. 175 o N INTERVIEW treasurer David Gill, UEFA and vice-president

THE TECHNICIAN The language quandary in the dressing room Portugal win EURO 2018 Futsal Portugal win LEAGUE NATIONS Everything to play for CHAMPIONS INSIDE AND OUT CHAMPIONS INSIDE

No.175 • March 2018 www.uefafoundation.org EDITORIAL

REAPING THE REWARDS OF OUR SHARED SUCCESS

he global attention generated by the and to bring to fruition all those initiatives they UEFA Nations League draw in Lausanne have always longed for and needed. T in January was a welcome reminder that EURO prize money has also been increased national team football is stronger than ever. substantially. We have decided to make more The moves we have made together in recent funds available to more teams per round and to years to centralise national team football and apply significantly higher financial rewards for to rejuvenate it with a new competition have the performances on the pitch. Again, these started to pay off as it becomes increasingly additional funds will go to our member popular with fans and broadcasters across associations, enabling them to invest in the globe. grassroots, education and development Popularity of our competitions is important projects in their territories. for their livelihood, and generating further Following on from the increase in the amount revenues is as well, but it is what UEFA does available for distribution in the UEFA Women’s with those additional funds that can truly make Champions League, I am also pleased to a difference to the protection, promotion and announce that the funds allocated to the development of football in Europe. development of women’s football are being In keeping with UEFA’s tradition, the net doubled. This is another strong sign of UEFA’s revenues stemming from the success of our commitment to developing the women’s game. national team competitions will flow back to When you put the significant increase in the our member associations via the HatTrick amount for distribution in men’s club football programme, the distribution of EURO prize into the equation as well, it all adds up to money and the agreed centralised media rights amounts being shared across all areas of distribution for European Qualifiers and the European football. UEFA Nations League. This would not have been possible without When it comes down to it, it is all about the continuous collaboration and support of all teamwork, and it is thanks to the dedicated our stakeholders. Thank you to all of you! work and successful cooperation between the member associations and UEFA that we can celebrate the gains made. It was with great pleasure and pride, therefore, that we announced at the recent UEFA Congress in Bratislava that HatTrick funds would increase by 25% for the next cycle. These new funds will give national associations even more opportunities to improve their Theodore Theodoridis infrastructure, solidarity and education projects UEFA General Secretary

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 03 CONTENTS

UEFA 34

Official publication of the Union of European Football Associations

Chief editor: Emmanuel Deconche

6 Sportsfile Deputy chief editor: Dominique Maurer

Chief writer: Mark Chaplin IN THIS ISSUE

External contributors: Graham Turner (page 6) Julien Hernandez (pages 12, 26) 6 FUTSAL EURO 2018 14 #EQUALGAME Paolo Menicucci (page 22) Portugal were crowned European Ljubomir may have lost part of champions in Ljubljana one of his arms, but after switching Translations: UEFA Language Services on 10 February. from goalkeeping to refereeing, football is still a big part of his life. Production: Touchline 11 RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAMME 22 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Printing: Artgraphic Cavin, Social responsibility in The Italian CH-1422 Grandson the age of social media. presents its ambitious programme for young migrants. Editorial deadline: 12 February 2018 12 UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE The draw in Lausanne heralds the Cover photo: 26 THE TECHNICIAN Sportsfile start of Europe’s all-new national With professional football clubs team competition. tending to be a real multilingual affair these days, how do players and coaches communicate?

04 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 CONTENTS

UEFA 12 26 Fabrice Nassisi

32 UEFA GROW How UEFA GROW is helping the national associations to maximise their potential on and off the pitch.

34 DAVID GILL Interview with the UEFA treasurer and vice-president.

39 NEWS FROM MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

UEFA 14

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 05 HISTORIC FUTSAL TITLE WIN PORTUGAL 6 UEFA 10 February at the magnificent StožiceArena in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. seven-time champions Spain in the UEFA Futsal EURO 2018 final, played on donned the European crown after athrilling 3-2 extra-time victory over Portugal –pretenders to the throne for the best part of decades two –finally – UEFA DIRECT •March2018

FUTSAL EURO 2018

ortugal's long-awaited triumph management attitudes and fear of defeat. very different goalkeeping styles. Georgi allowed them to become the fourth But credit where credit was due: the Zamtaradze guarded the Russian net with P winners of the trophy and to standard of goalkeeping was outstanding. efficiency and sobriety; Higuita contributed emulate Spain’s extraordinary feat of to Kazakhstan’s game plans with panache, being champions of Europe in the outdoor Goalkeepers stand out self-confidence, acrobatic shot-stopping, and indoor disciplines at the same time. The bronze medal match provided a flamboyant upfield sorties and, in the Although Jorge Braz’s team had to graphic illustration. and Kazakhstan semi-final against Spain, a spectacular goal wait until 55 seconds from the event’s offered the fans a spectacular game from long range. final whistle to seal the ultimate victory, punctuated by 96 goals attempts. It ended Alongside the duo in the nominees few could dispute the argument that with a 1-0 victory for the Russian team for UEFA’s team of the was Portugal had competed at the highest level that had taken Portugal to the wire in a the Slovenia keeper, Damir Puškar, who, throughout the 12-day final tournament. dramatic semi-final. As it happened, the apart from conceding only five times in With 23 goals in their five games, they match which acted as curtain-raiser for three games, was a key protagonist in one were by far and away the most prolific the Portugal v Spain final involved the two of the major surprises of the group phase. scorers in an event where goals came at goalkeepers who were ultimately selected The hosts had opened the tournament a premium. Statistically, this was illustrated by UEFA’s technical observers for their with disappointment in an opening fixture by a downturn of nigh on 30% in team of the tournament. As it happened, which, curiously, replicated the opening comparison with the goal tally registered the observers were Javier Lozano of Spain game of Futsal EURO 2016, when they at the previous tournament in in and Orlando Duarte of Portugal. And, as it had taken on Serbia, who were hosting 2016. A drop from 129 to 91 raised all happened, the keepers they selected were the event. This time, Slovenia avoided a manner of debating points about risk two very different personalities with two repetition of that 5-1 defeat and were

UEFA UEFA DIRECT DIRECT • March• March 2018 201 8– –35 7 hopeful of taking three points when they surged into a 2-0 first-half lead. Serbia, however, refused to raise the white flag and the second of their two replies came when they were operating with a flying goalkeeper 28 seconds before the end.

Turn-ups for the books in the groups The 2-2 scoreline was a sign of things to come at an event which produced more drawn games (six) than any previous tournament. Serbia went on to snatch another draw against Italy in an encounter that yielded 76 goal attempts (two-thirds of them by Italy) but only two goals from set plays. The result left Group A dependent on the final showdown between Slovenia and Italy. Roberto Menichelli’s team produced an overwhelming first half yet, thanks in great part to Puškar’s shot-stopping, could score only once. And so it stayed until past the half-hour mark. Then, suddenly, a cross from the left by Matej “Georgi Zamtaradze Fideršek was met at the far post by the guarded the Russian unmarked Slovenia captain Igor Osredkar. net with efficiency ... Apart from spreading jubilation among the sell-out crowd, the significance was UEFA that, in a three-way tie on two points, Italy would be out. Hence the introduction of the flying keeper – only for Osredkar to exhilarating solo skills and athletic qualities goals in the 3-5 defeat by Azerbaijan steal the ball from Murilo, run unopposed seemingly at odds with players who which sent Pierre Jacky’s team home. at the Italy goal and clinch the 2-1 result had been obliged to negotiate time away It proved to be the only victory of the that sent the 2014 champions home. from their jobs to travel to Slovenia. All this tournament for Azerbaijan. A 1-0 defeat The group stage threw up further was understandably tempered by a lack against an edgy Spain fazed by the surprises, albeit none so drastic in terms of big-match experience which, firstly, performance against France consigned of unexpectedly revising homeward travel allowed Spain to come back from 2-4 them to a quarter-final against Portugal, plans. In Group B, Poland – in the final down to register a 4-4 draw which was, the only team to have won both of their tournament for the first time in 17 years – nonetheless, a creditable result for the group games. The 8-1 victory for Jorge were expected to be second-best against debutants and then, in the second match, Braz’s team included four goals for former champions Russia. But, with prompted them to concede crucial set-play Ricardinho, who thus became the all-time stalwart, well-organised defending, top scorer at Futsal EUROs with a total determined counterattacking and which reached 22, and set him on track to some nice tactical innovations, Blažej top the 2018 charts with seven goals and Korczynski’s team restricted Russia to RESULTS four assists. By contrast, Spain, although a single goal and grabbed a point while gathering momentum in their approach operating with a flying keeper nine Semi-finals work, were still struggling to find the net. seconds from time. Running out of steam Russia 2-3 Portugal It was a solitary long-range shot by Pola against Kazhakstan, however, sent them Kazakhstan 5-5 Spain which earned them a second consecutive home, along with Italy, Romania (who (Spain win 3-1 on penalties) 1-0 win and eliminated a Ukrainian team relinquished a two-goal advantage to lose which had played with defensive discipline 2-3 to Ukraine) and, unfortunately, France. Third place play-off and a strong work ethic. Russia 1-0 Kazakhstan A breath of fresh air Class act Supporters of France's Group D rivals In the meantime, Kazakhstan were Azerbaijan and Spain might frown at the Final demonstrating that third place in 2016 use of ‘unfortunately’. But the part-time Portugal 3-2 Spain had been no accident, with Douglas Junior debutants breathed fresh air into the (after extra time) emerging as one of the class acts of the tournament with an uninhibited approach, tournament. Playing minute after minute

8 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 FUTSAL EURO 2018

goalkeeper but conceded the clinching goal by losing the ball while in the same UEFA mode with 23 seconds remaining. The defeat meant that a talented team returned home without winning a game. Russia had also come through the group stage without winning, but exploited sound goalkeeping and defending to dash Slovenian dreams with a 2-0 win – the second goal a counterattack with only 25 seconds remaining. But nothing could subtract from the host nation’s contributions on and off the field of play. The last of five 12-team final (there will be 16 participants as from the next finals in 2022) was impeccably organised and attendances moved regularly into five figures despite the heavy snowfalls which decorated the streets of Ljubljana with two-metre dunes.

Dramatic semis The hosts’ efforts were rewarded by four final matches rich in quality, intensity ... while Higuita contributed to Kazakhstan’s and drama. Russia, keeping the lid on game plans with panache and, in the semi-final Ricardinho’s box of tricks and, once again, against Spain, a spectacular goal from long range.” showcasing their defensive expertise, led Portugal 1-0 until the three-quarter mark. But two fierce strikes by the excellent after minute of every match, his positional acumen, passing vision, tight skills and power-shooting made him an influential BIG CHANGES AFOOT presence alongside surprise package IN EUROPEAN FUTSAL Taynan, drafted into the squad at the 11th hour in response to a training-session injury to Leo. Cacau’s team reached the Aleksandr Alaev, chairman of UEFA’S Futsal and Beach Soccer semi-finals with a relatively comfortable Committee and acting president of the Football Union of Russia, 3-1 victory over Serbia. Trailing 2-0, Goran shares his impressions of Futsal EURO 2018 in Slovenia and Ivančić’s team reduced arrears while tells UEFA Direct how futsal is developing in Europe. deploying Mladen Kocić as flying “On behalf of UEFA, I would like to thank of Slovenia for the excellent organisation of Futsal EURO 2018. The association has undertaken a huge amount of work since 2015 when, with the current UEFA president, Aleksander Čeferin, still at the helm, it was chosen to host the tournament. Futsal in Europe is growing fast, as is the popularity of the game. Of course, this is thanks to a large extent to UEFA’s commitment and attention to one of the most accessible kinds of football. Futsal EURO 2018 in Slovenia was the last to be organised as a biennial competition. From now on, it will be played every four years instead of every two – and with 16 teams instead of 12 as of Futsal EURO 2022. Moreover, UEFA is introducing two new competitions: a European Women’s Futsal Championship and a youth Under-19 competition. The first editions will take place in 2018/19, with the final rounds scheduled for February and September 2019 respectively. As far as futsal club competitions are concerned, the UEFA Futsal Cup becomes the UEFA Futsal Champions League. These changes were all approved by UEFA the UEFA Executive Committee at its meeting in Helsinki last April. Slovenia’s emblematic captain Igor Osredkar steered So it is an exciting time in the European futsal arena and one which will certainly raise the the host team as far as the quarter-finals. popularity and profile of futsal even higher.”

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 9 “Portuguese celebrations gave overwhelming credence to the adage that pictures are worth a thousand words.” UEFA

André Coelho – one from long range, one a 3-1 penalty shoot-out victory which playing their way out of their own half. following a corner – overturned the score. meant that Kazakhstan, by the narrowest It was the second 10-metre penalty of the Then, with Russia waiting for a whistle of margins, had to contest the bronze match – Miguelín’s spot-kick for Spain which never sounded, made medal with Russia. having been repelled by the woodwork. it 3-1, with Eder Lima slamming home a For Portugal, the taker was Bruno Coelho. reply for Russia within seven seconds of A feast of Iberian ball skills He stepped up and coolly dispatched a the restart to keep nerves jangling during When the grand finale kicked off 48 hours fierce low drive past Sedano into the the frantic closing seconds of a dramatic later, the 10,352 spectators barely had Spanish net. Heart rates were relentlessly encounter. time to settle into their seats before punished as the seconds ticked away – The other semi-final provided even an early goal set pulses racing. With especially when Spain hit the post with greater drama. Kazakhstan led twice. 59 seconds on the clock, Miguelín lost just 14 remaining. But the klaxon sounded Spain, rediscovering their scoring touch, possession, leaving Ricardinho, of all with 3-2 to Portugal on the scoreboard at led twice. Douglas Junior, who had yet people, 1 v 1 against Sedano, whom he the end of a memorable contest that had again conducted the orchestra with great beat with composure. Venancio López’s offered the fans a feast of Iberian ball skill and aplomb, made it 4-4 with 79 team initially struggled to cope with skills, intensity and drama and no fewer seconds remaining to send the contest Portugal’s aggressive high pressing and than 104 goal attempts. into extra time, during which each team fluent off-the-ball movements in a 1-4-0 scored once. Goalkeeper Paco Sedano structure that, in the outdoor game, could Pictures worth a thousand words then saved from Taynan to give Spain be described as a ‘striker-less formation’. Portuguese celebrations gave Spain’s response was to operate more overwhelming credence to the adage regularly with Alex or Solano as an that pictures are worth a thousand words. attacking pivot to give their approach play Coach Jorge Braz may not have jumped as greater depth and more passing options high as his players nor slid into huddles on against their opponents’ high pressure. A the floor. But, as he embraced his players neat combination, culminated by Marc and backroom staff, he exuded the joy Tolrà's finish, produced an equaliser shortly and inner satisfaction of a man who, before the interval and, midway through since taking over from his friend and the second half, Spain’s dominance was mentor Orlando Duarte after the loss transferred to the scoreboard when Lin of the final against Spain in 2010, had met a Miguelín free-kick at the back post. felt Portuguese frustrations as deeply as But, throwing on Pedro Cary as flying anybody. Ditto Ricardinho, one of futsal’s keeper, Portugal conjured up an equaliser outstanding artists who, finally, had a in the penultimate minute. The finishing major international title to add to his touch to a slick combination was provided serial successes at club level. by Bruno Coelho, back in action after Indeed, it was Ricardinho who was limping to the dressing room in the first first to receive an award from the UEFA half. His crucial finish sent the final into president, Aleksander Čeferin. To a extra time. standing ovation, the Portugal captain Again, Spain appeared to have the hobbled on to the podium to become upper hand – and the pendulum seemed the first player to earn the newly to swing further in their favour when introduced trophy for the player of the Ricardinho went to ground and eventually tournament. The UEFA technical observers limped off with an ice pack strapped to had selected him not only on the basis of his ankle. But, with 55 seconds of the his exceptional solo skills but also in additional ten minutes remaining and with recognition of the way he had taken UEFA both teams having reached the five foul responsibilities as team leader and had Ricardinho finished the competition as European mark, the referee’s whistle sounded after offered his individual abilities to the champion, top scorer and player of the tournament. a tackle on Pedro Cary as Portugal were collective effort.

10 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAMME

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: THE LIMITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Since 2010, UEFA has been supporting football-related academic research projects through its Research Grant Programme. This month, Dr Tim Breitbarth presents details of his recent study, which looked at online conversations about social responsibility in European football.

and online news media (which tend to be editor and organisation-led) in terms of both the volume and dynamics of communication (referred to as ‘buzz’) and tonality. Subjects attracting buzz on social media included corruption, charitable activities, doping, community issues and health, compared with corruption, social issues, respect, social development and governance in news media. Moreover, commentary on the likes of Twitter and Facebook was more sceptical and negative. Unexpected and spontaneous events (such as the Dortmund bus bombing) tended to quickly lead to high levels of social media buzz around SR and football. In contrast, SR-related messages and commentaries related UEFA to planned events (e.g. matches and associations’ annual congresses) tended Dr Tim Breitbarth is a principal academic at Bournemouth University’s faculty of management. His research, which builds on international corporate marketing experience, spans a wide range of areas – from sports to attract large amounts of online news marketing and strategy to sustainability and organisational performance. coverage in the first instance.

ome people consider social media Differences between social Using SR to enhance and social responsibility (SR) to be a media and online news media reputations, relationships Sperfect fit, as both target interaction, The perception that ‘Facebook = social and communication accountability and transparency. And yet, media’ is as common as it is erroneous, Insight derived from SR-related social expectations remain limited when it comes for the world of social media extends media content can directly inform to constructive dialogue on SR and football far beyond household names such as organisations’ policies, strategies and in the online sphere: even if associations and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Indeed, tactics, as it supports managerial decision- clubs do seek to engage in dialogue, this study located and extracted relevant making when it comes to things like communication via social media is still likely themes and communication dynamics social programmes and effective to be perceived as a marketing tool aimed at from more than 400 million social media communication. Social media is now a conveying messages about the organisations sources drawing on the VICO social vital communication tool, democratising in question. It is certainly the case that the media monitoring system as an insightful information and shifting structures of complexity of communicational dynamics ‘social listening tool’. The study was influence. With views on SR focusing needs better alignment in football conducted over four months in early 2017 less on the direct financial benefits organisations. Balancing seriousness and spanned a variety of languages, with derived from such activities and more with ‘sharability’, ‘provocability’ and about 125,000 relevant items in Croatian, on reputational impact, stakeholder ‘emotionability’ is the key to success in English, French, German, Italian, Polish, relationships and communication, the world of social media. Embracing Romanian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish football organisations should develop non-technical SR language and outcome- being identified in that period. an enlightened and effective style of play oriented SR messages can be an effective Importantly, major differences were when it comes to the – still bumpy – social starting point when seeking to inspire and observed between typical social media media pitch and SR-related communication steer constructive and positive conversations. (micro-blogging, social networking, etc.) in general.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 11 A DRAW THAT GIVES EVERYONE A CHANCE

The anticipation and excitement were palpable in Lausanne on 24 January, when the great and good of European football convened in the Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva for the christening of the continent’s latest flagship competition.

he Nations League regulations and Cup. Each of the four leagues contains with the Belgians slight favourites thanks draw procedure had been digested, four groups, with three teams per group in to their steady recent improvement and an Tand were finally to become a reality. Leagues A and B, one group of three and impressive batch of talented youngsters. Ahead of the draw itself, the UEFA three groups of four in League C, and four The winners of the group, in which each president, Aleksander Čeferin, kicked teams per group in League D. team will play four matches (two against things off by unveiling the competition each of the other two group members), trophy, which put a sparkle in the eyes League A teams to will join the three other League A group of Europe’s biggest football nations … challenge for the title winners in the Nations League finals, the 12 biggest, in fact, since that is the The calibre of the League A groups, which will be hosted by one of the finalists number of teams that make up League A, in which the continent’s best 12 teams from 5 to 9 June 2019. The format of this from whose ranks the first Nations League will compete from 6 September to final phase will be very simple, with winners will arise. To recap, the senior 20 November 2018, was always going to semi-finals, a third-place match and the men’s teams of all 55 UEFA member be extremely high. Trying to rank the final, the winners of which will be crowned associations have been split into four groups in order of difficulty now that the the inaugural Nations League champions. leagues, with 12 each in Leagues A and B, draw has been made is therefore easier Picking a favourite is tricky business too: 15 in League C and 16 in League D, in said than done. However, Group A2, the groups are so well balanced that it is accordance with their positions in containing three teams that have only difficult even to predict who will make it the UEFA national association coefficient recently joined Europe’s top table – into the final phase. The reigning world rankings the day after the end of the Belgium, Switzerland and Iceland – champions, Germany, who qualified for European Qualifiers for the 2018 World appears perhaps the most winnable, the 2018 World Cup at a canter, will be Getty Images

1232 –– UEFAUEFA DIRECTDIRECT •• MarchMarch 20182018 GROUPS

League A

Group A1 Group A2

Germany Belgium France Switzerland Netherlands Iceland most people’s favourites in Group A1. attract the most international attention, Group A3 Group A4 Solid though they are, the Mannschaft the other 43 nations of Europe have not Portugal Spain will, however, face a tricky opponent in been forgotten. Quite the opposite, in Italy England France, who boast a huge array of talent, fact, since the new competition will pit Poland especially going forward, and who beat them against teams of a similar standard, them in the EURO 2016 semi-finals. France with the promise of some closely fought League B will also renew acquaintances with matches. The promotion and relegation Group B1 Group B2 another of their recent victims, the system provides an added competitive Slovakia Russia Netherlands, whom they beat in World edge, with the 12 group winners in Ukraine Sweden Cup qualifying and who are bound to be Leagues B, C and D moving up a league Czech Republic Turkey out for revenge after missing out on the and the bottom-placed sides in the top last two major international tournaments. three leagues moving down for the Group B3 Group B4 Group A3 contains three teams with second edition of the competition, which Austria Wales contrasting recent histories. Having hit the is scheduled to start in September 2020. Republic of Ireland heights at EURO 2016, Portugal lived up Wales, for example, who reached the Northern Ireland Denmark to their status as European champions by semi-finals at EURO 2016, are in Group B4 seeing off Switzerland in a hard-fought and will need to see off the Republic of League C battle to secure a place at the World Cup. Ireland and Denmark to secure promotion Group C1 Group C2 To everyone’s surprise, Italy will not be to League A. Meanwhile, over in Group joining the Portuguese in Russia, having C3 Slovenia, Norway, Bulgaria and Cyprus Scotland Hungary failed to qualify for the World Cup finals will be fighting for promotion to League Albania Greece for the first time since 1958. Currently in B… while at the same time trying to avoid Israel Finland a rebuilding phase, the Azzurri will be relegation to League D. Estonia determined to make life difficult for There is sure to be something at stake Group C3 Group C4 Portugal. Poland complete the group, right up to the last in every group, which Slovenia Romania having developed into one of Europe’s all the teams will be keen to win, of Norway Serbia strongest nations in recent years with course. But a place on the next rung of Bulgaria talented striker Robert Lewandowski at the continental ladder is not their only Cyprus Lithuania the helm. If Group A3 looks spicy, so too incentive, since the Nations League offers does Group A4, where Spain, England the added carrot of four tickets to EURO League D and Croatia have been pitted together. 2020. While 20 teams will book their It is hard to find a more talent-filled trio place at the EURO through the European Group D1 Group D2 of national teams in Europe at Qualifiers, the four remaining Georgia Belarus the moment, with the ever- slots will be filled by the winners Latvia Luxembourg vibrant interplay of the Spanish, of the play-offs in March 2020 – Kazakhstan Moldova the youth and attacking verve and who qualifies for the Andorra San Marino of the English, and Croatia’s play-offs will be determined Group D3 Group D4 outstanding midfield. by the Nations League. Although none have shone Leagues A, B, C and D Azerbaijan FYR Macedonia in recent final tournaments will each have a separate Faroe Islands Armenia – they all fell before the play-off path, with Malta Liechtenstein quarter-final stage at the two semi-finals and a Kosovo Gibraltar 2014 World Cup and EURO single-leg final, the 2016 – all three must be winners of which will CALENDAR considered potential be awarded a place Nations League at EURO 2020. In other Matchday 1: 6-8 September 2018 champions. words, the winners of Matchday 2: 9-11 September 2018 Group D2, composed Matchday 3: 11-13 October 2018 Everyone eyeing a of Belarus, Luxembourg, Matchday 4: 14-16 October 2018 place at EURO 2020 Moldova and San Marino, With Europe’s 12 best teams will only be two matches Matchday 5: 15-17 November 2018 all in the same league, the away from competing at Matchday 6: 18-20 November 2018 Nations League is bound to the next EURO! With Latvia provide top-quality matches for the only of the 16 League D spectators and TV viewers alike. teams to have done so before, Teams with no fixture on a given matchday play friendlies. However, although League A will there is every chance of a The League A group winners will contest the finals from 5 to 9 June 2019, the draw for which is due to take place in newcomer joining the top table early December 2018. of European men’s national The draw for the play-offs that will decide the final four places at The silver UEFA Nations League trophy team football, courtesy of the EURO 2020 will be held on 22 November 2019, with the matches

weighs in at 7.5kg and is 70.5cm tall. UEFA Nations League. then played between 26 and 31 March 2020.

UEFAUEFA DIRECTDIRECT •• March 20182018 – 3313 EQUAL GAME

LJUBOMIR MORAVAC – SLOVENIA

“I’M STILL PART OF THE GAME”

Football has played an immense healing role for 21-year-old Ljubomir Moravac, whose story embodies the values of UEFA’s #EqualGame campaign and shows how football can help to rebuild someone’s life.

ootball has been etched on Ljubo’s heart since he first played with a ball as a five-year-old in a village in his native Serbia. He comes from a football family, and his elder brother Ranko was capped at Serbian youth level. FLjubo showed promise as a goalkeeper. At 16, he moved with his father to the Slovenian city of Maribor, joined local club NK Maribor where his brother Ranko, a , had already signed a professional contract, and began to feature in the club’s youth teams. In 2014/15, Ljubo was a member of the NK Maribor squad that played in the UEFA Youth League group stage. However, his young life was to change dramatically on 2 August 2016. In a road accident after a training session, two of his team-mates lost their lives and Ljubo was seriously injured. As a result, part of his left arm had to be amputated. On his path to recovery, Ljubo has found relief in football. He has taken up refereeing, and is relishing the new challenge. Ljubo’s love affair with the game has given him solace, comfort and hope – and a new start that is helping him to move forward. “Without my arm, I thought I would never be part of football again, since I only saw myself as a goalkeeper,” he reflects. “But I found a way to return ... and I still love football as much as I did when I was five years old.”

14 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 RESPECT CAMPAIGN

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 15 EQUAL GAME

“If I hadn’t trained as much as I did, if there hadn’t been football, I would not have been physically prepared to survive.”

16 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 RESPECT CAMPAIGN

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 17 “NK Maribor is like my second family. They have always been on my side, trying to find a way to help me and make things easier for me. They even motivated me to become a referee.” RESPECT CAMPAIGN

“FOOTBALL HELPED ME TO TACKLE THE AFTERMATH OF THE ACCIDENT LIKE A MATCH - ONE WHICH I HAD TO WIN.” “After the accident, I thought my football career was finished. But refereeing was a way for me to get back into the game.”

20 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 vroe.” everyone is open to a part. Football and Istill play are: Ilost my arm matter who you football. doesn’t It can be apart of believe anybody “I

RESPECT CAMPAIGN

Photos: UEFA SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

PROMOTING INCLUSION, DIVERSITY AND ACCEPTANCE THROUGH

With its Rete! project, the Italian Football Association (FIGC) is showing how football can facilitate the integration of migrants and promote tolerance and inclusion.

n 2015, the FIGC launched a project signed a memorandum of understanding for unaccompanied foreign children with the Italian government. “The project Iwho live in SPRAR centres (protection was at an experimental stage before,” he system for asylum seekers and refugees) explains. “The results were very positive, across the whole of Italy. The Rete! project, so we are now ready to reach out further. developed by the FIGC youth and school The FIGC is glad and proud to cover all sector, aims to promote social inclusion, the costs of this project because this is peer interaction and intercultural dialogue an investment for a better future for through educational and football-oriented everyone.” activities. The scheme has proved a success From October 2017 to April 2018, the so far. young migrants (16–19 years old) will The first edition in 2015 involved attend football-oriented training activities 237 youngsters and 24 different SPRAR at the various SPRAR centres and have projects; 280 young migrants and 25 the opportunity to train with FIGC coaches. SPRAR projects took part in the second Compared with previous editions, there edition in 2016, and the 2017 edition will be a much greater synergy with local Getty Images welcomed 397 participants from 30 SPRAR amateur clubs, with mixed-team activities projects based in 11 different regions of planned. The local clubs participating in the Italy. The fourth edition is now under way, project will be recognised as elite football to start the process to be recognised as FIGC chief executive and UEFA vice- schools if they have the necessary football schools. Clubs and participating president Michele Uva having recently requisites, otherwise they will be allowed footballers over the age of 18 will also have the chance to attend an entry level grassroots coaching course in their area.

Welcome to Coverciano In April and May there will be inter-regional phases with four mini-tournaments

Getty Images between SPRAR projects organised according to geographical criteria: north, central, south and Sicily. The semi-finals and final, meanwhile, will be held in Coverciano, at the FIGC technical centre. Last ’s final between SPRAR projects from Vizzini (Sicily) and Lodi (Lombardy) was played in Coverciano in front of an Italian national team delegation including players Marco Verratti, Davide Astori, Leonardo Spinazzola and Mattia Caldara, with team manager Gabriele Oriali The FIGC’s Rete! project fits into the Italian ministry of the interior’s protection system for asylum presenting medals to the players after seekers and refugees (SPRAR). the final whistle.

22 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Getty Images

Last season’s SPRAR final between Vizzini (Sicily) and Lodi (Lombardy) at the FIGC’s technical centre in Coverciano was watched by some famous faces, including Marco Verratti.

The former long jump champion did not waste time proving that she was right to accept the role, and after her appointment the FIGC started organising a series of successful projects aimed at eradicating racism from football and promoting integration. “I discovered a very masculine world of football which is different to athletics, but I have seen a great desire for change,” she says.

