The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 1

Editorial: Interdependence

Interview: Lars Lagerbäck

Star Pupils and Star Teachers

The 18th Team

Football, Development and Technical Assistance

NEWSLETTER FOR COACHES N O .39 JUNE 2008 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 2 Meyer/AFP/Getty Images Children in Internazionale shirts celebrate the club’s centenary at the .

IMPRESSUM

EDITORIAL GROUP Andy Roxburgh Graham Turner Frits Ahlstrøm

PRODUCTION André Vieli Captains go head Dominique Maurer to head in the 2007/08 Atema Communication SA UEFA Champions League: Printed by Cavin SA Inter’s competes with ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Steven Gerrard of Hélène Fors Liverpool. COVER Portugal’s Simão Sabrosa fends off Christos Patsatzoglou of Greece, who nonetheless beat Portugal again, this time in their pre-EURO 2008 friendly.

(Photo: Witters Sport-Presse-Fotos) Getty Images

2 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 3 INTERDEPENDENCE

EDITORIAL An icon of football’s past sat beside Forty years after ’s victory in me during Inter’s centenary match. Rome, European football reaches a BY ANDY ROXBURGH, Eusébio was world famous for his new milestone with the staging of UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR exploits for SL Benfica and Portugal EURO 2008 – the thirteenth cham- and, if fate had played its part, he pionship for national associations. might also have worn the colours of It is an appropriate moment to FC Internazionale Milano. The maestro acknowledge the legacy of those who from Mozambique had agreed to sign created the game’s popularity – the for the Nerazzurri but because Italy great players, clubs and international lost to North Korea in the 1966 World teams. It is also a time to reflect Recently, I had the pleasure to Cup, the Italian authorities indulged on our responsibility for the image take part in a special birthday party. in protectionism and put a ban on of the game, the development of FC Internazionale Milano celebrated their clubs signing foreign players. its future, and the respect shown 100 years of existence with an official Fortunately for the promotion of the to those on the front line – players, dinner, youth matches against Man- game, players of Eusébio’s status referees and coaches. chester United FC, Real Madrid CF, transcend national boundaries – they SL Benfica and AFC Ajax, a seminar are universal treasures, whose humility You can’t buy history, you can only for their network of grassroots’ and respect for others set the bench- create it. It’s time to turn a new page leaders, and a San Siro extravaganza mark for sporting dignity. For example, as FC Internazionale Milano embark (following their match with Eusébio cannot understand how on their next 100 years, and 16 Reggina) which gave their supporters some of today’s players perform histri- national teams set out to create a the opportunity to pay their respects onics when they score from a penalty. memorable European Championship to the Nerazzurri heroes who built “You are expected to score from in Switzerland and Austria. Whatever the club’s reputation. , the spot – why should you overdo the future holds, the clubs and the , Luís Suárez and the celebrations when you do?”, he national associations cannot avoid numerous other former stars walked argues. The image of Eusébio scoring their collective responsibility – they are onto a pitch which they had graced at Wembley with a penalty during interdependent, and the advancement with footballing distinction. FC Inter- the World Cup in 1966, collecting the of the game and its continuing popu- nazionale (European Cup winners ball from the back of the net, and larity will, to a large extent, depend in 1964 and 1965, UEFA Cup holders then consoling England’s goalkeeper on their concerted commitment to the three times, and club world champi- with a friendly pat is promotion of football which is both ons twice) has its own history, but it something which will endure. competitive and spectacular. is also part of something bigger – the game in a global context. The spirit of Inter’s will also live on. The club’s training In football, independence and inter- ground for youth development has dependence, like twin strikers, oper- been named after their former captain ate in juxtaposition. We have a shared and president, and as a mark of history, a shared involvement in the respect for the great man who passed game, and a shared responsibility away in 2006, his number 3 shirt for its future. Of course, everyone has is no longer in use. Giacinto twice his personal agenda, and each club lifted the European Cup for FC Inter- and national team has its identity and nazionale and football’s original attack- its aspirations. But there must also ing full-back then made it a personal be a collective commitment to pre- hat trick when he captained Italy to serve and respect the roots of the EURO triumph in 1968. Eusébio and game, to care for its core values, and Facchetti were never team-mates, to promote an image of football but they were from the same school Photos Archives/PA PA Eusébio beats Gordon Banks with a which youngsters can aspire to and of gentlemen who gave more to the penalty in the 1966 World Cup semi-final the public can admire. game than they took from it. between England and Portugal.

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INTERVIEW BY ANDY ROXBURGH (UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR) AND GRAHAM TURNER Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

LARS LAGERBÄCK JOINED THE SWEDISH FA 18 YEARS AGO AS COACHING DIRECTOR AND NATIONAL YOUTH COACH AND, FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF TOMMY SVENSSON FROM THE NATIONAL TEAM IN 1997, HE WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT TO NATIONAL COACH TOMMY SÖDERBERG. SOON, HOWEVER, LARS WAS ELEVATED TO JOINT NATIONAL MANAGER, A RARITY IN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL, BEFORE HE TOOK SOLE CHARGE FOLLOWING TOMMY SÖDERBERG’S DECISION TO TAKE OVER THE UNDER-21 SQUAD. LARS LAGERBÄCK HAS THEREFORE BEEN RESPONSIBLE, EITHER AS CO-COACH OR AS THE HEAD IN HIS OWN RIGHT, FOR SWEDEN’S FIVE CONSECUTIVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR WORLD AND EUROPEAN FINAL ROUNDS. LARS, WHO IS A MEMBER OF UEFA’S COACHING PANEL, IS A QUIET, MODEST MAN WITH A GREAT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF PREPARING INTERNATIONAL TEAMS. HE IS ONE OF SWEDEN’S MOST SUCCESSFUL COACHES, A MAN FOR THE BIG OCCASION – HE IS… LARS LAGERBÄCK 1 • How do you rate Sweden’s had a very tough physical game high expectations of the England performance in the qualifying phase? in Northern Ireland, which is some- team. But everyone can see that In the qualifying phase we drew with thing that, if you want to succeed, there are not many English players Northern Ireland and lost in Spain, so you have to know how handle. at the top clubs over there any it wasn’t until the last game that we It all added up to a good standard more – and that’s probably a big earned our place in the finals. We did in the qualifying phase. problem for the national team. reasonably well, even though we struggled a bit against Northern Ireland 3 • Looking at the other 4 • What are your expectations and we were totally out of it when qualifying groups, were there as you go into the final round? we played Spain away. Yet we beat any surprises for you? I think your expectations are always them at home so I think the overview To be honest, no. If you look at focused on qualifying from the group is that we did rather well. the 14 teams who have qualified, phase. I try to describe myself as I can’t say that anyone has surprised a coach as a ‘realistic optimist’ and 2 • Based on what you saw during me very much. Maybe Poland a I think there are different ways to the qualifying phase, would you say little bit, because they were in an approach a final round. When we the standard was high? eight-team group and they hadn’t first got in and hadn’t got much Yes, I think so. If you just look at the been that good for the last four experience, I talked to the players group we were in, a team like Northern or six years. OK, if you look at the about setting goals and so on. Like Ireland surprised everybody, I think. It teams who missed out, you can many teams, if we have a good became a very tough group, especially always point to England. But we day, we can beat anyone. But at a as we had our neighbours Denmark in played Croatia in the World Cup tournament of this nature, you need there – and it’s always special playing qualifiers and we know that they to produce five really good games – them. I think the overall quality in our are a tough team to beat. Of and, when you come from a rela- group was very high. I know you can course, growing up in Sweden tively small footballing country, it’s always discuss the quality of the football means that we are very close to really tough to hit that target, so to in individual games – for example, we English football and all of us have speak. But, even though we’re in

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LARS LAGERBÄCK GIVES INSTRUCTIONS DURING SWEDEN’S MATCH WITH TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO IN THE 2006 WORLD CUP IN GERMANY. Getty Images

a tough group, I’m confident. We have all over Europe, there are players from experienced players, we have players all over the world. Many of them are with individual skills, and we have therefore happy to travel home to play the advantage that we have worked for the national team to be with long- together for a long time. We know each standing friends and to speak their other and we know how we want to own language. There are often com- play. So I think we have a fair chance munication problems in the dressing of going on to the quarter-finals. rooms at clubs so, with very few exceptions, players are glad to come 5 • What’s your view on the home for national team games. other groups Well, I think the toughest is Group C 8 • How do you keep in touch with the ‘big elephants’, as we say in with your players during the season? Sweden – or the ‘group of death’ as The telephone is obviously your the media were calling it after the draw. best friend. But, basically, we follow But, looking back over the years, I think in greater depth a group of around there have been important changes 35 players who are in 12 to 15 differ- since the Bosman ruling, because the ent countries. Roland Andersson and smaller countries such as Switzerland I travel around a lot in order to see and Sweden now have most of our them ‘live’ as often as possible. Then, players operating abroad at good clubs during the six weeks before the final in good leagues. That’s why it’s becom- round, we ask them to give us more ing tougher and tougher at international detailed information about how much level. The other two groups are very they have been playing and training, open, so it really is a case of ‘anything whether they have ill or injured, and can happen’. so on. We do this mostly by email.

6 • Do you think we can have 9 • What specialists do you another surprise like Greece? include in your team-behind-the Of course you can always have sur- team for a final round? prises. In the European Champion- We basically use the traditional squad ship, we can talk about Denmark and of medical staff and so on. The only Greece. But, from a historical perspec- different element is that we have tive, this competition and the World Paul Balsom working with us as a Cup have usually been won by one physiologist. That’s his basic job but he of the big countries. So you have to does all the analysis on the computer. say that it would be a surprise if one Otherwise it’s a standard approach of the smaller countries was to win it. with a goalkeeping coach and all that.

