It is unequivocally good news for Australian football. Former Socceroos Alistair Edwards and Tony Vidmar will fill two of Jan Versleijen’s three former roles in the Australian youth team set-up.
While the success of this decision won’t be known for years down the track, it’s hard to fault the thinking behind the move.
First of all Versleijen, who coached both the Joeys and Young Socceroos while leading the football program at the AIS, carried a remarkably large and diverse workload. The need to break it up was inevitable.
It’s a point FFA Technical Director Han Berger touched on when making the announcement.
“Whilst the AIS program aims to provide the majority of players for the Qantas Joeys squads, the task of providing the daily training environment for the players and that of managing a team at international tournaments are slightly different,” said Berger.
Furthermore the nuances of coaching boys on the verge of adulthood are different to coaching 19 and 20 year olds playing regular senior football. Keeping these coaching positions separate is a good idea.
Though it’s possible for one candidate to have the skill sets required for both positions, the demands of both simultaneously could lead to burnout.
After having coached the Joeys and Young Socceroos at two consecutive World Cup tournaments last year, Versleijen then had to head into Asia with the under-17s.
Having been in both Mexico and Colombia, I found the process of covering the two World Cups tiring enough. I can only imagine how Versleijen felt at the end of it all.
Coaching at three tournaments across as many continents over a four-month period would not be conductive to producing one’s best work.
The new coaching structure will minimise this risk.
It’s also positive to see FFA’s coach education programs continuing to pay dividends, with the appointments going to former Socceroos with a strong understanding of both Australian football’s history and where the game must head in the future.
Australian coaches developing the next generation of A-League and Socceroos players is certainly a nice sentiment, so here’s hoping it works out.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Mr Corran I beg to differ about Mr Vidmar ,not only has he handed in a altogether pretty comprehensively sorry performance with the Olyroos but it seems that the media(that includes you ) seem to want to ignore the fact that he is /was partly/if not wholly responsible.Whenever a professional sports team of any stripe or sport performs poorly continually in the public eye , the media is usually the first to criticize and the coach is usually the target and so he/she should -however no such censure of Mr Vidmar apparently has been recorded in fact the media (that includes you) seem to want to pretend that the whole sorry saga would just dissappear and Mr Vidmar be anointed as the next Socceroos Coach -he must have powerful Friends indeed :-)
Tom Malone
Roar Rookie
Tom Malone
Roar Rookie
I think that may have been his brother Aurelio who is the coach of the U23 team
Griffo
Roar Guru
And also why do Australian coaches fail miserable in youth football though come back to the H.A.L. and do a streling job Postecoglou and Arnold ? There is probably an extra skillset involved in teaching and training youth as opposed to adults. I wasn't sure about Tony Vidmar but I do remember he had been working with youth at some point as Roarchild mentioned above. Could be what got him over the line but I do wonder about the experience factor...we'll see I guess.
Roarchild
Roar Guru
I don't know his full CV but a couple of years ago there was an SBS story about some national youth comp and Tony Vidmar's baby reds (May have been South Australian sport institute) or such won the special award for combining style and results. The details are a bit fuzzy for mine but he has definitely been coaching and the story gave a good impression of him..
Bondy
Guest
From watching those tournaments back here i didn't see any form of creativity in the final third , I dont think we even got into the final third at any of those tournaments . To me those kids looked lost and confused whilst representing the Nation. And serious questions have to be raised as to how one man controlled three teams on four continents ? Is somebody like Kerem Bullet who's had very little involvement with the youth set up in Australia "I know he's played out in the tournament in asia " but really his club doesn't want him playing for Australia , is he Australias next Harry Kewell were in which he's not really been involved with the A.I.S. as im sure other players will pop out of the blue from somewhere in europe . And also why do Australian coaches fail miserable in youth football though come back to the H.A.L. and do a streling job Postecoglou and Arnold ?
Cpaaa
Guest
I cant find any coaching experience on T.Vidmar at all and the FFA has offered him the AIS group. the title says " rise of the Australian Football coach" i would think "the FFA cutting costs on foreign imports" is more fitting.
Midfielder
Guest
Good article Davidde ... tis true we are making great strides in this area of development... Would love to see some of the more recent returned Socceroos also throw their hat into the ring as well...