AC Milan has announced a partnership with Moderní fotbal s.r.o to launch two new Milan Junior Camps in Central Europe.

Through the partnership, Milan and Moderní fotbal s.r.o will deliver world class training camps in Prague, Czech Republic (14 -18 July) and Rovinka, Slovakia (21-25 July).

The camps will allow the Rossoneri to deliver its unique style of youth development and training to a new crop of young players in an often-overshadowed region of Europe to player aged 5-17.

By partnering with Moderní fotbal s.r.o, a Czech sports management, youth football coaching and adult education company with over 13 years of experience, AC Milan will be able to rely upon a successful local business as it ventures into new markets.

Crucially, Moderní fotbal will aid Milan as it seeks to build new relationships with clubs and footballing communities across the Czech Republic and Slovakia, while also providing technical and educational workshops to tomorrow's stars.

These educational workshops will teach players of the importance of physical and mental wellbeing, as well as imprint AC Milan's values-based philosophy.

Honorary Vice President of AC Milan Franco Baresi expressed enthusiasm for the partnership and the club's camps.

“The launch of these new Milan Junior Camps marks a significant step in bringing AC Milan's legacy and spirit to football fans and communities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia," he said in a press release.

"We are pleased to collaborate with Moderní fotbal s.r.o., a company that shares our values of innovation, passion, and determination, making them the perfect partner to help us inspire future generations in this area.”

Likewise, Managing Partner at Moderní fotbal Lenka Hrabovská highlighted the shared beliefs Moderní fotbal and AC Milan have.

“This collaboration between Moderní fotbal and AC Milan is a unique opportunity to connect innovation, tradition, and passion — the core pillars of football," she said in a statement.

"We believe this partnership will create exciting new experiences for our customers, fans, and the wider community across the Czech Republic and Slovakia.”

Through the deal, AC Milan will work to guide the next generation of players in new camps, whilst also expanding the club's image and brand in an overshadowed market.

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Football Coaches Australia (FCA) is proud to present The Advantages of Creating 2v1s in the Modern Game — a dynamic, hands-on coaching workshop led by Dr Ron Smith.

The session took place on Saturday, at the Home of the Matildas & Victorian State Football Centre.

With the continued support of Football Australia, this session contributes 1 CPD hour towards coach reaccreditation — an excellent opportunity to grow your knowledge and keep your qualifications up to date.

Dr Ron Smith, often referred to as the godfather of coaching in Australian football, brings an extraordinary breadth of experience to the field. His résumé includes roles as Technical Director at Football Australia and various Member Federations, Head Coach at the AIS, Assistant Coach and Analyst for the Socceroos, and coaching stints in Iceland, Malaysia, and Perth Glory. A true student of the game, Ron also holds a doctorate in how goals are scored.

This workshop offered a rare chance to learn from Ron “Smudger” Smith in a practical, pitch-side setting. His generous approach to coach education makes this session a must-attend event for anyone looking to deepen their tactical understanding.

The Advantages of Creating 2 v 1's in the Modern Game:

Smith's workshop consisted of three engaging 30–35 minute sessions, featuring Football Victoria Academy players in a 9v9 plus goalkeeper format. The sessions focused on:

• When and how to create a 2v1 situation
• How positioning influences decision-making and improves performance
• How to use available space in the final third

These learnings are designed to provide coaches with actionable strategies applicable across both community and professional environments.

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The Football West Academy was officially launched by Football West at the Sam Kerr Football Centre last week. The event brought together over 130 young players, their parents, coaches, and staff at the top-tier Queens Park venue.

Football West’s General Manager – Football, David Lewis, took the stage to outline the Academy model, its vision, and what it aims to achieve.

The program is being led by Football Development Officer Neil Kilkenny, in collaboration with Policy and Advocacy Manager Garth Naven.

Drawing on his experience as a former Socceroo and Premier League player, now a UEFA A-Licence coach, he highlighted the exciting opportunities ahead for the young athletes and the commitment required to reach the elite level.

"I'm big on standards, that's the one thing I will be pushing," Kilkenny said at the event.

"I've always had an interest in coaching. I want to give back to the young players coming through in WA, and hopefully I can contribute and help them realise their dreams."

Football Australia teamed up with Football West, as well as the state bodies from South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria, to co-pilot the Academy program.

The program, part of a nationwide initiative, gives boys aged 12–15 and girls aged 12–18 access to elite training and a clear pathway to higher-level competition and national opportunities.

Throughout their development journey, players will be supported by top-tier coaching staff, as Football Australia works with FIFA and the AFC to establish Australian coaching credentials as globally respected qualifications.

Football West Academy is committed to developing top-tier players and preparing them to thrive in a professional sporting environment.

The system for player development includes:

• The FIFA Talent Development Scheme
• The Emerging Socceroos Championships and Emerging Matildas Championships (formerly the National Youth Championships)
• selection for the Australia U17 boys and girls national team

With the guidance of experienced coaches and a pathway to professional competition, the Football West Academy is set to shape the future of Australian football, cultivating the stars of tomorrow and ensuring they are fully prepared for the professional sporting world.

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In episode four of Soccerscene's Off the Pitch podcast, Global Institute of Sport (GIS) Asia-Pacific Regional Director Ray Boggiano joins the show to talk about how the Institute is assisting students get into the sports industry.

The Global Institue of Sport is a world leader in tertiary sports education, delivering cutting edge online and in person courses at campuses across the world in famous sporting locations such as London's Wembley Stadium, Miami's Chase Stadium, Brussel's Lotto Park and Melbourne's very own MCG.

Additionally, the GIS has influence in several other countries including hubs and labs in Canada, the UAE and Jamaica.

Through its expansive programs, the GIS has an immensely impressive 79% job placement rate in the sports industry for graduates, and a 99% job placement rate within nine months of graduation.

Speaking on the success of the GIS' programs, Boggiano explained how the curriculum prepares students for employment within an incredibly competitive industry.

"In the UK the national average is about 33% of those that have studied a sport subject find a job in sport within nine months. So, we're over double the national average," he said on the podcast.

"We do it through integration with industry. Not just in terms of when our students graduate, obviously connecting them with industry to find the next step."

"But we also integrate industry into our curriculum development - into guest speakers, networking events, a whole host of opportunities to first of all make sure that our programs are industry specific, so that the students are graduating with skills needed by the industry."

Additionally, Boggiano touched on other supports the Institute provides to help develop students for work.

"We've got a dedicated careers team, and we have a whole host of enrichment activities that take place online and also at our stadiums around the world to allow students to network with the industry, get work placements, and then when they graduate, they have got half a foot in the door."

However, it is not just through deep connections with industry that the GIS has been able to set up students for successful careers but also through the Institute's ability to reflect and restructure to stay relevant in an ever-changing world.

Boggiano highlighted the importance of different perspectives in maintaining an effective schooling environment.

"We refresh our curriculum on a regular basis. I think we have to refresh it every seven years, but we do it far more frequently than that, to make sure it is current and contemporary," Boggiano said.

"We've got a global industry advisory board, in fact, we've not got just one, we've got three. We've got one for the Emir region, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We've got one for the Americas, and we've got one for the APAC region."

"Its 12 senior exec[utive]s from across all different disciplines, different sports, and they feed into, again, that curriculum development."

Additionally, Boggiano touched on the support the Institue provides to graduates once they have completed their degrees.

To learn more about the GIS's highly effective curriculum, listen to the full interview with Ray Boggiano on episode four of Soccerscene's Off the Pitch Podcast - available on all major podcasting apps.

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Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association's (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

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Sports Group Melbourne (SGM) has embraced TheCoachKart (TCK) as an Official Partner for 2025 in a bold new collaboration.

Through the new partnership TheCoachKart will become heavily involved in Sports Group Melbourne's elite competitions - the Youth Super Cup and Junior Champions League.

As part of the deal, TCK will gain sponsor naming rights for the key "YSC Pre-Season Coach of the Tournament" award, in addition to a comprehensive digital presence across the YSC media sphere. Furthermore, TCK will feature heavily across YSC events by presenting their products on gamedays and showcasing co-branded products with SGM. To further boost their appeal across the YSC, TCK will also launch branded activations such as pop-up displays across the tournament.

TheCoachKart kickstarted their partnership with Sports Group Melbourne yesterday at round 2 of the Youth Super Cup Pre-Season on Sunday 16 March, showcasing their products to onlookers and giving clubs the chance to order exciting custom-made clothing. TCK will return to the competition on Sunday March 23 for the YSC Pre-Season Finals Round, granting the organisation further experience with SGM's competitions and allowing event participants to become more familiar with a valuable supporter of youth sport in Victoria.

Representative of Mondo Sportivo Group, Chris Jackson expressed TCK's excitement for the collaboration with SGM.

"TheCoachKart is thrilled to partner with SGM, the premier organiser of junior sporting events in Victoria, combining forces to deliver great product to SGM events and participants," he said in a press release.

The partnership between the two organisations details their intertwined commitment to excellence and developing the world's game through supporting tomorrow's stars. To ensure progress is continual and efficient, TCK is dedicated to assisting coaches through granting them elite level products to thrive in the rigours of competition.

After the conclusion of the Youth Super Cup, TheCoachKart will continue to work with Sports Group Melbourne via the exciting Junior Champions League competition, beginning May 2025.

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In episode three of Soccerscene's Off the Pitch podcast, Football Coaches Australia (FCA) President and former Socceroo and NSL star Gary Cole joins the show to delve into the health of Australia's coaching scene.

As a player, Cole was renowned for his lethality in front of goal - winning the NSL Golden Boot in back-to-back years, playing for Heidelberg United in 1980 and 1981. For Australia, Cole recorded 21 goals from 40 games across all levels and even held the Australian record for most goals scored in an international match after kicking seven against Fiji in 1981.

After his professional playing career, Cole became a renowned coach. He first worked under the Australian Institue of Sport as youth development coach, before transitioning to the NSL as Heidelberg United boss, and then moved to the Victorian Premier League as coach of the Bentleigh Greens, Bulleen Inter Kings and the Altona Magic (two different stints). In the VPL Cole won two championships as head coach, first with the Altona Magic in 1996 and secondly with the Bulleen Inter Kings in 1998.

Following his work in the VPL, Cole moved into administration, enjoying stints as the Director of Football at Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC. Later, Cole would work for Football Victoria before finally joining the FCA.

For his impact as a player, coach and a continual supporter and driver of footballing standards in Australia, Cole has been awarded as a member of both the Australian and Victorian Football Hall of Fame.

On the Off the Pitch podcast, Cole relayed his experiences and explained the work the FCA was doing to support coaches across the country.

"Football Coaches Australia is a voice for coaches in Australia. It started very focused for professional coaches in Australia, and really during COVID, when there wasn't a lot of football happening, we branched into ongoing coach development," Cole said on the podcast.

"[For coaches] the [FCA] is representation, continuing professional development, trying to be their voice, trying to raise standards, and focused on their mental health."

"They're our primary things, as well as to raise the bar for coaches, coach behaviors - and to try and get some equity and some equality in the game."

To discover more about how the FCA is assisting coaches in Australia and learn about the challenges the organisation is facing, listen to the full interview with FCA President Gary Cole on episode three of the Off the Pitch podcast by Soccerscene HERE

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The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) latest AFC Coach Education Panel Meeting reflected the Confederation’s desire to continually strengthen each Member Association (MA).

The meeting was led by AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and took place virtually Thursday last week, featuring technical and coaching experts from across Asia.

With the key focus on finding how to strengthen coaching to boost player development, the meeting saw a range of matters discussed such as the AFC Coaching Convention, the AFC-UEFA Diploma equivalence, and the progress of tutor courses.

Most notably, the panel witnessed an extensive presentation on the pioneering Triple A Project, an all-new AFC programme designed to elevate technical standards and player development across the Confederation.

The name Triple A comes from the founding principles the initiative was built from of Analysis, Advice, Accreditation. To achieve its goals, the Triple A Project will engage with MAs to establish technical summits to effectively deliver unique supports according to each member’s needs.

Roxburgh explained how the Triple A Project would be beneficial for MAs.

“The idea is to hold joint exchanges with MAs, allowing us to analyse global developments and enable the Confederation to provide tailored support, offer advice, and establish guidelines,” he said in a press release.

“This will facilitate greater information exchange and drive further enhancements in technical projects, activities, and initiatives.”

Panellists next reviewed reports of The Hub initiative, a programme in collaboration with the Japan Football Association (JFA) designed to create opportunities for female coaches to gain their AFC Pro-Diploma status.

Panel members were then made aware of the latest endorsements under the AFC Coaching Convention, as well as future events like the upcoming AFC Coach Education Conference 2025.

To finalise the meeting, participants undertook an active QandA session, sharing key insights and learnings while also questioning standard practices to help the Asian Football Confederation and its Member Associations reach their true potential.

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Northern NSW Football and Football Coaches Australia (Newcastle) have presented an opportunity to offer this unique chance to learn from a top expert in sports and business coaching.

Discover the keys to achieving greater individual and team success with Dr. Mike Conway—a renowned mind coach who played a pivotal role in the Socceroos’ most successful World Cup run, Sydney FC’s record-breaking seasons, and New Zealand’s World Cup-winning cricket team.

Whether you coach grassroots or elite athletes, this live, in-person event offers valuable emotional intelligence and communication strategies to enhance your coaching performance.

Attendees will have the chance to connect with fellow coaches, expand their knowledge, and explore new approaches to leadership and performance enhancement.

The event will take place on 10^th March from 6:30pm to 8:00pm at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Park Road, Speers Point, NSW.

This exclusive in-person event won’t be recorded, so spots are very limited!

To register for this rare event, click here.

In the lead up to this seminar, a ghost-written piece by Mike Conway has previously been completed, click here.

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Football NSW successfully launched its Junior Development Leagues (JDL) in early February with a two-day event at Valentine Sports Park, drawing over 200 coaches from across the state.

With a focus on rebranding the Skills Acquisition Program (SAP) to the JDL, Football NSW delivered youth-focused, player oriented sessions, presenting approaches which could be adopted to assist players in decision making and technical execution.

Praise for the Launch

Inter Lions’ Girls JDL Head Coach, Troy Cook, praised the launch, highlighting its numerous benefits.

“The chance to connect with other clubs, share ideas, and see different approaches in action was valuable.

“The atmosphere was positive, and it’s clear that Football NSW is putting a lot of effort into supporting clubs and making the JDL a strong development platform,” Cook stated.

Focus on rebranding SAP to JDL

The implementation of the JDL from SAP aims to create a stronger focus on Club capability building, the sharing of best practice program elements and the accountability of Clubs and Football NSW to each other. 

Initially introduced throughout the 2024 season, the Club Standards & benchmarking Framework will drive this achievement.

Football NSW’s Coach Education Manager Chris Adams stated how crucial this launch was in further upskilling clubs and coaches.

“The highlight of the weekend was seeing all our JDL clubs coaching staff connect and learn in the same environment.

“This in itself showed that the clubs are not alone in their role of a JDL coach and that they are a part of football development within NSW,” Adams concluded.

Bonnyrigg White Eagles’ Mixed JDL Head Coach, Enzo Palumbo, highlighted the launch's role in fostering valuable networks and knowledge.

“The 2025 JDL launch from Football NSW was informative for us coaches, it was well-structured, and we stayed focus on the key interventions.”

“Some key points that we found useful was the different session styles that can be used such as more streamlined methods and incorporating some fun within the team,” Palumbo said.

Future Outlook 

The Junior Development Leagues and Club Standards and Benchmarking Framework will officially launch following a 2024 pilot process where benchmarking outcomes remained unpublished.

In 2025, these outcomes will be reset, and the results will be published at the end of the season.

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Aspiring female coaches are encouraged to enrol in a free two-night training program. Football West welcomes sign-ups for an exclusive women’s foundation football coaching course.

The program will be hosted at the Sam Kerr Football Centre on Monday, March 31, and Monday, April 7, from 5:30 to 9:00 PM, participants must be 14 years or older to apply.

The Foundation of Football course is designed for those beginning their coaching journey, including parents and volunteer coaches who often support young players in grassroots football.

The course provides participants with key skills to foster a safe and supportive learning environment for players.

The course aims to equip coaches with the tools to create a safe and fun environment for young players. It provides expert guidance on running engaging training sessions and includes ready-made training plans for a full season, saving coaches the effort of designing them from scratch.

The hands-on portion of the course covers key aspects of the game, including playing formats and core skills like dribbling, passing, receiving, and finishing. However, the main focus is on coaching techniques that create a supportive and effective learning environment.

Football West Manager - Female Football & Advocacy Tash Rigby, highlighted the importance of women to be involved in coaching and increasing the presence for females in Western Australia.

“It is so important that we provide opportunities to women to pursue their journey in coaching so that they can continue to develop, to contribute positively to the game, act as role models and increase the visibility of female coaches in Western Australia," she said via press release.

Registration and Subsidy Details:

To receive the subsidy, participants must enter the following code at checkout: FOF-FW100$

If you do not yet have an active profile on the FA Learning Centre platform, follow these two steps before registering for the course:

1. Click the link below, search for ‘Learner,’ select your state, and complete the registration process here.
2. After completing Step 1, wait 48 hours before accessing the Football Australia Learning Centre via the link here. Ensure you log in as a 'Football Australia Learner.'

If you encounter any difficulties, please reach out to the FA Learning Centre by clicking here.

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On Saturday, February 1st, over 200 attendees came together at Valentine Sports Park for the 2025 Football NSW Club Development Conference.

With registrations for the 2025 season still coming in, over 85 Football NSW clubs from both Sydney Metropolitan and regional areas gathered for a dynamic day of workshops, panels, and special guest speakers, celebrating community football.

Presented by Stephanie Brantz, the Conference included keynote addresses from Karen Jones, Acting CEO of Destination NSW and Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Sport, Dr. Catriona Rose of the Australian Sports Commission, and Matildas cap #167, Ellie Brush.

After the successful second edition of the conference, Trevor Huxley, Football NSW’s Program Manager for Club Development, expressed his excitement over the strong support from the community.

“The Club Development Conference is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all levels of the game to learn from one another, network and discuss best practice for grassroots football,” said Huxley via press release.

“It has been inspiring to see grassroots clubs across the state in attendance, illustrating a remarkable commitment to supporting their local communities. It’s vital that Football NSW continues to lead in this space, providing support to the volunteers and local administrators who are central to the ongoing growth of our game.”

Along with the keynote speakers, attendees were able to choose sessions tailored to their Club or role, covering topics such as safeguarding, volunteerism, marketing and data analysis, infrastructure and grant funding, player and spectator behaviour, women & girls’ football, diversity and inclusion, and grassroots coach education.

The Football NSW Club Development Conference serves as a pivotal platform for enhancing community football by Empowering Clubs, Facilitating Networking, Offering Targeted Education and Showcasing Leadership.

By focusing on these areas, the conference plays a crucial role in strengthening community football, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the sport's sustainable growth.

To gain further details and access Club resources, click here.

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In a landmark initiative for women's football, FIFA has unveiled an ambitious strategy aimed at reaching 60 million female players worldwide by 2027.

The comprehensive plan, supported by 13 distinct development programmes, is available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations, marking a significant step forward in the sport's global evolution.

FIFA also took the announcement to highlight the achievements for women’s football in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC).

The recently enhanced FIFA Women's Development Programme underscores the organisation's strengthened commitment to expanding the women's game.

The upcoming 2025 calendar promises several groundbreaking developments for women's football.

The Philippines will host the inaugural FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup, while Morocco makes history as the first African nation to stage the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

The latter tournament sees significant expansion, growing from 16 to 24 teams and shifting to an annual format.

International competition reaches new heights with continental championships scheduled across multiple confederations.

The pathway to the FIFA Women's World Cup Brazil 2027 commences with African qualification matches, while major regional tournaments including the UEFA Women's EURO and OFC Women's Nations Cup will crown new champions.

In a significant advancement for club football, all six confederations will host their respective continental club championships for the first time.

This renewed focus comes amid unprecedented growth in participation rates, particularly evident in the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup co-host nations.

New Zealand has reported a remarkable 27 per cent surge in female participation since 2022, with particularly strong growth among Māori and Pasifika communities, showing a 14 per cent increase.

A strategic partnership between New Zealand Football and Māori Football Aotearoa further strengthens grassroots development.

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell voiced the federations successful results.

"The expansion of football and futsal in Aotearoa New Zealand has been extraordinary, with the Women's World Cup serving as a genuine catalyst for growth," he explained via official FIFA press release.

Across the Tasman, Football Australia's Growing Football Fund Community Grants programme continues to foster development at the grassroots level.

The latest round of funding benefits 118 recipients, complementing the 121 projects supported in March 2024.

This initiative particularly emphasises regional development, with nearly half the grants allocated to areas outside major metropolitan centres.

The grants provide essential support for women's football development, encompassing coach education, introductory programmes, and vital equipment procurement, further cementing the sport's foundation at the community level.