Combatting racism as a priority It all started in 2015, when the FIGC launched the project ‘Razzisti? Una brutta razza’ (Racists? An ugly race), which aimed to educate young footballers on topics Michele Uva and Fiona May – head of the training and integration, promoting such as tolerance and integration through FIGC’s anti-discrimination committee – also good behaviour by teaching ethical a series of meetings organised all across attended the event alongside Vito Tisci, values, improving the understanding Italy. The success of the project convinced president of the FIGC youth and school of the importance of physical activity the FIGC to extend it to Italian schools in sector, Luigi Maria Vignali, general and its impact on health and on the social 2016 through the creation of a dedicated manager for abroad within the and professional development of child platform. The project ‘Tutti i Colori del ministry of foreign affairs, and Alessandra refugees, and promoting healthy lifestyles Calcio’ (All the colours of football) featured Morelli, senior advisor for sport and culture in general. the launch of a website where students of the United Nations High Commissioner Rete! is only one of the projects to could post videos about their fight against for Refugees (UNHCR). fight racism launched by the FIGC since racism. By 2016, 41 videos had been Among the success stories of this project the appointment of Fiona May in 2014. published on the platform, with 17 is the one of young midfielder Abdoulie “When I was asked to become the FIGC’s Italian regions, 43 schools and over 1,000 Dampha, a migrant from Gambia who advisor for integration and the fight students involved. The Facebook page won the first edition of the tournament against racism, I said no at first,” she of the project received 3,839 likes. with the Caltagirone SPRAR team in 2015 remembers, recalling her first reaction “We decided that we had to work with before signing a contract with when the FIGC president at the time, youngsters. It is difficult to change the club Trapani the following year. Helping Carlo Tavecchio, approached her. “I didn’t mentality of adults, but sport can do a youngsters to become professional want my name to be used for ineffectual lot to educate the next generations,” footballers is certainly a bonus but not and superficial campaigns on the subject. Fiona May explains. “Youngsters, kids most the main objective of the project. But then, after evaluating the project of all, are crucial to defeat racism. None of As explained by the FIGC’s Cristina better and being given 24 hours to think us are born racist; kids don’t care about Blasetti, Rete! aims to promote inclusion it over, I changed my mind and accepted differences. We have to learn how to by using football as a tool for education, the role.” return to that natural instinct that only

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 23 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

at youth level for Great Britain – and after studying economics and business “None of us are born racist; management administration in Leeds – kids don’t care about she moved to Italy, married an Italian athlete and ended up competing for her differences. We have to new country. She retired in 2005 but learn how to return to that continued to be very active behind a desk. natural instinct that only She has been a member of the board of kids have. Education also trustees of the UEFA Foundation for plays a central role.” Children since May 2017 and she is also studying for an Executive Master in Sport Fiona May Governance (MESGO). Head of the FIGC’s anti- Getty Images discrimination committee Families, school and sport The fight to eradicate any kind of discrimination from the world of sport kids have. Education also plays a central Fiona May – born in Slough, England, to is her main occupation now. “We want role. This is the only way to promote values Jamaican parents – knows a thing or two to keep growing with our projects but it’s like tolerance and living together without about sport: during her scintillating career not easy,” she says. “We want to help giving any relevance to the colour of a in track and field, she won three world integration. We must think positive, person’s skin. When the players meet on championship titles (two outdoor and be brave. People coming from another the pitch, when they play side by side, one indoor), two Olympic silver medals world, athletics like me for example, have there are no divisions and prejudices and various other honours. But she also a completely different mentality, more anymore but a unique wave of friendship knows what it takes to move to a different open. I have never thought about skin moving as a whole on the pitch in the country and adapt to a new culture. After colour during my career, I didn’t know name of sport.” becoming European and world champion what racist boos were. Football is the national sport in Italy, we have to help the game reduce racism until we manage to eradicate it completely. We have to work together in sport to help open people’s minds. The basis of racism is ignorance, the ignorance of people who can’t recognise equality as a key value for society.” Meanwhile, the FIGC is also very active in backing UEFA’s #EqualGame campaign. “Especially through the Rete! project,” Michele Uva said during an event at the Liceo Agnesi school in Milan organised by SSC Napoli to talk about diversity. “After families and school, sport is the third step in the fight against discrimination. It is up to you, the students, to promote this message and make your voices heard. Through a collaboration between the FIGC and the police, incidents of discrimination have decreased by 75% since 2011 in Italian football. Now, for example, there are new rules allowing clubs to permanently ban fans responsible for discriminatory behaviour, like in England. But there is still plenty of work to do.” Confirming Uva’s words, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly told students about his personal experience when he asked the referee to stop a game at Lazio following repeated monkey chanting from a group of fans. The centre-back is sure that projects Getty Images like Rete! can help with integration. “My Luigi Maria Vignali, general manager for Italians abroad within the ministry of foreign affairs, parents were immigrants once upon a time presents the trophy to the tournament winners. and I know first-hand the challenges they

24 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 UEFA GRANT SCHEME FOR THE INTEGRATION OF REFUGEES The UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee has approved a new grant scheme for UEFA member associations as part of UEFA’s football and social responsibility strategy for 2017–21. The grants are intended to help refugees integrate in their host societies by means of football-related activities. Getty Images Six grants of €50,000 will be available each year. All associations had to face,” he said. “Without their is possible to observe positive changes already offering a comprehensive decision to seek a better way of life, there towards greater emotional stability and programme that meets the grant is no way I could have aspired to be what social inclusion thanks to this project, as scheme guidelines, or wishing to set I have become. I have enormous respect well as benefits derived from increased up such a project, have been invited for migrants who are risking everything, social exchanges with other young to apply. often in order to escape conflict, in order people through football-related activity, A jury consisting of representatives to find somewhere where they can live such as improved wellbeing, increased of UEFA and external expert in peace and harmony.” happiness, a greater sense of freedom organisations will evaluate the Rete! can certainly help in this sense. and a reduction in loneliness. applications and draw up a shortlist of A study into the role of football as a tool “Italy must become the most recommended projects, from which the for integration conducted in collaboration important centre for reception and six recipients will be selected by the with the Università Cattolica del Sacro integration,” Uva explains. “We must UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Cuore in confirms the good results never give up with our efforts because Committee. All participating achieved by the project. The study, with none of the 60,000 young footballers associations will be informed of the targeted questionnaires distributed to coming from abroad must ever feel outcome by the end of April 2018. young participants, confirms that it excluded.”

ABUBACARR’S LONG AND HARD JOURNEY

As part of its #EqualGame campaign, UEFA met Abubacarr Konta, a 16-year-old who, having lost his parents, left his African home in Gambia to seek a fresh start in Europe. ‘Abu’ arrived in Sicily in February 2016, but to do so he had to face a tragic journey – from Gambia to Libya, through Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Libya was the departure point for crossing the Mediterranean by boat to Italy. “[Me and my friends] were on the same boat, sailing,” Abu remembers. “But the boat developed a fault. One of my friends fell into the water with others who were sitting with him. He called out my name, but I couldn’t help because I was trying to save my own life, and they UEFA drowned.” Abu finally reached Sicily owning only a shirt and shorts. “I wasn’t even wearing shoes,” he says. From Messina, he happy when playing football. I love football,” says Abu, whose was relocated to the SPRAR centre in the town of Giammoro, on football idol and inspiration is former Spain midfielder Xabi the northern Sicilian coast. The centre is home to a small group Alonso. Football has helped the group of youngsters become of youngsters aged 15–18 who are attending Italian language close friends. Abu also feels great respect for the Sicilians and classes and learning additional life skills like tree-planting, loves Italian food, but football remains his greatest passion. watering and cooking. However, there is also time to play “Football is my life,” he says. “Football unites people – that’s football, an overriding passion since Abu’s childhood. “I feel what I love about the game.”

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 25 THE TECHNICIAN

Fabrice Nassisi THE TECHNICIAN

FOOTBALL, A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE?

Since 1995 and the Bosman ruling, European football has become such a cosmopolitan affair that even language barriers are shifting.

speak seven languages. Once you or less obliged to speak several languages. Since 1995, there has been a huge shift “ can speak two languages, it’s easy must speak four or five in European football. “Since that moment, to learn a third, a fourth, or even languages, Pep Guardiola the same, José clubs have recruited more and more more. I now speak Romanian, French, Mourinho maybe more … Coaches are in foreign players. Of course, having 15 English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese charge of players who come from all over different nationalities in the dressing room Iand Russian. It’s essential for my job.” the world and they need to be able to tell is different to having just three,” says One can imagine a diplomat or the CEO them what they want. Getting our ideas Portugal’s Luís Figo, winner of the Ballon of a multinational company uttering these across to our players, that’s our job!” d’Or in 2000. According to the Neuchâtel- words – people whose linguistic skills Coaches have always had to adapt based International Centre for Sports and ability to communicate in different to changes in football: tactical, physical, Studies (CIES), 39.7% of top- languages enable them to look after the technological, sociological changes, players in this season’s European domestic interests of their country or company. and so on. Adaptability is part of a good championships are foreigners. The figure But those are the words of a football coach’s DNA. Since 1995 and the Bosman can be as high as 65%, as is the case in coach – and not just any coach at that. ruling, European coaches and technical Turkey. In the English , Mircea Lucescu, 72, is the head coach staff have also had to add linguistic foreign players make up 59% of first-team of the Turkish national team, having adaptability to their CV. Pre-1995, the squads and it is not unusual for clubs to previously worked for 12 clubs in five situation was relatively simple: each club field teams composed almost exclusively countries. A life spent moving from was allowed up to three foreign players, of foreigners. On 26 February 2015, pitch to pitch … and from language to who were looked after with varying for example, the UEFA Europa League language. Is he unusual in the football degrees of success in order to help them match between Tottenham Hotspur and world? Not at all, according to Lucescu. integrate and understand what they were Fiorentina was the first UEFA competition “These days, high-level coaches are more being instructed to do. match in which neither side included

“In Donetsk, since we had up to 14 Brazilians on our books, I spoke to the whole squad in Portuguese once I felt my Portuguese was good enough. And an interpreter would pass on my instructions to the Ukrainian players in Russian.”

Mircea Lucescu Turkish national team coach and Getty Images former Shakhtar Donetsk coach

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 27 THE TECHNICIAN

At Arsenal, he was a member of the TERMINOLOGY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Premier League’s first-ever totally foreign starting XI, which beat Crystal Palace In 2008, UEFA and Langenscheidt published a trilingual 5-1 in 2005. “It didn’t matter who was football dictionary in UEFA’s three official languages playing, Arsène Wenger always conducted (English, French and German). his team talks in English. Afterwards, A useful reference for any football translator, anyone could ask a team-mate for help interpreter or administrator, it contains some 2,000 if they hadn’t understood something. entries covering everything from the game itself At the start, I always asked Thierry Henry to stadium, equipment, medical and media terms. or Patrick Vieira to tell me what the The printed version quickly sold out but the coach or the players were saying in dictionary is now available for free online on English.” While coaches often use the UEFA.com: local language for their team talks – www..com/insideuefa/dictionary/index.html unless, as we shall see later, they do not speak it themselves – language barriers are much easier to break down when it comes to one-to-one conversations a player from its own country in its Arsenal with a French accent between player and coach. “When it was starting XI. The 22 players who started How can a coach get through to all his just the two of us, Arsène Wenger always the match represented 15 nationalities, players when they come from different spoke to me in French. It was the same but there were no Englishmen in the countries, speak different languages and when he was talking to several French Tottenham team and no Italians in have different cultural backgrounds? players at the same time,” explains Robert Fiorentina colours, although the Italian Robert Pirès, who won the 1998 World Pirès. In fact, the ability to speak to each side did include Englishman Micah Cup with France, has first-hand experience other in their native language can be good Richards in their line-up. of the internationalisation of football. for the relationship between players and coaches from the same country when they are abroad. Luís Figo found himself in such “At Arsenal, there were never any problems between a situation twice in his career, firstly with the English and French players. We didn’t all speak Carlos Queiroz at Real and later the same language, but we spoke the same football.” with José Mourinho at . “In both cases, if we were on our own or if Robert Pirès they wanted to explain a tactical detail, Former Arsenal player we spoke to each other in Portuguese. Getty Images THE TECHNICIAN

Both of them could speak several Bixente Lizarazu admits that he did not know languages and had no trouble using the a word of German when he joined Bayern Munich. local language, so I never had to help them with any translations,” smiles Figo, who can now speak Spanish and Italian fluently, even though he did not know a word in either language before playing in the two countries. when you don’t speak the same language While the similarities between as everyone else,” he recalls. After only Portuguese and Spanish or Italian made six matches in Spain, he returned to Lyon, it easier for Luís Figo to learn the local where he won three more league titles. languages quickly, Bixente Lizarazu was At Olympique Lyonnais, Müller found not so lucky. When he arrived at Bayern himself playing alongside a large Munich in 1997, the Frenchman came contingent of Brazilians. The club had up against a more difficult obstacle than specialised in recruiting players from opposing strikers. “Although Brazil and making them feel at home, I had learned English and Spanish at especially off the pitch. “The Brazilians school, I didn’t understand German at all. were very well looked after and they I tried to avoid German when I arrived. settled in quickly because people made However, I spoke a lot of English when their lives easier by dealing with everything I got to Munich because the Germans are for them. There was no interpreter for very good at English.” French-speaking them in the dressing room, but if a former Swiss international Patrick Müller Brazilian player didn’t understand an was able to compare the experience of Getty Images instruction, another Brazilian would moving to a country where he spoke the explain it in Portuguese,” Müller says. language with moving to one where he you speak the language, you soon feel did not. He left Switzerland for Olympique at home. However, when I arrived in Portuguese the lingua Lyonnais, where he went on to win three Mallorca, I could not speak a word of franca in Donetsk French league titles in four seasons. In Spanish and none of the players in the Brazilian footballers play all over the 2004, he joined Spanish club RCD dressing room could speak French, world, the ultimate symbol of the game’s Mallorca, but only stayed for six months. German or English. I discovered how globalisation. It is estimated that over “Adapting to life in Lyon was easy. When hard it is to become part of a group 1,200 of them play in professional leagues

NATIONAL TEAMS ARE (ALMOST) SPARED

Whereas language issues are a daily challenge for clubs, things, for interpreting their instructions for the players who they are much less of a problem where national teams are only spoke French. “To be honest, even in Switzerland, where concerned. In most countries, all the players and technical several languages are spoken, there are far fewer problems staff speak the same language, which makes communication than in clubs. As head coach of FC Lugano, I had to manage much easier. a squad with 11 different nationalities, and that certainly However, there are exceptions. Firstly, if the coach does requires a lot more work!” says Michel Pont. not speak the language of the country in which he is working, as in the case of Mircea Lucescu, the current Turkey coach, for example. In such situations, an interpreter often translates all the coach’s instructions into the local language. The situation can be more complex, and more akin to that found in clubs, in countries with more than one official language or a number of different regional languages. In Europe, Belgium and Switzerland spring to mind. While German, French and Italian are all official languages in Switzerland, along with Romansh, things are different within the national team. “German has always been the language of the Swiss team. Throughout my time with the national team, all the coaches spoke German and there were more German-speakers than French,” says Patrick Müller, who won 81 caps between 1998 Getty Images and 2008, a period when Michel Pont assisted Köbi Kuhn, French-speaking Patrick Müller (No20) played 81 times for the Swiss national team, and then Ottmar Hitzfeld, and was responsible, among other where, despite the country having four official languages, German is predominant.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 29 THE TECHNICIAN

WHAT MAKES A GOOD FOOTBALL INTERPRETER?

