Brilliant Orange
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The purpose of the trip was to investigate the differences between coaching, player development and club organisation in the Netherlands and the UK with special reference to youth and grassroots football. Throughout the trip, one phrase was to sum up the Dutch approach “In Holland, there are no secrets”. This recurring theme saw coaches and organisers, whether at the top of the profession at such clubs as PSV and Willem II, or at amateur clubs such as RKSV Schijndel or Geldrop AEK, prepared to share their experiences and knowledge freely with each other as well as this visiting band of largely amateur UK coaches.
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Thursday 10th AprilWe were treated to a presentation by Bert-Jan Heijmans, from the DutchUK Football School and one of the organisers of the trip, on the organisational and philosophical differences between UK and Dutch grassroots football. These include: • Less Clubs We then had a presentation from Paul Cooper, the founder of the Give Us Back Our Game campaign who highlighted the necessity for the initiative and how, during the weekend we would see some of those principles already at play in the Netherlands.
Geldrop AEKWe were privileged to be able to visit this local amateur club
where we were impressed to see and be told of:
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Friday 11th April Initially Bert-Jan Heijmans introduced us to his ‘Magic Rectangle’ an organizational structure which allows progression from warm up to practice to game without having to re-position marker cones. He demonstrated how it could also be used to teach young players positional sense through play and a concept of ‘Protecting Your Garden’. Using BJs structure, Paul Cooper then gave an outstanding demonstration of a range of small sided games which can be used to help young players learn the game through play. Finally, Cor Van Dijk, Technical Trainer took us through a series of simple yet challenging skills activities. These exercises are designed to improve: • Ball mastery
PSVWe had been invited to visit PSV Eindhoven’s training facility where we could view the first team undergoing light, fun related practice following their defeat the previous evening in the UEFA Cup against Fiorentina of Italy. During our visit, we were spontaneously invited to receive a presentation from Edward Sturing, PSV’s Head of Youth, showing how the world famous PSV develop their players. Edward had, within the previous two days, delivered the exact same presentation to a delegation from the English Football Association, another example of the ‘No Secrets’ philosophy. Their policy is to develop the person rather than just the player as they recognise that most players will not progress to the professional ranks. Edward took us through some of the key points: • 70% of practice at the young ages is technical including
Coerver Skills
FC EindhovenOn Friday evening we were the guests of PSV’s close neighbour, FC Eindhoven who play in the second tier of Dutch professional football and we were treated to a home win by 4 goals to 1 against AGOVV.
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Saturday 12th AprilOn Saturday we were again the guests of RKSV Schijndel where we were able to watch a series of games of various age groups. It was interesting to note: • 7v7 games across the width of a regulation sized pitch • Penalty shoot out after every game
Ben van Esch, Chairman of the Youth section of the club gave an excellent presentation on how the club is organized: • Technical Director of Youth, Henck Bosch,
works with coaches to maintain and improve standards of coaching
but especially interaction with the young players
Willem II vs PSV • Players have a greater desire to win in the UK • Coaches in the UK were, generally, not so good as those
in Holland, primarily as a result of poorer development, in service
training and continuing coach education
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Sunday 13th April Once again we visited RKSV Schijndel where we were to enjoy 90
minutes of further technical training from Cor Van Dijk. • Treat training youth soccer players as a profession –
whether or not you are paid for it
• Improves touch on the ball Following Cor’s session we were able to enjoy a first class lunch prepared in Schijndel’s excellent kitchen facility and served in the light and airy club room overlooking the main pitch.
All the coaches attending the event were filled with admiration for the approach of the Dutch to youth football, in terms of organization and coaching, for sure, but also for the No Secrets philosophy, the willingness of professional clubs to share knowledge with amateur clubs and for both to engage with and pass on their experiences to this visiting band of grassroots, largely amateur coaches. We were truly touched by the warmth of our welcome wherever we went and we returned home enriched and educated and determined to change the lot of grassroots youth football in the UK. Surely, if we can improve the quality of the base of the pyramid, the apex will be all the stronger and if we can do so by providing a more complete and enlightened coaching experience to all the young people whom we serve, this trip will have been extremely worthwhile. (NB The phrase “Brilliant Orange” is a reference to the title of a book by David Winner about Dutch Football and parallels with Dutch Society and certain philosophies)
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Useful Linkswww.vvgeldrop.nl
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Special Features IndexThree Lions Club | 5th
Annual Awards Evening | Dynamo
Football Festival | Brilliant Orange | Tesco
Skills Dome | Respect the Referee
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Martin
Perkins and Steve Phythian visited the Netherlands from the 10th
– 13th April as part of a group of 33 mainly amateur and some
professional coaches from across the UK.
We
visited another local amateur club, RKSV Schijndel,
which also had fantastic facilities including an almost new, two
storey club house with a main stadium pitch with covered seating
and terracing, floodlights and an electronic scoreboard. There were
5 other pitches and the management committee are planning to add
a new 3rd Generation Astroturf pitch in 2008/09 season. We were
there to take part in an integrated clinic showcasing 3 aspects
of practice, organization, technical training and small sided games.
In
the afternoon we were the guests of Willem II where we watched a
match between the U17 sides of WII and PSV (1-1 draw) on a training
pitch. We were set a match analysis task by Bert-Jan and it was
interesting to note the obvious differences in the approach and
formation of the two sides and the overall strengths and weaknesses.
Following
the game we were able to hold a Q&A, in Willem II’s Stadium
press room (they opened the ground for us !) with Harry
Biemans, U19 coach for WII and previously academy coach
at Sunderland FC, Martien Pennings, Technical Director
for Geldrop and Harry Drummond a young English
player, previously at Middlesbrough and Sunderland and now playing
for Dutch second division side RKC Waalwijk on the differences between
players and coaches in The Netherlands and the UK. Broadly, observations
centred on:
