player! It was simply a case of articulating this knowledge through their coaching.

Rather than failing those that hadn't quite ticked all the boxes there and then, they were given the support they needed to be able to pass the course. They were asked questions to check their knowledge and offered another opportunity to demonstrate that in their session. They passed.

Is there really anything wrong with that? Shouldn't the tutors, the coach educators, be doing just that? To their credit the tutors on my course were brilliant.

The direction the education of coaches is going in is a positive one - and social media does a good job of highlighting this. Coaches can interact, learn off of each other and network.

I hope that this new approach will be welcomed and that the Football Association will update us accordingly. What is needed most is transparency to not allow any confusion over the changes.

One thing is for sure - times are changing, don't fall behind!

Why English Football needs the Rooney Rule

"There is a hidden resistance."

The words of Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the professional footballers' association, on the lack of black and ethnic minority coaches in english football.

The debate around the 'Rooney Rule', a rule that was initially implemented in the NFL in 2003, has been a subject of much debate in England in recent years. 

Will Chris Ramsey find it difficult
to find another managerial role?

While the debate rattles on, the stats do not improve. Only this month Chris Powell and Chris Ramsey were sacked in the same day by Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers respectively. This reduced the number of black asian and ethnic minority head coaches by a third, to just four in the professional leagues. The timing of these two sackings was rather unfortunate, but while around 25% percent of players are black asian and ethnic minority males they make up under 4% of professional coaches. 

Surely that evidences that for whatever the reason be there is a problem in english football? 

And even for those who consider a rule that supports representation to be 'positive discrimination', it would also address the serious issue of the hiring and firing rate that football currently has. 

Nineteen managers in the football league have already been sacked, meaning nearly a fifth of the clubs have already experienced a managerial change. And there will be more, plenty more. 

The problem that must really be tackled though is the lack of a systematic process for appointing a head coach or manager. If a practice was implemented where clubs were asked to interview black and ethnic minority candidate, it would actually be urging the club to actually stop and think about a major decision at a large organisation.

These decisions affect a huge amount of people and I think that can be easily overlooked.

Gary Bowyer the latest casualty of the ridiculous
hiring and firing nature of English football

A massive misconception of the Rooney Rule is that it is a quota. It simply asks that a QUALIFIED candidate from a black and ethnic minority candidate is INTERVIEWED. Not hired - interviewed. 

Such a rule would mean all clubs would be required to have a professional, thought out interview process. This is clearly not the case at many clubs. How often do you see clubs sack a manager, only to replace them a day later? While this might be seen as forward planning, it also blocks the opportunity for promising coaches to apply and make their case in front of chairmen of football clubs.

And for those that are still against the idea and think that the issue is non-existent, a transparent process such as this one would surely, if they are right, prove that there is not a problem of discrimination?

But as long as managers such as Dean Saunders (three relegations in his last three jobs) and Neil Warnock continue to be offered jobs based on after dinner speeches and who they play golf with, you are going to find it difficult to convince me that this is not a pressing issue. 

I look forward to hearing the thoughts of those who have an opinion on the matter. Please feel free to comment below if you would like to debate the matter further!

Central venue leagues: the way forward for grassroots football?

Starting up a grassroots football club is difficult (and then running it is pretty tough too!). There are so many considerations to take into account such as; insurance, affiliation, attracting players and finding volunteers amongst many.

Another challenge is finding a suitable home venue. One where a club can provide a pitch for all it's teams if required on one day. In the modern day it is rather difficult to find that kind of space and furthermore, if such a place exists it is unlikely that one club can have access to all the pitches just for themselves.

Hackney Marshes was - and still is - a great venue for football

So when the grassroots club that I work with in London looked to address this problem, a league in East London provided the solution. All games in this league were held at one venue with the pitch and referee part of the package.

For clubs who struggle with the logistics of arranging home and away matches at the weekend, this eradicates that issue completely. And for those who do not have a coach per age group, it allows them to travel from game to game with relative ease.

This year I have been coaching with an under sevens side in the Southampton area. The league they are in have a similar system but play the games on an astro turf pitch. They are able to run three games simultaneously, with each game filling roughly an hour slot. This runs most of the day on the Sunday so it allows plenty of teams to play football on a quality surface where games are also significantly less likely to be called off. And what's more, there is a great atmosphere about the place (below is a picture of the first thing you see when you arrive).

A great sign to see entering the pitches
in a youth league in Southampton

If this became a more common system across the country it could become a real positive for scouts and people working in talent identification. I mentioned in a previous blog that scouts appear more prominently at summer tournaments and I would imagine this is because they have access to more players in one place, saving them valuable time and money.  At central venue leagues this would be of a similar advantage for them to witness young players in a competitive, realistic environment during the season.

