PERFECT EXAMPLE ... FA hopes to foster skills like Messi's
Published: Today at 00:05
SWEEPING changes to youth football will help the English game spot our very own Lionel Messi.
England fall guys
ACCORDING to the last UEFA statistics from 2008, England had just 2,769
coaches qualified to Pro, A or B licence level — but Germany had 34,970,
Italy boasted 29,240 and Spain 23,995.
But the FA say that, in recent years, they have produced roughly the same
number of new top-level coaches as other major European nations.
Participation in football in England was actually FALLING at the last
count.
According to the Active People survey carried out for Sport England between
January 2010 and January 2011, there were 2,097,900 people playing at least
once a week — 46,800 lower than recorded between October 2007 to October
2008.
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FA chiefs are jubilant after shareholders yesterday voted through new rules
which will start from the 2014-15 season.
Kids will then have to play in small-sided games with goals and balls of an appropriate size — and WITHOUT the pressure of playing league matches with points at stake.
The FA believe making the changes compulsory — some county FAs already apply many of the rules — will develop happier, smarter and more skilful players. And that should ultimately mean a better England team.
Les Howie, the FA’s head of grassroots coaching, said: “Einstein said that there was no greater sign of insanity than doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.
“I was one the last time England won something and I would like to think we will do so again in my lifetime.
“I sometimes wonder: where would the English Lionel Messi be if he was in a system built on results from the age of seven and played on pitches and with goals that were too big?
“Would they have taken a chance on a small kid?
“But this is not just about the England team of 20 years time, although it should have an impact on that.
“It’s about every child being introduced to football in the right way and developing a lifelong love of the game.”
Countries like Germany, Spain and Holland embraced mini-football and less emphasis on competition for young players years ago.
But some county FAs were reluctant to give up the traditional league formats.
Howie added: “I draw a comparison with learning to play a musical instrument.
“You want to learn how to read music and how the different notes work together. But if you are going to be tested every week, you tend to learn to play one tune very well.
“The same thing tends to happen if you insist on youngsters playing for three points week in, week out. And it becomes like PlayStation for parents, with dads telling their kids what to do in every single situation.
“This way, players will have the chance to develop their skills without the constant pressure of results and they and their coaches will be more likely to try out different positions and to take risks.”
Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has backed the coaching shake-up.
Some 87 per cent of the 778 votes cast were in favour and Ferdinand tweeted: “One thing our kids coaches don’t do that foreign coaches do is teach them to pass the ball to a player under pressure... then coach one-two.
“How to protect the ball under pressure... foreign players do that much better than us. One reason why they keep possession better.
“FA coaching courses need a right old shake up in my humble opinion if we are to move forward..”
Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football development, said: “The vote was as important as anything that will happen this summer. The Euros are about the here and now — this vote is about the future.”
CLICK here for Dan King’s experience of learning to be a youth football coach.
Kids will then have to play in small-sided games with goals and balls of an appropriate size — and WITHOUT the pressure of playing league matches with points at stake.
The FA believe making the changes compulsory — some county FAs already apply many of the rules — will develop happier, smarter and more skilful players. And that should ultimately mean a better England team.
Les Howie, the FA’s head of grassroots coaching, said: “Einstein said that there was no greater sign of insanity than doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.
“I was one the last time England won something and I would like to think we will do so again in my lifetime.
“I sometimes wonder: where would the English Lionel Messi be if he was in a system built on results from the age of seven and played on pitches and with goals that were too big?
“Would they have taken a chance on a small kid?
“But this is not just about the England team of 20 years time, although it should have an impact on that.
“It’s about every child being introduced to football in the right way and developing a lifelong love of the game.”
Countries like Germany, Spain and Holland embraced mini-football and less emphasis on competition for young players years ago.
But some county FAs were reluctant to give up the traditional league formats.
Howie added: “I draw a comparison with learning to play a musical instrument.
“You want to learn how to read music and how the different notes work together. But if you are going to be tested every week, you tend to learn to play one tune very well.
“The same thing tends to happen if you insist on youngsters playing for three points week in, week out. And it becomes like PlayStation for parents, with dads telling their kids what to do in every single situation.
“This way, players will have the chance to develop their skills without the constant pressure of results and they and their coaches will be more likely to try out different positions and to take risks.”
Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has backed the coaching shake-up.
Some 87 per cent of the 778 votes cast were in favour and Ferdinand tweeted: “One thing our kids coaches don’t do that foreign coaches do is teach them to pass the ball to a player under pressure... then coach one-two.
“How to protect the ball under pressure... foreign players do that much better than us. One reason why they keep possession better.
“FA coaching courses need a right old shake up in my humble opinion if we are to move forward..”
Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football development, said: “The vote was as important as anything that will happen this summer. The Euros are about the here and now — this vote is about the future.”
CLICK here for Dan King’s experience of learning to be a youth football coach.
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