The Technician N°42•E 15.4.2009 15:18 Page 1 Editorial: The Trials and Tribulations of the Technical Area Interview: Sir Alex Ferguson Referee Education A Night at the Nou Camp From Eight to Twelve The Year in Words NEWSLETTER FOR COACHES N O 42 MAY 2009 The Technician N°42•E 15.4.2009 15:18 Page 2 IMPRESSUM EDITORIAL GROUP Andy Roxburgh Graham Turner PRODUCTION André Vieli Dominique Maurer Atema Communication SA Printed by Artgraphic Cavin SA ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hélène Fors COVER The Netherlands’ coach, Bert van Marwijk, gives instructions from the technical zone during a World Cup qualifier. The Netherlands have won their first five matches and are ideally placed to qualify for the final tournament in South Africa. (Photo: Getty Images) Germany’s coach, Joachim Löw, congratulates Marcell Jansen as he crosses the technical zone on leaving the pitch. Witters Sport-Presse-Fotos Witters 2 The Technician N°42•E 15.4.2009 15:18 Page 3 THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF THE TECHNICAL AREA EDITORIAL coaches, or other occupants of the techni- Zinédine Zidane, thus nullifying the cal area, the board agreed that, provided Juventus playmaker and creating the con- BY ANDY ROXBURGH, they behave in a responsible manner, one ditions for his team’s ultimate success. Two good examples of decisive decisions UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR person will be permitted to remain in the technical area and no longer be required communicated from the technical area. to return to their position on the bench after conveying tactical instructions.” By altering the text relating to the techni- cal area, the IFAB has taken a common It has taken a long time but, finally, The coach’s desire to work freely in sense approach and shown respect for coaches have the use of a technical area the technical area was finally recognised technicians and the role that they play and the authority to work freely within and accepted. But with freedom comes in today’s football. It has been a lengthy, that defined zone. In the United Kingdom, responsibility. The new directive is not sometimes painful, process for the during the black-and-white days of the a mandate for technical-area mayhem, coach’s job and working conditions on 1920s, Aberdeen FC created a pitch side and coaches who lose control will still face the touchline to be acknowledged and dugout (i.e. a trainers’ bench) – an early the consequences. However, those who recognised in a tangible way. The tech- attempt to let the coach communicate impersonate a jack-in-the-box or park nical area, when used properly, adds directly with his players during the game. themselves at the front of the area will an important, positive dimension to the But for decades, in the big stadiums, have no problem as long as they do not game. We have come a long way since it was a case of the boss being seated become abusive and provocative. When the introduction of the trainers’ bench and out of earshot. Martin O’Neill of Aston Villa FC jumps at Aberdeen FC – let’s hope that the up and down, it is a manifestation of his coach’s new-found freedom will reduce Fast forward to the late 1980s and, in boundless energy and enthusiasm. When conflict and increase professional com- some tournaments, a gentleman’s agree- FC Internazionale Milano’s José Mourinho posure on the touchline. Fundamentally, ment came into play which allowed the stands in splendid isolation, like the con- football is a game for players. But coach to stand beside the bench, à la ductor of an orchestra, as he did in dra- coaches can make a significant contribu- Beckenbauer. But sometimes this was a matic fashion during the recent UEFA tion to individual and team success – recipe for conflict between the coach Champions League match at Old Trafford, at the training ground, in the dressing and letter-of-the-law officials, because the he offends no one. And when Italy’s room, and from the technical area. arrangement was open to individual Marcello Lippi strikes a Hollywood pose interpretation. The International FA Board (the late Paul Newman comes to mind), (IFAB) finally brought order to the situa- he simply adds a touch of class to the tion by introducing the technical area proceedings. The coach’s style and the in 1994, but the trials and tribulations effect of his instructions are part of the were not over. game, but if technicians undermine the authority of the referee and his assistants An issue of contention remained. Accord- they damage football’s image and run ing to the Laws of the Game, the coach the risk of expulsion. had to return to the bench after giving touchline instructions. A moment of pause The technical area is the domain of while