Nowadays, it is impossible to imagine the football world for an interpreter is the ability to adapt their translation. without interpreters. In an era when players and coaches It’s not a case of interpreting things literally, but of are constantly moving all over the world, interpreters getting the message across by adapting it to the language have become essential cogs in ensuring mutual and the local culture. It’s important to have understanding between the different someone who is truly immersed in both components of numerous clubs. cultures so they can find the best But what is it that distinguishes a good translation.” So what it really boils down to football interpreter? Strangely, the quality is that an interpreter working for a that is often mentioned first has nothing football club needs to be more than a to do with language. “They need to know language specialist, and a member of a lot about football, otherwise they won’t staff like everyone else. Someone who can last long!” says Graham Turner, an English get on well with the players as well as the journalist who worked as an interpreter for coach. “Since English is a much more coach Terry Venables during his three concise language than Spanish, Terry seasons at FC Barcelona from 1984 to 1987. Venables would sometimes ask me to say two Many coaches have had the unfortunate words to a player and I would need 30 words experience of not choosing their own interpreter to explain it in Spanish. He would burst out laughing when arriving in a new country, and have quickly decided and ask if he was doing the coaching, or whether I was in to replace them after a few mistranslated instructions. fact giving out whatever instructions I wanted,” says However, tactical nous on its own may not be enough, Graham, who returned to his career as a journalist after according to Graham: “The other indispensable quality his Barcelona experience.

across the world. All clubs try to help them as players and as people. In Donetsk, enthusiastically, almost poetically, by integrate and cope with being away from since we had up to 14 Brazilians on our Robert Pirès: “At Arsenal, as soon as their families, who often stay behind in books, I spoke to the whole squad in a player arrives, his level of English is Brazil. One club, however, leads the way Portuguese once I felt my Portuguese assessed and a teacher is assigned to him, when it comes to the recruitment of was good enough. And an interpreter with the possibility of attending lessons Brazilian players: FC Shakhtar Donetsk, would pass on my instructions to the every day. I quickly learned the important who were coached between 2004 and Ukrainian players in Russian.” words that I needed to use on the pitch, 2016 by … Mircea Lucescu, the ideal so I could pick up the basic vocabulary. coach to manage the Brazilian diaspora Are interpreters really There were never any problems between both on and off the pitch. necessary? the English and French players. We didn’t “When I arrived, there were not While not all coaches are prepared to all speak the same language, but we many Brazilians, but we gradually started learn another language in order to talk spoke the same football.” to recruit more and more of them. Most to their foreign players, everyone we Opinions on interpreters in the dressing of them were young when they came, spoke to was unequivocal: even though room are more varied, especially when the which meant that the coach also played communication is less fluent than between coach does not speak the local language. an important role in their education. people speaking the same language, it is “I can’t understand it when clubs or To help them adapt to life in Ukraine, never really a problem in a cosmopolitan national teams recruit coaches who do I needed to be able to speak to them dressing room. “With my Italian coach not speak the local language. People directly so we could form a close , we spoke in a mixture management is so important in football relationship,” says Lucescu, whose initial of Spanish and Italian, and we understood that it’s hard to see how a coach can idea was to work on his Portuguese. each other. In the dressing room at Bayern, manage a dressing room without speaking He then took an incredible decision. As a players spoke to each other in German, the same language as most of the players. Romanian coach working in a part of English, Spanish and Portuguese, and There are bound to be things that do not Ukraine in which Russian is the everyday everyone got on perfectly well. You can’t come across properly,” says Michel Pont, language, he began to deliver all his team have long discussions on the pitch anyway. assistant coach of the Swiss national team talks in Portuguese! To him, it seemed Twenty words is enough to get your point from 2001 to 2014. “When I arrived at the natural thing to do. “In my coaching across!” explains Bixente Lizarazu. Luís Barça, Johan Cruyff spoke to the players career, my knowledge of several languages Figo wholeheartedly agrees: “Even though in Spanish. Then Bobby Robson and, after has been an enormous asset. One of I didn’t speak Spanish when I arrived at him, Louis van Gaal spoke in their own my strengths is my ability to get my point Barça, I managed to communicate with languages, and it was all interpreted across to my players, to understand what the other players and we understood into Spanish. It was José Mourinho who they say, and to make their lives easier each other.” A view shared even more translated everything that Bobby Robson

30 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 THE TECHNICIAN

“People management is so important in football that it’s hard to see how a coach can manage a dressing room without speaking the same language as most of the ENGLISH, players. There are bound to be things that do not come THE ‘GO-TO’ across properly.” LANGUAGE

Michel Pont Former assistant coach of the Swiss national team “These days, if you don’t speak English, you’re dead!” Even though he never played in the Premier said to us, for example. For the players, able to speak Spanish, the language of League, Luís Figo speaks English having an interpreter does not change his maternal grandparents. “In some clubs, very well and has no doubt that, much in terms of what is actually said, almost every player seems to have an for a footballer, a basic knowledge but it is more difficult to form a close interpreter. It’s quite bizarre. I can’t of Shakespeare’s language is very relationship with a coach if you don’t understand how a coach can develop useful, if not indispensable. speak the same language,” says Luís Figo. a strong relationship with his players like Patrick Müller, who now uses In his last season as a player, Robert Pirès that,” says Lucescu. Nevertheless, even English every day in his job at came across a rather unusual linguistic though he has been coaching the Turkish UEFA, agrees: “In football, the conundrum in India. At FC Goa, Brazilian national team since August 2017, he has thing that’s different about legend would issue instructions in decided not to learn the national language, English is that it is spoken all Portuguese before an assistant translated preferring to issue instructions to his over the world. Even among them into English for most of the squad. players in French before an assistant people whose mother tongue Then another member of staff translated translates them into Turkish. “But as is not English. Let’s imagine a into Hindi for the Indian players who far as one-to-one conversations are Belgian and a Spaniard playing did not speak English. “It was easier concerned, many Turkish internationals together in the Czech Republic. for me because I speak Portuguese, so play abroad, so in order to form a closer How do they communicate with I understood immediately. But I could tell relationship with them, I can speak to them each other? In all likelihood, it wasn’t always straightforward for the in whichever language suits them best, as it will be in English, or at least Indians,” remembers the Frenchman, who long as it is one that I can speak,” he says. ‘broken English’”. also spent time at Villarreal, where he was A diplomatic answer if ever there was one. “If there was one message I could pass on to young players, I would tell them to take their English lessons seriously, because you never know what life is going to throw at you. I wasn’t a very good student, and I suffered later because of that,” admits Robert Pirès, who communicated with his Indian team-mates at Goa FC in English, for example. For Bixente Lizarazu, English was a lifeline when he moved to Bayern Munich, especially outside the dressing room. “Nowadays, as a club ambassador, I am much more comfortable speaking German in public. I love speaking it, even to the media. But when I was a player, I preferred to speak English so I could be sure that my words wouldn’t be misinterpreted.” Mircea Lucescu also mainly uses English to speak to the members of the Turkish FA, although he occasionally uses French with the players. And he can always resort

Getty Images to Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese or Russian if someone Juninho and Edmilson are two of the large contingent of Brazilians who have adapted to life in Lyon. has difficulty understanding him ...

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 31 UEFA GROW

A GROWTH PLAN FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL

Promoting and developing football across Europe is a key role of UEFA and its 55 member associations. That mission is at the very core of UEFA GROW, a programme launched by UEFA in 2015 with the aim of systematically and strategically growing European football by inspiring and collaborating with the national associations in order to ensure they are able to maximise their full potential both on and off the pitch.

EFA GROW is our central business • It is important that both the image opportunities for national associations “ development support programme to of football and that of its governing to generate additional revenues which Unurture football across Europe. UEFA bodies is viewed positively as negative could be used for new development GROW offers tailor-made consultation perceptions can affect other business programmes. services to our national associations in the outcomes and the development of areas that are most relevant for football the sport. UEFA GROW offers additional support organisations, from building a better • Football cannot develop unless people to the national associations beyond the image of football, to increasing revenue continue to play the game. How people existing assistance offered under UEFA’s opportunities and getting more people play is also evolving and changing. HatTrick programme, which is built on to play our beautiful game,” says Zoran UEFA GROW is looking to help national three core pillars: investment funding, Laković, UEFA national associations associations increase the number of knowledge sharing and education. director. registered football players at grassroots In summer 2015, UEFA GROW launched UEFA GROW was introduced following a level after there had been a decrease six pilots with the football associations thorough review of the European football between 2010 and 2015 within some of Azerbaijan, Finland, Malta, Northern landscape as well as analysing statistics and associations. Ireland, Portugal and Slovenia. Following industry trends. While football is the most • The digital revolution is happening a successful test phase, the project was followed sport across most of Europe, the and UEFA GROW is helping the national given the go-ahead for further expansion review showed there were areas which had associations to adapt accordingly in across Europe following the top executive room for improvement – for example, that order to develop football engagement programme (TEP) meeting of UEFA member more needed to be done to increase through new technology and platforms association presidents and general participation rates and revenues in certain in their respective markets. secretaries in Malta in September 2015. markets. This is something that UEFA • Changes in the sponsorship and media GROW is actively looking to build on. rights landscapes have created new How does UEFA GROW work and what support do the national associations get? UEFA GROW The purpose of UEFA GROW is to lead and support the growth of football across VISION 2023 Europe. This is achieved by using fact- Football Federations of the Future based research, market intelligence and LEADING industry experts to build strategic plans for growing the game. UEFA GROW focuses on providing IMAGE individual assistance to each UEFA member association through a series of workshops INSIGHTS COMMUNICATION and additional follow-up support. The STRATEGIC PARTICIPATION PLANNING ENGAGEMENT workshops are always tailored to meet

PUBLIC the specific association’s needs and take AFFAIRS BRAND into account local market challenges.

REVENUES However, the framework is the same across Europe and linked to why UEFA GROW SUPPORTING was launched in the first place – to ensure the national associations are able to

DASHBOARD MATURITY GROW INDEX SROI MATRIX maximise their potential both on and off the pitch.

32 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 UEFA GROW

The main four growth areas and the PARTICIPATING Brand: A brand is much more than benefits for the national associations are ASSOCIATIONS SO FAR just a logo and, as such, an increasing as follows: number of associations are requesting support from UEFA GROW to help • Image: UEFA gives national associations Albania Moldova them optimise their potential or to help access to independent research looking Austria Northern Ireland them with other (re)branding projects. into the current state of football in their Azerbaijan Norway Creating a clear brand position for respective markets. This data covers a each product will increase the value Belarus Poland number of different topics, including and revenues that can be derived the general popularity of the sport, the Belgium Portugal from the brands. perception of the various national Bulgaria Republic of Ireland teams, and the image of the governing Czech Republic Romania Public affairs: This pillar focuses body itself. This independent review on assisting national associations in Denmark Russia forms the basis for setting up an action developing clear strategies for how to form plan to address the issues identified. Estonia San Marino partnerships with government and other Faroe Islands Scotland public authorities. This is becoming • Participation: Following a thorough Finland Serbia increasingly important as football widens review of existing data, UEFA GROW its societal role and scope. Georgia Slovakia helps the national associations to draft growth plans for participation and Gibraltar Slovenia Meanwhile, the programme’s successes retention, which include the definition Iceland Sweden have led to the creation of additional of clear yearly targets for different age Kazakhstan Turkey supporting tools for national associations. categories in both men’s and women’s In addition to the aforementioned pillars, Lithuania Ukraine football. The plans also detail the the UEFA GROW team is now working on corresponding responsibilities and FYR Macedonia Wales numerous projects in order to provide a required programmes and budgets. Malta greater overview of football development across Europe, including the following: • Engagement: All national associations nowadays use digital channels and taken in 2016 to add some extra pillars UEFA GROW dashboard: a platform social media to communicate with in order to address areas such as brand to keep track of the progress that all their football families. Under the management and how the association national associations are making in engagement pillar, UEFA GROW is communicates with its audiences at all GROWing football helping national associations to develop levels. a universal digital marketing and FRM UEFA GROW IT maturity matrix: (football relationship management) Additional follow-up support is available a tool which assesses the capabilities strategy with clearly defined targets for across the following areas: of national associations and provides reach, engagement and other metrics. strategic IT support across business Strategic planning: UEFA GROW supports functions • Revenues: National associations need national associations in developing a to have sufficient funds in order to strategic plan for the whole organisation, UEFA GROW index: a tool measuring the invest in football development and thus painting a clear picture of where the strength of football across all national be able to grow the game. UEFA GROW organisation is going and defining clear associations helps them each to set up a clear strategic objectives for the upcoming years. commercial strategy and five-year UEFA GROW SROI model: a tool business plan with key performance Communication: This pillar is about for measuring the social return indicators and timings to develop all helping to create a clear strategic on investment from mass participation areas of the commercial revenue wheel. communications plan that looks to improve in football the image of the associations and helps All of UEFA GROW’s pillars are intrinsically them deliver the right messages to the UEFA GROW has become the central linked. If an association has a good right stakeholders. business development platform for reputation in its respective country, more national associations to grow the game. people are likely to play, attend or watch Insights: The field of data and insights Almost 40 UEFA member associations the sport. This could ultimately lead to is becoming increasingly relevant for the have joined UEFA GROW and benefitted increased revenue possibilities and digital national associations. UEFA GROW provides from this programme to date. The coming engagement opportunities. a number of different services, including years promise to be an exciting and positive Following discussions with the national giving access to data, sharing best practices experience for the associations that associations, it became clear that UEFA and providing benchmarking information. have adopted and are looking to join GROW could offer assistance and The overall objective is to help national UEFA GROW with the ultimate aim of expertise in other areas of football associations become more insight and trying to make the game even stronger development. Therefore a decision was data-driven organisations. across Europe.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 33 INTERVIEW

DAVID GILL ‘I’M VERY PROUD AND HONOURED’

A UEFA Executive Committee member since 2013, treasurer and vice-president since 2017 and previously the chief executive of Manchester United for many years, David Gill is a veteran of football administration. He tells UEFA Direct what football means to him.

o love football and be involved in the No, I wasn’t good enough. I played support, Manchester United. game professionally is a cherished at university level and I played a lot How did that come about? T dream for many people. David Gill of amateur football. I was a centre- Fate took a hand. Before Manchester has achieved that dream, having enjoyed forward, but to be honest I was lazy. United floated on the stock market in a successful career as finance director 1991, there was a newspaper article and chief executive of Manchester United, We obviously know you as a which basically said that they needed to the club he has followed since boyhood. football administrator, but appoint a finance director. My wife said: Recognition for his professional what’s your profession? “Well, that’s a job for you.” experience and knowledge has also come I trained as an accountant. I did a But, actually, when you looked at the at national, European and world football commerce degree at Birmingham criteria, you had to have experience of levels. He served on the English Football University, and then I joined Price being a quoted-company's finance Association board, and was elected to the Waterhouse in Leeds and worked in director. I didn’t have that experience, UEFA Executive Committee in 2013. Two various offices, including in the United so I went out and got it. In 1996, the then years later, he became a FIFA vice-president. States for a couple of years. Then I came finance director of Manchester United left, He is the UEFA treasurer and chairman of back and moved into industry. I trained as and a vacancy was created at the club. the Finance Committee – a vital role, given a chartered accountant, and moved up A friend of mine rang Manchester the organisation’s key mission to reinvest the finance ladder. United and found out who the firm funds and revenue in the development and were that were looking for the progress of the game on this continent. And then the opportunity arose replacement. They got in touch with to work for the club that you me, I went for interviews and happily Were you a football fan from an early age? Yes, from when I was very young – in “I was a great fan of . United had some those days I played outside with my older wonderful players at that time – Bobby Charlton, Denis brother in my home town of Reading. Law – but I just loved George Best. I was privileged We chose teams to support. My brother to meet him when I worked at Manchester United. chose Tottenham, who had won the Unfortunately I never saw him play live.” English league and cup ‘double’ in 1961, and I chose Manchester United. I’ve supported United ever since.

Did you have an idol? I was a great fan of George Best. United had some wonderful players at that time – Bobby Charlton, Denis Law – but I just loved George Best. I was privileged to meet him when I worked at Manchester United. Unfortunately I never saw him play live. I saw him on television, and read about him in football magazines.