7 • How important is national 10 • How exactly does Paul team football for the players, help you? do you think? He tries to make sure we have the That’s another interesting after-effect right levels of intensity in our practice.

Getty Images of the Bosman ruling. At the big clubs We started about ten years ago with

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DISCUSSIONS WITH HENRIK LARSSON DURING A TRAINING SESSION. Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

a bit of testing. But then we decided of things and I must give the players elements to express themselves. that testing was maybe not the best full credit because they are motivated Trying to find the right balance is one way to go. Instead we started to focus, to go out and do this sort of practice – of the most interesting things about during the two or three weeks before and I’m not sure that this is the case being a coach. the tournament, on the intensity in every country. of the work we were doing with the 14 • How would describe your style? players, based on the information we 12 • Do you use any technical I want the whole team to participate had gathered during the previous support tools? in attack and in defence. We have weeks. We know pretty well what sort We use the computer analysis pro- clear ideas about how we want our of physical shape each player is in, so gramme and monitor the heart rate. forwards to defend and what their roles the only thing we use is the max. pulse Otherwise, we rely on our own should be. When it comes to attack, data to monitor the body responses knowledge and experience. we want as many players as possible to exercise. We have experimented to participate. But you can’t throw with different systems but, bearing in 13 • How would you describe everybody forward, of course, so we mind that there’s a tough schedule the Swedish philosophy in relation always emphasise the importance of of one match every three days, we’ve to a style of football? keeping a good balance in the team. opted to use only the basic material Part of it is closely connected to But what we have tried to develop supplied by UEFA. Swedish club football. But, having over the last four or five years is that, looked at club and national team foot- with more fast players in the team, we 11 • So what do you focus on ball over the years, it’s obvious that want players who, when we win the when you get the squad together winning teams have a very clear way ball, look to see if we can make a quick for pre-tournament training? of playing. So the basic thing is to move towards the opponents’ goal. Well, the plan is to have the players have a concept that the players accept It’s no secret that, with today’s stan- in on 22 May. Then, during the first and want to work with: how you want dards of team organisation and fitness, week, we individualise the work as to defend, how you want to attack. a rapid transition into attack gives much as we can. Some players might Then you need the sort of individual good opportunities to create scoring need more physical exercise; others skills that can help you to win things – chances. If we can’t do that, we talk might need something else. We end and maybe that’s why we struggle a lot about having patience in the the first week by playing a friendly to go beyond the quarter-finals. I think build-up. I’m quite happy if we keep involving the players who are in most that’s the basic philosophy which the ball in our own half of the pitch need of some match action. Then exists in Sweden: a team ethic, good and wait for the right moment. Losing we give them a day off, followed by a organisation, and emphasis on creat- your patience makes it much easier for second week when we concentrate ing enough space for the individual the opponent to rob the ball from you. on the way we want to play. Normally we train for 80–90 minutes and we normally have a theme in defence or attack which we work on for 30, 40 or 45 minutes. That’s when we try to perfect our game and make sure the players are in the right positions. That’s our priority because, as I said before, they come from 12 or 13 countries where the game is being played a bit differently. For example, we operate a zonal defence and some of them might be working in a marking system. So you have to work on the mental side as well so that they can make the transition as smoothly as possible and

make sure the mechanisms are work- Henriksson/AFP/Getty Images ing as soon as they go on to the pitch. Lars Lagerbäck surrounded by Swedish internationals as they prepare to face Spain It means that we have to repeat a lot in the EURO 2008 qualifiers.

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THE COACHES OF THE FOUR EURO 2008 GROUP D TEAMS AFTER THE DRAW IN LUCERNE: LUIS ARAGONES (SPAIN), OTTO REHHAGEL (GREECE), GUUS HIDDINK (RUSSIA) AND LARS LAGERBÄCK (SWEDEN). Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images