With the Football Association planning to create one hundred additional astro turf pitches over the next four years, when organisations and football clubs look to secure funding for these pitches a case for their proposal could be to have a grassroots youth league playing their on the weekend. This would provide evidence for it being financially sustainable, in addition to the potential stream of money that would come from the hundreds of people that will be there who may want to buy tea, coffee, hot food etc.

I hope that this can become a more common sight. I have seen so many stories of clubs having to fold and this could be one mechanism that can help to reduce that occuring so often. There is a real possibility I believe for creating a system that can be easily organised nation wide which would begin to improve and bring together the grassroots football community!

English colleges system playing it's part?

Playing football everyday is an unbelievable privilege.

I was fortunate enough to be on a sixth form programme where I trained four times a week, sandwiching in a game on Wednesdays, and played to a good standard as well.  Once you reach sixteen it is very easy to stop playing football entirely so the idea of increasing your playing opportunities is incredibly enticing. What better way is there to spend two or three years of your life, than doing something you love?

Me (central behind ball) playing at Birmingham
City's training ground

The sixth form course I enrolled on (a BTEC Level 3 Diploma) led me on to my university course, while I also had access to complete other qualifications that I could add to my CV and improve my skills for working in the football industry. Whats more, I had some amazing experiences (overnight away trips, tour abroad, visiting academies) that I will hold with me for the rest of my life and made me a better person for them. It was fascinating to see the change in people you met at sixteen that I saw a completely different person in them two or three years later.

There are people I now know, and I am sure this is the case elsewhere too, that have been afforded the opportunity to go to university that a few years back the thought may not even have slightly attracted them. Even though I am a fairly academic person, I was not sure myself what I could do or where I could go that would benefit me when asked about my next step.

Vardy - Stocksbridge Park Steels to England Senior team

Across the country now there are various similar programmes offering males and females leaving secondary school the opportunity to combine their studies with playing football and this system is producing some exceptional footballers out of it. From my course alone, Britt Assombalonga has now had millions of pounds spent on him by Nottingham Forest and Peterborough United. I was fortunate enough myself to play in an incredible team in my second year of my course, where we romped to the league title playing stunning football and scored over one hundred goals.

Players from that team are now at Huddersfield (on the bench for the first team just last week) and Sheffield United, whilst others have gone onto play in the USA, the Phillipines and Australia and a few more are fluttering around different non league sides, who I'm sure will get their break at some point. I have heard more stories of other sixth form programmes that have had players sign with professional clubs or go on trial with them, so it is clear this is the case nationwide rather than just a one off.

So not only is this system developing people through football, by offering the chances of social mobility, a better living, a career for these young men and women but it is also a structure that is helping to develop the game of football too. These courses can be seen as potential source of revenue for some clubs, or can improve their squad by finding players missed out by the talent identification system in this country, and believe me there are many.

We have already seen the rises of Charlie Austin and Jamie Vardy to the top level, so who is to say there will not be more late developers with a big impact?

Make this grassroots season your best yet!

As coaches, volunteers, officials and parents we will all be gearing up for the new season in grassroots football. Along the way there will be thrills, tears, highs, lows and most certainly rain. But we don’t ever regret it, do we?

I thought I would share some of the ways I hope we can make this year the best yet.

 Started on a positive note with the parents

Ask a coach or volunteer in children’s football about what pains them most during the season and quite often the response will be “parents”! But it doesn’t have to be that way. Reinforce the expected standards of behaviour and club values with a pre-season meeting. This can simply be after a training session, before the first game or at an organised event but doing this gives a clear and honest communication with the parents of the children at your club. And if you do have the parent who ‘knows the game’ or is living their dreams through their offspring, then the likelihood is that when they see the expectations you hold for them, they won’t stick around for too long.

     Create a safe and pressure free environment for the kids

Only when your players feel absolutely comfortable can you see their potential unfurl in front of you. Ever had the child who is fantastic in training who fails to produce come the match day. It is quite possible that they are feeling under pressure. Do you have a ‘win at all costs’ philosophy? Is there a rivalry between the two teams even before kick off? Are the sets of parents rowdy and expectant? Create a safe environment by reminding the children they are here to enjoy themselves and learn, encourage pre-match handshakes, install a respect barrier!

      Have you download the Kick It Out app?