So you began playing football as a very young boy? I’ve played football all my life really. Bobby Charlton Denis Law Getty Images Did you have any aspirations to try to make a career out of it? George Best

34 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 UEFA UEFA DIRECT •March INTERVIEW 2018 – 35 INTERVIEW

got the job. I made the move up north I thought it was a good career move. From The FA, you took another from the south of England in 1997, to I hadn’t been good enough to become step up in football administration become United’s finance director. a professional footballer, but I’d always when you were elected to the loved football. I just thought it was a UEFA Executive Committee. Manchester United — you don’t great opportunity – and you have to grasp What did that entail? get many bigger clubs in the these things when they come along. Geoff Thompson served diligently on the world, certainly in terms of UEFA Executive Committee for a number finance. It must have been A successful career followed at of years. It was decided by The FA that quite a challenge? United, as finance director and when his term finished in 2013, we would chief executive. Then, you also put another candidate forward, and I took on a role at the English was interested in doing it. I thought it was Football Association ... appropriate to stand down from running The English FA board was comprised of Manchester United in the summer of 2013 members of the professional game and – and I was elected to the Executive members of the national or amateur game, Committee of UEFA in May of that year. and an opportunity came up for me to first I think that coming onto the UEFA become an FA councillor, and then to go Executive Committee was a natural onto the board, in 2006. I stayed there for extension of my work with The FA. I have a number of years, and I’m still actively a club perspective and a club view from involved in international relations. my time with Manchester United that

“Before Manchester United floated on the stock market

Getty Images in 1991, there was a newspaper article which basically said that they needed to appoint a finance director. David Gill breaks a sake barrel as Manchester United launch a new sponsorship deal in 2010. My wife said: 'Well, that’s a job for you.”

It was in 2013 that Manchester United won their last league title, just before the departure of two stalwarts of the club: coach Sir Alex Ferguson and chief executive David Gill. Getty Images

36 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 INTERVIEW

can be of real value within the Executive Committee’s work.

Are you proud of being able to contribute to European football as an Executive Committee member? I’m very proud and honoured to be on the “UEFA is a prudent Executive Committee. I really enjoy it, and organisation, a non-profit I think UEFA has incomparable assets – it organisation. has top-class, expertly run and organised The money it receives competitions. I think UEFA quite rightly continues to progress. It’s a highly is then redistributed, respected organisation in the world for example, to national of football for what it does to develop associations or clubs.” UEFA the game.

How do you see UEFA’s progress clubs, according to the various agreements under its current president, in place. The funds are used to develop UEFA Aleksander Čeferin? football. So, to my mind, UEFA’s money Aleksander took over at a difficult time, is not its own money. We have 55 and has brought in new ideas and is member associations, and they are the making excellent progress. He has set up ones developing football at the grassroots and changed the governance regulations, level, at national level. We help them with with term limits, active roles, etc. Then, he resources, both financial and other, to has also brought the clubs and leagues actually develop the game in their country. into our organisation to play a role. There That is UEFA’s objective. So UEFA, in my is an important focus on areas such as view, has to be seen to be very careful, women’s football and futsal. I think we’re while also having the capacity to make looking at all the right things, while not relevant decisions. Should we invest in ignoring the priority of making sure that that area or that area? What are the we maximise the returns from the main financial implications? What are the other competitions that we run, because that implications? UEFA has to make these money is then reinvested into football. decisions, to ensure that its overall strategy in developing football is enhanced. A lot of people wouldn’t know what the UEFA treasurer does. You’ve also been involved in club What exactly is the treasurer’s licensing and financial fair play clubs. So it’s been very satisfying to see role? at UEFA, as chairman of the Club how this negative situation has been Basically, the job entails overseeing the Licensing Committee. When you turned around considerably. finances and the resources of UEFA from look at financial fair play now, an Executive Committee level. We have what impact has it had since it Let’s go back to your love of the a very experienced financial team within was introduced in 2009? game again. When you walk into the UEFA administration, and I’m there Without a doubt, it has made a difference. any stadium that you visit, and for them, to discuss and oversee matters. I have seen that from a club perspective the stadium is full, do you still Along with my fellow finance committee and also from a decision-making get a buzz? members, Michele Uva and Sándor Csányi, perspective. Losses have come down Yes, definitely. I like going to full stadiums, we effectively look at issues, budgets, significantly as far as financial especially for night games, for example in auditors’ reports, expenditure over a management within European club the UEFA Champions League. The certain level, these sort of things, before football is concerned. The amount of atmosphere just builds up under the they go to the Executive Committee for a overdue payables has also dropped floodlights. Nothing beats the live decision. I see my role as being supportive significantly. Financial fair play has worked, experience in my opinion. to the UEFA management. in particular in stemming the massive losses that were being made by some What’s the best goal you’ve How important is it that UEFA clubs. There were many examples of ever seen? is perceived as being careful clubs that were being mismanaged, the Two goals from 1999, both for Manchester with money? owners then disappeared and the team United, one dramatic and one fantastic. I think it is crucial. UEFA is a prudent plummeted through the divisions and it Firstly, Ole Gunnar Solksjær’s winner organisation, a non-profit organisation. all ended up in tears. And the people to complete United's amazing comeback The money it receives is then redistributed, who suffer in those situations are the fans against Bayern Munich in the UEFA for example, to national associations or who have that lifetime affiliation with the Champions League final; secondly,

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 37 David Gill has fond memories of Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s goal in the 1999 Champions League final.

Are you an England fan as well? Obviously I want England to do well, it’s important for the game in England if they are successful. But I actually think that national team football is very important overall, and the work that we do at UEFA to encourage and develop the national team game is vital. National teams are crucial to identity, and to developing football in each individual country. Getty Images As a football fan, what do you think are the biggest challenges a marvellous goal by , weaving I think there are skills in different areas. facing European football? his way past several Arsenal players Football changes, it goes in cycles. The danger is always to assume that things from the halfway line before finishing Barcelona at their height were really will continue as they are, but I think that emphatically in the FA Cup semi-final impressive. I’m impressed by the if you look at football generally, the sport replay. Both goals were key moments sheer skill of some of the top-class is only going to get bigger, in terms of in helping United to win the league, cup players, and the way they’ve looked coverage, involvement and following. and Champions League ‘treble’ that year. after themselves and continued to It is, without doubt, the world sport and develop. For example, I admire it needs to continue to be that, so you And the best match? [Cristiano] Ronaldo. Manchester United can’t become complacent. I was privileged to be the chief executive had him as a youngster, and he went I think we also have to ensure that the of Manchester United – and, therefore, to [Real] Madrid, and I feel admiration players are protected as far as workload I saw many great, great matches. at the way that he’s developed since is concerned, given the intensity and then, and how focused he’s been, how speed of the modern-day game. The When you watch football today, he continues to evolve his game to make players are the product, and you’ve got which teams and players excite sure he’s still one of the very top players to protect the product to ensure that it you? in world football. remains attractive.

How important do you feel are the words ‘respect’ and ‘fair play’ in football? For me, it’s crucial, whether it’s respect for the referee, or respect for the opposition, the traditions, etc. Football is a very emotive game, and you can have decisions that go against you at crucial times, and I’ve seen people overreact and not show respect. I think that UEFA is working very hard in this area, and we certainly need to continue to push the Respect campaign.

Finally, if you had one football dream in the future, what would “Financial fair play has it be? For England to win the World Cup again. worked, in particular in I was nine when they won it in 1966. I stemming the massive remember that day. I watched the match losses that were being with my father. It was amazing. Nowadays, made by some clubs.” you see how the players of 1966 are still revered. As an Englishman, I’d love UEFA England to win it once more.

38 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 ANDORRA UEFA PRESIDENT VISITS of the FAF’s new La Massana football football Massana FAF’sof the La new construction of the start the football, for Andorran event special avery with minister, Gelabert. Olga sports and minister, Martí, Antoni prime Andorran by the greeted being before staff FAF the all met They Gea. Tomàs secretary, general and Santos, Víctor president, FAF the with talks held they where headquarters, FAF the Zoran Laković. director,UEFA’s associations national and Theodoridis, Theodore secretary, UEFA general by the accompanied was He (FAF). Federation Football XAVI BONET XAVI OPENS ITSOPENS DOORS BAYIL CENTRE TRAINING AZERBAIJAN ANDORRA accommodation, laundry and café, toilets café, toilets and laundry accommodation, space, office room, of fitness consisting tour. aguided given were ceremony, guests the ribbon-cutting the After inBaku. Stadium Bayil at located is centre The committee. executive AFFA of the members Abdullayev, and Rovnag (AFFA), Azerbaijan of Federations Football of Association of the president by the ULVIYYA NAJAFOVA ULVIYYA The UEFA officials concluded their visit visit their concluded UEFA officials The by visiting began UEFA delegation The The centre is a three-story building building athree-story is centre The in an opening ceremony attended attended ceremony opening in an 20 on December doors its opened officially centre training Bayil The president to visit the Andorran Andorran the to visit president UEFA first the Čeferin became 19On Aleksander January,

AFFA one year. one to take expected is work construction The park. car a100-space and pitch football aseven-a-side arena, a futsal pitch, afootball include will centre The facility. new of the stone foundation of the laying the to commemorate held ceremony the during buried was that afootball signed president UEFA The Baró. David Massana, La of mayor of the presence inthe village, dreams into reality.”dreams athletes’ young to turn and potential centre’s the realise to hard fully working be will centre the at staff sports the that “I certain am president. AFFA the said inAzerbaijan,” football on impact a huge to have going is It project. ambitious this supported has who everyone to thank club. “I’d the and AFFA the like between agreement of amutual basis the on Sabail FC and teams national Azerbaijan the by used be will it and by UEFA, funded atime. at coaches and players to up 36 accommodate centre’s The furniture. 16 can rooms and equipment office and fitness equipment, training latest the including equipment, necessary the all with equipped is etc. and rooms, wash and The construction of the centre was was centre of the construction The www.affa.az www.faf.ad

FAF supporter groups. supporter with dialogue and communication open through achieved be only can This fans. for football environment accessible and asafe to create of wanting objective same the share stakeholders the all approaches, individual their and countries between differences are there though of Even avoice. more given fans that are for football vital is it that supporters. their with engage could associations national inwhich ways some suggested also Gent KAA und IF Brøndby IF, Djurgårdens from SLOs football. inAustrian area inthis taken have been that measures the about delegates the told Bundesliga SLO, Austrian the and an employs already which Association, Football Austrian The concerned. are associations national where rule the than rather exception the far been have so SLOs level, club at established well Already fans. and team national its between to mediate association SLO for each an to appoint hopes topics. related fan- current to discuss associations 45 from national 51 representatives together brought event two-day the Europe, SD with UEFA in cooperation by 21on December. 22 Organised and (SLOs) officers liaison for supporter CARMEN REDL CARMEN IN VIENNA WORKSHOP FANS AT UEFA FOCUS ON AUSTRIA

ÖFB agreed present those all summary, In 2020, to EURO ahead UEFA Looking

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONSMEMBER UEFA DIRECT UEFA the second UEFA workshop UEFA workshop second the hosted capital Austrian The •

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BELARUS www.bff.by

in Belarus, where a lack of facilities is AWARDS TO ENCOURAGE common. The Best Grassroots Leader was awarded to a physical education teacher, THE NEXT GENERATION Elena Otchik, who has organised a large number of festivals and tournaments in her small town of Kalinkavichy. GLEB STAKHOVSKY This year’s event attracted a great deal of interest from sponsors, who The second annual Star Ball of the Year, and Best Grassroots Leader. gave many valuable presents to the three grassroots football award ceremony As many as 120 nominees came from all best nominees in each award category. was held at the headquarters of over the country in the hope of taking an Siarhei Safaryan, the ABFF general the Football Federation of Belarus (ABFF) award away with them. secretary, and Igor Kriushenko, the senior on 16 December. Awards were presented The Person of the Year award went to men’s national team head coach, played for the best players in the Under-15, Nikolay Murashko, who built an artificial an active role handing out the awards Under-16, Under-17 and Under-18 pitch for his private football academy, a during the ceremony. categories, plus Best Youth Coach, Person project of considerable significance Grassroots football for children and teenagers is one of the ABFF’s priorities. We strongly believe that this is the way to lay the foundations for future football success in Belarus. This ceremony gives us an opportunity to show our very special stakeholders, such as children, children’s coaches and grassroots leaders who work with children, that the ABFF is at hand and ready to encourage them in every ABFF way possible.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA www.nfsbih.ba OFFICIAL VISIT AND NEW HEAD COACH

FEDJA KRVAVAC

At the end of the year, the the Azerbaijan national team to three UEFA president, Aleksander victories in the qualifiers for the 2018 Čeferin, and UEFA’s director World Cup in Russia (two against San of national associations, Zoran Laković, Marino and one against Norway) and paid their first official visit to Bosnia a draw (against the Czech Republic). and Herzegovina, meeting the staff of Although the team eventually did not the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football qualify for the World Cup, nor did it Federation along with the country’s finish bottom of its qualifying group. presidency and council of ministers. Before that, Prosinečki coached Crvena One of the major topics under zvezda (Red Star ), winning the discussion was assistance in improving in 2012. He then went on facilities. The UEFA president emphasised to Turkish club Kayserispor, leading the that UEFA was prepared to help the team to a historic result – fifth place in country to improve the quality of its the Turkish league. And for four years, football infrastructure. “UEFA has he was assistant to Slaven Bilić on the received guarantees from state bench of the Croatian national team. institutions that they are ready to Krvavac F. “I am honoured to have been chosen, improve the quality of the infrastructure,” especially before the next European he said. “That’s the cornerstone to team, replacing Mehmed Bazdarević. Championship qualifiers,” said Prosinečki. improving the football and the results.” Prosinečki is already well known in the “I will do all I can to ensure we compete The new year began with Robert region as one of the best players in both with the best players, both from our own Prosinečki being appointed as the new Croatia and the former . In his premier league and from other European head coach of the senior men’s national previous position as head coach, he led leagues,” he added.

