This week’s announcement that Jan Versleijen would not be continuing in his duel role as head of the AIS football program and Australian youth teams coach when his contract expires later this year came as little surprise.
The mail for quite some time has been that this particular relationship was coming to an end, an outcome fostered by the strong public sentiment that Verslijen had underachieved with two talented teams at the U17 and U20 World Cups this year.
Since Football Federation Australia broke the news earlier in the week, Versleijen has spoken out claiming there are those within the football community with an “agenda” against him. The Dutchman specifically mentioned outspoken SBS football analyst Craig Foster, but it’s believed his concerns extend further.
It would be easy to think this is just a case of sour grapes from Versleijen or as SBS have put it, a “parting shot”, yet I don’t believe this is the case.
Back in June, two days after the Joeys opening game at the U17 World Cup, I was standing at the edge of the Estadio Omnilife pitch in Guadalajara watching the Australians be put through a light training session by assistant coach Gary van Egmond when Versleijen approached me.
The 55-year-old had read the scathing blog Craig Foster had written about him that week and, knowing I was from SBS, wanted to discuss it with me.
After about 30 minutes training wrapped up and so our discussion on everything from Foster’s comments through to the system of play of Australia’s next opponents Brazil came to an end. The point of all this is to highlight that, well before this week, Versleijen felt there were those hunting for his scalp.
So, do I think my former colleague Foster has a personal agenda against Versleijen? No, not at all. However I do believe there’s some truth to Versleijen’s argument that he has at times received an unfair amount of criticism. Then again, when you take up a big money contract, such treatment should be expected.
Yet I must pay some credit to Versleijen who, even though he knew I was there representing the same organisation that was leading the charge against him, he never once had me frozen out. Any time I wanted to speak to the Dutchman on or off the record he happily obliged – including immediately after the Young Socceroos’ devastating 5-1 loss to Spain that ended their World Cup campaign. Many other coaches wouldn’t have done so.
Furthermore while his three appearances at World Cups with Australian sides ended in disappointment, he did achieve some excellent results in Asia. It was at the highest level where it seemed both he and his players struggled to adapt. For Versleijen there appeared to be problems in how he attempted to solve tactical problems at his three World Cup appearances. The questions his analysis of opponents came up with were usually correct, his answers appeared to be less so.
So now, with his tenure at FFA and the AIS coming to an end, how should we view Versleijen’s time in Australia?
The belief is that FFA technical director Han Berger felt responsibility for those World Cup failures didn’t fall solely at his countryman’s feet. A fact highlighted by the decision to split up the AIS and youth teams role in the future, a move I believe is a good one.
The lessons from the last few years must not end there however and FFA must find a way to have their AIS players more consistent experience so that when they reach a World Cup the jump in standard is not so large. The National Youth League has been a good initiative but the standard remains notoriously inconsistent.
Finally, to answer the question of where Versleijen’s replacements should come from, my belief is Australia now has a number of seasoned former professionals who’ve plighted their trade in Europe and have the relevant coaching licensees who could step into the breach.
If FFA does go abroad again they must find a candidate of such world class quality that he undeniably deserves the massive pay packet that was last offered.
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