the coach tried to analyse the flow the coach, a place where he can plan of the game often resulted in the fourth his next move, relate to his staff, and official breaking into policeman mode, communicate with the substitutes who resulting in antagonism. The disturbing, can influence the match outcome. image-damaging incident at EURO 2008, What a coach does from this place of when Austria’s Josef Hickersberger and influence can make a difference. Think Germany’s Joachim Löw were both dis- of Sir Alex Ferguson’s intervention during missed from the bench following an alter- the second half of last season’s UEFA cation with the fourth official magnified Champions League final in Moscow, when the problem. Without debating the rights he changed Manchester United FC’s and wrongs of that particular case, it was shape to mirror Chelsea FC’s 4-3-3 and, clear that something had to be done to in doing so, altered the momentum of minimise the agitation. the match. It was a move which ultimately led to victory for United (albeit following The IFAB, at its 123rd annual general a penalty shootout). Or recall the 1997 meeting in February of this year, decided UEFA Champions League final when BV it was time to remove the contentious Borussia Dortmund’s Ottmar Hitzfeld part of the text. The board’s press release made the decision, after only 15 minutes, Wire/PA Photos PA spelled it out: “In order to avoid unneces- to switch midfielder Paul Lambert into Fabio Capello in expressive mode sary conflicts between fourth officials and a man-for-man marking role against in the technical zone. 3 The Technician N°42•E 16.4.2009 9:51 Page 4 A triumphant procession INTERVIEW through Aberdeen after the Scottish BY ANDY ROXBURGH, side’s victory over Real Madrid in the final of the 1983 European UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Cup Winners’ Cup. SMG/PA Photos SMG/PA JUST OVER 30 YEARS AGO, ALEX FERGUSON BECAME HEAD COACH OF ABERDEEN FC IN SCOTLAND AND, SOON AFTER HIS APPOINTMENT, APPEARED ON TV DECLARING HIS INTENTION TO WIN A EUROPEAN TROPHY WITH ABERDEEN FC AND ANY SUBSEQUENT CLUB HE MIGHT JOIN. HE SET A TARGET AND HAS HIT THE BULL’S EYE FOUR TIMES (SO FAR) – ONCE WITH ABERDEEN FC AND THREE TIMES WITH MANCHESTER UNITED FC. THE UEFA CUP WINNERS’ CUP WAS WON IN 1983 WHEN THE DONS BEAT REAL MADRID CF IN THE FINAL. EIGHT YEARS LATER, ALEX’S RED DEVILS’ OVERCAME FC BARCELONA IN THE SAME COMPETITION. HE WENT ON TO WIN THE UEFA SUPER CUP ON BOTH OCCASIONS, JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE. THEN THE ULTIMATE PRIZE: THE UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WAS WON IN 1999 (V FC BAYERN MÜNCHEN) AND AGAIN IN 2008 (V CHELSEA FC). THE EUROPEAN/SOUTH AMERICAN CUP – THE INTERCONTINENTAL CUP TO MANY FANS – AND THE FIFA WORLD CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP WERE ADDED TO THE COLLECTION IN 1999 AND 2008. ALEX FERGUSON’S RECORD IN DOMESTIC FOOTBALL IS REMARKABLE (10 PREMIER LEAGUE TITLES, 3 SCOTTISH LEAGUE TITLES, AND 21 CUP TRIUMPHS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BORDER), BUT IT IS HIS SUCCESS IN EUROPE THAT PROVIDES THE ICING ON THE CAKE. UEFA COACH OF THE YEAR IN 1999 AND THE CURRENT HONORARY LEADER OF UEFA’S COACHES CIRCLE, HE IS AN ICON OF EUROPEAN CLUB FOOTBALL, A SUPERSTAR OF THE TECHNICAL AREA. HE IS… SIR ALEX FERGUSON 1 • It is over 25 years since you football club. Also, at Manchester first won a European trophy, how United FC and Aberdeen FC we have have the ingredients for success always had a great team spirit. You changed in that time? don’t get perfection, and today with an Well, they have certainly changed in increase in the number of egotistical terms of the back-up required, particu- players making it more demanding, larly in the area of sports science. Med- it can be difficult for many managers. ical information, nutrition and prepara- The intrusion of agents and player tion of players for top-level games have representatives means that some reached another level. What has not players don’t have the same personal altered, in our case, is the insistence responsibility as their counterparts of that players train to a high standard – 20 or 30 years ago. For example, back we have always aimed for 100% quality. then they all booked their own holi- I have never changed that approach days, today this is not always the case. because, in my opinion, what we do One big change, of course, is the on the training pitch transfers to the increase in the number of major stars matchday. We never allow lazy training required to compete at the top level. sessions. For me, the training is an We now have 18 nationalities in our opportunity for players to express them- club and this is a development that selves as professionals.