40 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 IN SOFIAIN ČEFERIN ALEKSANDER NIKOLAY DYULGEROV NIKOLAY of Bulgarian football. He then reflected reflected then He football. of Bulgarian interests the to protecting and game the of welfare to the commitment president’s BFU the highlighted he particular, In Committee. UEFA Executive of the Mihaylov, aveteran of Borislav work the inEurope.”best of the one is centre training national “and good,” added, he very is the here infrastructure “The of football. good the for together work and game the support to wanted clearly all authorities local and state association, football the that noted UEFA president the authorities, local the of cooperation valuable the and BFU the of work the Praising mayors. local various Mihaylov, and Borislav (BFU), Union Football Bulgarian of the president the Kralev, Krasen minister Borisov, sports minister, prime Boyko country’s the with BULGARIA TOMISLAV PACAK TOMISLAV IN PRESIDENT’S THE SEAT DAVOR REMAINS ŠUKER CROATIA Croatia in the World Cup.” World Croatia inthe to support numbers in great summer fans next to “visit Russia encouraged also He pitch. the off and on continuity, both and of teamwork importance the stressed inCroatia, and to football contribution his to continue chance the having at 2021, excitement Šuker Davor expressed Marković. Vlatko president 2012, long-serving replaced he when Croatian FA of the helm since the at stood has He four years. ŠukerDavor for another The UEFA president also praised praised also UEFA president The With his second term due to last until until to last due term second his With re-elected incumbent president re-elected (CFF) Federation Croatian Football of the the assembly December In

11 December for meetings 11 for meetings December on Bulgaria Čeferin, visited Aleksander UEFA president, The

Croatian fans and that they would would they Croatian fans that and among ahit be would competition the that of friendlies”. predicted He majority the to replace competition “a as excellent an and League idea great their European of round final for the Under-19s the and Sweden qualifying and Netherlands the beating team men’s national senior the with football, for Bulgarian year asuccessful After pitches. as such projects, infrastructure smaller-scale on work can BFU the remit, government’s the under comes that as stadiums, build not could it although that stating plans, future organisation’s his legislations.” and currencies countries, different multiple with significant, like are this of aproject challenges the “Of course, track. on to be appeared said 2020, for EURO he which preparations possible. have been not would centre training Bulgaria’s national which without and year on year associations to UEFA all member available funding makes significant which programme, HatTrick its through inparticular support, financial UEFA’s and on projects role, respect for all three of Croatia’s three for all opponents, respect and England. Spain play will team Croatian national the inwhich League, UEFA Nations inaugural of the A) (League tier top in the Cup, World the compete Croatiaafter will Cup World inthe well-deserved. is place that Croatia’sbelief his affirming also while Head coach Zlatko Dalić expressed his his expressed Zlatko Dalić coach Head The BFU president, meanwhile, outlined outlined meanwhile, president, BFU The Čeferin about talked Aleksander Zlatko Dalić praised the Nations Nations the praised Zlatko Dalić months just autumn, coming This

will do all it can to help.” can it all do will ministry sports the and development youth is priority Our support. total our has BFU The well. very going also is children’s project and football school year. our that to see I’m delighted on year we’reand facilities upgrading pitches, nine built We have already BFU. the with cooperation our with happy extremely are “We Kralev, concluded: infrastructure,” explained. he stadium and mini-pitches, pitches, academies, –in needed most is it where money this We to intend invest programme. HatTrick current the through invest to four years over €3m have around before,”ever Mihaylov. “and said we than healthier are “Our finances invest. to continuing is BFU Championship, the greatly missed. greatly be will late Croatia international The Čuljak. Mate player of futsal passing the with loss atragic suffered also fair initiatives. play to supporting commitment unwavering for their thanks committee’s the to receive honoured were president Croatian FAthe its and both inDecember, and anniversary tenth its celebrated committee play Modrić. Luka captain of team more of seeing prospect the at excited especially be Bulgaria’s sports minister, Krasen minister, Krasen Bulgaria’s sports On a sad note, Croatian football has has note, Croatian football asad On Croatian fair the news, other In HNS MEMBER ASSOCIATIONSMEMBER

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CYPRUS www.cfa.com.cy

UEFA coach Maciej Wierzbowski took the MID-SEASON SEMINAR FOR assistant referees through practical offside exercises and provided them with instant TOP MATCH OFFICIALS video feedback. The programme also included various CONSTANTINOS SHIAMBOULLIS technical topics presented by UEFA refereeing officer Hugh Dallas, and Costas Top Cypriot match officials Joachim Spitz, a UEFA fitness expert, Kapitanis from the Cyprus Football recently attended their three-day oversaw the exercises and was extremely Association (CFA). mid-season winter seminar in Ayia impressed with the overall fitness levels. Hugh Dallas has been very pleased with Napa. The event got off to a flying start With the exception of one referee who was the increased level of performance of the with Yo-Yo tests and Ariet assistant referee unwell, all those taking part successfully match officials since he became involved in intermittent endurance tests. completed the tests – an all-time first. their training two years ago. However, he acknowledged that there was always room for improvement and there would be no let-up in the efforts to reduce the number of errors on the field. Saavas Konstantinou, the technical director of the CFA, delivered an interesting presentation on time management and the importance for referees to restart play as soon as possible CFA to keep time lost to a minimum.

DENMARK www.dbu.dk ‘FOOTBALL IS MEDICINE’

JAKOB HØYER

The evidence is strong: results from 130 scientific papers. He playing football is broad concluded that football training spectrum medicine and “combines strength training, endurance DBU can be used in the prevention and training and interval training, and that treatment of lifestyle diseases. Football Fitness is medicine, football Football Fitness can be adjusted for A strong evidence-based programme, is for all and football is for life.” participants across their lifespan, Football Fitness, was launched in The vice-president of the Danish FA, independently of gender, fitness and Denmark in 2011 combining the health Bent Clausen, described the Football football skills. Moreover, as small-sided and fitness effects of playing football Fitness concept and how it was run games are central to the concept, training with the social aspects of the game. in Denmark. Well-structured and can be organised irrespective of the The long-term aim was to improve the straightforward, sessions started with number of participants, making the health of the adult population and a proper warm-up, included balance programme very flexible. Nor is a recruit more adult football players. and strength exercises, and combined dedicated football coach necessary, with In January this year more than 200 a variety of well-established drills and groups run by a team leader trained in scientists, practitioners and healthcare ball exercises, along with small-sided the Football Fitness coaching course that workers assembled at the Cidade do football games. is now available all over Denmark. Futebol headquarters of the Portuguese Football Fitness does not focus on Football Fitness has great potential in Football Federation (FPF) in for performance and picking the starting health promotion and for recruiting new the first international Football is 11 for the weekend matches. It is all football players. Because Football Fitness Medicine conference, organised by the about recreational football with is for everyone and can be played FPF in partnership with the Danish FA, like-minded people, when it suits you, everywhere, but also because it’s healthy, the University of Southern Denmark concentrating on exercise, fun and fun and social. After the success of this (SDU) and UEFA. togetherness. The programme has first international Football is Medicine After a welcome by Fernando proved so popular it is now running in conference, a second is to be held at Gomes, the FPF president, SDU more than 300 Danish football clubs, the University of Southern Denmark professor Peter Krustrup presented or about 20% of the national total. on 25 and 26 January 2019.

42 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

ENGLAND www.thefa.com ESTONIA www.jalgpall.ee THE FA PEOPLE’S CUP IS BACK NEW START

NICK SMITH FOR THE

The FA People’s Cup is back WOMEN’S following a very special launch event at St George’s Park on GAME 12 January, turning dreams of lifting a

The FA MAARJA SAULEP trophy at Wembley Stadium into a reality for people all over the country. And with registration to the free-to-enter five-a- at St George’s Park, which will host the The Estonian Football side tournament now open to amateur finals of this season’s FA People’s Cup for Association (EJL) has appointed players of all ages and abilities, people the first time in the competition’s history. Jarmo Matikainen as head coach can dust off their boots in preparation One of the teams at the training camp of the women’s national team to replace for the nation’s largest and most inclusive were the Crawley Old Girls, who reached Indrek Zelinski. Matikainen previously small-sided football competition. the finals of last year’s FA People’s Cup coached the Wales To celebrate the launch, a diverse in the Women’s Vets category (Over-35s). national women’s team group of amateur players came together The team, who describe themselves as and Finland Under-17s at the to take part “a group of ‘old’ girls learning to play and Under-19s, in in The FA’s first-ever specialist five-a-side football while having fun and making addition to serving training camp, taking the opportunity to new friends”, are a great example of PiparJana as the assistant coach hone their five-a-side football skills ahead the inclusive and positive nature of Jarmo Matikainen of the Canadian and of this year’s tournament. Attendees, the competition. Finnish senior women’s including Under-14 girls and boys, Les Howie, head of grassroots football national teams. “His experience coaching university students, disability players at The FA, said: “The FA People’s Cup in Wales and helping women’s football and walking footballers, took part in is extremely important to grassroots there will benefit us,” explained Anne expert sessions with elite FA coaches, football in this country, providing a Rei, EJL general secretary, “because with advice on perfecting the often fantastic opportunity for people to play their situation was similar to ours now. match-deciding ‘one-step penalty’ the game we all love. With 18 categories We need to continue building a and mastering the ‘showboating skills’ welcoming a truly diverse set of entrants, sustainable structure.” needed to beat your opponents in style. this competition really is for all. And with “If you love football like I do and The participants were also able to the added appeal of a final at St George’s you want to be involved in coaching follow in the footsteps of England’s 28 Park, 2018’s tournament is set to be the at international level, then this national teams by playing on the pitches best yet.” opportunity is too good to turn down,” said Matikainen. “I am really looking forward to working in Estonia. I believe FAROE ISLANDS www.football.fo we can achieve many great things with the women’s game here.” Besides his duties as head coach, the 57-year old LOOKING FORWARD TO Finn will oversee the overall development of women’s and girls’ football. THE NATIONS LEAGUE “Jarmo will also work very closely with the youth team coaches, giving TERJI NIELSEN them advice, helping coordinate their work and acting as mentor to the On the whole, Atli Gregersen, level, and our Under-21 team has national youth teams,” Rei commented. the captain of the Faroese national previously done well against Azerbaijan,” Matikainen sees a bright future ahead. team, is pleased with the outcome he added. “We can be successful in many ways, of the draw for the group stage in the Gregersen hopes Faroese football even if we don’t have the resources all UEFA Nations League, which put the Faroe fans will come out in force to cheer the bigger nations have. If we work hard, Islands alongside Kosovo, Malta and the team on at their home matches. I’m absolutely confident we will do well Azerbaijan. “We have a fair chance against all here,” said Matikainen. “It doesn’t matter “This group suits us fairly well,” he said. three nations in our group,” he said, if we don’t win every game or bring “Drawing Kosovo from the lowest pot was “and our matches at home could be home trophies, but we do need to make a bit unlucky, but the other two nations decisive. With good results at home and sure that all the girls have the opportunity are reasonable opponents for us. We have some reasonable results away, there might to play and practise and feel part of the done well against Malta at international be a chance for us to go quite a long way.” football family in Estonia.”

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 43 44 44 the most votes from members of the of the members from votes most the Fire, garnered of Chicago Nikolic Nemanja striker international Hungarian USA, the in MLS season’s inlast scorer top the in 2016/17.scorer men’s the In category, Women’s top joint League’s Champions UEFA the been and titles cup and SCHMIDT JEAN-BAPTISTE WITH URBANSOCCER PARTNERSHIPNEW FRANCE ASSOCIATIONSMEMBER having won the 2017 the won having league German Year, of the Footballer Woman named Jakabfi Zsanett striker Wolfsburg VfL and 11on January. theatre national Budapest’s at gala awards • • • • • are: partnership key of the features The 19 and centres districts. 29 UrbanSoccer involves partnership The environment. high-quality a suitable, in football to five-a-side play wish who players registered and to clubs privileges special to offer able are authorities local and centres 2020, June 30 UrbanSoccer until runs which agreement, the Under network. football five-a-side UrbanSoccer MÁRTON DINNYÉS BEST BEST THE OF IN BUDAPEST HUNGARY centres during the 2018 the during centres Cup World in UrbanSoccer of fan zones Installation Clairefontaine at events of UrbanSoccer Organisation customers for UrbanSoccer offer birthday team national French leagues and by districts organised events of annual hosting Free players) for registered discount 20% and for clubs hours off-peak (25% players during discount registered and hirefor clubs pitch Discounted The star-studded event saw Hungary Hungary saw event star-studded The – UEFA •March DIRECT

a partnership agreement with the the with agreement a partnership signed (FFF) Federation Football 11On French the January, 60th Sportspeople of the Year of the Sportspeople 60th the at honoured were present and past Hungarian footballers

2018

forms of entertainment and service.” and of entertainment forms new players our offer and football five-a-side to develop continue will we Together, supporters. one number We their team. are national French the and FFF of the appeal and image the from benefit We will partnership. this with delighted are “We added: rates.” preferential at facilities high-quality to use opportunities new them by offering better even members our to us serve enable will partnership “This said: league, football amateur of the president Debarbat, Marc award by Hungarian Football Federation Federation award by Hungarian Football his with presented was known, is old Rock’,Cup. 76-year- ‘Blond the as The 1982 the at World Hungary coaching 1962 1966 Cups and also World before the inboth played and Championship European 1964 the at medal bronze 61 a won times, capped was defender international former SC.of Vasas The Mészöly to went Kálmán year this award league. premier in Hungary’s FC Videoton against finish spectacular for his Paintsil Joseph player Ferencváros Association. Journalists Hungarian Sports Julien Falgoux, director of UrbanSoccer, director Falgoux, Julien And finally, the Lifetime Achievement Achievement Lifetime finally, the And 2017The Year of the from Goal came www.fff.fr

FFF DFB’s sixth honorary captain. honorary DFB’s sixth the by becoming Klinsmann Jürgen and Beckenbauer, Matthäus Lothar Walter,of Fritz Seeler, Franz Uwe team national German the captained he 13 on Janeiro de 2014,in Rio July when afootballer, as however, moment came crowning His to boot. League Champions Cups UEFA the and German six titles, Bundesliga eight won He had end. fitting to a brought was career extraordinary an pocket, inhis medal championship ARNE LEYENBERG CAPTAIN HONORARY SIXTH NAMED LAHM GERMANY shown at the gala. gala. the at shown was football, of Hungarian full support the has which campaign, the publicise to produced film short Europe. The throughout football in accessibility and diversity inclusion, promote to campaign responsibility social of UEFA’samateur stars #EqualGame of the one is Szabó Pogba, Paul and Messi Lionel as such names biggest Alongside some of world football’s Year Osváth. Richárd to fencer award of the Sportsman Disabled the present to invited was Szabó István footballer Berzi. Sándor vice-president (MLSZ) Getty Images On the initiative of the MLSZ, blind blind MLSZ, of the initiative the On player with yet another German German another yet with player München Bayern FC an as retired 2017,In Lahm Philipp when

followed in the footsteps footsteps inthe followed in December, Lahm assembly extraordinary Football Association’s At German the stadium. Maracana legendary the in Cupto World victory www.mlsz.hu/en.mlsz.hu www.dfb.de

MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

ITALY www.figc.it WORLD’S FIRST PERMANENT VAR TRAINING CENTRE UNVEILED AT COVERCIANO

DIEGO ANTENOZIO

The Italian Football Association Coverciano to host a refereeing seminar (FIGC) has unveiled the world’s first ahead of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. permanent training centre Other national associations and dedicated to instructing match officials in international bodies will also be able the use of video assistant refereeing to send match officials to Coverciano, (VAR). The new unit at the FIGC technical allowing referees from all over the world centre in Coverciano opened its doors in to learn how VAR is to be applied in their FIGC January this year, a few months after the respective competitions and benefit from federation reached an agreement with an unrivalled combination of cutting-edge improve our technical, technological British company Hawk-Eye – which technology and FIFA- and IFAB-approved and training skill set as part of a project already supplies sports technologies to training programmes, as well as the other that represents a landmark in the FIFA, and numerous other leagues facilities at the FIGC’s technical HQ, where development of world football,” including the Bundesliga, the English it has invested over €3m in renovations explained Rosetti. “I would like to Premier League and MLS in the USA – and upgrades over the last two years. congratulate the FIGC, Lega Serie A for the provision of equipment and The work carried out by the FIGC, Lega and the AIA for the way they have specialised technical support. Serie A and the Italian referees association joined forces so quickly and effectively, The role of technical director at the (AIA) in trialling the VAR system in recent and Italy’s referees for all their hard new unit has been entrusted to Roberto months means that the Italian game now work and enthusiasm in getting behind Rosetti. Not only has Rosetti overseen the boasts a unique wealth of experience and the project.” use of VAR in Italy since it was introduced expertise, which will no doubt benefit the The FIGC CEO, Michele Uva, added: at the start of the season; his experience global development of the sport in years “Thanks to our far-sightedness, our in this emerging field and the successful to come, and help cement Coverciano’s organisational capabilities and, above all, launch of the system in Italy have been place as one of the leading coaching and the excellent work of Italy’s referees and acknowledged by FIFA, which has asked development centres in world football. the AIA, the FIGC is increasingly regarded him to head the VAR project for its “All we want is to make football fairer, as a pioneer in specialised training and international competitions and selected forge ahead with our ideas and the application of new technologies.”