Also within the AFC, footballing powerhouse Japan has successfully hosted the continent's first female-exclusive Pro Licence coaching course.

A collaborative effort between FIFA, AFC, and the Japan Football Association (JFA), represents a significant milestone in professional football development.

The intensive seven-day course attracted participants from fourteen nations, featuring presents such as AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and Japan men's national team coach Hajime Moriyasu.

Participants gained valuable practical experience through observations of pre-season training sessions at both J.League and Nadeshiko League clubs.

JFA Technical Director Masanaga Kageyama emphasised the programme's strategic importance and inclusivity.

"This course is a joint AFC/JFA initiative to increase the number of top-level, professionally licensed female coaches in Asia. It aims to provide existing talents with additional advice to help them achieve greater success in their current coaching positions and secure future success," Kageyama explained via official FIFA press release.

This initiative aligns with JFA's renowned long-term development philosophy and a significant advancement in creating pathways for women in professional football coaching.

This newly improved strategy at the global scale will hopefully allow for more women in both professional and amateur spaces to get the opportunities they deserve in football.

It also highlight’s that AFC & OFC nations, including Australia, will have a strong place within the growth of women’s football.

Read more on the FIFA Women's Development Program here.

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In September 2024, former Matilda’s and journeyman coach, Tom Sermanni, was quietly going about his business coaching in the women’s program at Western Sydney Wanderers.

The last thing he expected was to receive an offer from the F.A. to become the interim manager for the Matildas.

However, Sermanni reflected on his previous stints with the Matildas from 1994-97 and 2005-12 with a great sense of pride and didn’t hesitate to accept the offer.

After five months in the job, Sermanni and assistant coach Jean-Paul de Marigny have methodically restored confidence in the squad after the disappointment of not qualifying for the quarter finals at the Paris Olympics.

It was certainly a far cry from Sermanni’s previous stints in 1994-97 when players weren’t paid and had to cover their own expenses and 2005-12 when contracts were introduced for the players.

Notably, Sermanni is aware of the strong brand the Matildas carry in Australian sport and every time they venture onto the pitch, there is a weight of expectation for them to perform.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Tom Sermanni discusses his progress with the Matildas since September 2024 and the general state of the women’s game in Australia.

ROGER SLEEMAN

What was your mindset when you were offered the job after your last stint with the Matildas in 2005-12?

TOM SERMANNI

Surprise was my first reaction as it came completely out of the blue

I’d actually reached the stage where I wasn’t searching for a career but winding down.

However, it was a compliment to be still considered for coaching at this level.

R.S.

How long did it take you to accept the offer?

T.S.

Only a few minutes because it was a no brainer after I contemplated what was involved.

[caption id="attachment_28219" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo: Kyoko Kurihara - Football Australia[/caption]

R.S.

Based on the Matilda’s performance at the Paris Olympics, what areas were you going to concentrate on?

T.S.

I was actually at the U.S.A. and Zambia games which was useful and I also knew a number of players in the squad.

Initially, I wanted to maintain stability because when a tournament doesn’t yield results, there are inquisitions and uncertainty.

Therefore, the lack of confidence had to be restored.

R.S.

What has been your main focus since you commenced the position?

T.S.

When we first assembled for the first match in Switzerland, I outlined the expectations for the team and myself.

I wanted to get back to the way Australian teams play on the front foot and to reassure the players there was a lot of ability in the squad , despite the disappointment of the Olympic’s result.

We needed to establish goals for the players to achieve and winning was critical.

Rebuilding belief, confidence and spirit was essential to achieving this outcome.

R.S.

What were your conclusions after the Switzerland and German clashes in October?

T.S.

There were signs of missing confidence and cohesion in the Swiss clash but against Germany it was a great 2-1 victory and defied our 15th ranking in the world standings.

R.S.

Against Brazil, how did you rate the team’s performance?

T.S.

Both games were probably the most brutally physical I’d ever witnessed in the women’s game.

Also ,the Brazilians were very direct and unfortunately in the first game in Brisbane, the referee didn’t control the game well enough.

In the second game on the Gold Coast this was rectified somewhat .

Critically, the games were a great benchmark to assess our status with the top five teams in the world.

R.S.

Are we technically adept to match the top teams?

T.S.

If you look at Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley, Mary Fowler and Kyra- Cooney Cross, we have players who rate technically with the best.

Also, we have players spread across the best Leagues in the world.

Nevertheless, at the development level we need to advance players at a technical level, rather than implementing systems which restrict individual development.

[caption id="attachment_28220" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo: Kyoko Kurihara - Football Australia[/caption]

R.S.

Are the senior players performing to their best?

T.S.

I believe in the matches so far they have and are still our most consistent performers.

Don’t forget, despite the Paris Olympics failure, we did qualify for the semi finals of the previous Olympics and the 2023 World Cup.

R.S.

Is it time to blood young players in the squad, and what is your general opinion of the talent scouting process employed to unearth new players?

T.S.

If I’d come in as a new coach for the next campaign, rather than an interim coach, things may have been different.

I emphasise again my role is to instigate stability in an effective way and my successor in a permanent role will decide where the squad will go forward from there.

For me , the role is to plan for the present and the future so it’s a balancing act.

In the modern game it’s difficult because you don’t get enough time with the players who are mainly based overseas.

This is in contrast with my last stint with the Matildas when most of the players were home based so we had complete access to them for local camps .

Importantly, this allowed us to develop players within the team structure.

It’s getting harder to bring in new players because of the time limits you have to work with them.

Obviously, you’re continuing to strengthen your squad by bringing new players in but moving forward the new coach has to reassess the current squad and also be mindful of other players to be given an opportunity to see if they are better than the current players.

Naturally, there will be a turnover of the squad due to ageing of senior players so we have to provide a better way of bringing younger players through.

With the huge increase in playing numbers in women’s football , there should be a lot of new talent coming through the system to be considered for Matilda selection.

Unfortunately ,there hasn’t been an organised plan since the Institutes fell by the wayside and resources aren’t being committed to a cohesive system.

R.S.

How important is Mary Fowler to the squad?

T.S

She is critical because she has that X-factor and those qualities to become a superstar.

Some of the senior players are now at their peak in their late twenties and Mary in her early twenties has the world at her feet to become a world class player.

Along with Ellie Carpenter whose workrate and football awareness are phenomenal, it should be our aim to continue unearthing such talent in the W- League.

R.S.

What is your opinion of the A-League Women?

T.S.

Unfortunately, it’s not fully professional and it needs more resources to make it the best league it can be because at the moment it’s a development league for domestic players.

However, we need as many young players to be competing in the League and over time it would be ideal for overseas players to come back to the League to contribute to its progress.

However, the League is certainly a great place for supplying national youth team players.

[caption id="attachment_28221" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Photo: Kyoko Kurihara - Football Australia[/caption]

R.S.

Can you tell us more about the She Believes Cup, the Matildas are competing in the U.S. from February 19-27 against U.S.A., Japan and Colombia?

T.S.

It's a proper, competitive tournament, not a series of friendlies so there is a great incentive to win.

We play the first game and then travel to two other cities to play so there’s limited time for preparation.

Clearly, it’s an important tournament to play serious opposition with different styles on show and for players to maintain their place or for new players to emerge.

R.S.

After your interim role ends, would you like to be still involved with the Matildas in some way?

T.S.

If there was a role for me which was suitable I certainly would take it because I’m really enjoying the current position.

The post Tom Sermanni- Leading the Matildas in the Right Direction appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football Queensland has unveiled an innovative development program aimed at nurturing the next generation of female football talent across the Sunshine State.

The FQ Academy Emerging Female Program, launching this February, will provide specialised coaching for girls aged 9-13 under the expert guidance of Football Queensland Academy and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) technical staff.

The eight-week initiative, operating alongside existing club programs, represents a significant boost to Queensland's female football pathway.

Players will receive professional coaching focused on fundamental skills development, with sessions designed to complement their regular club training.

FQ Academy QAS Isaka Cernak expressed their support of the new program.

"The launch of this program is an important step in our commitment to developing the women's game in Queensland, as we aim to support our clubs, coaches, and players who are looking for, or would benefit from additional technical skill development," Isaka Cernak said via press release.

"The program is designed to complement existing club training, helping players enhance their technical skills and football knowledge during the critical skill acquisition phase of their development, benefiting both the individual player and their club environment."

The program is also creating opportunities for aspiring female coaches.

FQ General Manager – Football & State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer highlighted this crucial aspect.

"Supporting the growing number of female coaches is critical to the long-term success of the women's game, and through this program, we are creating more opportunities for current and aspiring female coaches to develop their skills and advance their technical knowledge," Ganczer commented via FQ official press release.

The initiative aligns with FQ's ambitious 2024-2026 Women and Girls Strategy, which targets 50/50 gender parity by 2027.

It's particularly timely as Queensland looks towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with organisers hoping to unearth and develop future CommBank Matildas talent.

Term 1 Key Information:

• Tuesday, 11 February – Tuesday, 1 April 2025

• Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm

• 8 sessions per term (1 per week for 8 weeks)

• Nudgee Recreation Reserve, 290 Elliott Rd, Nudgee

• Cost: $100

• Age groups: U9-U13 girls

Football Queensland has indicated plans to expand the program, with further announcements expected in the coming months.

The impressive growth of women’s football in Queensland has been consistently supported through the state's footballing federation. It is hopeful this program can deliver more opportunities for young girls to advance their development and football ambitions.

Interested participants must register by Friday, 7 February 2025, register for term 1 through the link here.

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Player scouting is one of the most challenging and vitally important tasks a club has to manage, without fresh and skillful new players a club will struggle to compete with its peers.

However, scouting can take a significant amount of time, manpower and research, leaving clubs with less resources at a significant disadvantage.

Additionally, for young players aiming for a professional career in football it can be extremely difficult to get noticed, especially if they are unable to frequently travel to far away tryouts.

To bridge the gap, Japanese organisation Dreamstock aims to reshape traditional scouting procedures via technology.

Launched in 2017, Dreamstock operates one of the largest online player selection platforms in the world - DSFootball.

Via DSFootball, Dreamstock strive to achieve three goals on the path to make football fairer for upcoming talents:

• Create connections between club and players.
• Generate opportunities through technology and innovation.
• Transform the scouting market with transparency

DSFootball Platform 

Available in two packages, DSFootball is a multifaceted platform designed to aid both clubs and players. The first package is designed for grassroots clubs and academy players, while the second is a premium version tailored for professional clubs and players.

Through the DSFootball app, players create a profile that details their physical attributes, location, position and footballing history. Additionally, they can upload video clips of their performances to entice clubs to contact them.

For clubs, the DSFootball platform allows them to search for the perfect players to fit their unique needs by filtering their searches.

The platform houses a vast and expansive youth database for players across the U13, U15, U17 and U20 age groups, presenting the aforementioned player profiles to clubs.

These profiles showcase the important player information scouts need to know, so they can determine if potential players are suitable for them or note. Most importantly, the profiles showcase valuable game footage and clips, allowing scouts and coaches to see the potential of players without travelling to see them in person.

Through the DSFootball platform, clubs can individually contact interesting players via their profiles, or they can launch scouting events and tryouts to assess players in person. Furthermore, DSFootball allows for direct contact to player representatives to foster important connections and conversations.

Via DSFootball, Dreamstock provides a way for clubs to access and scout players they normally never would have been able to under traditional methods, as it drastically reducing barriers for upcoming young players.

In providing each of these services, DSFootball acts as a one-stop-shop for clubs, significantly reducing the amount of hassle they are subjected to.

Global Impact 

Developing from its two headquarters in Brazil and Japan, Dreamstock has achieved significant success in its short lifespan via the DSFootball platform. With the company and its platform having grown active in over 36 countries, encompassing more than 200 clubs and 50 leagues.

Through their work, Dreamstock has fostered key partnerships with premier competitions such as the Bundesliga, Serie A, Eredivisie and even Australia's very own A-League.

As a product, DSFootball has been revolutionary. With over one million registered players on DSFootball, Dreamstock has created a premier destination for clubs to select future stars from, connecting players to clubs at a faster and more expansive rate than ever before.

For players, DSFootball has proven to be an excellent way to develop personally and attract attention from clubs. Of the one million plus registered players on the DSFootball platform, more than 100,000 are active participants in selection.

There is no sign of Dreamstock slowing down either, attaining over two million website views each month, illustrating a continued desire for the platform.

For more information on Dreamstock and the DSFootball platform, click here.

The post Making Football Fairer: Dreamstock DSFootball Platform appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football NSW has unveiled its latest cohort of First Nations scholarship recipients, marking a significant step forward in its commitment to increasing Indigenous participation across all levels of the sport.

The comprehensive scholarship program, which includes both metropolitan and regional recipients, demonstrates the organisation's ongoing efforts to boost Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation throughout the football community.

Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group Co-Chair Bianca Dufty highlighted the program's significance.

"The Football NSW scholarships are an important part of the work Football NSW is undertaking to elevate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in football," she said via press release.

"It's exciting to see so many talented Aboriginal footballers and coaches take the next steps in their footballing journey, and it's great that we are able to support the successful scholarship recipients and be part of that journey.

"I can't wait to see the next Aboriginal footballer, referee, and coach inspiring our next generation to play, referee and coach, and fall in love with the world game."

The selection process, conducted in partnership with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, maintained strict anonymity during assessment to ensure fair consideration of all candidates.

The program has awarded scholarships across playing and coaching categories, with referee scholarships set to be confirmed.

The initiative specifically targets the reduction of barriers for Indigenous participants in elite pathways whilst expanding development opportunities.

It places particular emphasis on identifying emerging talent beyond traditional channels, especially focusing on individuals who may not have previously had access to elite-level opportunities.

The 2025 playing scholarships have been awarded to five metropolitan recipients: Jarrah Longbottom, Zachary John Healey, Coen Hardy, Hollie Willats, and Summer Smith.

The regional recipients are Maddison Houghton, Khloe Houghton, Alexis Woolsey, Carter Lane, and Jaxxon Woolsey. Joshua Jamieson and Jessica Garrett have been named as the recipients of the coaching scholarships for 2025.

This scholarship is a great initiative for the inclusivity of the game and a perfect way to find emerging players and inspiring coaches from the NSW Indigenous Community.

Hopefully this scholarship program and its new cohort can help promote the important place football has in supporting and enriching the NSW community.

The post Football NSW confirmed First Nations Scholarships appeared first on Soccerscene.

John Paraskevas is the founder of Faraday West – a leading specialised lender for the self-employed.

As Australia faces uncertainly around interest rates, coupled with the cost-of-living crisis presenting its own challenges, approaching a bank for financial help can be a daunting experience.

Those with irregular income have often found themselves knocked back by a bank in times of need, where it appears the self-employed cannot be trusted.

However, Paraskevas’ business Faraday West has changed the game - supporting the self-employed and backing them in for 25 years.

Speaking with Soccerscene in a wide-ranging chat, Paraskevas discusses how his business began, why it’s a success, his approach to changing the lives of people on a daily basis and his affinity with the round ball game.

First of all, John, could you tell us a little bit more about the origins of Faraday West?

John Paraskevas: I finished up with university in the late 80’s, I did a business course in accountancy, so I was always going to be business focused.

I chose lending, it just resonated well with me. Meeting people, solving their problems and then watching their reactions as they start off nervous trying to borrow money, but once you approve the loan, the elation on their faces, knowing now they can focus on achieving their goals; it’s fantastic.

Lending was always a big part of me and I just found it really natural - with this business it is always about relationships.

That's what I found over the last 25 years since starting Faraday West in 1999, it's about relationships and listening to people. A lot of people try and sell something, but for me it was always about the relationship and building rapport with a person.

I've got clients that I dealt with 25 years ago that I'm still dealing with now, it's extraordinary.

As an organisation we address the question of who looks after the self-employed people. They’ve struggled when they went to the bank and I remember personally my father facing these challenges.

He is still self-employed and it was always hard borrowing money from the bank.

For me, that was where my passion kicked in. My thinking was it'd be great to create lending products to support those who are self-employed, who the bank doesn't really care about or they're just too hard, whatever the case is.

That was the emergence of the self-employed space and from there came what we call low-doc programs and loans for the self-employed. 25 years later, these low-doc programs now are stronger than ever.

I realised very early that a lot of friends who were self-employed all struggled when it came to borrowing as well. With my dad being a builder, buying a block of land and building a couple of units should be simple, but unfortunately it was always more complicated with the bank.

[caption id="attachment_28119" align="alignnone" width="713"] Faraday West Founder John Paraskevas – Image Credit: One Nil Media[/caption]

What is it like working alongside clients day-to-day?

John Paraskevas: We still have clients from decades ago, their kids now call us who are self-employed - so it's incredible again to see the longevity.

It’s been a fantastic journey with a diverse range of clients.

From lawyers, to tradies, to engineers, to anyone in that self-employed space, we can support any industry. When people hear the term self-employed, they automatically assume one person; but self-employed could be the individual, a small team of 1-3 people or even 10-30 people. They're all still self-employed, so it’s very much a medium enterprise.

There’s just been so many memorable moments, everyone’s story is a success.

It's not about the size of the loan, it's about the journey and helping that individual or group of people. There's been many situations where you've got someone starting out in business, they've been working for a year, wanting to buy their first home and multiple banks have been saying no to them for a year.

Eventually, they come see us, you meet them and then if we tell them within an hour that it's a done deal, they just can't believe it. I love seeing that smile on their face, being surprised by the outcome.

That is the buzz for me where we approve loans, assist people and work through their financial duties.

Talk to me a little bit about your other love John, Soccer, what’s your background in the game?

John Paraskevas: I played soccer in my younger years for Thornbury United and then moved to Northcote City at a reserve state league level. We're talking in the mid-1980’s, I loved playing soccer. I had a break for a few years and then in my late 30’s started playing again till about 50, so the sport has always been in the family’s blood and we've loved it.

I’ve got two daughters at NPL level, one is playing seniors at Boroondara Eagles and doing quite well with her development, while the other one is 17 playing at Bulleen and absolutely loves it - been at that club for two years now.

What is your view on the local game’s main strength?

John Paraskevas: The participation levels at a junior level are fantastic.

If you look at the women’s side of the game, I love to see the growth in that area and how it’s taken off over time.

For the girls and also the boys, participation in the game promotes a healthy lifestyle and these individuals can also make changes in the way they eat, train, socialise, it improves their mental wellbeing – there are so many benefits that are a result of engaging in the game of soccer.

What are the main reasons you’ve decided to partner with Soccerscene? What are the similarities you see across both businesses?

John Paraskevas: We are in very similar paths. Firstly, there’s a lot of risk in trying to start up a business. People always see the end product, but they don’t see the sleepless nights, the money you pour into something, the time and effort – a lot of the rewards, if they do come at all, they come later (sometimes 5-10 years down the track).

Looking at Soccerscene, it reminds me of the early days of Faraday West – you were told by others you couldn’t do something, this is not going to work, but ultimately it comes down to the passion you have in what you do.

With that passion, the product or business continues to develop and get bigger and bigger every year. You’re out there every day speaking with people and getting the message out there, but the most important thing is you have to love what you do and across both businesses you can see we share common values.

[caption id="attachment_28124" align="alignnone" width="713"] Faraday West Founder John Paraskevas - Image Credit: One Nil Media[/caption]

On those values John, why should someone use Faraday West?

John Paraskevas: What generally happens is most borrowers or someone seeking a loan would simply go to the bank, generally the bank where you've got your savings account and ask for a loan - that's the normal natural process.

You see these banks advertising here and there so instinctively you're going to go there, which is 80% of people because of PAYG (they work for someone). However, the self-employed unfortunately don't get that fair go because their situation is a bit more complex - their income could vary from week, to month, to year.

All those variables make it very difficult for the bank to be able to come back and say we can help you. They’ll say you're great, but come back in three months.

From one bank to another, it becomes the same story; ‘I'm going to struggle to borrow money from the bank to buy my dream home’. Suddenly, they hear about Faraday West, loans for the self-employed and it’s almost too good to be true.

The fact that we can assess the position purely just by talking within an hour or two and give them that positive news that we can help, is just gold.

A lot of people just don't believe it, because they've never experienced it before. Their experience has always been this long journey through the bank.

The fact that we can give them an answer straight away is what's important. Not only that, people have this perception that low-doc loans or loans for the self-employed are expensive, but they're not. They're very similar to home loan bank rates.

Once people understand that it's not too difficult to qualify for a loan, they warm up to it.  Once they do the transaction and it settles, you've got them as clients for life - because they believe you've delivered something for them, that they've been trying to do for years.

What could a self-employed person expect in a consultation with Faraday West?

John Paraskevas: I always say to people tell me your story and we will listen.

Every self-employed person can be supported. It could be that person isn't quite ready yet to save for a deposit. Generally, as long as you're self-employed, you've got an ABN number and you've been operating for more than 12 months, there are solutions to help you in that journey.

It’s also an education process, learning throughout the journey.

We have a motto here: keep it simple. How do you do things in the easiest, quickest way? That's what people want.

