Versleijen seeking better technical report than 2009

Mid----I'm one of a larger number who agrees with Fozz and Ned.. Ned has no problem appearing on the SBS TWG show with Fozz and Les, and stays a hell of a long way, away from your mate Slater on FOX.

Good article, Tony. At the end of the day we can play whatever formation we please, but unless the players themselves have the confidence not only in their own game, but in the game of their teammates, it's very hard to have a functional system. The retreating back 4 you cited is a prime example of this shaken belief in practice. If turnovers are occurring up the field and forward momentum stalls more often than not, the defenders always get touchy - it's human nature. Often all the armchair technical analysis overlooks a more dominant aspect of the game, too, and that is how well the opposition plays. I think historically we've always obsessed about the quality of individual players coming out of Australia. How many times have we heard about the "next Harry Kewell?" I'd much prefer a horde of competent nobody's coming out of OZ built from a rock solid system that any young player coming through can slot into and know his job. And we get far too focused on individual games played (the hysteria about this result our schoolboys came up with in Mexico is a classic overreaction). When we win it's the dawn of a new dominant era, and when we lose we're losing touch and football is sliding into crisis. Neither case is true. And this is especially true when we're talking about yuoth teams.

Good point !!!

Why would a guy in charge of Australia's best performing international football team drop down to coach juniors?

Michael. As a parent I'd agree that there is a range of quality in coaches, just as there is a range of quality in players (and parents!) The trick is to get the best coaches with potentially the best kids, at least from 8yrs onwards. And leave the lesser skilled players with coaches that may not be brilliant, but will just let the kids enjoy themselves and maybe just one day be an appreciative football fan who kicks around socially. It's a bit unrealistic to expect all coaches to be 100% excellent. So I share your frustration and agree with the last part of your post. In coaches defence, my kid's team has a few mildly-retarded boys, a few girls (one who is a good player, one who counts the clouds), a kid who plays with his arms folded the whole game and tries, slowly, to dribble from defence, two kids with ADD who want to cripple other players (and have parents that encourage it). None of the boys want to pass to the girls, and some don't want to pass to anyone. 7 of the 11 registered rarely if ever turn up for training because their parents work. Most won't turn up at the game until 5 minutes before the game starts, or after kickoff, and others who frequently forget that we have a match every Saturday. Who'd be a coach! We get beaten heavily every game, but the players and coach cheerfully come back for more. The best players from my kids team have already been picked up at U7's and placed in elite competition at U8's (and are getting elite coaching), and the borderline, and late developers are being talent spotted through U8 gala days, etc. Seems like the system is working OK to me! I have to say that the Small Sided Football system and national curriculum, which was apparently grudgingly implemented by NNSWSF, is brilliant. I'm sure in less than ten years time we will be reaping the rewards.

AF If I am I am one of a very large number... and no Fozzie & Ned do not always agree ... and why if I disagree with Fozzie constant articles about the same thing ... he needs to change the record...

The answer is not just better educated coaches. Go and look at the majority of clubs and you will find that most of the coaches are parents with only a rudimentary knowledge of the game. The fact is we don't have enough people taking on the coaching roles for the right reason (ie Because they want to be coaches), too often it is people shoehorned into the role. They try their best and a lot of them have undertaken coaching courses, but education will only help so much. The difference between a professional coach and a amateur is huge. Then you add in the schools, too many of our kids are doing a football session once or twice a week and then barely touching a ball in between. We need a lot more emphasis on getting football pitches into the primary schools. When kids spend everyday kicking a ball their technical skills are going to improve.

Sorry but you have been wrong about Fozz and SBS for so long that your comments are naive and repetitious. Fozz and Ned are in total agreement about small side games etc. and what needs to be done to improve the game at grass root level in Australia. You just can't help yourself because Fozz was right about the British Coach's approach to the game in Australia and even at the highest level in England. Don't you know that the English manager happens to be an Italian and for a good reason.

AF Fozzie has SCREAMED for change but IMO often left key things out... Fozzie again IMO is not balanced in his rantings and there are way too many of them... I think Ned leaves him for dead both on the analysis of a game and in looking at football in Australia... I would go so far to say there is a greater distance in there media ability than was in there playing ability... Just on LM ... I understand you think all things LM says cannot be argued and SBS opinions in general.... but I demand the same lift in football coverage as Fozzie demands of local players and coaches ...