coach and good all-year training facili- Championship and the World Cup ties for the 16-19 age group. This has create, with so many supporters worked very, very well since 1992. coming in. It looks very bright. I think But the difficulty we have encountered UEFA has done a marvellous job in recent years is that our clubs don’t of bringing together all the different really go far enough in the European elements and creating a situation competitions. So, three years ago, the of peace. But when you talk about association and the league agreed on 24 teams getting into European a scheme that has been operating for Championship finals, it’s going to the last eight months or so. It’s giving make it easier for smaller countries coaches opportunities for re-education like Sweden to get in. But you have – not only the senior team coaches to wonder about the quality. And you but, more especially, the youth coaches. have to ask whether a reduced quali- We’re putting a lot of money into that fying phase will, in fact, mean fewer at the moment and also working on competitive games for the national creating better-quality academies, as team. Will the clubs seize a chance they call them in England. So we’re try- to reduce the number of national ing to build further on the project that team games? As a national team started in 1992. We need to work hard coach, you can’t really afford to give to get more clubs playing international away more time than you have at football. This is important because, from the moment. But, if UEFA, the clubs Empics Sport/PA Photos Empics Sport/PA my point of view, a player from the and FIFA can really cooperate on this, Lars Lagerbäck congratulates Zlatan Ibrahimovic’, who scored the late equaliser Swedish league comes into the national I think the future is extremely bright. against Italy at EURO 2004 in Portugal. team with very little experience of inter- national football. We need the clubs 18 • Apart from having good 15 • What impact does the to do better on the international scene. players, what are the factors that Swedish league’s calendar have At the same time, I think the associa- have most influence on the on your preparations? tion has done very well with regard to success of a national team coach? Very little today – less than when we building indoor halls – full-size and To have really good staff around started with the national team in 1998. smaller pitches where we can practise you and to have a lot of confidence. But, these days, the players in the with the young players all the year You need to believe in yourself, not Swedish top division are professional round. I don’t know if you remember to listen to too many people around and train all the year round. And we Roger Gustafsson, who was the coach you, and to do what you honestly don’t have that many players from the of IFK Göteborg. He’s now working with think are the best things to do. Work- Swedish championship in the national their academy as well as being head ing with the national team gives you team because, with all due respect, coach. He says that, if you’re brought so little time. That means you need it is not good enough. In the squad for up in Sweden, between the ages of 10 to have the right priorities all the time EURO 2008, you’ll probably see only and 13, you play football for six months and to have a really good organisa- three or four players from the Swedish a year. In the southern parts of Europe, tion around the team so that every- league, so the effect is not that great. kids of that age play for 10, 11 or 12 thing is as efficient as possible. months of the year. That means a 16 • What is the Swedish FA doing to 15-year-old in Italy has, perhaps, 10,000 19 • If you had to give one piece promote the development of talents hours of football. A Swedish kid has of advice to a youngish coach for the future of the national teams? to be 18 or 19 to have accumulated starting with a national team now, We are working on one of the best that much football. That’s an important what would it be? projects that I have experienced in the facet for us if we aim to get closer Get your priorities right. With so FA. In 1992 we started a special pro- to the top in terms of individual skills. little time, you need to organise the gramme with the first and second team and practise the way you division clubs whereby we work very 17 • In your view, is there a bright want to play. Even players from the closely together. The association distrib- future for international football? top nations are nowadays playing utes money from sponsors – but on I’m a little bit worried, even though in other countries, so that’s the best condition that each club has a qualified I see how much interest the European piece of basic advice I can give.

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GILBERTO MADAIL, PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE FOOTBALL FEDERATION AND MEMBER OF THE UEFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. STAR PUPILS AND STAR TEACHERS HOW SIGNIFICANT IS IT THAT PEOPLE OFTEN REFER TO ‘STAR PUPILS’ BUT NEVER TALK ABOUT ‘STAR TEACHERS’? ARE EDUCATORS IN GENERAL UNDERVALUED? AND ARE THEY ESPECIALLY UNDERVALUED IN FOOTBALL? THESE QUESTIONS MIGHT EASILY HAVE BEEN POSED BY AN EAVESDROPPER AT THE 17TH UEFA COURSE FOR COACH EDUCATORS STAGED RECENTLY IN CASCAIS, WHERE THE PORTUGUESE FA HOSTED AN EVENT FEATURING COACH EDUCATORS AND TECHNICAL DIRECTORS FROM 52 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS.

There was a varied programme of appraisal is an accurate job description. generation. They don’t just teach presentations, interviews and practical And, for coach educators, this is not football. They teach ideas, principles work. Portugal’s Luiz Felipe Scolari, always easy. In other sectors, ‘teacher and values. They prepare coaches Sweden’s Lars Lagerbäck, the Republic training’ can be focused on equipping psychologically for a profession which of Ireland’s Pat Bonner and England’s the students to teach a specific subject requires them to deal with players, Sir Trevor Brooking discussed issues to pupils from a specific age group and, media, technology, football politics and affecting coaches and their educators. very often, a specific social background. crisis management.” Paulo Sousa, now a UEFA pro-licence In football, this is not the case. The holder, helped Andy Roxburgh to con- subject matter is extraordinarily diverse, What’s more, the coach educator duct a coach-the-coach practical session age groups are not clearly defined and needs to implement a different style with the Under-19 squad from Sporting the student coaches’ playing (or non- of teaching based on the philosophy Clube. Germany’s Erich Rutemöller playing) backgrounds can vary consider- that it’s more important to teach worked on combination play. Austria’s ably. Nor can they be prepared for a students how to coach rather than Paul Gludovatz focused on changes clear-cut role. One ‘training group’ can what to coach. The educational of pace and tempo. And the hosts’ accommodate students whose aspira- process focuses on illustrating alterna- coach educator, Jorge Castelo, teamed tions cover the whole footballing spec- tives rather than trying an ‘absolute up with CF Os Belenenses coach trum from the top of the tree to the truth’ which, in football, doesn’t exist. for a session based on the grassroots, from Champions League to In fact, diversity is the lifeblood of foot- development of technique. junior league. In addition, coach educa- ball. So, as Andy Roxburgh underlined, tion embraces emotional and psycho- “the aim is to develop from within; But the course was fundamentally logical responses. In how many sectors to inspire a coach to develop individual an exercise in self-appraisal. The core of the job market do students need to talents and beliefs. You could say that theme was an examination of the be prepared to ‘do a Rafa Benítez’ and the educator has five specific tasks: role of the coach educator and the bounce back after two early dismissals? to inspire, to educate, to protect, to virtues required by the people who, prepare and to assess.” as UEFA Technical Director Andy As Andy Roxburgh stressed in Cascais, Roxburgh put it when he opened the the very complexity of the job is what The educational component must evi- proceedings in Portugal, “aim to pro- makes it so stimulating. “A good coach dently be based on thinking and learn- duce professionally competent coaches of coaches,” he says, “is a person who ing, using work experience, coaching who, in turn, produce skilful players can get the best out of student coaches, competence and management skills as and create successful teams.” to help them realise their potential. the foundation stones of development. Coach educators develop coaches as As in many sectors of the business individuals and contribute to the coach- “The element of ‘protection’ is crucial,” world, the starting point for self- ing profession by educating the next Roxburgh reflects. “Someone coming