Once they discover it, it's like it's a pandora's box. It really opens up a lot of opportunities to them, such as buying another property for example - because at the end of the day they should be focusing on their business and their future.

Contact Faraday West today for a free consultation

The post Business Insight: Founder of Faraday West John Paraskevas on his passion for supporting the self-employed and his love of soccer appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football South Australia has established a significant development partnership with educational institutions, implementing comprehensive football programs across the state.

The two-year initiative, characterised by consultation between Football SA personnel and educational football coordinators, has delivered substantial outcomes in both sport and educational aspects.

The collaboration has instituted several professional development pathways, including accredited community coaching certification and formal referee education programs for students.

Educational staff have received specialised professional development through structured training days and a specifically designed Foundation of Football Course.

Strategic innovations within the framework include the implementation of Student-Led Football Festivals and the integration of Teqball, an advanced football-based training methodology utilising specialised curved table equipment.

The establishment of the Development Centre at Trinity College, Gawler, represents a significant expansion of the program's geographical reach, while Rostrevor College has functioned as a demonstration facility for inter-institutional professional development.

Roma Mitchell Secondary College staff member Theo Tsiounis provided his personal assessment on the initiative.

"Collaborating as a network of schools with Football South Australia has been an excellent opportunity to enhance our support for players, helping them progress in their sporting journeys and personal development,” Tsiounis explained via Football SA press release.

Football South Australia Participation Officer Owen Gallas emphasised the program's momentum.

"With 50 teachers already signed up with the school ambassador program, there is no better time to take part in creating a strong network of like-minded teachers who are actively looking to promote sport within their community and, more specifically, football," Gallas explained via Football SA press release.

The 2025 strategic plan encompasses further expansion of the organisation's educational reach. The existing Football in Schools Program, which currently facilitates engagement with approximately 2,000 students per annum, will be augmented through integration with Football Australia's Sporting Schools Program.

The introduction of the School Ambassador Program represents a strategic initiative to establish sustained one year-round connection between educational institutions and football development. The school ambassadors will handle all football related activities, conversations and news for schools.

Football South Australia continues to seek expansion of institutional participation and welcomes enquiries regarding engagement with any aspect of these initiatives.

The collaboration between football programs and educational institutions has always been an important part of success for the sport within Australia.

Football and sport in a larger sense have been a great avenue to implement educational practices onto young players and similarly educational institutions are perfect places to grow and develop the sport.

This ongoing program is an exciting prospect for the sport and the state, one which will continue to grow more opportunities and development.

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CoachBetter is a company founded in 2018 in Switzerland with the primary goal to create an advanced coaching app intended to help teams at grassroots and professional level.

The CoachBetter app exists to revolutionise the way football coaches and clubs operate, offering a suite of tools designed to streamline processes, enhance player development, and simplify coaching tasks.

Let’s dive into the features that make CoachBetter the ultimate app for football coaches.

All-in-One Communication Hub

Effective communication is the backbone of any successful team. With CoachBetter’s Integrated App for Players, you can keep everyone on the same page.

Coaches can share training updates, match plans, and important announcements, ensuring that players have easy access to the information they need. This seamless communication fosters a sense of unity and ensures that no crucial detail is overlooked.

Task Management Made Simple

Managing a football team involves juggling multiple responsibilities, from training schedules to administrative tasks.

CoachBetter’s Task Manager serves as your personal coaching assistant, helping you organise, schedule, and prioritise tasks. By automating administrative duties, you can focus more on what matters most: coaching and developing your players.

Visual Learning Through Video Sharing

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth even more.

CoachBetter enables you to share insightful video sequences with your players and staff. Whether you’re breaking down match footage or highlighting key tactical plays, this feature transforms your video library into an engaging visual playbook, making complex strategies easier to understand.

Build Your Team Philosophy

Every great team has a unique identity and culture. CoachBetter empowers you to spread your coaching philosophy, allowing you to shape a culture that reflects your vision and principles. By articulating your values and approach, you can inspire your players and create a cohesive, motivated squad.

Streamlined Team Management

Managing a team involves more than just strategy; it’s about ensuring smooth coordination across all aspects of the game. CoachBetter offers a range of features to simplify team management:

Training Session Planning: With over 700 pre-built activities, you can plan effective training sessions tailored to your team’s goals. You can also customize sessions to address specific needs.

Game Day Management: Optimize your match-day strategy by documenting games, evaluating performances, and making data-driven tactical adjustments.

Team Coordination: Effortlessly manage communication, schedules, and information sharing, making it easy to keep everyone aligned.

Enhance Performance with Video Analysis

CoachBetter’s Video Analysis tool takes performance reviews to the next level.

You can tag, cut, and share key moments from match footage, enabling players to visualise their strengths and areas for improvement. This feature not only aids individual growth but also strengthens team-wide understanding of tactics.

Prioritising Player Well-Being

Player health is a cornerstone of long-term success. The app’s Player Medical Records feature tracks injury histories, recovery timelines, and overall fitness levels. This ensures that your team is always in peak condition, ready to perform at their best.

Data-Driven Coaching

In today’s game, data is king. CoachBetter provides powerful tools to harness the power of analytics:

Data & Performance Insights: Track individual and team progress, identify trends, and make informed decisions to boost performance.

Player Performance Statistics: Dive deep into metrics that matter, enabling you to pinpoint areas for improvement and drive success.

Continuous Learning for Coaches

The journey to becoming a great coach never ends. CoachBetter offers Coaching Education, a treasure trove of expert articles covering topics like offensive strategies, defensive tactics, and team management. This resource ensures you’re always learning and adapting to the demands of modern football.

Premium Training Packages

For those looking to unlock their team’s full potential, CoachBetter offers Premium Training Packages. These elite programs are designed to ignite progress and push your team to new heights, ensuring you stay ahead of the competition.

Conclusion

CoachBetter isn’t just an app; it’s a game-changer for football coaches and clubs.

By combining cutting-edge technology with practical coaching tools, it simplifies the complexities of team management and empowers coaches to focus on what truly matters: developing their players and achieving success.

In an era where every decision counts, CoachBetter ensures you’re always ahead of the game.

The post CoachBetter: Revolutionising football coaching with cutting-edge tools and insights appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football Victoria has taken a major leap forward in youth development with the confirmation of its new academy program, set to kick off in the 2025 season.

The comprehensive initiative will cater to both male and female players from Under 14s through to Under 17s, while also incorporating existing women's Under 20 and NPLW squads.

A talented group of young players has already joined the program following successful trials that commenced in October.

The academy, based at The Home of The Matildas, will combine expert coaching with state-of-the-art facilities to develop both technical skills and high-performance mindsets in its young prospects.

FV's Head of Youth Development Steve Mautone praised the initiative as a "fantastic development" for Victorian football.

"The academy will become the players' club, providing them with the opportunity to compete in the junior boys and girls NPL season in 2025. This provides a clear pathway for talented young players to progress. We are incredibly excited about the potential of the 2025 program," Mautone said via official press release.

The academy has already hit the ground running, with promising youngsters selected through trials conducted since October. These players will form the inaugural squads competing in next year's NPL competitions.

Beyond match play, the program will emphasise technical development and high-performance habits, with participants receiving specialist coaching at the purpose-built Matildas facility.

The academy forms a crucial piece in Football Victoria's Elite Pathways program, working alongside established talent identification initiatives like TIDC and SAP.

This structured approach aims to smooth the traditionally bumpy road from grassroots to elite football. For ambitious young players, the academy offers multiple pathways to professional football.

This academy will hopefully give graduates the necessary pathways towards progressing through A-League and NPL ranks, national careers and even securing overseas contracts.

Football Victoria will launch dedicated social media channels to showcase the academy's talent and keep supporters updated on player development and events throughout the season.

This academy is the starting for a more streamlined approach to development in one of Australia’s most dedicated footballing states.

To young footballers and their supporting communities, this academy could relieve the pressure from Grassroots and NPL clubs in supporting the growth of the state’s youth.

The academy could also allow for Victoria to further help solidify a national style of play, though one must also be careful not to disrupt the rich tapestry of historical footballing culture.

Overall, this news be watched closely by all industry makers involved, hopeful it can produce future generations of talented players.

The post Football Victoria unveils new academy to fast-track young talent appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football West has confirmed the details of the 2025 Club Development Conference to take place at the Sam Kerr Football Centre in Queens Park on Saturday 8 February, running from 9am to 4pm.

This groundbreaking conference in WA is designed for everyone involved in grassroots football, including club administrators, coaches, referees, players, volunteers, and parents.

The event will feature numerous guest speakers and presenters from across the country, including representatives from Football Australia, SportWest, Monarch Leadership, Pride Cup, Helping Minds, and the Football Futures Foundation.

Football West General Manager Football, David Lewis, mentioned the great opportunities that will be involved at this event.

“The Club Development Conference is a great addition to the Football West calendar and a terrific opportunity for club representatives to gain new tools and to network with other key stakeholders ahead of the new season,” he said via press release.

Community Manager, Abid Imam, touched upon the insights on how it could progress your club.

“This will be our first club conference at Sam Kerr Football Centre so come along to this special opportunity where you can learn some great insights to progress your club, meet Football West staff and other club representatives in person, and kick off your season the best way possible,” he said via press release.

Some of the details included in the session are as follows:

Volunteers – Football Australia

Football Australia Manager of Member Services, Jamie Monteith, will share insights from his experience working with football clubs nationwide on effective strategies for recruiting, retaining, and recognising volunteers.

Participate in a Q&A session with other club representatives and gather valuable tips on supporting your volunteers.

Female Representation – Football Australia

Football Australia's Women’s and Girls Coach Engagement Lead, Lizzie Ramsey, will discuss the significance of female representation, the value of creating female-only learning environments, and the impact of mentorship programs for women.

Effective Communication – Monarch Management

Founder of Monarch Management, Monica Beazley, delves into how communication shapes positive relationships among coaches, players, and parents.

Attendees will gain insight into how different communication styles affect motivation, understanding, and team dynamics, while exploring strategies to strengthen connections, minimise conflicts, and foster an inclusive, supportive sporting environment.

To register click here.

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FCA, in conjunction with PFT director Roy Hunter, have organised one of the world's best GK coaches to show some GK activities.

Date and time: Mon, 27 Jan 2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM AEDT

Location: De Chene Reserve, 193 Urquhart Street Coburg, VIC 3058

ERIC STEELE is regarded as one of the world’s best GK coaches and has agreed to conduct a 90-minute practical series of goalkeeping drills and activities for FCA, whilst here in Melbourne working with Roy Hunter and his Premier Football Tuition group.

Eric has worked at the highest level of club and international football including spells at both Manchester United and Manchester City, Aston Villa, Derby County, Middlesbrough and across all levels of the England national teams. He has also been a GK coach educator for the English FA for many years.

The Goalkeepers he has worked with include such legends of the game as David De Gea, Emiliano Martinez, Edwin Van Der Sar, Joe Hart, Peter and Kasper Schmeichel and Jack Butland to name but a few of the many he has coached and mentored.

The session will include activities focusing on such topics as:

1. a) GK’s and outfield players working in harmony on possession of the ball.
2. b) Defending the goal
3. c) Multi Saves- Chaos
4. d) Decision Making in 1 v1 situations

Football Australia continue to support our FCA series of coach education workshops and once again has generously allowed attendees 2 CPD hours towards coach re accreditation.

FCA Members- FREE with Member Discount Code

Non FCA Members $24.61

Bookings via EVENTBRITE only:

Link here for bookings

The post FCA hosts elite GK workshop with world-class coach Eric Steele appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football NSW are aiming to develop on the extraordinary numbers of the 2024 season that saw more than 260,000 players take to the pitch. The announcement comes as part of the national Play Football campaign.

With NSW being one of Australia’s largest participation states for football, the federation’s push for more numbers is a welcome target for football in the country.

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas spoke with enthusiasm about the sport's trajectory, highlighting its inclusive nature.

"Football continues to be the sport of choice for the NSW and Australian community, providing a positive environment for participants of all ages and abilities," Tsatsimas mentioned via Football NSW official press release.

"We have had unprecedented growth in players, coaches, referees and volunteers, with exponential growth in the female game."

The statistics paint a promising picture of the sport's expansion, with 2024 registering a 9% increase in player numbers from the earlier season. This translates to over 20,000 new participants.

Perhaps most significantly with the effect of the Women’s FIFA World Cup of 2023, female participation surged by 17%, with more than 9,000 women and girls joining the sport, accounting for nearly half of the total growth.

Maintaining and increasing Women and girls’ levels in the sport are crucial points for development of the Australian game and will be key for the continued rise in participation numbers.

The organisation is now actively encouraging early registration for the 2025 season to ensure players can secure spots with their preferred local clubs, with help from the updated Play Football website.

Beyond player participation, Football NSW is expanding its focus on supporting roles within the sport. The 2024 season witnessed record numbers in coaching, refereeing, and volunteering positions, all crucial components of the game's ecosystem.

The need for more people joining non-player roles through all levels of the game in NSW is evident with John Tsatsimas pointing out himself the necessity for the 2025 Season.

"There's a place for everyone in our sport, and we look forward to welcoming new and returning participants for the 2025 season," Tsatsimas explained via Football NSW official press release.

For those interested in contributing to the sport beyond playing, Football NSW has established comprehensive pathways.

The Football NSW Coach Hub provides resources and guidance for aspiring coaches looking to shape the next generation of footballers.

Additionally, the Referee Hub offers opportunities for individuals to engage with the sport from a different perspective while maintaining an active lifestyle.

With football’s exciting growth continuing in Australia with the expansion and promising viewership numbers of the 2024-25 professional A-leagues, it is always important for the sport that the participation numbers of state leagues and amateur local clubs follow the trend.

Register now for 2025 by clicking here.

The post Football NSW to Build on 2024 Participation Record in 2025 appeared first on Soccerscene.

From the passionate days of the NSL to shaping the next generation of Australian footballers, Brian Macnicol has seen it all.

A former player during the golden era of the National Soccer League (NSL) and now a youth development coach, Macnicol brings decades of experience and insight into football.

Macnicol is mentoring young talent in today’s professional environment and working with academies to help nurture the current young group into becoming top level footballers.

In a wide-ranging chat with Soccerscene, Macnicol reflects on the raw passion of the NSL, compares past and present youth systems, and weighs in on the potential for a new golden generation in Australian football.

Theo Athans

You played early in your career in the peak of the NSL days. Can you describe the passion of the NSL compared to how it is now?

Brian Macnicol

You couldn't compare with the local derbies especially South Melbourne vs Heidelberg, which was the pinnacle, and its similar to a Victory vs City game these days.

But the supporters were incredibly passionate for every game and especially for their ethnic backgrounds so it meant something to them. Even as players like myself who weren't Greek born or a particular ethnic background of a club, we still understood what it meant for them.

Melbourne Croatia and Preston Makedonia were crazy. I remember the day we got police escorted out of Preston early in the 90's so it was crazy back then.

It's changed for the better now because young kids are involved but yeah, the NSL was extremely passionate. They were great days.

T.A.

How professional was the NSL back then? In terms of quality on the pitch and the facilities.

B.M.

I have had this discussion before with people about then vs now and you can't really compare. It's sort of like comparing house prices today to back in those days where it's changed completely.

Like I said, it’s for the better, these guys in the A-league today have incredible facilities. I worked for George Kotses at Southern Motors cleaning cars who were the major sponsor of the club and you'd be in the sun working hard all day then drive straight to training where these days they don't have that.

In terms of quality on the pitch, we had the Viduka's, the Mehmet Durakovic's, the Stevie Blair's you know there’s a list of players who were quality.

Stan Lazaridis had a great career, I played with Doug Hodgson and Sean Murphy who both played in England, and Kevin Muscat who was a great player and has a great coaching career.

Compared to these days, technically the players are superior to us but that’s maybe because they're training day in and day out, so everything improves. Instead of only having two hour training sessions, three nights a week, these guys are training everyday with programs from Strength and Conditioning coaches, physios, analysis, recovery and dieticians.

At the latter end of my career with Jeff Hopkins as coach he tried to bring in a bit more professionalism but it was hard because the money wasn't the same as it is these days.

My nephew Quinn, who is at Brisbane Roar, he's only 16 but I think he's earning more money than I earnt in a whole year at u16's.

There were quality players back then and everyone would have been better with the programs they have these days. It's a shame, it's just the times I suppose.

They're so lucky, and I don't mean that in an envious way, but I try to teach the kids I coach that they are lucky.

[caption id="attachment_27867" align="aligncenter" width="933"] Image credit: Brian Macnicol[/caption]

T.A.

You coached at the u20's and u21's NPL level early in your coaching career. How did that help you develop into the coach you are today, especially with youth development?

B.M.

I had an association with Chris Taylor, I started with him probably 10 or 12 years ago and he was at Dandy Thunder doing the first team and brought me on as his assistant. We crossed paths at Southern Blue Tongues which was a representative summer program and we got to know each other from there so he took me to Dandy Thunder NPL Seniors.

Then he more or less took me where he went and I followed him because there was a bit of respect there. He took me to South Melbourne and from there we went to Oakleigh so I've learnt a lot of my coaching methods and strategies under Chris Taylor so I owe a big thanks to him for giving me these opportunities and set me up in my coaching career.

T.A.

What motivated you to get into coaching after your playing career?

B.M.

The one person that motivated me was probably my dad. He has been coaching all his life and had an association with Craig Moore. At a young age he was coaching the state teams and he coached me, same with my brother who is the technical director for Rochedale in the NPL up in Brisbane.

It's sort of in the family, it's something I enjoy doing and now I've dropped down from doing the u23's to the younger age group which I enjoy because you're developing them into top players. I have already seen some good players go on and have a great career like Matt Millar and Jacynta Galabadaarachchi who is playing up in Portugal.

It's really nice to see that you invest something into these guys and they go on to live their dream as professional footballers.

T.A.

Speaking on youth player development, how do you compare the youth environment now to back in your day when you first started playing?

B.M.

I'm actually working with Jai Ingham in his academy, and he has a successful academy under Malvern so I've been with Jai for a year and a half now and it's very professionally run. Great coaches have been involved like Joe Guest, myself, big Harry Sawyer so these sorts of players are coaching.

Going back to my days and comparing it to now, they just have way more information these days. No disrespect to the coaches back then but they didn't have to do coaching badges like every coach now so back then I never did any strength and conditioning work, video analysing or had any dietitians to help me out.

With Jai's academy, everything is very structured, all sessions are well planned and it's high intensity so everything is very professional in that sense.

Like I said earlier on about the NSL days, we were working full time and then having to go play football after compared to these days having a full time role.

[caption id="attachment_27868" align="aligncenter" width="770"] Image credit: Brian Macnicol[/caption]

T.A.

And do you believe the youth system is good enough in Australia at the moment?

B.M.

I went overseas last year and took a young academy to the UK with Mitch Nichols and we did tours of Cardiff, Southampton, QPR and finished off at Tottenham with Ange.

We got to play tier one academies with our group of young boys and we competed really well. We gave every academy we played a decent game, the only team that gave us a bit of a footballing lesson was Tottenham who beat us 5-2.

They were superior to the others but our boys did really well so we asked the question 'what do you think is special about these academies?' and they were saying around the age of 15 and 16 they start to get kids from all different parts of Europe and that’s where it starts to pick up in quality.

Obviously, the facilities they have are on another level and even the coaches they had, I think the u16 coach they had used to coach at the Premier League level. But it was a fantastic experience to play these teams in their training facilities in a new environment.

I guess the point is we weren't far away from these clubs but as they start to get older and recruit from Europe, so that widens the gap.

No youngsters from Europe are going to come to Australia, are they? They'll go to countries where football is their number one sport.

T.A.

The Socceroos golden generation has come and gone but do you think the current NPL and A-League development system can produce world class players again?

B.M.

You'd hope so. I was reading about Tom Waddingham from Brisbane Roar and they were liking him to Viduka which is an unbelievable statement this early in his career. Viduka was top scorer in the NSL at 18 so he was on another level.

I'm not exactly sure why we haven't replaced that golden generation because we have better facilities, coaches and programs in the current day compared to back then but I just don't think the mentality of players these days is the same.

I played with a few players who were physically and mentally strong whereas these days the anger has been taken out of the game a little bit.

I'm sure it’s a question that a lot of people want to answer but even a name comes to mind, Jo Biskic, who I had a bit of experience playing with at Heidelberg United and he was a terrific player technically. Even the Melbourne Croatia boys were all fantastic in their own right, it was an incredible team.

All we can do is keep working hard, give the youngsters all the information, facilities and coaching we can and hopefully we do produce these players again.

As a country we seem to lack a proper number nine. Defensively I think we're really good, you've got the two centre backs in Harry Souttar and Cameron Burgess then you've got Bos and Geria as full backs. But it's lacking those attacking players and especially that number nine.

You'd want to beat Bahrain and these other countries but in saying that every country is improving at the same time so we have to keep up.