You could be right Mid - in the Matilda's coverage and highlights show recently Les seemed a bit distant and off his own game. Maybe he was a bit stressed from recent events, maybe not... You might have something there on Ned & Bozza vs Foz, although I would say that it is Foz's personality, belief in his own opinon and his inability to control his emotions when he winds up that give us his particular opinon style. I still remember Foz post Germany defeat in South Africa. Even Les Murray tried getting Foz back on the straight and narrow before giving up and letting Foz just burn off his emotion. Foz vs Ange is another example. When Foz commented on junior and youth development around 2005/6, they were really great pieces. Neds a contender for that crown after his post today though...

Wake up Midfielder----LM and Fozz have been preaching change for 10 years. Only now you've realised it---well done mate. Haven't you heard Les Murray was promoting his book. First print was a sellout and now the reprints are going to be revised. Smart business maybe.

its very mixed isn't it, some great people out there for sure. I think for the bulk it is an unsophisticated understanding of the game. I know its snobbish to say it but most of the coaches i've seen as a kid and since barely even enjoy football to the level that would enable them to spot talent thats different to what we are already churning out (ie athletes not technicians). Maybe a lot of that goodwill just needs better direction from a football-type person at each club. Like u say it is often run quite politically ... less chairmans and more TDs i reckon!

As a parent of a 9 yr old, I can tell you that most grassroots "coaches" are just terrible. It's depressing. Fortunately for my son, he has been popped in a selected team with a paid coach who looks to be following the National Curriculum to some degree. The boys play out from the back, keep their shape and learn to play a passing game. However, this coach only just pipped one of the other parents in the team for the coaching gig and that parent coached the same team last year with DIRE results. It could easily have been the parent coaching. This parent has little knowledge of the game and I'm not really sure why he wants to be doing it, except for the love of his son and his general good nature. He doesn't have a basic awareness of formations, ball control, skills, technique, despite having done an FFA approved coaching course. There's a lot of politics in grassroots and it's not necessarily the best that coach. Those coaching in most teams are just parents generous with their time, but who have little or no knowledge of football. It's a complicated situation that I don't think anyone can really deal with very effectively. These people are volunteers mostly, operating on goodwill.

The mainstream wants polemic Fuss, not decent thinking. Look athe SBS "chief football analyst" Fozz. His "passion" bordering on Ahab like raving, obscures his ability to render a useful and insightful discussion, which Tony has just done. When the revolution comes, Tony's got an automatic spot on any football TV show.

I think back in 2009 Jean Paul de Marigny was the coach of the Joeys (although it was the U-15) and they defeated Japan 3-2 in a friendly match http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/2009mensu17/default.aspx?s=aus_u17men_newsfeatures_news_item_new&id=27146 From reports from a few people who watch the match (admittingly just from people from football forum who claim to be there). The joeys played really good football and represented the style of football that Han Berger was preaching and they outplayed Japan. It seems to me that the side went backwards when Jan Versleijen took over and Japan went forward after that match

Is it just me or have both Ned & Bozza, moved on to the new football media, meaning they can be critical of existing systems and people while offering reasons and maybe solutions ... while Fozzie is trapped old football scream, rant & shout, mode ... meaning as we move forward changes will happen even at SBS... While not quite on topic I heard Peter Wilkson yesterday on the ABC challange Les Murry over his Lucas Neil comments .... and there can be little doubt that LM did not check his sourse's story [assuming he had one] ... as Peter explained you need to confirm with someone who was in the room was the story correct ... it appears LM never confirmed the story ... LM has brought young Fozzie on .... but me thinks that LM's time may soon be up at SBS ... and maybe someone other than Fozzie may get the gig...

What's going on? Two great football pieces in one day. I must be dreaming or do I put it down to lack of sleep from watching Le Tour :) Well done Tony and Ned Zelic.

I think you will find most sports are struggling to find parents willing to coach. I am one of those ‘broad-shouldered’ parents willing to put up with club politics so that my kids get the most out of their chosen sport. I have been coaching since my eldest was under 8’s – that was 12 years ago and only last year did the club put on a coaching-licence course for coaches under 12 up. This is way too late considering I have an AFL background and have never played football competitively. The FFA needs to follow the AFL model and push money down to grass roots level coaching.

AF ... amazing, but I was going to post that EXACT quote that you posted. That simple paragraph explains everything. As Arsene Wenger has said: "If you don't have excellent technique by the age of 12, you'll never have technique".