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LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI, PORTUGAL’S NATIONAL COACH.

into the game as a coach must be to the core of the coaching profession. Once a ‘job description’ has been made aware of the importance of Another fact of life in the modern game drafted, the next questions relate to the protecting individuals, players, clubs, is that coaches increasingly have to coach educator’s profile. And this was national teams – indeed, the future work in contexts dominated by high, one of the issues which Andy Roxburgh of football. Everything we do should short-term expectations. Coach educa- broached during his presentation in be inspired by a love of the game.” tors as well – because, during the Cascais. “If we’re trying to describe the discussion sessions in Portugal, it was perfect coach educator,” he responded, There is a temptation to think that remarked that the institutions who “he clearly needs to be a communica- the role of the coach educator is fun- inject funds into coach education also tor. As a person, he would blend humil- damentally about tactics and playing tend to do so with high expectations ity with an open, outgoing personality. strategy. But, in this day and age, of short-term dividends. Concern was With the students, he would be patient, coaches – and not only those who work expressed that these pressures could contagiously enthusiastic, reliable and in the elite bracket – need to be pre- be translated into over-theoretical demanding. I quite like the old axiom pared to navigate comfortably through coach education and, in consequence, about ‘a good manager is easy to work the potentially troubled waters of player a risk of producing stereotyped foot- with and difficult to please.’ In his every- power, media demands and commer- ballers. Creativity and imagination, day work, the coach educator needs cial or political factors which can exert the participants in Cascais maintained, to be practical, he should be a good a direct influence on team building are precious assets which need to planner and organiser, and he should and collective performance. These be stimulated and encouraged – not be decisive and confident in what he seemingly ‘peripheral’ issues have now stifled by negative coaching which is doing. At the same time, he needs penetrated into positions much closer takes the fun out of the game. to have vision and imagination coupled Photos: Sportsfile

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NICO ROMEIJN, COACH EDUCATOR AT THE ROYAL NETHERLANDS FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

with extensive experience. I remember dents with great potential. This, in tion’s technical coordinator, Arnaldo that Sven-Göran Eriksson once said turn, raised questions about subsidies, Cunha, had explained the host nation’s ‘you can sell experience, but you can’t methods of spreading the financial coach education philosophy, the buy it. You must gain it.’ Bearing in mind burden over a greater period of time, legendary striker was asked for his the sort of coaching students you’re or support from Olympic Committees views on what qualities add up to a dealing with, it’s an extremely valuable or other organisations – though with good coach. “It is someone who commodity.” the proviso that national associations is able to talk to the players,” Eusébio should run their own programmes. replied, “and get the maximum out But how do you gain it? The answer, of them. The ability to communicate of course, is that the coach educator With the European football family radi- is essential.” can absorb experience from different cally changing shape in a relatively short directions: from playing experience, space of time, there are obviously chal- This view was wholeheartedly endorsed from work experience as a coach, from lenges to be met. But the coach educa- by Andy Roxburgh, who added, “in courses and seminars, or via collabora- tor’s vocation remains the same: “The turn, a good educator of coaches is tion with mentors or further education basic objectives are to educate students someone who can communicate with programmes. At the same time, it has on how to coach and how to manage – them in such a way as to get the best to be said that self-reliant learning is a and they are two different things,” says out of them, to help them realise their heavy weapon in the coach’s armoury – Andy Roxburgh. “There must also be potential. Student coaches always and also in the coach educator’s. a balanced emphasis on facets such welcome guidance on how to develop as helping the students to organise, to the individual player and on the art This was cause for a degree of concern plan, to prepare what is going to hap- of team building.” among some of the participants in pen on the training pitch and to use the Cascais. Some advocated the increased tools which are available to the mod- But the prime concern for the coach use of internet technology to compen- ern-day technician. And let’s not forget educator is which methods to use sate for a shortfall in coach education that many of our students may not be when coaching student coaches. Andy literature and documentation. Others naturally good communicators and will Roxburgh is convinced that, bearing in expressed concerns about the costs need guidance and tuition in that area.” mind the nature of the pupils, the stu- of coach education reaching prohibitive dent coach needs to be fully engaged levels, increasing the risks of excluding Eusébio would agree with that. After in the learning process. “I remember certain target groups and losing stu- the Portuguese national associa- Arsène Wenger saying at one of our meetings that players memorise better when they are actively involved in the learning process and I think the same is true when it comes to coach education – if not even more so. So you need to carefully weight up the balance between direct teaching and guided discovery, pointing students in the right direction and allowing them to explore the issues for themselves.”