The post From NSL Passion to Future Stars: Brian Macnicol on Football’s Past, Present, and Future appeared first on Soccerscene.

Despite its slow start to the season, many pundits believe this season’s Sydney F.C. squad is one of the strongest for many years.

Consequently, it has been difficult for striker Jaiden Kucharski to be selected on a regular basis. However, Jaiden Kucharski’s journey is one marked by moments of brilliance and potential.

For those who observed the power-laden goal he scored against Brisbane Roar in Round 3 and the disallowed volley he despatched against Wanderers two weeks ago, there is no doubt he has all the attributes of a goal-scoring maestro.

Additionally, his powerful right-footed drive from outside the penalty area last Sunday nearly found its mark for a ten-man Sydney F.C. to achieve a 2-2 draw, only to be denied by the agility of Central Coast Mariners custodian Dylan Peraic-Cullen.

[caption id="attachment_27806" align="alignright" width="400"] Photo credit: Jaime Castaneda / Sydney FC[/caption]

None of this comes as a surprise, as Jaiden Kucharski’s Sydney F.C. record includes twenty-nine goals in three seasons in the NPL Men’s competition.

So, what does the future hold for this talented twenty-two-year-old?

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Jaiden Kucharski talks about his early exposure to football, his progression through the Sydney FC Academy to the senior squad, and his ambitions in the senior game.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Can you outline your early introduction to the game?

JAIDEN KUCHARSKI

After starting at Glenwood Redbacks as a five year old, I moved to the Football Development Academy and eventually progressed to the Sydney FC Academy at the age of fourteen via the NSW Institute.

R.S.

Who were the early influences in your career?

J.K.

I followed Messi and Ronaldo and also worshipped Tim Cahill, Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell.

Also, due to my Polish background, I admired Robert Lewandowski as a goalscorer.

R.S.

You are equally accomplished on both feet  with ferocity on both sides.

When there are so many one sided players in the A-League, how have you managed to achieve this milestone?

J.K.

There was a coach called Cormack at the FDA who worked with me to improve my weaker left side when we went for periods without using the right foot in training.

At the weekends when I was eight or nine, I would train with the ten to fourteen year olds which also harnessed my two sided skills.

At the Sydney FC Academy, Kelly Cross has also nurtured my left side further and now I believe my shooting is better with my left side.

R.S.

You’ve been scoring goals for fun in NPL competition so what role do you see yourself playing?

J.K.

I’ve grown up playing as many positions as possible

However, I want to play up front as one of the two nines and being a target man to either drop to receive the ball and also playing in between and along the last line of defence.

I also want to be able to take the ball myself and score goals by taking opponents on.

[caption id="attachment_27810" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Photo credit: Jaime Castaneda / Sydney FC[/caption]

R.S.

The goal you scored against Brisbane Roar in Round 2 was one of the hardest shots ever seen in the A-League.

Could you explain how you did it?

J.K.

My best attribute is my striking contact with the ball, assisted by strong groins and when the cutback came I hit through the ball as hard as I could.

R.S.

Are you prepared to wait for that break to get more game time?

J.K.

I’m contracted with Sydney FC until June next year and I’ve made the most of my playing time so far, but in the end selection is up to the coach.

I could also leave during the transfer window in January if the club allowed me.

[caption id="attachment_27808" align="alignright" width="400"] Photo credit: Jaime Castaneda / Sydney FC[/caption]

R.S.

Have you had recent discussions with the coaching staff regarding your role in the squad?

J.K.

Not really as I just do everything in training to impress.

However, it was heartening to get a full game against F.C. Kaya and the goal I scored just inside the box to make a 3-0 scoreline, reinforced what I can do when I get space in front of goal.

R.S.

Would you leave Sydney F.C. when your contract expires, and if so where would you go to?

J.K.

I could go to Poland where I have citizenship but I also believe Germany would suit my style of football as an attacking player.

R.S.

It is a star studded squad at Sydney FC but you would be a certain starter at most other A-League clubs.

If the right offer came, would you move to another A-League club?

J.K.

Anything is possible, providing I’m getting game time and further developing as a footballer.

R.S.

Which of your team-mates do you really relate to?

J.K.

Adrian Segecic is an old team-mate who laid the ball off to me for the Brisbane Roar goal and three years ago I provided the pass which allowed him to score his first A- League goal against Macarthur Bulls.

Also, Anthony Caceres is a great foil and I’ve learned a lot from Joe Lolley and more recently Douglas Costa who is impeccable in his movement.

The new striker, Patryck Klimala, is a clinical striker and Leo Sena has that touch of genius which any young player can learn from.

[caption id="attachment_27809" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Photo credit: Jaime Castaneda / Sydney FC[/caption]

R.S.

What is your opinion of the A-League?

J.K.

Foreigners I’ve met say they didn’t expect the A-League to be so strong.

It’s a great step up from NPL to APL as the pace and pressure is so much more demanding.

R.S.

Where do see yourself in three years time?

J.K.

Playing overseas as a regular starter, ideally in a First Division setup.

The post For Jaiden Kucharski, The Sky is the Limit. appeared first on Soccerscene.

Founded in 2021, Mingle is a Dutch sports start-up aiming to elevate grassroots clubs through its impressive technology portfolio.

Mingle's core product, the Mingle Sport app, strives to be a one-stop place for club members to easily access every piece of information they need.

The company offers three packages for clubs to use, from a basic free package to an extensive pro tier.

Team Management 

At its core, the Mingle Sport app is an easy to use, extensive and fluid way to organise a team. Users can implement a highly detailed schedule to track games, training sessions and other events.

This schedule can then be synced to a range of digital calendars, including Google, Outlook and iCloud. Through the schedule, players and coaches can RSVP and set up reminders.

To help identify how healthy a club is, Mingle also allows users to track attendance over a season by identifying trends.

Line-ups

One of the most important and enjoyable aspects of coaching is creating the team line-up, knowing this, Mingle provides an incredible degree of creativity within its native line-up builder.

The Mingle Sport app offers a range of formations for teams that are not only 11-a-side but also 7-a-side and lower.

Additionally, if the available formations are not to the liking of the user, Mingle enables users to drag and drop players to a desired location.

During a match, the line-up builder can also be used to track substitutions.

In higher tiered packages, match minutes can be live tracked, enabling users to see how many minutes each player is getting.

Team Communication 

The Mingle Sport app ensures club information is quickly available and accessible through its team chat.

Members can message through individual channels, or sub-groups can be created to deliver information quickly to multiple people at once.

Mingle's line-up builder allows for team sheets and line-ups to be shared through the app to players, preparing them for games ahead.

Furthermore, notes and comments can be added to media posted on the app, allowing for updates and fun discussion to take place.

Performance Tracking 

The Mingle Sport app caters to a wide range of performance tracking, holding both quantitative and qualitative data.

Users can use the app to score keep, tracking stats such as goals, assists, and cards.

The app can then be used to measure trends, such as win rate, goal scoring, and goal difference. Additionally, members can rate matches from one to five.

Furthermore, Mingle Sport can be linked with Mingle's Homebase, a desktop app focused on deeper analysis.

Mingle Sport also enables every team member to vote for three players of the match, for three different awards - MVP, Playmaker and Workhorse.

These MVP awards feed into Mingle's monthly awards, where players can be awarded for receiving the most MVP awards within a month.

In addition, Mingle features leader boards which can track a range of stats, such as goals, assists and even attendance. These awards and leader boards act as a way to further motivate players into training harder and performing.

Content Sharing 

Mingle understands not everyone can access every game, so the app provides a live feed option in its premium tiers.

Users can customise the live feed to include the score, line-up, commentary, videos and blogs.

The live feed can then be enhanced by sharing updates and push notifications to members on key match moments.

Fortunately, the live feed is not exclusive to club members, outside fans can access the live feed through a shared link.

Besides the live feed, Mingle allows for a range of content sharing, users can post videos and photos in the app, which can be commented on. These can then be collated into albums, such as an end of year highlights package.

Conclusion 

Through its doctrine of ease, simplicity and accessibility, Mingle has proven itself as an incredibly and innovative successful start-up.

For any grassroots club looking to streamline and elevate their club communication, the Mingle Sport app is a perfect solution.

The post Mingle: Elevating your grassroots club appeared first on Soccerscene.

On Thursday November 21st, Football NSW held its inaugural Futsal Expo at Valentine Sports Park, drawing over 100 coaches and members for a highly successful evening celebrating the sport.

The event featured an impressive line-up of international keynote speakers, including Vasco Da Gama’s Technical Director Gabriel Bussinger, former English FA Technical Lead and National Futsal Team Coach Peter Sturgess, and current Futsalroos coach Miles Downie, who all took centre stage during the evening.

Football NSW Futsal Manager, Jordan Guerreiro, said at the event.

“I think we all had an amazing opportunity to witness what great minds were able to provide through their advice and wisdom to our coaches in Gabriel Bussinger, Peter Sturgess and Miles Downie,” he said.

“The ideas and concepts on coaching at the younger phases of development of players and the importance of what we teach and how we coach is so crucial at this stage of development.”

Gabriel Bussinger provided valuable insights into the culture of Brazilian futsal, highlighting the significance of 1v1 situations and fostering bravery and creativity in players. He urged coaches to build players' confidence in challenging defenders and unleashing their creative abilities.

Peter Sturgess delved into the rising trend of the Flying Goalkeeper in modern futsal, offering strategies for training goalkeepers to effectively use their feet in different scenarios—a crucial skill in today’s game.

“Key takeaways from the event included the potential for football clubs and coaches to incorporate futsal into their overall coaching strategy,” Guerreiro continued.

“By doing this, they can offer a broader range of learning environments and scenarios that nurture the adaptability, bravery, and creativity in players. The global impact of futsal on player development is undeniable, and it should be an integral part of football programs."

Miles Downie shared his coaching philosophy and player development strategies, providing an in-depth account of his experiences with the national team and recent international competitions.

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Sports analysis is an ever-evolving process, with thousands of different organisations vying to be the best, each have to constantly improve, or face being left behind.

One company that has always been ahead of the curve is Dartfish.

Founded in 1998 as inMotion Technologies Ltd, Dartfish has driven the sports analysis space for over 20 years.

Created via the advent of the SimulCam in 1997, Dartfish has since launched revolutionary products and services such StroMotion, Dartfish TV, and several apps such as the MyDartfish Express Mobile App.

To maintain its position as a world leader, Dartfish is committed to providing leading services for its clients everywhere, featuring offices across the world, including in Australia.

In the world of football, Dartfish is celebrated for its world class video analysis.

Football Video Analysis 

Currently, Dartfish offers three tiers of video analysis for football, ranging from entry level solutions to club level packages.

Dartfish understands the uniqueness of each of its clients and thus all packages work on Windows, Android, IOS and Cloud. Additionally, all packages support 4K, Mpeg-4, and h.264 video file formats.

As a standard, Dartfish provides tagging tools in its packages, allowing coaches to bookmark key moments in game recordings to review later. This is bolstered by a range of annotation and compositing tools, and overlays to aid coaches in showcasing and detailing what is happening on the pitch.

Additionally, each analysis package provides video editing and publishing tools to create clips and videos to be shared.

Premium Video Analysis

Where Dartfish's technical capability absolutely stars is in its two highest tiered packages.

Expanding on the basic video tools in the first package, the MyDartfish Soccer and Dartfish ProS solutions both supply clients with multi-video analysis, 3D drawings and analysis, plus live feeds, video encoding and tagging tools.

Through multi-video analysis, coaches can combine different videos to review and edit, bestowing greater freedom in how to decipher game situations.

3D drawing and analysis provides an entirely new dimension to scrutinise. 3D drawing enables coaches to annotate crosses and high ball movement far more effectively than in 2D.

However, the inclusion of live feeds, video encoding and tagging tools may stand as some of the more genius, and actively decisive revelations across the packages. Live feeds and encoding mean active game vision can be livestreamed for others to watch, such as support coaches and staff.

Live tagging builds upon the previously available tagging tools through being actively usable during a game. This is an incredibly useful tool for coaches as it allows them to quickly tag a key moment in a game to review later, without distracting them from the action.

Dartfish ProS

However, Dartfish does not stop there.

The most premium of their packages - the Dartfish ProS - features the company's flagship products the SimulCam and StroMotion, plus Dartfish Live Collaboration.

SimulCam combines multiple videos of different actions to be combined into one, providing a direct comparison of how several athletes perform.

StroMotion captures footage of an event and showcases the evolution of how athletes move. Through these technologies, coaches can evaluate if athletes' techniques are correct or if they are moving to the right positions.

The final feature, Dartfish Live Collaboration, allows for multiple users to join a shared timeline during a game. In the timeline, users can share, edit and delete tags they have added to review and analyse how a team is playing.

Conclusion 

In addition to their work with clients, Dartfish has received acclaim from the Croatian and Swiss national teams, and successful clubs like BSC Young Boys.

As a long-time leader in the sport analysis space, Dartfish continues to elevate the market with its world class technological solutions.

For any club looking to improve, Dartfish's video analysis packages stand as an incredibly beneficial solution.

The post Dartfish: Continuing to drive the cutting edge of sports analysis appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football Queensland's Far North and Gulf region has recorded unprecedented development figures throughout 2024, transforming the regional football landscape.

Football Queensland has stated that coaching participation has soared by 800%, while available courses have also increased to 400%, heralding a new era for football development in Queensland's northern corridor.

The introduction of female-only coaching courses has proved pivotal. With 29 participants, Football Queensland has marked a significant advancement towards its 2027 gender parity target and built on the growing appeal of female coaching in the region.

Football Queensland General Manager and State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer noted the significance of these developments.

“Delivering courses specifically designed for female participants forms part of FQ’s broader commitment to inclusivity and diversity, as outlined in our 2023-2026 One Football Strategy, as we continue striving to reach our 50/50 gender parity target by 2027 by supporting and catering for women and girls across all roles in football," he said via press release.

"These figures demonstrate our organisation's commitment to grassroots development. The response has exceeded all expectations.

The expansion of coach education remains paramount for Football Queensland's Far North and Gulf region, with local capacity building central to its strategy. The development of both players and coaches ensures clear pathways within the FQ Academy for local talent to progress to state and national representation.

Football Australia's revised course structures have enhanced the relevance of coaching education for community practitioners across the region. These modifications provide coaches with refined tools and methodologies to better support grassroots player development.

The organisation's commitment to excellence will extend into 2025 with the planned introduction of the AFC/FQ B Diploma, further strengthening the region's coaching pathway.

FQ Senior Manager - Technical (Northern Conference) Michael Edwards emphasised the strategic importance of this data.

“The growth of the FNG region’s football ecosystem in 2024 is also reflected in the rising commitment of local clubs to invest in their professional development, with Cairns-based Southside Comets FC making history by becoming one of the first four regional clubs to achieve Tier 2 club development status," he said via press release.

“This milestone reflects a strong commitment to not only improving coaching practices but also expanding their club’s access to the FQ Academy pathway."

These achievements align with Football Queensland's 2023-2026 One Football Strategy, establishing clear pathways through the FQ Academy for emerging talent.

As Football Queensland moves into 2025, these developmental foundations are a positive first step to further advance regional football throughout the Far North and Gulf region.

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Melbourne Cricket Ground will become a crucible of coaching insight on Tuesday, November 26, as Football Coaches Australia (FCA) and the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) collaborate to deliver a groundbreaking Coaching Philosophy Masterclass.

The two-hour professional development workshop, accredited for two CPD hours, promises to be a transformative experience for football coaches seeking to deepen their understanding of coaching methodology.

The workshop will be led by two distinguished experts in the field, the event will explore the critical intersection between theoretical knowledge and practical application in sports coaching.

Headline speaker Jono McPhail, Deputy Dean of the UK-based School of Coaching and Performance at the Global Institute of Sport, brings a wealth of academic and practical experience.

He has 6 years of experience in higher education including teaching roles in the UK and US, not to mention having executed academy coaching roles at numerous English football clubs and organisations.

McPhail has completed an Undergraduate in Sports Business & Coaching, a Masters in Sports Coaching, and a PGCE, and is currently pursuing a PhD researching "Coaching Philosophy from Theory to Practice."

McPhail will guide participants through the conceptual and practical landscape of coaching philosophy.

Complementing McPhail's strong academic perspective, Gary Cole who is President of Football Coaches Australia, consultant to Football Australia and former Socceroo will provide invaluable industry insights during the evening's Q&A session.

Cole’s wealth of experience includes leading coaching development at several Australian clubs and senior roles at AIS and Football Victoria, ensuring a robust, real-world approach to the discussion.

The workshop aims to equip coaches with three key outcomes: developing a comprehensive understanding of coaching philosophy, exploring how personal philosophy impacts coaching practice, and crafting a personalised coaching philosophy statement.

Though registration is closed, this interesting workshop can hopefully help the lucky recipients further disperse this knowledge through coaching channels to assist development of coaching and football. It’s also another great opportunity for coaches to network with like-minded individuals in the industry.

The event represents a significant step in professionalising coaching education, bridging academic theory with practical sports leadership, helping Australian coaches gain a more enlightened understanding of how to successfully develop their coaching roles and practices.

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The AFC Women's Football Conference 2024 has heralded a positive future for women's football after a successful three day gathering.

Hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the conference welcomed women's national team coaches and technical staff to share insights from November 12 to 14, building off an incredibly prosperous year of women's football.

The opening day of the conference celebrated the achievements of Asian teams, including Australia's semi-final appearance at the Women's World Cup 2023.

AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor John, outlined the importance of celebrating these achievements to power women's football.

Day two of the conference provided participants an overview of the upcoming AFC Women's Champions League, the AFC Women's Calendar for 2025-29 and changes to Asian women's competitions.

The final day of the conference presented an analysis of the Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2024's teams and a forum on the future of women's football, featuring Australia U20 women's national team head coach Leah Blayney.

Australia U17 women's national team head coach, Rae Dower, expressed excitement for Australian women's football with the Asian Cup heading down under in 2026.

“The future is so exciting, especially now that we have the dates and venues confirmed for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™," she said via press release.

"The football fever from the FIFA Women’s World Cup is still very strong with the Matildas continuously selling out stadiums. We can’t wait for the rest of Asia to come and share the experience with us."

The AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia, will begin March 1, 2026, learn more here.

The post AFC Women’s Football Conference 2024 proclaims optimistic future appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football Queensland (FQ) has confirmed the expansion of the Coach Education Tutors (CET) program. This initiative emphasises a developmental focus on rural and urban communities across the state to benefit high-quality coach and player development.

FQ now has over 40 CETs in grassroots and foundation courses. The addition of eight new C Diploma and four new B Diploma tutors will be a cornerstone of FQ's 2023-2026 One Football Strategic plan and FQ's 2024-2026 Game Development Strategy.

The benefits of the expansion of the CETs program are as follows:

• Amplify the quality of coaching across Queensland
• Talent development support has increased
• Enhance player experience through access to qualified coaches
• Mentorship opportunities are available to new coaches

FQ General Manager - Football and State Technical Director, Gabor Ganzcer, spoke about the increase in the CET program and its benefits for FQ's long-term success in development.

"By providing quality training and upskilling opportunities, we foster a culture of excellence that resonates across all game levels. Every coach plays a crucial role in delivering a top-tier experience, and we are dedicated to equipping them with the best training available," he said in a press release.

"Expanding our network of CETs will not only enhance the quality of coaching across the state but also enrich the overall experience for players as access to more qualified coaches will empower our community and help nurture the next generation of football talent."

Football Australia's established interview process and thorough screening of new CETs ensure a high-quality football experience for more participants. Capitalising on modern technology and an updated learning/training program to upskill tutors, FQ will provide high standards of football education in regional and metropolitan Queensland communities.

FQ Technical Director - Coach Development, Davide Bartamini, highlights the strengthening of the community coaching framework.

The enhancement of the CET program will send representatives to rural grassroots areas, focusing on statewide development. Making football accessible throughout Queensland and providing ample developmental initiatives to increase talent and participation are key long-term strategies for the state.

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Professional coaching has rapidly become increasingly intertwined with statistics to optimise maximum performance, driving the need for clubs to employ the latest data innovations to stay competitive.

Bepro is a football statistics and analysis company pushing the cutting edge of football technology, providing an all-in-one analytics platform for clubs across the world.

The company's headline product - the Cerberus - an AI powered camera, allows for an extraordinary level of football data analysis when combined with Bepro's software.

Founded in 2015, Bepro has a large reach across the world with offices in nine different countries and has served teams in the EPL, Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga, K-League, SPFL, and more.

Most recently, Bepro supported Spain's ascension to the 2024 European Championship.

However, Bepro also works with a range of amateur clubs, supporting over 2,400 teams across 50 nations.

The Cerberus Camera

The fundamental core of Bepro's philosophy is the use of video to provide context to statistics.

Bepro links all of its data work back to film recorded by either of its two FIFA grade cameras: the Fixed Camera System or the Cerberus.