KOSOVO www.ffk-kosova.com FOSTERING REFEREEING TALENT

DITURIE HOXHA

As part of its preparations for The referees’ fitness levels were admission to the UEFA Referee assessed in a Yo-Yo test, while their Convention, the Football technical knowledge was examined Federation of Kosovo (FFK) has launched with a video test and a ‘severity of the a talent and mentor programme aimed at challenge’ exercise. “The next generation developing promising match officials. The of talented officials are now being FFK programme was launched at a two-day supported and educated and they Valon Berisha seminar led by UEFA Referee Convention must make the most of this great Panel specialist Alan Snoddy and attended opportunity to maximise their potential,” In other news, the achievements of by four referees, seven assistant referees said Alan Snoddy. the FFK and Kosovan football were and five mentors. The programme will be Meanwhile, the FFK integrity officer, celebrated at a gala event in Pristina coordinated by the FFK referee manager, Ejup Osmani, conducted workshops in January, where several stakeholders Visar Kastrati, who will ensure that the throughout Kosovo in December and were honoured for their contributions talent–mentor relationship is productive January to increase awareness and to developing Kosovan football, and and there is regular feedback to monitor prevent match-fixing among 13 to Valon Berisha received the player of progress and identify any issues. 19-year-olds. the year award.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 45 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

LATVIA www.lff.lv ANDRIS VAŅINS NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR

TOMS ĀRMANIS

For the third year in a row and

the fifth time in all, FC Zürich LFF goalkeeper Andris Vaņins has been named Latvia’s best player, making him the award record holder. It is also the fifth year in a row that the player of the year has been a goalkeeper, Andris Vaņins having received the honour in 2015 and 2016, following his previous awards in 2008 and 2013. Last year Andris Vaņins was handed the captain’s armband for the Latvian national team, following the retirement of Kaspars Gorkšs from national team football. Vaņins has played for his country 87 times to date. In other awards, Olga Ševcova was named best female player for the third time in her career, while Roberts Uldriķis and Anastasija Fjodorova were voted best youth players of 2017. Three awards went to Russian Evgeny Kozlov – formerly with Latvian champions Spartaks Jūrmala – who was named player of the year. Last but not least, scorer and best premier league striker), joint top scorer, as well as best Nigerian striker Adeleke Akinola as did Alvis Dubovs (top scorer and midfielder and best premier league Akinyemi took two awards (joint top best player in the Latvian first league).

LIECHTENSTEIN www.lfv.li NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK

ANTON BANZER

By combining the national colours of blue, red and gold with the principality’s crown, mountains and love of football, the Liechtenstein Football Association (LFV) has come up with a strong new logo, which it unveiled to the public at a brand launch event on 29 January. The new logo is the visible part of a comprehensive two-year rebranding process undertaken by the LFV with the support of UEFA. A key part of the process was to define the association’s vision, mission and values, which are summed up in the new slogan: ‘One Game. One Team. For the Country’. LFV

46 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

LITHUANIA www.lff.lt WOMEN’S FOOTBALL IN THE SPOTLIGHT

JUSTAS KONTRIMAS

Lithuania’s women’s Under-17 surprise a lot of people in May when national team have begun their they see how strong girls can be.” preparations ahead of this Loreta Rogačiova, a member of the year’s European Women’s Under-17 current women’s Under-17 squad, is Championship final tournament from delighted with the experience: “We feel 9 to 21 May, for which Lithuania is the progress and at every training session the host nation and therefore qualifies the coaches are preparing us in new automatically. Matches will take place ways. That said, we have to improve. in three cities: Alytus, Šiauliai and We can‘t wait for the tournament and Marijampolė, all of which have deep- we want to show that Lithuania can rooted football traditions. really play football.” Former Lithuanian women’s Meanwhile, LadyGolas (Lady Goal), international Ieva Kibirkštis, who now the biggest schoolgirl futsal tournament coaches the women’s Under-17s, offered in the Baltic states, is set for a second some thoughts about the squad building: season, with 371 teams registered to “They are getting together more as a take part. The competition serves as a group. We have players coming in and LFF platform for girls to step into women‘s out but the girls welcome them and take football. Having received backing from it all in their stride. In April we have who makes it and who doesn’t, who we UEFA and FIFA, the tournament 20 players coming to the camp. Now see being there and who needs to step encourages more girls to try football everything is really about trying to see up their game. I think we are going to and aspire to higher goals.

MALTA www.mfa.com.mt MALTESE FANS AMONG THE BEST-BEHAVED IN UEFA COMPETITIONS

KEVIN AZZOPARDI

The UEFA fair play rankings for the 2016/17 season make good reading for the Maltese clubs and national teams. Published annually, the latest table reflects the results obtained AquilinaD. from all UEFA competition matches played at both club and national team level This significant improvement is in December as around 150 girls from local between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017. reflected in Malta’s overall fair play primary schools took part in an open day. The Maltese fans were among the score in 2016/17 – 8.079, up from 7.791 Only 8% of the girls are registered with best-behaved in Europe last season. in 2015/16. Only Georgia, Moldova, local clubs, yet they eagerly participated This is laid out in the classification for Croatia, Latvia and Montenegro made in activities overseen by qualified MFA spectators’ behaviour, with Malta coming greater strides in the rankings. coaches, club coaches and members of the in joint third in this category, alongside In the overall fair play rankings, Iceland Malta national women’s Under-19 team. Iceland and the Faroe Islands, with 8.923 stole top place with 8.51 for 42 matches This event was organised by the points. Finland topped the chart for fan played. The Netherlands followed in second grassroots and women’s department behaviour with a score of 9.187, closely place and Poland came in third. Only in the Malta FA’s technical centre, in followed by Latvia with 9.117. associations whose teams collectively collaboration with SportMalta and the Malta ranks 36th in the overall UEFA played at least 35 matches were taken Directorate for Quality and Standards in fair play rankings with a total 8.079 for into account for the 2016/17 UEFA fair Education (DQSE), as part of their shared 42 matches but achieved the sixth best play competition. In other news, Malta’s mission to develop grassroots football progression among the 55 associations. Centenary Stadium buzzed with excitement for women.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 47 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

MOLDOVA www.fmf.md ALEXANDRU SPIRIDON APPOINTED NATIONAL COACH

PRESS OFFICE

The Football Association new national team coach, taking over of Moldova and won the Moldovan of Moldova (FMF) recently from Russian coach Igor Dobrovolski. footballer of the year award in 1992. announced the appointment of Spiridon already managed the Moldovan He scored the first-ever goal in the 57-year-old Alexandru Spiridon as the national team in 2001 and will now history of the national team of Moldova. guide his country through its qualifying He then went on to coach Zimbru campaign for the UEFA Nations League. Chișinău, Tiligul Tiraspol, the national Moldova have been drawn in Group D2 Under-21 team, the senior national alongside Belarus, Luxembourg and team, Unisport Chișinău and Nistru Otaci. San Marino. Between 2004 and 2017 Spiridon was Pavel Cebanu, the FMF president, the assistant coach under famous welcomed Spiridon at a media conference Romanian Mircea Lucescu at Shakhtar in Chișinău, while Spiridon himself was Donetsk (Ukraine), contributing to the pleased to be back coaching the national team’s winning the UEFA Cup in 2009, team. “Our goal now is to win the Ukrainian championship (8 times), group for our supporters,” he said. (6 times) and Ukrainian Born in Edineț in 1960, Alexandru Super Cup (7 times), before following Spiridon played for the Moldovan Lucescu to Zenit Saint Petersburg (Russia). national team and various clubs (Nistru Spiridon made his second debut at the Chișinău, SKA Kyiv, Zaria Luhansk, helm of the national team in a friendly Zaria Bălți, Zimbru Chișinău and Tiligul match against South Korea in January FMF Tiraspol). He was five-time champion this year.

NORTHERN IRELAND www.irishfa.com RESIDENTIAL COURSE KICK-STARTS BUSY YEAR FOR ELITE PLAYERS

NIGEL TILSON

The Irish Football Association’s Netherlands to the Madrid Cup in Spain. development programme for However, the emphasis this year across young elite players, JD Club NI, most of the age groups is to participate has hit the ground running in 2018. A busy in games in Britain, where Northern Ireland schedule for the year ahead, across age players’ talents can be spotted by full-time groups ranging from the Under-10s to professional clubs in England, Scotland the Under-17s, got under way with a and Wales. residential course for the Under-16s. The Under-16s, in particular, have a busy An extensive training schedule for competitive schedule as they build towards the Under-13s to the Under-17s is up and representing Northern Ireland in this year’s running at the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena Victory Shield. The schoolboys’ tournament, in Cookstown, while the JD Club NI in which they will compete against the Performance School at Integrated College Under-16 teams of Scotland, Wales and the Dungannon and three regional centres Republic of Ireland, is due to be staged in across Northern Ireland are hosting the Republic of Ireland in October. Matches sessions for the Under-10s to Under-13s. against Slovakia, Austria, Finland and JD Club NI players will be participating Estonia and in various other tournaments in various tournaments across Europe will give them plenty of game time in the in 2018, from the Rotterdam Cup in the IFA run-up to the Victory Shield.

48 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND www.fai.ie SHINING A LIGHT ON GLOW FOOTBALL

GARETH MAHER

Bringing fun into football is a key goal of the Football Association of Ireland, which is how the concept of ‘glow football’ came about. Led by the women’s football department and supported by development officers around the country, the initiative was trialled in Newcastle West, County Limerick, late last year. Girls from three age groups – Under- 14s, Under-16s and Under-19s – were invited to take part in the trial, and sessions were devised that catered to the different ages and ensured that FAI everyone could enjoy the experience. Played indoors in the dark wearing football gives players the opportunity There are plans to roll out glow football high-visibility vests, with colourful pitch to experience futsal in a fun and for different age groups around the markings and a luminous football, glow interactive way. country over the coming months.

ROMANIA www.frf.ro RESPECT CUP PROMOTES AN EQUAL GAME

PAUL ZAHARIA

#EqualGame has a special none of the children involved dropped resonance within Romanian out of school. society and the Romanian Football Now, thanks to its partnership with the Federation (FRF) has decided to develop FRF, FDP has reached one more milestone partnerships with various national and in its noble efforts, the Respect Cup. Six international organisations. One of these indoor matches were played by mixed is FDP-Protagonists in education, which teams and the points system was also joined forces with the FRF towards the mixed: one-third of the final number of end of 2017 to organise the first Respect points came from each team’s match Cup, a competition aimed at 42 children score (3 points for a win, 2 points for a aged between 8 and 11 who also attend draw, 1 point for a defeat); the second a socio-sports school. third (marks from 1 to 3) were awarded The school was launched by FDP in 2013 by an FRF representative for adhering in cooperation with the Real Madrid to the main values (team spirit, equality, Foundation and is intended to prevent respect, motivation, self-esteem, children dropping out of school. Each year, autonomy, health); and finally, the last 65 children from very poor families or third comprised marks awarded by the families with special issues are encouraged children to each other depending on to stay at school by getting them involved team behaviour on the pitch. in weekly training sessions run according to Ultimately there was a winning methodology devised by Real Madrid. team, but the main achievement was Additionally, the children visit football of a higher order. Everybody was awarded clubs, meet well-known athletes and an FRF medal and all the children were artists, and receive private tutoring from happy to have taken part, because they ten volunteer high-school pupils. In 2017, all realised the value of an #EqualGame. FRF

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 49 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

RUSSIA www.rfs.ru FEDOR CHALOV THE WONDERKID

EKATERINA GRISHENKOVA

In December, 19-year-old Fedor event with his parents, Nikolay and Chalov, who plays for PFC CSKA Natalia, brother Daniil and sister Daria. Moskva and has played for his In accordance with the First Five tradition, country in every youth category, won the all laureates must do something unusual 2017 First Five award, which is presented at the ceremony so Chalov, who studied to the best young footballer playing in music as a child, played the piano. the Russian Football Premier League. Chalov was born in in First Five was set up by the Children’s April 1998. He attended the PFC CSKA Football League in 2002. Nominees must football academy and made his debut meet several criteria: be a Russian citizen, RFS - Mikhail Shapaev as a forward for the club’s first team in be under 21 years of age and have played the Russian football championship, the in at least one-third of their club’s Football League and Children’s Football and the UEFA Champions matches during the year in question. League, coaches of the national teams League in 2016. He won a silver medal The prize winner for 2017 was selected of Russia, and journalists. with his club in the 2016/17 domestic by representatives of the Russian Football The award ceremony was held under championship, played in the 2015 Union, Russian Football Premier League, the auspices of the Under-17 World Cup in Chile, and now National Football League, Professional in Moscow. Fedor Chalov attended the plays for the Russian Under-21 team.

SAN MARINO www.fsgc.sm NEW CHALLENGES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND A NEW COACH

PRESS OFFICE

After changes at the top of the San Marino Football Federation (FSGC) following elections just under a year ago, the national team has now undergone a renovation of its own. Pierangelo Manzaroli’s four-year tenure as head coach of the national team is over and he has been replaced by Franco Varrella. A former assistant to between 1995 and 1996, when Sacchi was head coach of the Italian national team, Varrella returns to San Marino ten years after his last managerial position – in charge of club side San Marino Calcio. FSGC “Destiny” was the word used by Varrella when he was unveiled to the press. The Nations League in Lausanne, Switzerland. that promises to be full of challenges first-ever foreigner to take charge of the The new competition has received the and opportunities on and off the pitch, San Marino national side, he intends to firm backing of the San Marino federation. with the focus on growing and improving continue working at Coverciano (the Varrella’s team have been drawn in Group on every level, addressing technical technical centre of the Italian Football 2 of League D, alongside (in descending shortcomings on the field and improving Federation), where he teaches football order based on the UEFA seeding system) levels of professionalism and expertise tactics and technique, as much as he can. Belarus, Luxembourg and Moldova. off it. The FSGC hierarchy believe that His first official duty was to attend the This new chapter for San Marino the appointment of Varrella will help San draw for the first edition of the UEFA football comes at the start of a year Marino move forward on both these fronts.

50 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

SCOTLAND www.scottishfa.co.uk WOMEN INTERNATIONALS BEGIN THEIR COACHING JOURNEYS

MICHAEL LAMONT

Six Scotland women’s national Greig Paterson, said: “The six players team players have just reached approached the Scottish FA to do their B the end of their 12-month UEFA B licences, showing a desire to begin their coaching diploma courses. They are coaching journeys. We are always current internationals , striving to increase the number of , and Rachel qualified female coaches working in the Corsie, plus recently retired game and recently delivered a women- and . only Scottish FA C licence course, which During the past year, the players was well attended.” have focused on the design and delivery Scottish FA The captain of Scotland’s women’s of coaching sessions, how to coach national team, , said on teams during matches, as well as video to have three full-time female coaches in completing the B course: “I’ve really analysis, physical preparation and many charge of national teams. enjoyed the course as coaching is other factors relating to individual and A further 17 women recently obtained something I am passionate about. There team performance. their Scottish FA C coaching licences, are more and more female coaches The bespoke course for national with more than 1,000 women in all coming through now and I think that is team players is a continuation of the having gained coaching qualifications only helped by having three full-time female impressive coach education work being in the course of 2017, a rise of more coaches in Pauline MacDonald [women’s carried out in the women’s game, with than 400 compared with 2016. The U17s], Pauline Hamill [women’s U19s] and Scotland one of seven European nations Scottish FA’s coach education manager, [women’s senior team].”