This can lead on from my last point. Have you ever been at a game where you have seen an incident, involving a form of discrimination, that is simply unacceptable but you do not know whether to take action, or how to? As a player previously, in particular, and as a coach now I have experienced that feeling. These can appear at games or training sessions, and can be quite overt or come in more subtle forms. If you have not seen it already, the Kick it Out app has a report function, where you can make a complaint in a very concise and simple way. It also has the option to evidence your complaint with a photo or video attachment. Importantly, you can have complete confidentiality. The app covers ninety five percent of smartphones, so what is to lose by downloading the application? Discrimination is still rife in the game of football and we can help set an example in grassroots football that it will not be tolerated.

     Listen to the children!

Empowering and giving ownership can be a great way to inspire confidence from your players. And what’s more, you might learn something along the way! As Club Welfare Officer at a grassroots club in London, this year I decided to work with the younger teams to devise a new code of conduct. A lot of what they talked about was in fact already in the previous documents, but there were some valuable insights which we will be implementing into the new codes of conducts. It has also showed that we value their opinions and that we trust them to help with making such key decisions.

     Be the best you can be for your players

Nearly all coaches within grassroots football are volunteers, and have full time jobs they have to focus on. I can appreciate that, having been there myself as well as studying. That said, we should still strive to be the best version of ourselves when coaching or volunteering. Attending courses organised and take place through the Football Association can be fantastic for learning (particularly the Youth Modules, which I advise any coach to enrol on to) but are quite costly and difficult to find places on. Simply preparing and evaluating can help your children make the most of training and matches.

     

     

We can't all be like Jose

     Stay off the pitch!

Okay, so this is just a bug bear of mine and even I have found myself stood a couple of yards on the pitch and asked “what am I doing?” To me, coaches who constantly stand on the pitch are not making any positive difference whatsoever. It can be intimidating (for your players, the opposition and the official), it shows a lack of self-control and quite simply, you might get in the way! Taking a few steps backwards will not harm your view, in fact it may improve it.

And those are just six of the ways that we can strive to keep improving the state of grassroots football. There are even more, that I'm sure you have in mind, to add to the great job those involved are doing year in year out. 

Are football fans addicted to transfers?

It is safe to say that money has become a rather important factor in football. Little else sums up contemporary football better than how much money there is in the sport. Logic suggests that with more money than other clubs, you increase your chances of tempting their talented footballers to yours. In addition, with more money being offered, the selling club can happily profit from or reinvest the transfer fees they receive for those players. This is not always the case of course but the general feeling is that with enough finance, clubs can get the man they want.

For whatever reason yellow is the theme of transfer deadline day

Young players are able to demand transfers, in the tender years of their careers, in order to force a move to more successful clubs. Those clubs can hoover up the best talent from across the country (with the help of EPPP - for another time), because the initial money they spend is pocket changes to them. And we lap it all up. 

Football is evermore becoming a ruthless business, with the fans baying for blood when results are not how they would like them to be. There is a desire to compete at the highest level by clubs and their fans, for differing reasons, in equal proportion. For the clubs themselves, the revenue and broadcasting rights (in England in particular) bring untold riches. The gap between the richest and the poorer clubs is increasing year after year and if clubs do not act quickly and smartly, they will be the ones left behind. For the fans, Champions League football has developed into the pinnacle of elite football, the holy grail you might say. Unless you support clubs who play in the elite competitions your view is worth less than others. Fans of lower league clubs might even now have a 'second team', one that is successful and have easy access to via TV or the internet.

And the simple solution to improving a team, or increasing their chances of winning, is seen as signing new players. 'Fresh blood', 'competition for places'. It is an easy thing to suggest, and easy for the head coach,  rather than actually doing their job than improving the players they have at their disposal (Harry Redknapp, I'm looking at you). And with this culture of the 'armchair expert', such is the amount of football fans can access nowadays, it is simpler to suggest new players than how the team can improve individually and collectively, on the training ground. After one signing is made attention can immediately turn to another position in the team that needs 'strengthening'. And this leads to the question I ask in this blog: are football fans addicted to transfers?

Such is the hype around transfers that adults will unashamedly admit to booking a day off work for the final day of the transfer window so that they can slouch on sofa, eagerly anticipating whichever bizarre way Jim White chooses to announce himself to the Sky studios with his bright yellow tie for all to see. White can be thankful to the career boost from the fanfare around transfers as he has become something of a cult hero, presenting as the face of transfer deadline day.

A transfer deadline day "classic"

What is it about making new signings that the fans just love? A club rarely makes outstanding signings 100% of the time, with no guarantee on the outcome of any deal. Regardless, it is greeted as a sign of ambition, and that is important to many within the game. Some signings can be just as much about of being seen to mean business than even improving the first team.