Bepro's cameras utilise AI to power optical tracking technology, enabling the camera to follow the ball without a camera operator. This allows coaches to work with their team instead of being distracted by handling equipment.

Both camera systems feature real time processing, meaning coaches and analysts can instantly assess footage. To enhance this, Bepro cameras can be accessed from multiple devices, and via Bepro's mobile app.

Additionally, the cameras record in 4k panoramic video to capture more action in higher detail than regular cameras.

Bepro's video service also supplies a 3D video player, providing coaches a greater level of video analysis.

Although both camera systems incorporate many of the same features, the Cerberus has the key advantage of being portable.

While many would fear a portable camera could run out of charge, the Cerberus features batteries capable of four hours continuous filming. Batteries can then be swiftly changed to ensure clubs do not miss out on valuable footage.

Furthermore, the Cerberus is a resilient platform and can continue to film excellently in poor weather and lighting conditions.

Adding to the Cerberus' extremely versatility, it not only keenly tracks the ball, but can also film multiple perspectives at once. Through this, coaches can keep an eye on different angles of a training session or game.

Software and Data

Bepro offers three levels of software for clubs to use, ranging from a basic package for amateurs to highly sophisticated software for professionals.

When combined with Bepro's most expansive package, the Cerberus truly shines.

This package utilises the camera's optical tracking to gather extensive highly detailed positional and physical data of both teams, not always possible with GPS.

From 90 minutes of football, Bepro cameras can accumulate approximately three million data points, including statistics such as the distance ran, speed and sprint efforts of each individual player.

Through the package, clubs can create visualisations in their footage to showcase pressing patterns, passing triangles and more by spotlighting players or drawing lines and diagrams.

Coaches can then edit these video clips together and send them to players and staff to showcase areas for improvement or successful plays.

Conclusion

While new, the Cerberus has already made a significant impression on world football, becoming the first ever portable optical tracking camera to be certified by FIFA.

The camera passed its certification easily, illustrating its excellence by achieving "Well Above Industry Standard" in the majority of assessments, with no scores below "Above Industry Standard".

As Bepro continues to develop itself as one of the premiere football analysis organisations, revelations such as the Cerberus will drive the sport into the future.

The post Bepro Cerberus: Revolutionising football data with optical tracking appeared first on Soccerscene.

Football Coaches Australia (FCA), the national body for certified coaches, has teamed up with WorldStrides, a global educational travel leader, to offer exciting opportunities for coaches and players.

This collaboration allows FCA members to experience unique sporting and cultural journeys filled with memorable experiences.

FCA includes over 250 Advanced Licence and Community coaches nationwide. Working closely with state federations, FFA, and partners in both corporate and government sectors, FCA strives to offer comprehensive support for coaches, focusing on Advocacy, Professional Development, Wellbeing, and Gender Equity and Diversity.

FCA CEO Kelly Rourke shared enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting its potential to enhance the coaching community and create opportunities for growth and development.

"FCA is extremely excited to be a part of this initiative with WorldStrides. It provides the potential opportunity for coaches and players to attend international events to enhance their football knowledge, international exposure, experience and connections. It has the potential to open untapped opportunities for all; that's undeniably an exciting prospect," she said via press release.

With their expertise and vast network, WorldStrides arranges top-tier matches, training sessions, and access to professional games. This partnership gives coaches a unique opportunity to learn from global leaders while also immersing themselves in different cultures and exploring new cities with WorldStrides’ guidance.

WorldStrides General Manager, Dan Kellerd, highlighted the initiative's groundbreaking impact.

"Our initiative to send Australian footballers on international trips is groundbreaking, and joining forces with FCA will be pivotal in opening up these opportunities to more young players. It’s an opportunity set to ignite the passion of coaches and players alike," he said via press release.

Founded in 1967 to offer middle school trips to Washington, D.C., WorldStrides has since expanded to serve over 550,000 students each year across more than 100 countries.

WorldStrides provides hands-on learning experiences in educational travel, performing arts, language immersion, career exploration, service learning, study abroad, and sports, helping students gain new perspectives on the world and themselves beyond the classroom.

FCA will host their online Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Monday 18 November at 7pm.

Click here to register for the event.

The post Football Coaches Australia teams up with WorldStrides appeared first on Soccerscene.

A humble and ambitious up and coming Australian coach Jordan Manning has been named the second assistant and head analyst for the Wellington Phoenix men’s team.

However, it wasn’t smooth sailing in the beginning after rupturing his ACL while playing football but in a way it was a blessing in disguise to re-evaluate his career options.

Starting out as a coach, then S&C and now becoming an analyst to recently commencing his pro coaching licence course, an impressive career thus far for Manning and by using the momentum of success to set new and higher objectives, an individual as diligent as he is will undoubtedly achieve a lot more than planned.

In a wide-ranging chat with Soccerscene, Jordan Manning discusses his career up until now, the barriers of being involved in different environments overseas, the challengers of doing the pro license, and the attributes of being a great coach.

Tell us a bit about your coaching career.

Jordan Manning: So l ruptured my ACL in year 12 and it was unfortunate at the time because l was playing and loved the game, but probably a good one for me where it allowed me to reassess what l needed to do. l really focused on school with my studies as a result of my injury. Completing my rehab in year 12 is probably what led me down the path of sport science and strength & conditioning to begin with.

I attended ACU and completed my Bachelor of Exercise Sports Science, a three year degree during which time l picked up some work as a U18 coach at the club l made my ACL return with, so that was really my start from there. I was at a club in the NPL from Queensland called Western Pride and it was a very successful program at the time. There was a lot of players in the first team group progressing on to play professionally or be in professional environments, including our Head Coach and my first coaching mentor, Graham Harvey.

At the end of 2018, l was identified by Brisbane Roar and moved into the U16s as a coach for the academy side at the time, which was a great experience. At the end of that season, there was a large change over at the Roar and Warren Moon came in to be the Academy Technical Director. With me having finished my Sports Science degree, he encouraged me to go in the role of High Performance of the Academy. At the time, we had COVID in our first year together which was a big job for me in that role to be working together with Warren to help keep everyone fit during a very challenging period.

Redlands United was an NPL team at that time and their Head Coach stepped away due to the impact of COVID on the club and Graham Harvey gave me the opportunity to be the first team coach during that season. It was a big challenge with no budget and half a team being tasked with keeping the side in the league but it’s by far one of my most enjoyable memories in football.

At the end of that season I moved to Peninsula Power on the recommendation of Mooney and had some wonderful times there winning the NPL in 2021. During this time Warren had moved up into the first team at the Roar, and the first team Sports Science role became available so he managed things really well for me at Power and l was able to transition out and move across to the Roar to be the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the 2022/23 season. At the halfway point, l was also made Analyst, so again very full on. However, having my A license and just completed my masters in Sports Coaching it was another good progression for me to have the dual role and be able to do both things.

Then l had an opportunity to go into Asia with Hyderabad FC in India which for me was such a great personal experience, different culture it’s very outside of what l have been used to and what l have experienced so l was there for six months before the club ran into some difficulties.

Luckily for me the opportunity came up to move to Buriram United around January/February time with Arthur Papas so l moved there and completed last season, we were fortunate enough to win the Thai League which was exciting to win my first professional trophy. Now I’m with the Phoenix and really enjoying working with Chief (Giancarlo Italiano), Adam Griffiths and Ruben Parker here.

[caption id="attachment_27014" align="aligncenter" width="782"] Jordan Manning at Peninsula Power FC. (Image provided by Jordan Manning).[/caption]

What influenced your decision to go into coaching?

Jordan Manning: l had always thought about coaching and always felt like my brain worked a bit quicker than my feet, l was a good player but l wasn’t the best so l always had plans to go down that pathway but then l ruptured my ACL a second time when l was 21 and that was the moment l thought ‘right l love the game l still want to be around the game l need to find another way to do that’ so for me that’s where coaching, sports science and analysis are three different avenues that all kept me in the game that l love.

What have you realised in the coaching environments overseas compared to Australia?

Jordan Manning: I think there is a big change with understanding different footballing cultures and different languages, that was a big change for me having to adjust to that. In Australia we have a lot of cultures and it is a very multicultural country but the experiences we have are probably a bit watered down compared to living in other environments, so seeing that side of things first hand was a big eye-opener.

Also understanding the different level of resources that some of the clubs have available. Asia has some really great players, coaches and owners that have a large resource base to really help them deliver top level footballing programs which we might not always recognise in Australia. Everywhere has its strengths and weaknesses but there is definitely pieces there that were challenging for me but then also other pieces that would positively challenge the way we do things in Australia.

[caption id="attachment_27017" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Jordan Manning at Buriram United FC in Thailand with his team. (Image provided by Jordan Manning).[/caption]

What have been some barriers being involved in different environments overseas?

Jordan Manning: I think the first part is the language because in Thailand we had three translations going on at once, which was an interesting challenge to obviously walk into and see firsthand how the different ways of that being managed. During my time with Buriram we had three different coaches in a four month period so l got to see a different set of applications around the language barriers. Then, also being an Australian coach, there is always a big perception overseas that we are very good in the strength and conditioning side of things and the sports science aspect of it but people question our footballing knowledge.

It takes time but through little actions demonstrating what you know and how you want to help everyone with the different cultures working together you slowly get there. l think as Australians we have that determination and grit wanting to work with people, so we always find a way to make it work but it is just having the patience to work through those difficulties at the start and show them that you are there to help and benefit them as well.

You mentioned you are doing a Pro License in Australia, what have been the challenges of doing that certificate?

Jordan Manning: To be honest it’s been a really good challenge, they’ve got all sorts of modules and content that are different than the C, B, and A licenses, there is a lot more leadership, business and management side of things which has been really cool. They throw different challenges at you in terms of your on-field practice and understanding that you’ve got that base knowledge now, and trying to challenge you there bits and pieces that you do come across. l think for me you’re very much a product of your experiences and being on the course hearing other top coaches experiences has been really enjoyable.

What would be your approach to player development?

Jordan Manning: l think it’s case by case basis, everyone has got their own way of how they take on board information and they learn, you’ve got to understand the individual. You need to understand what they do and don’t like, and then try to tailor your approach to help each person to be the best they can and help form that connection. If they understand that you’re there to work with them and help them along the way I believe that will also help you in  being the best version of yourself as a coach.

As a second assistant and head analyst for Wellington Phoenix, what exactly do they involve?

Jordan Manning: From the off-field side of things it’s the preparation of watching the opposition, doing scouting reports, putting together presentations, working with Chief who is a very intelligent coach and has a great eye for detail. So helping as best as l can to help present pictures to his words and ideas whilst always learning along the way.

It also involves training reviews, match previews and then on-field components working with Adam Griffiths. Under Chiefs guidance we lead activities together and bounce off each other and manage the flow of information delivery along the way. Griffs is such a top operator to work with he is also teaching me so much with his philosophies.

[caption id="attachment_27019" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Jordan Manning during his time at Hyderabad FC in India. (Image supplied by Jordan Manning).[/caption]

What do you think are some attributes of being a great coach?

Jordan Manning: I think the most important piece is being a good person. As part of this, I think you’ve got to be a really good people person and understand that each individual is different through your emotional intelligence. I think its important you have a very good level of knowledge but you are a teacher at the end of the day and have to adapt the way that you look to communicate that knowledge.

There is a range of ways you can approach it to appeal to the different learning types but you have always got to work with them rather than just telling them what to do, I think that’s a really important one.

Another big one is you have got to have resilience, it’s not easy at times there is a lot of difficulties along the way, external factors you have to manage and be aware of because coaching is a lonely world sometimes.

What is your biggest aspiration?

Jordan Manning: I want to be the best that l can be and reach the highest level that l can, l just want to make sure day-to-day l am the best version of myself and l provide the best level of assistance to those that l am working for, if l can be a problem solver and can look after different areas and be someone people enjoy working with.

Lastly, inspiring words for upcoming coaches?

Jordan Manning: It is important you are patient with what you do, and make sure you are multi-skilled, l think in the modern game you need to have an understanding of everything along the way as you make that progression forward so that you have the skills when you get to the levels that you want to get to.

Hard work is the foundation because you don’t get anything without it and have got that resilience and the rest will take care of itself, as well as always being a good person. Football is a game that rewards hard work.

The post Wellington Phoenix Second Assistant and Head Analyst Jordan Manning: “l want to be the best that l can be and reach the highest level that l can” appeared first on Soccerscene.

Manny Spanoudakis is a name synonymous with success in NSW football, both as a player and a manager. Now, he's returning to familiar territory as the new head coach of St George City FA, a club he first led during their inaugural season nine years ago.

Recently, Spanoudakis served as an Assistant Coach and Technical Analyst at Marconi, working alongside Manager Peter Tsekenis and Assistant Peter Papoythis—a unique role for him, as it marked his first coaching stint outside of a managerial position. His time with the Stallions ended on a high, securing a dominant 3-0 victory over Rockdale llinden in the 2024 NPL Grand Final.

Now at St George City, Spanoudakis reunites not only with the club but also with his son James, who will be the assistant coach under his guidance. James has honed his coaching skills under some great names at St George, including experienced football director Aytek Genc.

In an interview with Soccerscene, Spanoudakis reflects on his recent experience at Marconi, his unique father-son coaching dynamic with James, and his ambitions as the new manager of St George City FA in the NSW NPL1.

[caption id="attachment_26891" align="aligncenter" width="1067"] Manny and his squad celebrate the premiership and promotion.[/caption]

Theo Athans 

Having just completed your stint at Marconi and it ending with great success after a grand final win, what was it like working under experienced coaches and what was your highlight?

Manny Spanoudakis

My tenure at Marconi was the first time ever in my coaching career where I wasn't the head coach. I was very appreciative of the opportunity presented to me by Peter Tsekenis and embraced the project, using it as a platform to enhance my own leadership. The thought process being that ultimately, when I go back to being a head coach, I will have lived life through the lens of a staff coach.

My experience at Marconi was very enjoyable, there was a very good bond and a mutual respect with the head coach (Peter Tsekenis), I had known him and the assistant Peter Papoythis very well, add that to my history and successes as a head coach, we had a real instant connection with a common goal and that goal was to win a trophy for the club.

It was very good to go to a club in that capacity (as a staff coach) and also great to work at such an iconic club like Marconi, what I call a proper football club. I believe Marconi is one of the biggest in the country when it comes to infrastructure and resources that the club has.

Many highlights during my time but you can't go past winning the Grand Final this year to cap off what was a really enjoyable stint at the club.

T.A.

You're joining your son James at St George City, it's a very unique father/son coaching story. How exciting is this opportunity for you but also how has James' coaching journey been like since he stopped playing?

M.S.

It is unique and that uniqueness was a key component of me making the decision to accept the offer at St George City FA. I did have other offers in NPL1 but ultimately, I have a connection with the club, we started the club in 2016 when Aytek Genc, the Head of Football, called me this time nine years ago and said, 'I'm working on a new project, please don't accept an NPL1 job until I run you through it.'

He shared with me a vision of St George City FA and that vision was what has happened right now, the club has spent the last two seasons in NPL1. I'm very proud of my role in the foundational years of the club, my objective was to get the club from NPL4 to NPL2 as quick as possible and I was very lucky to be able to do that within three seasons, winning two trebles along the way.

On that journey my son James was a player. I had limited interaction with him three years prior to that when I had won the treble in NPL2 with St George FC. James was a young player and he did earn a few 1^st grade caps under me during that season.

So as a player he has been a part of the teams I have coached and won championships in NPL2, 3 and 4. Unfortunately James suffered very bad knee injuries, had multiple surgeries and was told at 25 or 26 years of age that his knee won't be able to hold up playing football.

[caption id="attachment_26890" align="alignnone" width="1008"] Manny and James share a special moment after a goal.[/caption]

One thing my dad told me all those years ago when I was playing in the National League was focus on your education so you have a contingency plan and James took our advice and finished a business degree majoring in sports management but at the same time started all his coaching badges.

He made a soft transition at St George City FA and thanks to Aytek's mentorship, James has developed a very astute football brain. He has coached u16's into the 18's into the 20's and this year was the 1^st Grade assistant coach working closely with Mirko Jurilj. At the same time, the club has been supporting him and he's finishing his A licence next month so he's on the right trajectory to be, with a little bit of luck, a very good football manager in the future.

So when the opportunity was presented to me to go back to a club I helped start and had an emotional connection to, and the opportunity to do something I had spoken to my father about before he passed in April which is to work with my son in a coaching capacity, it made the decision very easy for me and I accepted the offer from Aytek.

T.A.

What are your ambitions with St George City FA and how special would it be to win a trophy with them?

M.S.

Aytek and I worked together over 20 years ago in the NSW NPL when I was head coach at St George Saints FC. He was my assistant, and we only had one ambition and that was to win trophies. As much as we all want to win things, we want to build a football program that leaves a legacy and underpins success into the future. When you think of clubs in NSW like Blacktown City, they're always contenders every year.

We don't have the financial resources of other clubs so we need to build our football program and the next evolution of that program, or at least that's what I have been charged with, to make us a contender.

There's no magic wand or multi-millionaire president so there's a process we're going to go through and that process hopefully will allow us to build on the really good work that the club has done in the first two years in NPL1. As a community club, our aim is to build something that's sustainable and can grow organically particularly now with rule changes around grassroots and home-grown players.

We need to leverage the foundation we already have at the club, add to that, evolve, and then build a football program that has us as a top 2 or top 4 contender every year. That's the ultimate goal, for St George City FA to be recognised as a 'club of choice' for aspiring players. The club has built a strong reputation and a brand that allows us to attract really good young talent, take them through the development pathway and deliver them as first team players, ultimately putting them on the shopfront for A-League and beyond.

And if we can win trophies along the way, that's fantastic!

The post Family, Football, and Ambition: Manny Spanoudakis’ Return to St George City FA appeared first on Soccerscene.

Launched to mark the International Day of the Girl and aligned with its theme, "Girls’ vision for the future," the five-part "Talia takes on... Play Unstoppable Mentorship" series expands on LEGO’s "PLAY UNSTOPPABLE" campaign, highlighting the endless opportunities for girls when they can play freely.

This digital series, created by the award-winning production company Visual Domain, highlights opportunities for girls in Australian football, narrated through the voice and perspective of 15-year-old Talia Younis, a midfielder for the CommBank Junior Matildas and Western Sydney Wanderers FC.

Released over 15 days, each episode follows Talia as she engages with and receives mentorship from women in various roles within football, including:

• Administration – featuring Alyssar Narey, the only female CEO in the A-Leagues.
• Medical – with insight from CommBank Junior Matildas' physiotherapist, Dr. Stella Veith.
• Media – in partnership with sports and lifestyle photographer Kelsey Zafiridis.
• Coaching – alongside Zainab Jaber, head coach for community girls' football.
• Refereeing – mentored by Football NSW community referee Chloe Gray.

Each mentor shares her personal journey, offering Talia and the audience a deeper understanding of her career path and unique role within the game.

Girls are given the resources to begin their own football journey through online materials available on the OUR GAME website and social media, along with the chance for schools to host visits from the OUR GAME mentors for in-school sessions.

Talia Younis shared that the Play Unstoppable Mentorship provided valuable insight into the work of thousands of women who contribute to football each week, while also exploring her own journey beyond the field.

“As a player, you don’t always get the chance to see first-hand the incredible work so many people do that allows us to play the game we love,” she said via press release.

“Alyssar, Stella, Kelsey, Zainab and Chloe have shown me that there are so many more ways that I can be part of football beyond the pitch.

“From my experience during this Play Unstoppable Mentorship, I want girls to know that anything is possible for us in football. That we can be whatever we want to be with so many strong women leading the way as they make football better every day for girls like me.”

Although the number of women and girls playing football in Australia increased by 20% over the past year, women continue to lag behind in off-field roles within the sports industry, both in Australia and worldwide.

Justine McKenny, Senior Director and Head of Marketing for LEGO Australia and NZ, stated that highlighting these off-field roles is essential for empowering girls and expanding their vision for the future.

"The LEGO Group has been dedicated to inspiring and developing the builders of tomorrow through play for over 90 years and we know that the skills developed through LEGO play are equally relevant to all children,” she said via press release.

“We're excited to partner with Football Australia to help champion and stand up for girls’ creativity. Through the new OUR GAME content series, we hope to inspire and empower girls to explore the transformative impact of their creativity both on and off field.”

It will be widely promoted through digital channels and PR, utilising the strength of the women's sports fanbase. The series will be available on Football Australia’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X accounts, with the first episode launching on October 11 and the final episode airing on October 25, 2024.

The post Football Australia and LEGO launch ‘OUR GAME Unstoppable’ appeared first on Soccerscene.

The Association of Football Coaches and Scouts (AFCAS) have recently undergone its first recruitment and player scouting workshop, focusing on creating scouting reports while also learning footballing scouting skills and techniques to assess players.

These online workshops are taught by AFCAS Managing Director Ged Searson, who has 15 years of experience to his name as a football scout and almost 30 years of experience as a football coach.

