It’s the nature of any sporting competition that most of us spend our time only looking at the shop front window. We thrill or groan at the quality of the football on the park.
We watch transfixed as Clive Palmer and Nathan Tinkler air dirty laundry in full sight.
And the football enthusiasts and football knockers either grimace or smile wryly depending on their respective views.
And even when it’s a full game in the shop front window, it’s the contentious events that get the column inches. The Berisha grand final penalty drew more commentary than the entire 93 minutes that came before it.
Sure it wasn’t a classic match, but there was a match on and Perth brought a strategy that almost succeeded though we didn’t hear much about it.
Berisha’s passionate celebration drew more commentary than any sports writer’s reflection on the rapturous noise of the 48,000 who were celebrating with him in the stadium.
Their noise was equal to, or greater than, any heard at Suncorp for a State of Origin match winning try, however, any reflection on how far the A-League had come was lost in the cacophony of calls for or against video technology, and the claims and counter claims of a dive.
In focussing on the highlight we quickly lose sight of the bigger picture.
When the shop front gets all the viewing, and the highlights get all the attention, it’s easy to forget that things are still happening in the back room to keep the game moving forward.
Two such events may have slipped past the casual viewer this week but they are worth repeating here and reflecting on.
The first item was the appointment of Rob Sherman by FFA to the newly created position of Advanced Coaching Manager.
As reported at The World Game website, “Sherman, who has been working with FFA as a technical consultant since 2008, will be predominately responsible for the delivery of the B and C Coaching License Courses and Instructor training as well as providing support for the Pro-Diploma and A-License Coaching Courses.
FFA Technical Director, Han Berger, said Sherman’s appointment will strengthen FFA’s Coach Education program.
“To have someone of Rob’s standing in the international football community within our organisation is a major coup for football in Australia”, Berger said.
“Our FFA Strategic Plan outlines a commitment to developing a larger number of professional Australian coaches by means of a world-class Advanced Education Department and Rob will be a key figure in that process.
“We look forward to working closely with Rob as we enter the next stage of coach education in Australia,” concluded Berger.
Sherman’s appointment is part of a re-structure of the Coach Education program within FFA’s Technical Department. Current National Coach Education Manager Kelly Cross will adopt the new title of Head of Coach Education.
Cross, who has been with FFA since early 2006, is focused on progress.
“Coach Education in Australia has been totally transformed in the last five years,” he said.
“The introduction of the two-pathway system and the recognition by AFC of our Advanced Coaching Courses, have led to a quantum leap forward.”
The second item was also reported at TWG but lost under the seemingly negative headline “B-League a long way off”. The story had nothing to do with a B-League but was the announcement that the FFA has set up a body aimed at improving the playing, coaching and administrative standards of the nation’s State leagues.
“The National Competition Review will look at the way State competitions are run and structured, to establish more all-round consistency so they can underpin the A-League more effectively and to support the player talent pathway established by FFA.
“In the past we have been criticised for ignoring the rich football history of this country,” an FFA spokesman said.
“We have been told that we ignored all these clubs and leagues that for 50 years or more have been producing excellent talent.
“Now for the first time ever we are officially recognising them as part of the pathway.
“You could call it a shift but it’s a fundamental first step from our part.
“This is all about strengthening the second tier of Australian football, which means the top league in each State.
“The whole purpose of the exercise is to give guidance to the clubs as to what a higher level of youth development looks like and what sort of coaching qualifications should be in place.
“The second tier of football in this country has to have a focus on talent development and this is about taking steps to speed that up.”
While it is easy to criticise the FFA for the things they get wrong, as I and other writers do, these two pieces seem to reflect a real desire by the FFA to drive football forward.
They are also a clear indication that while the FFA has one eye on the short term issues, there is also a long term view present and there exists committed people working busily away in the back room.
Transforming coaching education in Australia and strengthening State competitions to provide player pathways to the A-League and beyond won’t get the headlines of a Palmer or Tinkler war dance but they are much more important for the long term success of Australian football.
The FFA should be congratulated for both these announcements.
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