SERBIA www.fss.rs GOLDEN BALL AWARDS GO TO VLADAN MILOJEVIĆ AND VLADIMIR STOJKOVIĆ

UGLJESA VRBICA

At the end of last year, the me the chance to defend again Football Association of Serbia on the ‘big stage’,” he said. announced the winners of The president of the Football its Golden Ball awards, which went Association of Serbia, Slaviša Kokeza, deservedly to the FK Crvena Zvezda FAS welcomed the audience to the award coach, Vladan Milojević, and to FK ceremony, congratulated Vladan Milojević Partizan and national team goalkeeper gave me this opportunity. So the dream and Vladimir Stojković on their well- Vladimir Stojković. I had as a kid from Aranđelovac to make deserved awards, and said that this Vladan Milojević took over as coach of it to Zvezda came true,” he said. would be a historic year for Serbian the red-and-whites last summer, and in For Vladan Stojković, it is the first time football. “It is a great privilege to express the autumn, for the first time in ten years, he has won this award, doing so in the my satisfaction with everything we he led them to the group stage of a year the national team qualified for the achieved together this year, which European competition and from there, World Cup, their first major competition undoubtedly has been the most to their first European knockout stage in in eight years, and Partizan made it to successful of the past two decades. 25 years. “For me personally, this was a their first European knockout stage in 12 The results we have achieved make us remarkable year. I was a step away from years. “I thank the Football Association proud, in particular the results of the A the Champions League, and then came of Serbia and all the national coaches team, which has qualified for the World an invitation from my beloved team. I had who have supported me all these years. Cup, and I congratulate everyone who my family and my players by my side all This award is the most important to me took part in the accomplishment of this the time, as well as the management who in my career. I thank Partizan, who gave goal,” he said.

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 51 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

SLOVAKIA www.futbalsfz.sk 200 CAPS FOR RÓBERT TOMASCHEK

PETER SURIN

Former international and current Coach Dušan Galis, who took over the national team administrator senior national team on 1 January 2004, Róbert Tomaschek is the proud was looking for someone who knew the owner of no fewer than 200 caps – 50 world of football well, had experience, earned as a player and the other 150 in spoke fluent English and, most his current managerial role. importantly, was trustworthy. Tomaschek Tomaschek was a player coveted by fitted the bill perfectly. Moreover, Galis all the coaches. Honest, consistent and had been his coach at Slovan Bratislava, disciplined, he became an irreplaceable so the pair knew each other well. On 31 part of the new national team under March 2004, Tomaschek kicked off the Jozef Vengloš after Slovakia gained second chapter in his national team independence on 1 January 1993. In career – this time as team administrator. February 1994, the Slovak national team He has worked with five coaches since played their first official international then: Ján Kocian, Vladimir Weiss, the duo tournament in the United Arab Emirates. of Stanislav Griga and Michal Hipp and, Tomaschek was in the squad and made finally, the current coach, Ján Kozák. his debut for Slovakia in Sharjah on He has been involved in 154 national 2 February 1994. He was a permanent SFZ team matches, but was banished to fixture in the national team until 6 June the stands for four of them after an 2001, when he played his farewell national August 2003, Ladislav Hudec, Slovakia’s emotional outburst. team match in Baku against Azerbaijan. Under-16 coach at the time, asked him to His personal achievements include During his international playing career, join his coaching staff. He stayed with the four Slovakian championship titles, three which came to an early and unexpected Under-16 team for a while, then joined Slovakian Cups and four appearances in end, he earned 50 caps and scored four the Under-20 team for just one the player of the year top ten. As national goals. He was not even 30 when injury tournament, before being invited to join team administrator, he took part in the forced him to hang up his boots. Then, in the staff of the senior national team. 2010 World Cup and EURO 2016.

SWEDEN www.svenskfotboll.se SAME COACH FOR WOMEN’S U23 AND MEN’S U17 TEAMS

ANDREAS NILSSON

The Swedish FA places great Ulf Kristiansson has plenty of previous emphasis on its men’s and women’s experience in both men’s and women’s national teams working together football. His CV includes work with the and has taken a new step in that direction men’s national teams of Sweden and by putting coach Ulf Kristiansson in Nigeria, AIK in the Swedish top flight, charge of both the women’s Under-23 and several of Sweden’s winning and the men’s Under-17 teams. women’s Under-19 squads. ”It will be an exciting role. I think the ”Ulf is a modern coach who sees Swedish FA is making a lot of progress football before gender. He is innovative, with developing both the women’s and a leader who is a perfect fit for and men’s teams right now, so for me developing young players. We are personally it will be double the usual excited about the idea of sharing a input. I will make the most of being part coach between the men’s and women’s of both environments and ensure that departments, and think that’s the way my teams benefit in their development SvFF forward,” says Lilie Persson, player as well,” Kristiansson says. Ulf Kristiansson development manager at the Swedish FA.

52 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

SWITZERLAND www.football.ch TOP REFEREES AND ASSISTANTS BECOME SEMI-PROFESSIONAL

PIERRE BENOIT

Since the start of this year, “Enabling our most talented and “By enabling them to become semi- the ’s elite promising elite referees and assistant professional, the hope is that our top referees and assistant referees referees to turn semi-professional referees will enhance their reputation have been able to reduce the number of may seem a small step compared with nationally and internationally and, hours they work in their day-to-day jobs the situation in other countries, but it through consistently good performances, thanks to a significant increase in the is a milestone for Swiss football,” says push themselves forward for Champions financial support they receive from the Cyril Zimmermann, former chief of League and top-level national team Swiss Football Association and the Swiss Switzerland’s top referees, who was matches,” says Heinrich Schifferle, Football League. appointed as the Swiss FA’s first full-time president of the Swiss Football League, In return for this pay rise, Switzerland’s elite referee manager on 1 December. vice-president of the Swiss FA and a seven FIFA referees and six of the He was replaced as head of elite firm advocate of the new system. country’s ten FIFA assistant referees refereeing by his former deputy, “We are trying to lay foundations have cut their working hours to a Dani Wermelinger, who was also that will enable our elite referees to maximum of either 50% (referees) or a top referee for many years. manage their increasing workload better. 60% (assistant referees). In order to fund semi-professional We want to give them more recovery referees, the Swiss Football League is time and reduce the number of injuries,” increasing its annual refereeing budget says the Swiss FA’s sporting director, by CHF 500,000 to CHF 2.5 million, Laurent Prince, adding that: “Modern while the Swiss FA will contribute an football is developing at lightning speed extra CHF 190,000 to the total sum of and becoming increasingly fast and CHF 3.25 million. These additional funds dynamic. In order to meet the challenges will cover the new payments to elite that this creates for our referees, we need referees and assistants, as well as the cost to do all we can to make them and their of employing the elite referee manager. assistants even fitter, both physically and They will also be used to pay for metaphorically: they need to be fit for the additional basic and further training, future. Our aim is to see Swiss referees together with investments in coaching officiating at major final tournaments SFV and sports medicine. again in the not-too-distant future.”

TURKEY www.tff.org FOOTBALL VALLEY EXPANSION

BAHRI ÇIFTÇI

A new centre and administrative block, press centre, prayer room, two building are currently under restaurants and a spacious foyer. It will construction in Riva near also be equipped with a fitness area, Istanbul as part of the Turkish Football sauna, therapy pools, two natural turf Federation’s vision to bring all its football pitches, locker rooms, game operations onto a single site it refers hall and recreational areas for the to as Football Valley. athletes staying at the facility. Located just opposite the Hasan The whole facility is designed to Doğan national team education and provide ease of access to disabled training facilities, the new complex will people, and of the 82 bedrooms, occupy a 38,000m2 site and feature 20 have been specially designed for 26,000m2 of indoor facilities hosting a people with disabilities. conference hall, meeting rooms, an An atrium and an indoor garden office building, an accommodation will complete the new complex. TFF

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 53 MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS

UKRAINE www.ffu.org.ua LINING UP VOLUNTEERS FOR THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

YURI MAZNYCHENKO

The Football Federation of Ukraine help ensure that it all goes smoothly.” (FFU) president, Andriy Pavelko, The recruiters and candidates include recently paid a visit to the team many of the volunteers who helped out busy recruiting volunteers for the UEFA during EURO 2012. “The volunteers come Champions League final in Kyiv in May from all walks of life,” explained Oksana and, while he was there, met some of Lesyk, who is in charge of the recruitment the applicants. process. “Some are still students, some “The volunteers have important roles are young professionals, and others are to play, ranging from greeting guests to top managers or have already retired. In providing IT support,” said the president. addition, 30% of applications have come “It is important for all the participants from abroad.” and fans to have a positive impression To thank him for his support, Andriy of Ukraine, and I am pleased that so many Pavelko was presented with a volunteer’s Kubanov Pavlo people are prepared to give their time to T-shirt. Andriy Pavelko

WALES www.faw.cymru RYAN GIGGS APPOINTED NATIONAL TEAM MANAGER

ROB DOWLING

The Football Association of narrowly missed out on qualifying for he was made interim manager towards Wales (FAW) has announced EURO 2004, after losing a play-off match the end of the 2013/14 season. Giggs the appointment of Ryan Giggs to Russia at the Millennium Stadium. was subsequently named assistant as the Wales national team manager on Following an illustrious playing career manager at Manchester United under a four-year contract. Giggs played for spanning over 23 years at Manchester Louis van Gaal, serving alongside him Wales 64 times between 1991 and 2007 United, Giggs’s coaching career also until July 2016. and was a member of the squad that began at Old Trafford in 2014, where “We are delighted to see Ryan appointed as the national team manager,” said Jonathan Ford, the FAW chief executive. “With his vast experience playing, coaching and managing at the biggest club in the world, we are confident of a successful future for our national team.” Following his appointment, Ryan Giggs expressed his pride at having been given the honour of managing the national team. “The challenges we have ahead of us with the Nations League and qualification for EURO 2020 excite me a great deal,” he said. “I can’t wait to start working with the players as we prepare for these crucial matches later in the year.” Giggs’s first game as national team manager will be against the hosts in the FAW 2018 Cup in on 22 March.

54 – UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 BIRTHDAYS, NOTICES, FORTHCOMING EVENTS

BIRTHDAYS NOTICES Benny Jacobsen (Denmark, 1 March) Marcello Nicchi (Italy, 18 March) Peter Frymuth (Germany, 1 March) Paul Elliott (England, 18 March) • On 22 December, Davor Šuker was Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain, 1 March) Marina Tashchyan (Armenia, 18 March) re-elected as president of the Croatian Damir Vrbanović (Croatia, 2 March) Ronald Zimmermann (Germany, 19 March) Football Federation. • On 20 January, Ari Lahti was elected as Aleksandr Gvardis (Russia, 2 March) Mark Bos (Netherlands, 19 March) president of the Football Association of Jenni Kennedy (England, 2 March) Claude Kremer (Luxembourg, 19 March) Finland. Hans Lorenz (Germany, 3 March) Sándor Csányi (Hungary, 20 March) • The Football Association of Finland (Poland, 3 March) Eddie Foley has a new email address: Andy Gould (Scotland, 3 March) (Republic of Ireland, 20 March) [email protected] Alexandru Deaconu (Romania, 3 March) Jim Boyce (Northern Ireland, 21 March) • The Kazakhstan Football Federation Carolin Greiner Mai (Germany, 3 March) Ginés Meléndez (Spain, 22 March) has a new postal address: Patrick McGrath Chris Georghiades (Cyprus, 22 March) 8 Saryarka Ave., 4th floor (Republic of Ireland, 4 March) Michail Kassabov (Bulgaria, 22 March) 010000 Astana Crawford Wilson Pascal Garibian (France, 22 March) Kazakhstan (Northern Ireland, 5 March) Luca Zorzi (Switzerland, 22 March) • Alexandr Alaev has been named as acting president of the Russian Football Zoran Bahtijarević (Croatia, 5 March) Helmut Fleischer (Germany, 22 March) Union, replacing . Boris Durlen (Croatia, 6 March) Hugo Quaderer (Liechtenstein, 22 March) Ichko Lozev (Bulgaria, 6 March) Andrew Niven (Scotland, 22 March) OBITUARIES Hervé Piccirillo (France, 6 March) Gabriele Tomassi (Italy, 22 March) Dan Ashworth (England, 6 March) Franz Krösslhuber (Austria, 23 March) • Otto Demuth, former general secretary Dušan Maravić (Serbia, 7 March) Andrea Lastrucci (Italy, 23 March) of the Austrian Football Association Tomás Gea (Andorra, 7 March) Mirosław Malinowski (Poland, 23 March) (ÖFB), passed away on 16 November Josep Lluís Vilaseca Guasch Mahmut Özgener (Turkey, 23 March) at the age of 92. He served on UEFA’s (Spain, 8 March) Hilda McDermott Appeals Body from 1976 to 1980 and on Kris Bellon (Belgium, 8 March) (Republic of Ireland, 23 March) its Control and Disciplinary Body from 1980 to 1992. In 2004, he was awarded Alexis Ponnet (Belgium, 9 March) Outi Saarinen (Finland, 23 March) the UEFA Order of Merit in Ruby. Vladimir Aleshin (Russia, 9 March) Fernando Ruiz Hierro Henk Kesler (Netherlands, 9 March) (Spain, 23 March) 50th Herbert Fandel (Germany, 9 March) Dejan Dimovski FORTHCOMING EVENTS Lennard van Ruiven (FYR Macedonia, 23 March) (Netherlands, 9 March) 40th Gianni Infantino Meetings (Italy/Switzerland, 23 March) Otar Giorgadze (Georgia, 9 March) 16 March, Nyon Mateo Beusan (Croatia, 10 March) Michael Kirchner (Germany, 25 March) UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Ilkka Koho (Finland, 10 March) 60th Gitte Holm (Denmark, 26 March) League: quarter-final draws Jasmin Baković Jelle Goes (Netherlands, 26 March) Competitions (Bosnia and Herzegovina, 10 March) John Peacock (England, 27 March) 6/7 and 13/14 March José Antonio Casajus UEFA Champions League: round of 16 (return Diana Andersen (Denmark, 10 March) legs) Lucien Kayser (Luxembourg, 11 March) (Spain, 27 March) 60th Olga Zhukovska (Ukraine, 11 March) Armen Minasyan (Armenia, 27 March) 8 March UEFA Europa League: round of 16 (first legs) Vito Di Gioia (Italy, 11 March) Pavel Cebanu (Moldova, 28 March) Jean-François Crucke Pal Bjerketvedt (Norway, 28 March) 13/14 March (Belgium, 12 March) Lamprini Dimitriou (Greece, 28 March) UEFA Youth League: quarter-finals Miroslav Vitković (Croatia, 12 March) Edgar Obertüfer 15 March Thomas Partl (Austria, 13 March) (Switzerland, 29 March) 90th UEFA Europa League: round of 16 (return legs) Neil Jardine (Northern Ireland, 14 March) Ignacio Sitges Serra (Spain, 29 March) 21/22 March Bernadette Constantin (France, 29 March) Lucia Knappkova (Slovakia, 14 March) UEFA Women's Champions League: quarter- Nikola Prentić (Montenegro, 14 March) Bernadino González Vázquez finals (first legs) Götz Dimanski (Germany, 15 March) (Spain, 29 March) 21–27 March Sanna Pirhonen (Finland, 29 March) Michael Thomas Ross 2017–19 European Under-21 Championship: (Northern Ireland, 15 March) William Hugh Wilson (Scotland, 30 March) qualifying round Robert Malek (Poland, 15 March) Richard Havrilla (Slovakia, 31 March) 28/29 March Simeon Tsolakidis (Greece, 17 March) Marina Mamaeva (Russia, 31 March) 50th UEFA Women's Champions League: quarter- Christos Skapoullis (Cyprus, 18 March) Matteo Simone Trefoloni (Italy, 31 March) finals (return legs)

UEFA DIRECT • March 2018 – 55 No.175 • March 2018