Throughout his footballing journey, Searson got an incredible opportunity to work alongside legendary manager Sir Bobby Robson, while also working in the English Premier League with West Ham United and most recently with the Malawi national team during the 2022 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

In an interview with Soccerscene, Searson reflects on his experiences as a football scout, what it was like to learn from Sir Bobby Robson, the creation of AFCAS and how he is trying to improve football scouting not only in Europe, but in Australia as well.

How did you start working as a football coach and scout?

Ged Searson: I started coaching when I was 19 due to injury, I wanted to learn and study and hopefully make a career working in football. 

I went to monthly coaching seminars across the UK and Europe and I met up with different coaches at different levels. I just went in with an open book and thought I’m going to learn.

At the same time, I had my own academy in Essex across the road from West Ham’s training ground, working with six-year-olds up to the age of 16. I did that for 13 years, built the program and I had about 350 players a week coming to training at one point.

Later on, I started to work in non-league and semi-professional football. Any club that didn’t have money and was struggling in the relegation zones would ring me up and I would try to get them out of trouble, which was a learning experience.

I didn’t want to continue down the academy coaching route anymore because it wasn’t financially viable for me at the time and then I ended up becoming an opposition scout.

However, I will say to become a scout you must learn and then develop the rest of your career. You must go the extra mile, get off your back and try to learn.

My first opposition report was about Brentford, back when they were in League Two. My friend was working for Barnet and he was doing video analysis and he said can we see your report?

I said I’ll send it over but I’m sure your scouts can do it far better than me and he replied we haven’t got any scouts.

Ian Hendon was the manager at the time at Barnet and just started his coaching career. He said he liked the report and asked me if I could do this every week and that was how I started my career as a football scout.

What were some of the highlights throughout your football career?

Ged Searson: Ian Hendon got his big break where he was asked to become the assistant manager at West Ham United to work under his old manager, Sam Allardyce, and recommended me to the club.

The funny thing was that West Ham was my team as a kid and it was a pure coincidence that I got to work for my own club. I worked as an opposition scout and also did recruitment scouting.

In my first year we got promoted from the Championship, winning the playoffs at Wembley. When you think about it, I won a trophy with the team I support, how good is that?

I spent the next two years in the Premier League which was great and I absolutely loved it.

I left West Ham after three years and was offered to become the chief scout of Grimsby Town. I did the opposition scout reports and the recruitment which I’d learned through my time in the Premier League.

We broke the points tally with the most points in the club’s history within one season and had the best away record of any team in the country. We got to the playoffs finals but lost when it went to penalties, which was hard to take.

In regards to my international career, I got a phone call from the technical director of Malawi at the time, Mario Marinica, who I’ve worked with in the past. He asked if I could come over and do your opposition scouting and create a recruitment and scouting team for us.

Heading into AFCON in Cameroon, we were complete and total outsiders. But because we had put together this recruitment team of the guys I’ve worked with and an analysis team with the scouts that I taught, we had a secret weapon.

We were more organised than any other team going into the tournament and we made history. We beat Zimbabwe and we drew with Senegal, who actually won the tournament that year.

We went through to the last 16 and faced Morocco who beat us 2-1, but it was overall a really good experience.

[caption id="attachment_26625" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ged Searson at Leyton Orient F.C. team photo. (Images supplied by Ged Searson). [/caption]

What was it like learning from Sir Bobby Robson?

Ged Searson: I was very fortunate to be able to go to PSV Eindhoven when Sir Bobby Robson was coach.

I just contacted him and said, can I come and study with you and learn from you? 

He said absolutely, you’re more than welcome to come over and that was it.

I was 24 at the time and was a young coach. He just took me under his wing.

I was on the training ground with him every day and he had me on the pitch next to him when he was doing his sessions. The supporters thought I was his son or something and they couldn’t work out who this young lad was next to him. 

He looked after me and had quite a few visits there and really got to understand more about the game.

He was very old fashioned, a true gentleman and a football enthusiast. 

There’s lots of lovely tales about him being a nice guy and giving his time to people. I hear those stories and I know they’re true because he did exactly the same as me.

How was AFCAS created and what made you lean into teaching football coaching and scouting to others?

Ged Searson: The English FA started to bring out their Talent ID courses and I saw it advertised and thought I better go and do it. They were doing a scouting course and I was interested.

However, I spent three days on a scouting course that had no scouting on it. It was mainly regulations and safeguarding but there wasn’t any technical scouting in any form. Of course, I learnt some things, but it wasn’t a scouting course.

There was a small section on opposition scouting, but the guy teaching hadn’t really done any opposition scouting and I think I’d done about 650 games as an opposition scout.

Then there was something setting in motion and in the back of my mind I was thinking, I could write something here that could be helpful for scouts.

It was maybe two or three years later I decided to put something together that was technical and could teach the skills that scouts do need.

I thought I’m going to teach this from a chief scout’s view and we started off at Emirates Stadium in London, where I taught my first class.

I had 15-16 people there; whether that would be coaches, agents, scouts or anyone who’s just interested in football.

I started teaching tactical scouting, then was asked to teach recruitment scouting and that’s where it took off.

[caption id="attachment_26626" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ged Searson and the coaches winning an award. (Images Supplied by Ged Searson). [/caption]

What made you decide to provide these online workshops for people in Australia?

Ged Searson: I did a few morning sessions during lockdown and there seemed to be an awful lot of coaches that were quite interested in the Melbourne area.

The guys seemed desperate to do something and they thought coming to do a workshop seemed to be appropriate.

I met a really good group of guys and they did about three levels with me as well.

For whatever reason, I drifted away and I didn’t do the UK morning workshops. Then recently, I had a few people asking if I would do those workshops again and it was actually agents from Australia.

I said I was happy to do that and so I started lining up the morning sessions again.

From conversations I’ve had with agents, there seems to be players at the moment that are slipping through the net and are being missed out.

They said there’s a need for scouting here to help players get identified and move them into clubs and progress from there.

That’s why I’m trying to help scouting develop in Australia and maybe clubs could use scouts more to try and make sure players don’t slip through the net and help those guys get an opportunity with clubs.

What will we see next from AFCAS moving forward and will we see you make an appearance in Australia?

Ged Searson: The next stage for AFCAS is to now get these courses across the world. 

We’ve created an interactive course where you are learning the necessary skills to observe techniques and assess performances as a scout and a coach.

It would be nice to go over to Australia and do a workshop there if there was any interest by a club. It would be a fantastic opportunity.

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Football Queensland has confirmed the FQ Academy Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) Youth and Junior programs for 2025 will continue to evolve, focusing on enhancing the development of high-potential players and strengthening pathways to professional football by further aligning with Brisbane Roar FC.

As the 2024 season comes to a close, the FQ Academy QAS program celebrates a successful year, with several current and former players securing youth contracts and scholarships with Brisbane Roar and earning selections for the Junior and Young Matildas squads.

FQ Academy QAS is the elite football development program for women and girls in Queensland. Established in 1992, it provides a full time playing and training environment for female players aged U13 to U18 with established top coaches leading the way.

The FQ Academy QAS U18 side participate in the NPL Queensland Women’s competition, with players gaining valuable experience and development opportunities against Senior Women’s teams.

Providing a pathway to Liberty A-League sides including the Brisbane Roar, graduates of the FQ Academy QAS have also gone on to represent the country with national teams following their time in the NPL Women competition.

FQ General Manager – Football & State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer discussed this deal with Brisbane Roar and the future of the academy.

“Building on this season’s achievements, the structural adjustments to the FQ Academy QAS program for the 2025 season will further enhance both our Junior and Youth programs, with players benefitting from tailored development strategies aimed at preparing them for professional contracts and on-field success,” Ganczer said in a joint statement.

“Starting in 2025, the FQ Academy QAS program for Under 17-19s and up to Under 23s will shift towards aligning with Brisbane Roar’s professional environment and playing styles. This shift includes elevating the age band and providing playing and training opportunities and game time for FQ Academy QAS and Brisbane Roar contracted players in the NPL Women to support continued growth throughout the athlete categorisation period in line with long term player development principles.

“Football Queensland’s continued commitment to support high-potential player development through the FQ Academy’s strategic alignment with Brisbane Roar and the Queensland Academy of Sport will ensure a clear pathway for athletes over 18 to remain within the program whilst also playing up and experiencing the A-League with Brisbane Roar’s Women’s team during the regular season.

“In this new structure, current Brisbane Roar players will also be able to play back in the NPL Women, allowing Under 23-aged Roar squad members to return to the FQ Academy QAS for match fitness and injury recovery should they not be A-League tied."

Conclusion

This is a smart decision by both FQ and the Roar who aim to make the academy the best in Australia at developing women for the professional game.

It also allows more top young talent to potentially shine in the A-League Women's competition, a league that developed every Matilda that featured in the successful 2023 Women's World Cup.

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Football West has confirmed its excitement about launching the Football Australia Academy for 2025.

The Football Australia Academy will serve talented boys aged 12 to 15, with a primary focus on player development.

It is in line with Football Australia's new 10-Year National Technical Strategy and is incorporated into the advanced pathway program nationwide.

The Football West-operated Academy has been created with contributions from various levels of football governance and is aimed at preparing young talent for advancement to higher levels, such as the A-League and national representation.

It has received endorsement from the Football Australia Board, national team Head Coaches, as well as the Football West Board and Game Development Committee.

The full-time boys' program will run alongside Football West's girls' NTC program, which has recently produced graduates like Georgia Cassidy, Ruby Cuthbert, and Ischia Brooking who have competed in the A-League Women’s league and earned selections for junior national teams.

Football Australia Chief Football Officer Ernie Merrick stated that the Football Australia Academy provides a clear pathway for identifying and developing Australian talent.

“The timing for the Football Australia Academy to be implemented in Western Australia as a full-time program has never been more important,” he said via press release.

“This aligns with the National Technical Strategy and direction with the launch of the Football Australia Academy model integrated with our Member Federations.

“Working with young players, Football West, supported by Football Australia, can create a positive developmental environment for both coaches and players that will assist this cohort in progressing their football journey and continuing the strong record of development in Western Australia.”

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell mentioned that the new Academy would provide talented boys with the best chance to elevate their game to the highest level.

“Football West is thrilled to launch the Football Australia Academy and we look forward to working directly with Football Australia in developing the next generations of West Australian talent,” he said via press release.

“This wasn’t a decision made lightly but made with the best interests of the game as a whole, both for WA and Australia.

“The Football Australia Academy will operate to enhance the technical skills, tactical understanding and high-performance behaviours of players in WA. There is a clear development focus throughout the program. The Football Australia Academy also allows for the identification and progression of coaches, both those in the program and those with the local clubs.

“The Football Australia Academy will expand opportunities for young players across metropolitan, regional and rural areas, ensuring a broader and more inclusive pathway for talent. This approach is designed to complement, not compete with, local club programs.”

To find out more information about trials, click here.

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Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has confirmed details of a coaching masterclass session to be run on Thursday, September 12 at 6pm AEST.

Based around the Attacking Principles of Play, the coaching masterclass from FCA is delivered by Hills Football Association - in collaboration with Australian College of Physical Education and Global Institute of Sport.

The masterclass aims to support and extend coaches’ understanding of attacking principles of play and how coaches utilise these to support teams’ game models/playing styles.

A panel discussion will be presented via a webinar with leading coaches from the UK and Australia.

FCA's Executive Committee member Mara Watts will provide her insights to the game, featuring a panel which will welcome The Football Association's Senior Women's Coach & Development Lead Mark Swales, alongside Plymouth Argyle Analysis Show's Lead Analyst Aaron Cusack.

Completion of the coaching masterclass will accrue 1 hour of Continued Professional development (CPD).

To register for the FA CPD Hour, click here: https://lnkd.in/gCHstPVr

To register just for attendance and without the CPD Hour, click here: https://lnkd.in/g9xZSmcj

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The Association of Football Coaching and Scouting (AFCAS) have confirmed that their recruitment and player scouting workshops are coming to Australia.

These interactive workshops are all online and led by AFCAS managing director Ged Searson - a professional football scout with over 15 years of experience and who has also been a football coach for almost 30 years, learning from the likes of Sir Bobby Robson.

Searson has previously worked as a scout for clubs such as West Ham United, Grimsby Town FC and Leyton Orient FC in England.

Most recently, he served as the chief scout and analyst of the Malawi national team during the 2022 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon going as far as the Round of 16.

The workshops run for three and a half hours over two evenings and are designed for both new and experienced football scouts aiming to enhance their skills and development.

This will also be helpful for football coaches and agents to help them improve their scouting abilities and also to gain an understanding of the recruitment process at professional football clubs.

Throughout these workshops, video footage will be used to complete scouting tasks giving participants the chance to practice scouting techniques.

Attendees will also develop a better understanding of how professional clubs scout players and how recruitment systems operate at the highest levels of football.

Some of the content in these workshops will include:

• Learning various professional football scouting techniques and skills.
• Learn how to write and create your own scouting reports.
• Understanding different types of scout reporting and assignments.
• Assessing player performance in different playing positions.

These workshops are limited to nine attendees, creating opportunities to interact with not only the presenter but also fellow attendees and it will provide potential networking opportunities with different people in the football industry.

Participants will also receive a scouting pack, including software, to complete their own scouting reports following the workshop.

The sessions will run on Wednesday, September 11 from 7 pm - 10:30 pm and on Friday, September 13 from 6:30 pm - 10 pm.

If you are interested in having a career in the football industry, click the link to claim your spot in these online workshops.

For more information about AFCAS, visit the website.

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Following a distinguished coaching career that included reaching the heights of the Premier League, Scott Miller is now embracing the next chapter of his professional journey.

No stranger to Australian football, Miller was Head Coach of the Newcastle Jets Men’s team and as an assistant coach for the Socceroos leading up to the 2014 World Cup. With extensive international experience from his time at Fulham FC, where he witnessed everything coaching had to offer, Miller decided in 2023 that a new direction was needed.

Now, as the Chief Commercial Officer at iReel, a Gen AI sports technology company, Miller combines his passion for coaching and sports technology to deliver valuable solutions to sporting organisations. iReel's vision is to become the leading provider of Gen AI in sport, and Miller is at the forefront of this innovative journey.

In this interview with Soccerscene, Miller reflects on his 17 years in coaching, the lessons he’s learned from working overseas compared to Australia, how iReel presented itself as an opportunity, and why sports technology is essential in today’s sporting landscape.

You’ve had experience from the Premier League to the A-League. How has your journey been so far?

Scott Miller: My background originally stems from playing in the Victorian Premier League. I signed with former NSL team the Gippsland Falcons as a youth and came through their youth system, but I didn’t make a senior appearance due to a serious leg injury. This injury gave me clarity about the longevity of a career in sport as an athlete, which led me to pursue a degree in exercise science at ACU in Melbourne.

During that time, my interest in physical performance and its alignment with football grew. I took the initiative to make as many contacts overseas as possible, which was quite a challenge pre-LinkedIn, relying on handwritten letters. I was fortunate to have family in London, which allowed me to explore opportunities there. I landed a role at Fulham FC, starting in their academy system and eventually working with the first team. Within six months, I was offered a full-time contract with the Premier League team, marking the beginning of an exciting 10-year journey.

My time at Fulham was filled with learning opportunities, including earning my UEFA A license and a degree in sports psychology. I worked with top-level managers like Chris Coleman, Roy Hodgson, Mark Hughes, Martin Jol, René Meulensteen, and Felix Magath. These experiences helped shape my career, leading to a role as an assistant coach, where we achieved multiple top-10 finishes and reached the 2010 Europa League final against Atletico Madrid—a highlight of my time at Fulham.

Were you always looking to get into coaching, or did your injury force your hand?

Scott Miller: Coaching wasn’t my initial plan, but it became a natural evolution for me. Roy Hodgson, in particular, inspired me with his methodology and the impact he had on players. With my background in high performance, football knowledge, and a passion for psychology, I naturally transitioned into coaching. By the age of 27, I was delivering sessions to Premier League players, covering various aspects of training outside of tactics.

My journey into coaching continued when Ange Postecoglou invited me to join him as an assistant with the Socceroos, which was a fantastic experience. Later, he recommended me for the head coaching role at Newcastle Jets at just 33 years old. My time working with some of the best players and coaches in the Premier League was invaluable in shaping my approach to coaching.

What insights can you share from your experiences in the UK?

Scott Miller: Football culture in the UK is deeply ingrained—it's more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. The Premier League is a global phenomenon, vastly larger in scale than the A-League, with financial and commercial resources that drive innovation and performance.

Another key difference is the highly competitive environment. The standards are ruthless, and if you’re not up to par, you’re quickly replaced. This applies to everyone, from coaches to players and support staff. I experienced this firsthand, often finding myself as the cultural link between outgoing and incoming managers due to my role as a central figure in the club's operations.

The financial resources available in the Premier League also allow for greater opportunities for coaches to build sustainable careers. The remuneration packages are significantly different compared to the A-League, providing a stable foundation for those working in football.

You are now the Chief Commercial Officer at iReel. How did that transition come about?

Scott Miller: Coaching has been a significant part of my life since I was 24, but after nearly two decades, I felt the need for a new challenge. I wanted to innovate, develop new skills, and contribute to a space that is pioneering and future-focused. The opportunity to join iReel came at the perfect time.

James Doyle, the founder of iReel, reached out to me, and knowing him for some time, I was excited to join the venture. iReel is at the forefront of Gen AI in sports, and the chance to build technology that can transform the sporting industry was too good to pass up. It’s a different kind of challenge but one that’s equally rewarding.

Why would you recommend a career in sports technology for post-playing careers?

Scott Miller: Sports technology offers a unique opportunity for players looking to transition after their playing careers. The skills developed in sports, such as communication, leadership, and performance, are highly transferable to the tech space.

The sports tech industry allows you to stay involved in the sport while also building its future. Unlike coaching or analysis roles that are often dependent on performance results, a career in sports tech lets you create something from the ground up. It's a powerful and fulfilling path that I highly recommend to anyone looking to stay connected to sports in a meaningful way.

For full information on iReel and to contact the team, you can do so here.

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Football Queensland recently released the central topics that will ‘Elevate the Debate’ of their inaugural Queensland Club Convention.

The convention will be held on Saturday, 2 November, and Sunday, 3 November 2024, at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.

This event will bring international speakers and panellists with industry expertise to give specialised sessions for Queensland’s clubs, coaches, teams, and associations.

Before the event on the 1st^, there will be a cocktail networking event at the Sunset Lounge at Suncorp Stadium for Brisbane Roar Men’s home opener against Sydney FC.

Furthermore, on the 2nd^, there will be a Queensland Awards Night at Brisbane City Hall.

These Focused sessions for participants will be based on the three broad themes of Growth, Sustainability and Technology.

GROWTH 

• It’s Already Coming – The Next Phase – 50/50 – Football’s Growth Story

Unpacking the truth about the growth of the game – what is the role of clubs and how can they prepare for it

• Revenue Diversification – What Business are we in?

Case studies of clubs that have successfully diversified their income sources with an opportunity mindset

SUSTAINABILITY 

• Critical Transition of Club Culture through Phases of Growth & Time

An analysis of how static club culture can paralyse a club’s maturation and progress

• Dynamic Club Business Models

Breaking away from treading water, reducing reliance on volunteers & unlocking growth (case studies)

• Optimal Club Governance & Administrative Structures

What does best practice look like and how do we get there? (Case studies)

TECHNOLOGY 

• Digital Transformation in Sport Operations: Benefits of Deploying a Common Tech Stack

Reducing the volunteer burden – managing risk, data security, continuity of IP

• Achieving Alignment, Unlocking Value & Eliminating Key Person Risk

The benefits of a common CMS and fully integrated platform for all clubs

• Cyber Bullying – Protecting the Game, our Clubs and Participants

• Government Relations – #EQUALISER

In the coming weeks, details of the specialised speakers for each club, official and coaching session will be released.

This event will be a great opportunity for the state's clubs to network with some of the best in their respective field, as well as interested stakeholders and other FQ clubs.

It will also enhance the positive community-based focus that has been central to Football Queensland’s strategic plans for 2024-2026.

Tickets are selling out fast and with a limited supply, this event for the interested is not one to miss out on.

To purchase tickets to the Club Convention, click here.

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John Tsatsimas, Chief Executive Officer of Football New South Wales, experienced the joys of football at an early age when he was exposed to NSW State League competition by his father.

The memories of the first national competition (NSL) launched in 1977 on the Australian sporting landscape are still transfixed in his mind.

His first official post was as General Counsel at Newcastle Jets before he assumed the role of CEO at the club from 2007-2011.

Perhaps his finest hour was as CEO of Western Sydney Wanderers when the club won the Asian Cup in 2014 under the astute guidance of senior coach, Tony Popovic.

Significantly, he also presided over the establishment of major infrastructure innovations at the Wanderers base in Rooty Hill between 2012-2022, including the creation of multiple football fields and amenities which are the envy of most sports in Australia.