Roxburgh also stressed the importance of offering students all possible options – and this later tied in with concerns expressed in the discussion groups about the shortage of coaches in cer- tain sectors, notably the youth areas in men’s and women’s football and in futsal. This, in turn, was linked to vital questions about the status of the coaching profession in general – and not just those who work at the peak of Paul Gludovatz of the Austrian Football Association gives instructions to the players the pyramid. “Although you are not in for a practical demonstration. headlines,” Roxburgh told the audience

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PER RAVN OMDAL, MEMBER OF THE UEFA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE.

in Portugal, “please remember that you are extremely important to the development of football.”

But where is the development of football taking us? And how do we pre- pare coaches to cope with the trends that directly affect the coaching profes- sion? Globalisation and pressure to achieve instant results are by no means restricted to the top end of the game. The image of football has changed – meaning that the public now regard coaches with slightly different perspec- tives and expectations. Never before have there been such high demands in terms of playing with style, of enter- taining while winning. Specialist staff have been drafted into the coach’s team-behind-the-team, meaning that the head coach has to be equipped to build an effective backroom team. The greater speed of the game and the consequent lack of time and space add up to differences in training-ground activity and physical preparation. And newly introduced club and coach licens-

ing structures are also changing the Photos: Sportsfile shape of the coaching profession in Jorge Castelo of the Portuguese Football Federation supervises exercises during a practical session in . many European associations. sufficient investments in self-knowl- up-to-date. Coach educators have But technology is available, meaning edge, self-assessment and their own to be aware of the latest trends. They that distance learning and online com- education. Some were concerned have to keep in touch with how the munication have become useful tools. that coaches tend to prefer tried-and- game develops in terms of speed and Fast-tracking former players into the trusted methods rather than innovating. tactics. They have to embrace new coaching profession is an option cur- There was a call for wider implan- technology, research new teaching rently being explored by many associa- tation of the sort of refresher courses methods and seek innovative ways tions. Mentoring schemes are becoming the Danes are staging. Some main- of getting the maximum out of their hearteningly more frequent. And there tained that dedicating resources to the student coaches.” was applause for UEFA’s commitment filming of training sessions (to enable to encouraging and upgrading exchange student coaches to review what they As UEFA Executive Committee mem- and knowledge-sharing programmes. have done and pinpoint mistakes) is ber Per Ravn Omdal told the partici- money well invested. Others advocated pants in Cascais, “the education of In Portugal, KNVB coach educator Nico regular communication and exchange coaches can never stop and we have Romeijn explained the assessment con- of ideas on internet platforms. And to keep pace with the development cepts currently being applied in Dutch there was support for the development of the game. I ask you all to contribute football and Denmark’s Peter Rudbæk of education courses which encourage to football’s development by sharing led the audience towards another highly coaches to be more self-critical. knowledge with each other as much relevant issue by reviewing the DBU’s as possible.” Gilberto Madail, president refresher courses. “As well as training the next genera- of the Portuguese national association, tion of coaches,” Andy Roxburgh com- closed the course with the concise One of the viewpoints to emerge from mented, “coach educators are vital statement: “Good coaches and quality the discussion groups in Cascais was in supporting the current generation coach educators will help football in that too many coaches to do not make to ensure that coaches are kept Europe to develop further.”