Could it be argued that in England this thirst for fresh faces affects the development of our home grown talent? Not in the typically argued 'them bloody foreigners' way but that, in general, if a club feels the need to continuously replenish their playing staff, how on earth can young players stake their claim for a first team place? Without that initial opportunity, how can we know whether we are producing the talent that we are told is not being developed after every international tournament failure?

Not that signing new players is bad, far from it. A good signing can dramatically improved a team's performances and have a positive effect. However there are just as many cases were deals are seen as 'flops' that have blocked off the chance for someone else, already at the club, to step up and show their worth.

I'm not sure how the amount of players that are brought into a club within one window can be slowed down, or if it ever will! Whether there are too many transfers between clubs, and too much money thrown around, is all very subjective anyway. A more cautious approach by any club would be met with riots! With the impact social media now has news travels at incredible speed, fans are desperate to be the first to find out and stay in the loop, and that shows no signs of slowing either.

The nowhere men who make a hash of matters

Talent identification in football, particularly at youth level, has risen in its importance for professional clubs. More money is being spent on the running of academy set ups than ever before with clubs identifying the need to produce the next top talent. Clubs are now competing vociferously with each other to be the first to snap up young potential, with development centres being set up for players as young as four or five.  The Elite Player Performance Plan allows “clubs that have earned a top category grading to recruit young talent from further afield than is permitted under the current rules”. Thus meaning that more clubs can scout in more areas, giving players more opportunities to be observed by more staff at more professional football clubs.

Is there a science behind talent identification?

The Football Association themselves are recognising the need for education on the matter of talent identification, in the process of developing the Level 1 certificate in Talent Identification. Former FA head of talent identification Mike Rigg insisted that “our talent ID process must move beyond the snapshot mentality," but with the demand and pressure to not miss out on the 'next big thing', scouts could be too worried to take their time watching a player when another club may take the chance on them straight away.

Developing the players I work with as a human being and as a footballer are always the key when I remember why I love coaching football. Therefore, when I am approached by a scout about a player in the team I am working with I am naturally delighted, knowing that I am doing a part of my job well and mainly, excited for the child identified.

What irks me, however, is when a scout does not feel the need to talk with the coach (whether it be me or someone else) and makes advances towards the child and their parents without anyone’s permission. As far as I am aware there is a certain procedure scouts are asked to follow, which involves the coach introducing the scout to the child’s parent. This was not the case earlier this year at a tournament I coached an under tens team at.

On this occasion the scout had indeed approached me and told me that he liked the look of one of my players. He added that he would come back and swap contact details so he could come see more of him, but when I next looked around he was already deep in discussion with the child and mother. I knew a scout at the same club already and found out that this person was in fact a scout coordinator! I would never block an opportunity for a young player, and he will be training with that club soon but we have received an apology too.

Worryingly accurate

In another case, just weeks previously, a supposed head of recruitment at a different club contacted a parent of another eleven year old at our club. We have taken this boy to two professional clubs already because of his obvious talent and we expected him to attract more attention. This time we had not received any notification whatsoever of their interest in taking the child in question on trial from the club. 

My primary concern here (lack of communication between grassroots and elite is for another day) is that these people are strangers first, employees at a professional football club second. We do not know these people and for all we know they could be anyone. There are so many children out there who dream of one day becoming a professional footballer which makes them so vulnerable to people who may or not work for a professional football club. I need to know these people are the real deal before we get to the stage of introducing and talking about a potential trial. Quite often a scout will approach me and fail to show me any form of identification that evidences that they are who they say they are. Leading me onto my next point. 

Secondly, the unprofessional-ism of not one but two football clubs is disturbing. These people are representing an organisation when they approach people, so they must act in a way that shows that organisation to be a respectful and thoughtful one. If there is a procedure they need to follow it strictly. If there is not then one should be implemented. It is very easy for scouts to wear a club tracksuit and show off who they work for but anyone can do that. When wearing old kit from my team (associated with a professional club) I played for at sixth form, children ask me if I am a scout, to which I politely tell them I am not. It used to be the scouts tried to stay out of the spotlight (hence the nickname 'the nowhere men'), now young men relish the attention!

I appreciate that talent identification courses are in their infancy and an effort is being made but clubs must strive to hold higher standards.  They can do so much more without a fuss to create a more stable environment for young players to be identified in the correct manner. I do not know if other grassroots coaches have similar experiences (please feel free to share if you have in the comments section) but these are people who hold important roles in the development of footballers in this country and leaves me apprehensive about the state of our talent identification system. I am hopeful with that more education for those working in the professional game will ease my fears but I believe that this needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Futsal, give it a go!