[caption id="attachment_26147" align="aligncenter" width="808"] Match action in the 2024 Football NSW Men's Waratah Cup Final between Rockdale Illiden and APIA Leichhardt at Jubilee Stadium (Photos: Damian Briggs/FNSW)[/caption]

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the experienced administrator at the Wanderers as he witnessed the changing of the coaching guard five times and the failure of the club to make finals football in the last four seasons , prior to his departure in May, 2022.

Nevertheless, John Tsatsimas is a resilient football administrator and since his appointment as CEO at FNSW in November 2022, he has applied all his skills in guiding the organisation on a steady course of stability.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, John Tsatsimas discusses all things football.

ROGER SLEEMAN

You’ve held CEO positions at Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers and Football N.S.W.

Do you think the game is making sufficient progress?

JOHN TSATSIMAS

The game has evolved over the last twenty years and we’ve seen a lot of changes at a professional level.

It has grown exponentially in playing numbers in this period but there are always challenges re-emerging in different ways.

Also, the presence of a multitude of sports played in the country which compete for funding is a major challenge to the amateur and professional game

R.S.

Football has enjoyed large participation rates since the mid 1960’s.

How can this be translated into support at senior level?

J.T.

That’s the million dollar question as the game has historically been a  gateway for young people to play sport ,and trying to retain their support is the biggest issue in the face of increasing demand for infrastructure and the large choice of activities available to them.

Therefore, we need to provide better coaching, improved training facilities and more effective  engagement with an emphasis on providing pathways for players to compete at the highest level and increasing their appetite to follow senior football.

R.S.

NPL Men’s and Women’s football competitions are poorly attended.

In contrast, three weeks ago, Canterbury v Canberra in the NRL drew a crowd of 18,000 at Belmore Oval, while Sydney Olympic are lucky to get attendances of 500 at that ground.

What is  FNSW doing to address this situation?

J.T.

Rugby League has been entrenched since 1908 on the Eastern seaboard but they have very small playing numbers compared to football.

Also, we have competitions where matches are played at the same time due to the large fixture schedule.

People who attend NRL in the main don’t play the game as opposed to our constituents who either coach, play , are spectators or are involved  with transport assistance or fulfil volunteer roles.

Consequently, our sport has large numbers of people who are involved at grass roots while senior football is being played which reduces the spectator pool significantly.

[caption id="attachment_26146" align="aligncenter" width="891"] John Tsatsimas handing out the awards at the Gala event[/caption]

R.S.

Are you satisfied with the level of promotion for NPL football, in view of the very high standard of football produced this season?

J.T.

Certainly, the standard this year has been very high and we must give full credit to coaches and players.

However, it’s not the A-League and in the winter months the presence of the established senior codes, NRL and AFL and the blanket media coverage they receive, is more than challenging.

We are continually looking at ways to improve spectator numbers but there has also been a record number of viewers watching YouTube television this year so the interest in the competition is definitely there.

Also, people can watch up to six games through this medium which proves we are accessing the target markets.

R.S.

Match times for the NPL Men’s competition range from 3 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

Why can’t we go back to the traditional 3 p.m kick off times for all first team games?

J.T.

The women’s programs are mainly played on Sunday and with the exploding growth of their game, it does create great pressure on facility availability.

Ideally, 3 p.m. kick offs as in former times would be welcome but ultimately the NPL clubs can make their own decisions about playing schedules without direction from FNSW.

R.S.

What is FNSW doing to reduce playing fees for elite football and other amateur participants?

J.T.

It’s a long standing issue but other sports have large broadcasting assistance and obviously a smaller cost base to subsidise their amateur players.

Amateur football clubs aren’t running a business and the costs are infinite, e.g. coaching, field hire council lighting, football gear and insurance.

If we had a silver bullet to change the situation, there would be reform where funding was provided from top down to support amateur football.

However, if we have players who haven’t the means to play at elite level we will attempt to assist them, just as amateur clubs will do if necessary.

R.S.

What is your opinion of the proposed National Second Tier?

J.T.

It’s been long talked about but we’re focusing on our competition.

We certainly won’t stand in the way of any club which has the aspiration to play in a higher level of competition.

As long as our existing clubs are fully invested in NPL football at the present time, we aren’t making any judgement on their desire to participate in the National Second Tier.

Critically, if there is going to be a successful NST, there really has to be representation from all states and a framework for promotion and relegation.

The problem is, the current model for the APL stipulates there won’t be any promotion and relegation until 2034.

[caption id="attachment_26152" align="aligncenter" width="911"] Match action in the NPLNSW Women’s Grand Final between Bulls Academy FC and Macarthur Rams at Valentine Sports Park (Photos: Damian Briggs/Speedmedia)[/caption]

R.S.

After your extensive involvement in the A-league, what is your opinion of its current standing?

J.T.

Challenging times, but I’d like to thing those in charge would give it direction and provide aspiration for junior players to progress through the ranks of NPL to A-League, to Matilda and Socceroo status and then seek out opportunities overseas which will boost the strength of the Socceroos and Matildas.

This can’t be achieved without a functional and successful APL which needs support from everybody in the game.

R.S.

How can we get more former players involved in the game?

J.T.

It’s often a case of creating positions but not every former player wants to stay in the game after their playing career has finished.

It’s a work in progress which has to be considered carefully because former players can definitely add so much to many areas of the game.

R.S.

Can the F.A. show better leadership?

J.T.

Those at the helm of the F.A. join the organisation with the best of intentions and similarly the APL.

However, the sport needs to move away from the pockets of success and grow the game on a consistent basis.

This is the greatest challenge for the governing body and after the success of the Women’s World Cup, the announcement by the Federal government of $200 million funding for women’s sport, with only a small portion allocated  to women’s football, was unexplainable.

These are the issues which require serious attention and strong leadership.

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Adelaide United confirm the launch of their Girls Only Junior Development Program which enhances the clubs commitment to nurturing young female football talent.

This new initiative is an expansion of their existing Junior Development Program and is specifically tailored to support the next generation of female players.

The program will take place at Jubilee Reserve in West Lakes and is scheduled to run from Friday, 23 August to Friday, 20 September. Over the course of five sessions, girls aged 9 to 14 will have the opportunity to develop their fundamental football skills in a dedicated and supportive environment.

The focus of the program is not just on football techniques but also on fostering personal growth, confidence, and empowerment.

Top youth development coaches from the A-League club will guide young players to excel both on and off the field, ensuring they build the skills and mindset necessary for success in both football and in life.

By expanding on its already successful Girls Only program, Adelaide United is reinforcing its dedication to providing clear pathways for young female athletes, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to reach their full potential.

Marcelo Carrusca​​​​, Adelaide United’s Head of Junior Development discussed the big potential this program has to create a simple pathway for young girls in the state.

“We are thrilled to launch this Girls Only Junior Development Program, which marks a significant step forward in our commitment to nurturing female talent,” Carrusca said in a club statement.

“This program is not just about football; it’s about giving young girls the confidence and skills they need to succeed in all areas of life. We want to create an environment where they feel empowered to reach their full potential.”

This is a fantastic initiative and has been a goal of the club for many years. With the incredible growth of the women's game in Australia, they are focused on trying to create the best development environment in the country for local girls, similar to their extensive success with the boys program.

Registrations for the Girls Only Junior Development Program are now open through the club's official website.

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Football South Australia (Football SA) has revealed a change to its Youth Competition Structure which will be launched in 2025.

This new structure to hit Football SA next year has been based on an extensive two-year review led by Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper.

A Club Championship model was proposed to Club Presidents at the President’s meeting in November 2023 which was unanimously supported.

The following Youth Club Championship model has been constructed following consultation with individual Clubs, Football SA Technical Department, Advisory Committees.

Ages until Under 9s Mixed and Girls will not have a changed championship system.

This new system will be applied to under 13, 14, 15, 16 mixed & girls' teams.

Some of the key features include:

• Consolidated match venues, with teams from the same club playing at one location.
• A Club Championship table that combines match results with player development metrics.
• Bonus points for clubs meeting coaching license criteria and utilising player development tracking systems.
• Point deductions for disciplinary issues, supporting Football SA's Respect Campaign for match officials. For example, abuse of the Referee or violent conduct receives a -3 championship points.

This was used to ensure the Youth Club Championship is not solely reliant on results and is fostering an improved player development environment and match day culture, points bonuses and deductions will be incorporated in the championship table.

Michael Cooper, Football SA Technical Director, stated via media release:

"This is a huge step in the right direction for football here in SA. We look forward to working with the clubs involved to create many positive youth development environments for the next generations of players, coaches, and officials."

The overall outcomes from these plans will foster:

• Enhanced oversight from Club Technical Directors which is key for player development and the different clubs balance of player abilities.
• Improved match day culture with a "sports day carnival" atmosphere engaging not just highlighting singular teams, but a more united entire club culture.
• Potential for increased revenue through food and beverage sales
• A finals series at the season's conclusion
• Better fixture scheduling, leading to improved match official coverage and mentoring opportunities

Michael Carter, Football SA CEO, commented:

“Having the best players matched against the best week in week out, combined with a finals series for our youth will be great additions to the metropolitan competition.”

This new Youth Championship is created importantly to help kids play in a supportive and safe environment. This will encourage the passion of the game and hopefully bring the much needed increase in positive sporting behaviour.

The overachieving South Australia is truly leading the way in positive you football development.

It will be interesting to see the outcomes in the coming years.

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Football West confirmed the final outcomes of its Junior Football Review, along with the proposed implementation plans for the 2025 season.

The extensive review, which was initiated in early 2023, was led by independent consultants in collaboration with Football West’s Game Development Committee and technical football staff.

According to the infographic breakdown, the review had an initial focus of boys and girls junior competition pathways for u13-u18 including the Junior NPL Boys competition.

Overall, the review covered a broad scope, including competition structure, player development, opportunities and pathways, and standards for club youth development.

Recommendations were shared late last year, paving the way for Phase Two of the review, which took place this year and included a series of workshops with technical staff from across the state, as well as input from clubs, coaches, and the public.

After consultation and a strenuous reviewing process, Football West pledge to make six changes that will be implemented as soon as possible.

Changes:

- A unified Junior Development League for both Junior Boys and Girls U13-U16 competitions, replacing the current Junior NPL structure for boys.

- Two top tier divisions will be created with multiple feeder divisions below, similar to the Football Victoria structure (Introduction of a promotion and relegation system for juniors).

- Creation of a Junior Development Cup and a Junior Community Cup to replace the existing Junior Cup tournaments.

- A strong emphasis on coach education and development across all competitions.

- Establishing of a Junior Community League for teams and players who prefer to participate in local football, replacing the current community junior leagues.

- Separate Boys and Girls Youth Club Championships, open to clubs that excel in youth development and whole-of-club criteria.

The objectives of the new format are to:

- Enhance player growth.

- Guarantee equal competition.

- Offer well-defined and organised competition pathways for junior footballers in WA.

- Motivate, acknowledge, and reward clubs for comprehensive player development, well-being, and fostering a positive club culture.

- Support regions and enable their participation

Conclusion:

This new combined system will help flow the separate divisions and finally create a clear pathway for junior clubs and players to move up based on league results.

The Junior Development League now becomes the premier league for youth players in WA, with a purpose to enhance player development and promote long-term success. It also requires coaches to get a C-Licence minimum in coaching to take over one of the teams, encouraging more people to become licenced coaches and get involved.

Whilst the Community League focuses more on inclusivity, engagement and participation with less of a focus on the player or coach development.

In the consultation report, Football West also confirmed that they will conduct a comprehensive review of the league competition and Youth Club Championship structure at the conclusion of the 2025 season and implement any changes needed to improve the competition for future seasons.

It's a great, modernised structure that combines coaching education and the higher and lower leagues with a new relegation and promotion system, which gives Football West a chance to target both a serious and more laid back audience that wants football to be their number one sport in WA.

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The Football NSW 2024 Coaches Conference has a star-studded line-up that has attracted record numbers to the weekend event on the 23^rd and 24^th of November.

This annual event run by Football NSW allows local coaches to go to a 2-day conference with talks and meets with prominent coaches in a selection of important parts of football coaching and development.

Football NSW has organised key areas for the coaching conference to highlight, which include:

• Youth Development
• Goalkeeping
• Junior Development
• Leadership & Culture
• Women & Girls Development
• Player Welfare

Football NSW have invested massively in this conference, and this investment has undoubtedly paid off with 800 coaches signed up to attend the event already.

Selling out the tickets 3 months before the event even takes place, smashing the record attendance for this annual event since its start in 2019.

To add to this, a huge amount of coaches have signed up for the waiting list for a chance to attend as well, there are still spots on the waiting list available for any more keen coaches.

This massive increase in popularity can be largely due to the top brass organised by Football NSW.

Gathering to speak are coaching leaders from both our local pool and international associations and clubs.

Some of the speakers attending are:

• 3-time A league coach of the year and current Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.
• Gabriel Bussinger is the current Director of football for Brazilian giant Vasco de Gama and has been a football coach for over two decades.
• Peter Sturgess is the former English FA Technical Lead for the 5–11s age group. He spent 17 years in the FA youth development system at the forefront of youth football.
• Thanks to the success of the Matildas there has been massive growth in female participation in Australia. Therefore, Football NSW has got Leah Blayney head of the Young Matildas and Future Matildas program coming to chat about this exciting development.
• Included with her are young Matilda assistant coaches Helen Winterburn and Victoria Guzman.

These are just some of the 18 speakers for the 2-day conference at Valentine Park, the home of football in NSW.

This conference shows the massive investment and ambition that Football NSW has in giving football coaches in the state the opportunity to gain invaluable information from some of the highest achievers in the coaching world.

For coaches of any type in NSW this is an event one needs to attend.

If you wish to learn more about the conference click here for the link to the Conference page.

If you wish to sign up for the waitlist for a chance to attend, click here.

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Football NSW is set to welcome Ernie Merrick as one of the guest speakers for the 2024 Football NSW Coaching Conference. Merrick, with his extensive experience and notable achievements in football coaching, will bring valuable insights and expertise to the event.

His participation is expected to inspire and educate coaches, fostering the development of football in the region.

Ernie Merrick is a highly respected figure in the football community, renowned for his extensive experience and knowledge of the sport. Since 2022, he has been serving as the Chief Football Officer of Football Australia.

Merrick's illustrious career includes numerous coaching accolades and leadership positions, making him a key influencer in the football world. His expertise continues to drive the growth and success of football in Australia, benefiting players, coaches, and fans alike.

Merrick, born on January 15, 1953, in Edinburgh, Scotland, started his football career playing for the semi-professional team Shettleston Juniors (now Glasgow United) in Glasgow.

He relocated to Australia in 1975 to join Frankston City as a player. In 1979, he moved to Doveton City, initially continuing as a player before transitioning to coaching, where he rapidly gained recognition as a successful manager.

In 1987, Merrick was appointed Head Coach of Preston in the National Soccer League, leading the team to finish second on the league ladder by the end of the season.

After a brief tenure as Head Coach of George Cross in the NSL, Merrick went on to become the inaugural coach of the Victorian Institute of Sport Football Program.

In 2005, Merrick was appointed head coach of Melbourne Victory in the Australian A-League. During his tenure, he guided the team to two A-League championships and two Premiership titles, solidifying his status as one of the league's top coaches. Beyond his success with Melbourne Victory, Merrick has also managed several other teams in Australia and New Zealand, including Wellington Phoenix and Newcastle Jets.

Merrick’s accomplishments and contributions to football have been widely recognised. He has received numerous awards and accolades, notably being honoured with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2014 for his services to football.

As the Chief Football Officer of Football Australia, Merrick oversees the development and growth of football nationwide. His extensive experience and expertise make him an invaluable asset to the organisation, and he is dedicated to elevating Australian football to new levels of success.

Following the successful return of the conference in 2023, this year's event seeks to build on that achievement by featuring an impressive lineup of both local and international presenters.

Head Coach of the Socceroos, Graham Arnold will also be speaking at the event in November.

For a full list of the current confirmed speakers and a brief history about them can be found here.

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Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci is steadfast in capitalising on the World Cup hype, as lofty goals are at the heart of his success metrics within the member federation.

His ambition of football becoming the number one sport of choice in Queensland is backed by strategic objectives that focus on all facets of the game, all released within the last few months.

In a wide-ranging chat with Soccerscene, Cavallucci discusses the 2024-2026 Game Development Strategy, 2024-2026 Referee Strategy, 2023-2026 One Football Strategic Plan and his perspective on the National Second Tier situation in Queensland.

[caption id="attachment_25557" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The Matildas celebrate Cortnee Vine's decisive penalty.[/caption]

How was the 2024-2026 Game Development Strategy developed with forming objectives? 

Robert Cavallucci: Our strategic plan mirrors Football Australia’s, but translates directly into a Queensland context; the KPIs, planning structure, priorities and pillars are the same, but we break it down into what the Queensland contribution to the national objectives are.

My role as CEO is to operationalise that plan. If you look at it and see a whole bunch of things in here – such as gender parity, referees, fans, coaches and pathways that should be in a plan – my job is to see what tasks are needed and what organisational design is required to deliver these objectives.

We’ve constructed 11 operational plans which includes the game development plan, futsal, referees, coach education, women & girls, elite pathway government relations and stadium strategy.

Within each of those 11 plans, it’s got all that we need to do over the next four years across each of the 10 regions of Queensland to realise these goals.

How we do it is working with our game development team, GMs and stakeholders across the state.

All KPIs are broken down across each of the 10 regions - each of our region managers understand what to do for their area: including Far North, Wide Bay, South Coast or Darling Downs.

Knowing what we’re meant to do in a region means that it can translate to successful outcomes which delivered over the last four years. Without those frameworks in place, you really are just a rudderless ship and you're very unlikely to achieve anything.

We've got a good framework behind us with our budgets around it and therefore across all those strategic objectives, we're absolutely making material differences which is good.

When you're out there working with stakeholders such as schools, community groups, or clubs to drive interest in the game, we must translate that in through several different channels and mechanisms.

We then translate that into decisions to move them into clubs within their community and then we can bring them through the different programs at a club level – which includes social engagement, social interaction and social participation.

Whether it's multicultural, women & girls, school or indoor, there's dozens of different programs that we have that make it possible – and we've expanded that even more with the Brisbane Roar in new community programs that we're doing under their brand.

[caption id="attachment_25553" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The Game Development Strategy is across 10 regions of Queensland.[/caption]

How is the general interest in the game across the regions?

Robert Cavallucci: I don't think I’ve ever seen it as extensive as it is now in Queensland, the interest is off the charts.

It's easy to have interest but you must have the programs to match that interest. Events will come and go such as World Cups, but if you don't have the mechanisms in place to keep that interest thriving and to transition it into active participation, then the interest is not relevant and it's wasted.

One of the primary jobs of a member federation is to do that, it's one of our key obligations to generate interest and bring active participation.

[caption id="attachment_25550" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] World Cup tournaments have been a key driver for participation rates.[/caption]

The 2024-2026 Referee Strategy has been created, what are some of the differences to support officials?

Robert Cavallucci: The Referee Strategy is one of the most important ones, but one of the more complex as well.

You can put on a thousand courses, and you can drive interest, but there's so many other factors outside of our control that severely impact referee numbers.

We have broader issues in our society that has nothing to do with football, but relates with interpersonal relationships - how do people treat and talk to each other?

What's acceptable in levels of aggression or abuse? There is none, but people might have differing opinions about what that is. What are the factors that people believe that, in a sporting context, they’re allowed to drop societal rules from general discourse with someone and abuse someone in the middle of the field?

To support referees, we have the three strikes policy and it’s probably the hardest in Australia, but they're built on collective responsibility. Everyone at a club is responsible for the actions of every participant and player at the club.

You can't just disassociate yourself and go, he or she is a bad egg, everyone else is fine. No, if you see abuse, you are obligated to say that behaviour is not welcome here.

Until we have collective responsibility over these issues where they are some positive outcomes, I don't think we're going to be able to reset the behavioural norms at a football field.

That’s what it will take to see a meaningful change in the number and quality of referees.

If the churn rate is so high, how do you have someone in a system developing for 3, 5 or 10 years when they're barely lasting just a few years? It's a broader issue, but ultimately, we can only solve societal issues to a certain point within the context of a football club.

Social media is a significant issue and challenge for us. That's another mechanism by which people can aggregate in groups, large or otherwise, and disassociate themselves from societal norms, and treat people appallingly.

Who wants to be a referee when you see people behaving like that and criticising or diminishing referees in a cruel way, particularly under 18 referees? It’s just unacceptable.

We can have whatever strategies we like around referees and numbers, but they're always going to be constrained by our ability to address social issues.

The strategy itself was constructed with the same methodology as all the other 11, but it's what do we need to do within our control as a member federation to get more referees interested, support them and keep them in the game longer.

[caption id="attachment_25555" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Building and maintaining respect for officials is the number one priority for the Referee Strategy.[/caption]

You mention churn being a key issue, what measures have you implemented so far?