11 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 12

AUSTRIA (ANDREAS IVANSCHITZ, RIGHT) AND THE NETHERLANDS (JOHN HEITINGA) TOOK PART IN Stollarz/Bongarts/Getty Images A HIGH-SCORING FRIENDLY AHEAD OF EURO 2008. THE 18 TH TEAM IT HAS BECOME A EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP TRADITION TO CALL THE MATCH OFFICIALS THE ‘17TH TEAM’ AT THE FINALS. AT EURO 2008, THERE’LL BE AN 18TH: THE TECHNICAL TEAM. THE NAME CERTAINLY APPEALS TO THE TEAM MEMBERS. IN UEFA’S PLANNING DOCUMENTS, THEY’RE USUALLY CALLED THE TECHNICAL STUDY GROUP, OR TSG FOR SHORT. ANDY ROXBURGH, WHO CAPTAINS THE TEAM, IS NOT ALONE IN FEELING THAT NAME HAS A MISLEADINGLY ACADEMIC RING TO IT. SO, WHEN THE BALL STARTS ROLLING IN JUNE, IT’LL BE THE TECHNICAL TEAM WHO’LL BE KEEPING SOME EXPERT EYES ON IT.

It’ll be two teams in fact: we’ll avoid Gérard Houllier (France), in Austria and Switzerland and, as the quicksands of calling them the (England), FIFA representative Jean-Paul Lars Lagerbäck explains elsewhere in A team and the B team by pointing out Brigger and the team captain, Andy this issue, experience is a valuable that it’s a purely geographical split. Roxburgh. weapon to have in your armoury. (Poland), Holger Osieck The Technical Team aims to relay ‘sec- (Germany), Morten Olsen (Denmark) Simplistically speaking, the role of the ond-hand’ experience. and György Mezey (Hungary) will be Technical Team is to represent absent based in Zurich, while Vienna will be colleagues. Only sixteen national team Of course, the team also performs base camp for Jozef Venglos (Slovakia), coaches will gain first-hand experience more media-orientated tasks – and

Italy’s in possession of the ball against Spain during a EURO 2008 warm-up match. Getty Images

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they are usually demanding ones at that. It’s not always easy to select the man of the match; it takes hours of debating to come up with a team of the tournament, and a great deal of soul-searching to single out a player of the tournament. But, as neutral observers, the members of the Techni- cal Team represent a logical choice when it comes to looking for judges.

In terms of passing on information to colleagues, the first date in the diary is the National Team Coaches Conference, which will mark a return to Vienna at the end of September. This is a three-day ‘debriefing’ during which technical and logistical issues will be discussed. This serves a dual purpose as, apart from passing on information to those respon- sible for the national teams of the other 37 associations, suggestions can be put down on UEFA debating tables with a view to further improving the final

tournament in the future. The Technical Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images Team is therefore responsible for the A show of strength from of Germany in the recent friendly against Switzerland. input of information and for identifying the areas which most warrant discus- All of this technical observation and in the form of a technical report. It’s sion during the ‘plenary meeting’ of assessment is by no means restricted a fascinating exercise to read through Europe’s national team coaches. to the finals of the European Football the booklets which have been filling Championship, although this probably reference shelves for the last dozen Their other brief is to produce a tech- generates the thickest volume produced years or so – as found nically-orientated of the event by Andy Roxburgh’s Technical Teams. when we recently went to speak to him which can be reliably used as a refer- The word ‘probably’ is in that sentence in Barcelona with a copy of the 1996 ence work in years to come. This is because the UEFA Champions League U18 technical report tucked in the based on the coaches’ observations Technical Report – the tenth edition bag. He re-read the observations he and backed by official data. of which will be published this summer had made as captain of a French gold- – is also a bulky volume, bearing in medal team that featured William Gal- But, as the team members would be mind that, whereas a EURO involves las, Mickaël Silvestre, David Trézéguet the first to admit, the final tournament 16 teams and 31 matches, the premier and Nicolas Anelka, and then looked also represents an all-too-rare oppor- club competition involves 32 and at the photos of Emile Heskey, Michael tunity, in what is essentially a solitary 125 respectively. Owen, ‘Frankie’ (as he preferred to profession, for a group of coaches to be called at the time) Lampard, Simão exchange views and strike sparks off Technical Teams are now at almost Sabrosa and . Let’s each other. The end result will not all of the final tournaments organised hope that the Technical Team at EURO only be a printed technical report on by UEFA in order to observe, to detect 2008 will also produce a report that, in EURO 2008, but an opportunity to developments, to provoke debate and years to come, will not only be a refer- identify trends in the international game. to present all this to their colleagues ence work but also a collectors’ item…

13 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 14

THETHE COACHES UEFA DEVELOPMENT IN AND GROUPTECHNICAL C FOR ASSISTANCEEURO 2008: COMMITTEE ROBERTOWITH UEFA DONADONI, PRESIDENT VICTORAND GENERALPITURCA, SECRETARYMARCO VAN DAVID BASTEN TAYLOR

UEFA-pjwoods.ch ANDAT RAYMONDA MEETING DOMENECH. IN NYON. FOOTBALL, DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IT’S 32 YEARS SINCE ANTON ONDRUS AND SHOOK HANDS AT THE ‘LITTLE MARACANÁ’ STADIUM IN BELGRADE AS CAPTAINS OF THE CZECHOSLOVAKIAN AND WEST GERMAN TEAMS WHO DISPUTED THE FIRST EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL TO BE DECIDED IN A PENALTY SHOOT-OUT. AT THAT MOMENT, NEITHER OF THEM WOULD HAVE DREAMED THAT THEY WOULD SHAKE HANDS AGAIN IN 2008 AS MEMBERS OF UEFA’S DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE, REPRESENTING – HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED – SLOVAKIA AND THE UNITED GERMANY.

But let’s not get distracted by anecdotes ● Consider major issues which impact By contrast, the Development and or nostalgia. The real message is that on the referee and the coach; Technical Assistance Committee’s brief technicians now have two UEFA commit- ● Assist in promoting UEFA and the is to: tees to represent their interests – and game of football. ● Supervise UEFA’s technical and foot- the 14-man line-up for one of them ball assistance/exchange programmes includes Anton and Franz, led by chair- By way of a warm-up, the committee within its member associations; man Per Ravn Omdal of Norway. reviewed some logistical issues such as ● Assist in the flow of information guidelines for disputed goals and how to regarding training, education and Alongside UEFA Technical Director treat goals, cautions and dismissals from technical reports; Andy Roxburgh, Franz Beckenbauer oper- forfeited matches. The use of technology ● Support UEFA’s technical advisers ates in a midfield role linking the two was discussed, and the committee and consultants; committees. But, on the Football Com- endorsed the view previously expressed ● Monitor the development of the mittee that he chairs, he and fellow by the elite coaches that the use of LED UEFA Convention on the Mutual legend will need to do some track advertising boards should be dis- Recognition of Coaching Qualifications; running to keep pace with slightly more couraged, bearing in mind that, when the ● Oversee grassroots and player recent champions of Europe such as ball is in play, laterally-moving images can development, especially through the Dejan Savicevic and Fernando Hierro. represent a severe distraction for players, Grassroots Charter; coaches, match officials and spectators. ● Cooperate with the Union of European However, the important thing about Football Trainers. a star-studded team is the way it plays. So the first item on their respective The committee is supported by the agendas was to establish tactics and Jira Panel, the Grassroots Football Panel strategy. In short, the brief of the new and UEFA’s technical instructors. At the Football Committee is to: first meeting, a series of priorities was ● Exchange views on the protection established: and further development of the game; ● To define a concept and to imple- ● Draw up recommendations on national ment further technical exchange and team and club issues, the Laws of assistance; the Game, player protection, image, ● To assist in the promotion, protection and other football-related matters and development of the game through which have an impact on the game; technical activities (technical reports, ● Act as ambassadors or representatives grassroots schemes, online education, of UEFA at professional events, etc.); courses, conferences and youth or ● To monitor the activities of the grassroots activities; Jira Panel and the Grassroots Panel; ● Offer expert help in the production ● To assist the associations via events of UEFA’s technical reports; and specialised advice in the further ● Offer football-related proposals education of coaches, educators

regarding UEFA competitions; Getty Images and grassroots leaders. ● Support top-level players and the Fernando Hierro, Champions League winner, and development of young talents; now a member of the UEFA Football Committee. As the saying goes, watch this space!

14 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 15

THE CITY OF MANCHESTER STADIUM IS THE VENUE FOR THIS YEAR’S UEFA

CUP FINAL. Getty Images

The Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna, venue of the TRAINING EURO 2008 final. ROUTINE

BY MIRCEA RADULESCU AGENDA Director of the Romanian FA Coaching School

Sportsfile (with Under-16 federal coach Lucian Burchel) 2008

June 7-29 ● EURO 2008 (Austria/Switzerland)

July 7-19 ● 7th European Women’s Under-19 Championship – Final Tournament (France)

July 14-26 ● 7th European Under-19 Championship – WAVES OF ATTACK Final Tournament Aim ● The joker is a midfield player who (Czech Republic) ● To develop build-up play plays for the team in possession. and to launch waves of attack. ● Offside applies 30 metres from each goal. Numbers August 29 ● After a goal – restart with a goal kick. ● ● 21 players (9 v 9 + 2 goalkeepers UEFA Super Cup ● No pressure on defenders when in and 1 joker). (Monaco) possession inside the 30-metre zone. Area ● Full pitch. Coaching focus September 8-9 Duration ● Build-up play – space creation, ● 10th Elite Club ● 50 minutes: 30 minutes coach-led passing accuracy and goalkeeper Coaches Forum 15 minutes free play involvement. (Nyon) 5 minute half-time ● Waves of attack – overlapping rest period movements, combination play and Rules switching the point of attack. September 22-24 ● The ball must be dribbled across ● Pressing – pressing the ball, closing ● 8th Conference the halfway line. the space and offering cover. for European National Coaches ● Only the player who takes the ● Four-man zonal defence – collective (Vienna) ball across the halfway line can join movement of the back four, using off- the attack. side and dealing with mobile attackers.

15 The Technician N°39•E•Pat 13.5.2008 9:33 Page 16

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