Futsal is a sport played across the world, with some of the most celebrated sporting nations hailing its influence in the development of some of their star footballers. It is the only small sided format accredited by FIFA and UEFA. There are professional leagues around the world. And yet, despite the hard work of many, in this country it is still met with hesitation by those who do not quite understand it yet.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Futsal Level 1 course on the 18^th July, delivered in Slough by the excellent Tracey Bourne. Tracey has been involved in Futsal for many years, a keen advocate of the game, and was quick to dispel the myth that Futsal is a diet five-a-side. It is obvious that this is a bugbear for many within the game. For that reason, the first thing we consider are the differences between the five-a-side game and Futsal. And there are many differences that do separate the two.

The England Futsal team is improving as the sport grows

Even just playing the game and learning the techniques, you realise how much this sport can help develop a player’s football ability. The ball, with thirty percent less bounce, stays at your feet when you take a touch.  You are likely to take six times more touches than in the eleven a side format, so we are told, leaving you with more chances to develop technical ability and play one versus one. The physical demands are rigorous resulting in greater fitness whilst, most importantly, having FUN. What’s not to like? 

Looking past player benefits, there is a clear pathway for coaches in a growing sport. The next step is the Level 2 and further down the line the UEFA B License that is in it's infancy, but is set to be launched this year. Should you find that this sport is for you, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to progress up the Futsal coaching ladder.

There is the argument that Futsal is its own sport and not simply a development tool for Football. The idea of it being solely used to develop players for football would belittle Futsal as a sport but there is no reason why it can’t help produce better footballers, particularly ones hoping to play at the highest level. At this moment in time those trying to promote Futsal cannot afford to be picky over who plays the sport so any participation, whatever the gain from it, is positive.

I would encourage anyone with preconceptions of the sport to enrol on the Level 1 course. It is just thirty five pounds for one day’s work in which you take part in lots of practical exercises, get the chance to meet others looking to work in the sport and meet tutors with a fountain of knowledge. You may find, as I have, that there is more to it than meets the eye!

Academy players at grassroots tournaments? Encourage or discourage?

We see and hear it every year.

As a coach, I love summer tournaments. It’s a day out in (hopefully) sunny weather, the children play lots of football and there is, in the main, a great atmosphere. But on arrival, without fail, the kids are gossiping about their rival opposition.

“They’ve got someone from [insert local professional club] playing.”

Often its hearsay, sometimes it really is true.

At a recent tournament where I was with an under tens side, I looked over at a team in an older group and there were several players I knew of or recognised who all played in different academies. I got talking to someone who works as a scout for another professional club and he was appalled.

From his point of a view, I suppose it denies him the opportunity to see more unsigned players and identify local talent. He reckoned it put off scouts from other clubs coming to more tournaments because when the best players there are already signed with someone, why bother? 

Do the kids really care who they play with or against?

However if as a scout you know there are registered academy players present would that then give you a greater idea of where the grassroots players are at in their development? What if there are players there that are not with a professional club who are showing that they can compete with those at the academies? That factor alone then lowers the risk of you offering a trial to someone who at the time is not ready to go in to the professional set up.

Then there are the coaches. The more I began to think about it, the more I realised that those who object to academy players in grassroots tournaments are the ones who are worried they will deny them the opportunity of a trophy. They will protest, claiming it is unfair on their kids, but that too comes from a deep-rooted idea in their mind that what matters most to them is coming home with a cup.

Where I object is if academy players are handpicked to play instead of children who have played for that club all season. And I did see this. That means those coaches are also more interested in winning, and that the result of the tournament itself is more important than getting to spend the day developing their own players. So there are two types of coaches with totally different viewpoints, but both united in the fact that they put winning above all else. It’s disappointing.

Sadly, I don’t think there is much consideration of the fact that they are children. Children who want to play football with their FRIENDS. How often can it be that these young footballers have the chance to play alongside their mates in a football tournament? I’d hazard a guess that the opportunity does not come around too regularly for them. If we encouraged players from academies to take part maybe it would it actually boost the number of young children participating in these events! Have we considered that children like a challenge? This is the ultimate one for them in many aspects. 

I have no idea what rules the FA impose, or the professional clubs themselves but I do know at some tournaments the hosts place rules stating that players registered with an academy or centre of excellence may not participate. Is this a form of exclusion? When there is more need than ever for the grassroots and elite level to work together, why are we making the lines more distinct?

Maybe we should begin to look past who a child plays for and, I don’t know, just let them play football?