Robert Cavallucci: We're trialling video cameras on the chest with Football Australia, so it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

The intent for doing it is to develop better solutions to some of those issues in a game setting. It’s also to support transitioning to a single point of accountability in a team, such as a captain.

It’s done in other codes, and it always seems to work well. When it comes to officiating, there's some lessons to be learned.

Rugby Union has extraordinary levels of respect being commanded by referees. I don't think there's any code that does it as well as they do in terms of senior, national and international levels. It’s just incredible and that's where we want to get to as a sport.

All it takes is a small minority to ruin any progress we’ve made from an investment or participation point of view. Everyone, whether it be A-League or NPL level, needs to understand what good behaviour looks like.

Gender parity is the theme of the 2023-2026 One Football Strategic Plan, how is that tracking?

Robert Cavallucci: Gender parity is everyone getting involved; including referees, coaches, players, boards, club boards, club committees and FQ committees. It's parity across the board, so it's not exclusive to participation on the field.

We’ve seen some significant success in participation – we’re 44% higher this year in female growth.

We're well on track to hit gender parity in 2027-2028 and we’ve pushed that out slightly only because we've had a lot more growth in the boys than we thought we would. Whilst we hit our targets with the girls, we got more boys than we thought.

Ultimately that brings the curve back together slightly. It's making a lot of progress, as we're about 69% for boys now. Only a couple of years ago, we were at ratios of 80:20 and now it’s moved to 69:31.

We're pulling it back by 4-5 percent each year, so over the next three or four years we absolutely want to be as close to 50:50 as we can and that meets our participation targets as well; particularly in Queensland we'll be in a good spot as a as a code.

We'll not only be the largest male code, but the largest women's sporting code in Queensland. We're not far off it now and in turn netball but we're hunting them down at a great rate of knots.

Our objective is ambitious, but we've absolutely been tracking there the last three years at incredible speed so it's staggering what can be achieved when you do have extremely well thought out documented plans. It's been very carefully constructed over the last three or four years and it presents one of our greatest challenges which is infrastructure, but at the same time it's a challenge that we want and we are solving with government - that was a challenge of our own doing as a sport.

For 20 previous years we did a poor job of working with government of all persuasions and didn’t articulate the needs of football. We never had the confidence to tell the football story in Queensland or Australia for that matter and we always pushed ourselves down the ranks, and I don't know why. Maybe because we were embarrassed about the disarray of the governance that the game was in, or the administration, and didn’t think we had the right to stand up and be counted in years gone by.

We are a massive global sport and the biggest in Queensland & Australia. We're the fastest growing and have global events such as World Cups and Olympics. Which part of any of that story should we not be overwhelmingly proud and feel like we've got every right to take our place as the most dominant code in Australia?

It's just unbelievable that we haven't had the leaders who felt that way and absolutely by design say football's not ready to do that yet.

If you don't tell people who you are, everyone else will say who you are and that's the football story over the last 20 years.

My aim is to reposition that which has occurred over the last three or four years, as we have an excellent relationship with government and communicate with them weekly; we've had some massive outcomes in a funding shift, but we've still got a long way to. From where we started, the difference is staggering.

[caption id="attachment_25554" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Gender parity targets are promoting the game in Queensland to be inclusive for all.[/caption]

What has been observed in participation rates post men's and women's World Cups?

Robert Cavallucci: The important thing to recognise is football doesn't want anything that it doesn't deserve based on its representation in the community. Any government funding, no matter what it is, should be based on community need.

If there's a community need from a football perspective, then that needs to be addressed; it’s not like we want something that is over and above, it's just meeting some minimum basic standards of what the community needs to be active and healthy.

What I think often gets lost is the way that some within the game put that argument forward that they give the impression that they're entitled to things over and above what other sports have been getting.

Other sports have just done a better job historically at demonstrating their needs, whereas we've done a bad job and we're not patient enough to know the turnaround will take time and no one wants to wait.

As a sport, we shouldn’t be asking for the world, but there is a need and its data-driven need for the community. Other sports have gotten away with socialising their costs and privatising their profits for the last 20 years, which has allowed them to be in a very strong position of their professional game, and that has never been afforded to football.

I see the football community being annoyed that other massive codes with billion-dollar incomes have had the bulk of their cost base for infrastructure paid by the public taxpayer, which has allowed them to be in a position of strength at a professional level.

No one plays those sports at a community level, but at a professional level where it's privately owned, they've done a very good job of socialising their costs. And that provides a huge advantage at that level of the game that we see the A-League suffering the consequences from because of the absence of relevant infrastructure.

It's going to be a very volatile next 10 years as we work through that. I'm not saying that football should be funded by the taxpayer at all, but there's got to be a better share of reasonable outcomes from governments of all persuasions at all levels.

[caption id="attachment_25552" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Infrastructure is one of the key challenges that Football Queensland are addressing.[/caption]

Tell us about the Equaliser campaign and what you’ve seen to date?

Robert Cavallucci: The #EQUALISER State Election campaign is an initiative driven by the need of our Queensland football community. Data gathered by Football Queensland shows that 71% of greenspaces and football fields across the state suffer from inadequate drainage and only 42% of fields with lighting meet minimum playing and safety standards. These statistics highlight just a few key areas of infrastructure that have suffered from lack of investment and are now holding football in Queensland back from thriving.

With the state election approaching in October, the timing of the #EQUALISER initiative couldn't be more crucial. We’ve gathered survey responses from more than 6,000 members of the Queensland football community and over 76% of respondents indicated that their voting preferences could be swayed by political candidates' commitments to investing in football clubs.

It is with this information that FQ is driving the #EQUALISER campaign, engaging in conversations with government officials to advocate for greater investment that will ensure safe and accessible green spaces for the more than 300,000 football participants across the state, both now and into the future.

[caption id="attachment_25551" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The Equaliser campaign is designed to collate the needs and requirements of the football community.[/caption]

You’ve been working closely with Brisbane Roar; do they relay some of their challenges?

Robert Cavallucci: We’ve got a great working relationship now with the Roar and it's how it should be. About 10-15 years ago it was there but not really and then it just descended quite badly in recent years. Since I've been at Football Queensland and since Kaz Patafta and Zac Anderson have been at the Roar, we're all had a similar mindset about uniting the game and coming up with the best way of making that happen. That means not everyone has to do everything and we'd look at each other's strengths and what we're investing in.

We address what we want out of it and figure out strategies. For example, supporting academies which makes sense for Football Queensland to do.

Instead of the Roar having to deliver something not as optimally as they should, we can do it because we're already doing it 10 times bigger.

Together, it means integrated staff, integrated systems and good technical outcomes. We've already got 11 offices across the state, 100 casual staff and thousands of programs. The Roar trying to do similar is disjointed and doesn't deliver outcomes for them or us. It's getting together and saying, how can we do this better together?

We just want to make things simple and streamline it, so the Roar get the outcomes they want – such as more kids at games, more memberships, and greater interest in the A-League.

Those things are all essentially what we want and it's what the Roar wants as well. If there’s good governance and oversight, the game wins.

Ultimately that's a best practice scenario with how we should be looking at this right across the country to change the delivery model of many parts of the game.

[caption id="attachment_25556" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] The 'FQ & Roar Football in the Community’ program was introduced this year.[/caption]

Can you shed some light on the National Second Tier (NST) situation in Queensland?

Rob Cavallucci: I love how people view Football Queensland negatively because clubs in Queensland have common sense; there seems to be this rationale that if a club chooses not to participate in the NST, then there must be something wrong with Football Queensland.

The logic escapes me, it's an egotistical perspective; surely your ego as a club is so extravagant that you can't help but want to be in the NST competition.

There are massive clubs such as the Queensland Lions that say they are not interested.

The reality of the decision-making process for Queensland clubs is how they view success – do they want to sacrifice 100+ teams for one men’s team?

It's a simple, rational decision made by logical people that whilst in principle they would they think it’s great to have a NST and compete at a higher level, the reality is none of them are willing to sacrifice 100 teams and their success just on the basis of one.

There are 10 possible models and there's two or three logical models that could be used to start the league with different permutations from there.

I don't think that the clubs have an interest in the current design based on the risk and the barriers to entry and that's a risk that none of them can process in a way that doesn't expose the club to any form of harm or detriment whether it be financial or otherwise.

Had it been another model or format, then it's quite likely that they would participate for sure. It might appeal to Victorian or New South Wales clubs, but it certainly doesn't appeal to the broader Queensland environment.

You can't understate the experience of the Queensland clubs; we've been doing planes and travel weekly for NPL and otherwise for nearly 10 years.

They know what it's like and they're doing it now. We've got flights every weekend, with clubs going all over the state for Champions League, the Kappa Pro Series, and the Queensland Cup. They're doing that and have done so for a decade.

Therefore, it's not a foreign concept to them and they know what the travel’s like. It’s not the same as Sydney or Melbourne where everyone's within a few kilometres or an hour's travel time.

It’s a conscious decision from Queensland clubs who would rather not, and we shouldn’t be throwing criticism at them, but rather accept the fact that not all clubs want to take this kind of risk.

They aren’t ruling out ever being part of the NST, but when the time is right; Presidents and GMs absolutely love the concept.

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Football South Australia and the South Australian Amateur Soccer League (SAASL) have extended their collaboration, strengthening their cooperation in developing football in the state.

There was a meeting held recently where key representatives from both organisations discussed ways to continue their growth of the game in the state at all levels.

Since the partnership began in 2018, the two parties have made a meaningful impact in the South Australian football community.

Several key initiatives have been launched through this collaboration which include:

Referee Development: Football SA's Referees Department is now responsible for assigning match officials for all SAASL games. In 2024, the strategic emphasis by Football SA and SAASL on referees has led to a notable improvement in match official coverage for Senior Divisions in both Saturday and Sunday leagues.

Officiating Initiatives: Football SA has introduced various initiatives to recruit new referees and support young officials, such as State Championships and specialised mentorship programs. Meanwhile, SAASL is actively working on strategies to enhance their Club Referee program, offering a clear pathway for both new and returning referees.

Respect Campaign: The Armband Campaign to protect young referees has been successfully launched. Embraced by clubs, participants, and the football community, the bright orange armbands worn by referees under 18 serve as a clear reminder that these officials are minors.

Venue Support: ServiceFM Stadium has been the venue for major SAASL events, offering a professional environment for amateur league matches.

Streamlined Registration: SAASL players will keep registering via a consistent Player Registration System, which enhances administrative efficiency and ensures the integrity of player registrations.

Shared Competition Management System: Offering uniform and efficient Competition Management Processes across all competitions, enhancing efficiency for clubs, referees, and association administrators.

Enhanced Player Protection: SAASL players are covered by the National Insurance Scheme, which offers essential protection for clubs, administrators, volunteers, and participants.

Michael Carter, CEO of Football SA spoke very highly of the partnership and its effects on the game in SA.

"This extension represents more than just a renewal of our agreement," he said in a statement.

"It's a testament to the evolving and strengthening relationship between Football SA and SAASL. We're working closer together than ever before, and the results speak for themselves."

George Fotopoulos, President of SAASL and SAASL Board members and Executive Officer Darcy Evan shared a similar sentiment about the excitement of this continued long-term partnership.

"We are pleased to continue our partnership with Football SA. Our ongoing affiliation has seen a significant improvement in our Referee coverage in 2024, that is due to the collaboration and hard work of both the Football SA and the SAASL administration teams. We look forward to further opportunities the partnership will provide,” SAASL confirmed in a statement.

Overall, this partnership enhances the infrastructure, safety, and quality of football in South Australia, encouraging greater participation for players, coaches and referees which is helping the sport thrive at all levels.

Amateur and grassroots football success is the core to any good footballing foundation and this prosperous partnership continuing is a brilliant result.

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Football NSW representatives have visited the Riverina regions of Albury-Wodonga, Wagga Wagga and Griffith providing several developmental opportunities to participants, clubs and associations in the area.

During this three-day trip, over 200 local players between the ages of 9 and 13 attended player clinics, more than 30 participants underwent coaching education sessions and 25 coach and association representatives attended the club development workshops.

Club Changer, Football Australia's club developmental program designed to support all community clubs with access to support specific to their club's needs, was also involved throughout the club development sessions in Albury and Wodonga. Clubs from Football NSW and Football Victoria attended to learn more about the resources and support from Club Changer while also planning for long-term sustainability and success.

Female Development Officer at Football Wagga Wagga, Stacey Collins, was proud to see the amount of female representation during the club developmental sessions:

"It was brilliant to have many clubs in the room for the club development session and to discuss the development of female football with these clubs," Collins said via Football NSW media release.

"The coach education session was also predominantly female coaches, which is great to see."

Football NSW Regional Development Officer (Riverina), Daniel Lucas was impressed with the response throughout the three-day tour:

"This shows a thirst for coaches who are wanting to continue their development after recently completing their MiniRoos and Foundation of Football coaching courses earlier this year," he added via Football NSW press release.

Football NSW is continuing with these coach and club development programs over the next few months where they will travel to regional Western and Southern regions of NSW.

Looking at the recent responses, Football NSW's club and coach development workshops show there is a real desire to expand the game in regional areas of Australia. If we see a similar reaction in the Western and Southern regional areas of NSW, it proves there should be more overall support when it comes to football development all over the country no matter the area of the club.

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Sydney FC is currently on a mission to expand its influence across Asia, with a dedicated focus on nurturing young talent and empowering coaches in the region.

Head of Academy Nick Susko and Head of Fan Engagement Howard Fondyke are currently in Singapore running coaching clinics and coach education sessions with the country’s rising stars.

During their visit, Susko and Fondyke engaged with a diverse group of ages and genders, working closely with over 160 boys and girls over the past week.

In addition to their coaching roles, Fondyke also was a guest speaker at SportsPro's Conference at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, where he shared the club's fan engagement strategy to a network of interested local business leaders.

Fondyke also touched on Sydney FC's innovative strategy to build relationships and connections amongst the football community in Asia by completing these coaching clinics and familiarising people in the continent with the club in the hopes to expand as a brand on top of their view to nurture more talent.

Recently, the club appointed Ferrari Australasian president Dr. Jan Hendrik Voss to the clubs board of directors where he discussed in an interview about the specific vision to expand the club's brand internationally.

The SportsPro event was one of many that the club will involve themselves in to try and connect with the international business community, so there is good reason to expect some more international partnerships and collaborations in the near future.

Starting in Asia is a good initial plan considering the club will return to Asian football through its AFC Champions League 2 qualification.

On the pitch success at that tournament will go hand in hand with its business ventures and the club seeks to build upon its $450,000 it has earned through qualifying for the group stages.

It’s an initiative that shows the commitment the Sky Blues have with fostering football talent outside of the Australian border but also underscores its role as a global ambassador for the sport.

Sydney FC remain a leader in this space in Australian football, making strides in Asia with a vision to expand further and providing valuable football education to young talent through their elite coaching set up.

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Football West have confirmed its Arabian Engagement Strategy in partnership with the Council for Australian-Arab Relations and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Simply, it seeks to enhance Australia's bilateral ties with Arab countries through a shared passion for the world game.

In what is truly a first of its kind in Australian football, Football West and the Federal Government are using this Arabian Engagement Strategy to grow international engagement between Australia and Arab countries specifically through the delivery of training, education, school programs, tours, competitions and the development of players, coaches, and referees.

DFAT has confirmed a $50,000 grant from the Council for Australia-Arab Relations with the total project value listed at $297,786.

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell spoke about the potential of growing WA football through this innovative collaboration said via press release: 

“The incredible growth of football in the Arab region is well documented and Football West is excited to be involved." he said in a Football West statement," he said. 

“We saw Qatar host the FIFA World Cup 18 months ago, while Saudi Arabia will host the tournament in 2034 and has currently attracted some of the biggest names in world football including Cristiano Ronaldo. And the UAE has the current AFC Champions League winners in Al Ain FC.

“Below the headline acts there is massive potential at grassroots levels in the three countries through sporting and cultural exchange visits.

“The primary objective is to position football in Western Australia as a prominent player within the three countries and offer West Australians unique opportunities in sports, culture and education.

“This includes joint development, training and technical programs; coaches and referee workshops; and matches between WA State teams and sides from Qatar, UAE and Saudi.

“The Arabian Engagement Strategy will further promote Football West and the Sam Kerr Football Centre as hubs for team base camps, professional training and exchange programs.

“We have seen the value of the Sam Kerr Football Centre with the recent visit of the Socceroos, and last year with the Matildas. Perth can deliver and that is being seen around the world.”

It is an interesting initiative that is innovative and ambitious as it seeks to reach the Middle East through the sport.

With the grant money tied in there is clearly a plan in place to execute it properly and hopefully provide WA teams with better training and development workshops for its players and referees.

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Football Coaches Australia (FCA) CEO Kelly Rourke has certainly had an unorthodox career on her way to taking over this role in December last year, but her wealth of sports administration experience paired with her glaring passion for football promises to help coaches in Australia progress further than ever before.

Off the back of the Matildas World Cup success and after state federation annual reports suggesting a sizeable increase in the number of coaches participating, Australian coaching education and wellbeing has never been more of an integral part of our local game.

In an interview with Soccerscene, Rourke discusses her career journey to the present day, her overall ambition for the future of local coaching in this role and how she will empower female coaches as the game surges in popularity.

About yourself, how was the journey to becoming FCA CEO? What roles have you done and what is your background in football?

My background is in policing believe it or not. Majority of my career to date has been involved in various roles of policing from patrol work to investigations so that's the big backbone of my career and is what ultimately brought me over to Australia from England. I came out and joined the police here, got recruited whilst I was still in England because they were on the search for specialist skills.

I've been involved in sport my entire life. Back in the day when I was a teenager, I played for Bradford City and Huddersfield Town so I've been involved in football for as long as I can remember as a player. I eventually got stolen by Rugby League and played for England.

When I got to Australia and left the police, I got into various different jobs including a Management Executive role, one with Tabcorp and ultimately, I ended up becoming an administrator for the NRL which is where I get my sports admin background from.

I'm also a chairwoman for a centre in South Australia called The Marjorie Jackson-Nelson Centre for Women's Sport which is a government-funded project that will initially go for four years where we are doing a 12-month course for females to try and bridge the gender gap across all sports, all levels and all roles.

It's not been an obvious career where I've worked in sport or football my entire life, but football is by far the first sport that grabbed by attention, and my career background would probably surprise a few people.

Do you have an overall plan or ambition for coaches in Australia as the CEO of FCA?

I think we need to try and offer something like the PFA does, I think a big goal for us this year that we will try to achieve is standardised contracts in the APL and NPL. We need to be securing the futures of our coaches in order to keep the talent in Australia and also to foster coaches from Europe and across the world to come over here, and that only happens with the introduction of standardised coaching contracts across the professional leagues.

That includes formalised grievance procedures, dispute resolution, tribunals. I just think it is long overdue, we really need to be safeguarding the development of our coaches but also their wellbeing. That's got to be our starting block, we need to secure that and then hopefully we can float it out to the APL and across community football. If we don't take care of their wellbeing, we are going to lose coaches and without coaches, there is no football.

Working with the A-Leagues and the FA on coach development is one of our most important goals. We've got to be driving change forward and offering similar services to the PFA who are a great organisation to learn from.

For the local game, what’s FCA's role in encouraging a growth in the number of local coaches?

We do a lot of coach education so the FA have moved to the UEFA way of coach development, so it used to be that coaches obtained points in order to retain their licences but now its hours. We've been working closely with the FA to understand what it looks like and ensure that we can deliver meaningful coach education to our coaches, and we do that free of charge to our members. We host workshops and webinars with top coaches to help with that.

As a woman in power, are there any moves that you're making to bridge the gender gap for coaching in Australian football?

I'm not sure when FCA brought me in they had a female in mind, they just wanted fresh eyes and someone enthusiastic, and I do this role because I love it and am passionate about the game, I still play and heavily involved with coaches and community football. They wanted to bring someone who had the knowledge of the game that’s got a lot of sports administration experience behind them which I do have.

The FA have invited me to a Women's football summit in June and I think that really shows there is progress with the FA for the fact I've been invited. Obviously, I want to increase opportunities for our female coaches, we've only got two head coaches in the A-Leagues. It was good to see Emily Husband get announced as coach of the year and we've got Kat Smith who didn't have a job until a few weeks out from the season when Western United snapped her up, so we really want to drive and show the female coaches the pathway.

Being a woman does it encourage that? Of course it does for me because I know what it’s like to be an athlete or a coach and not have those opportunities so a big part of my role will involve creating more stabilised roles for our coaches but also creating the pathway for women to nurture the talent we've got.

We need to see more female coaches in NPL teams and in the A-Leagues for sure and I think Emily [Husband] winning coach of the year is a great start, I can't celebrate that enough.

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Joe Montemurro has become the first non-French coach to take over Olympique Lyon Women's team in their 20-year history after a two-year deal was struck with the legendary Australian coach.

The former Juventus and Arsenal head coach takes over the reins from Sonia Bompastor who left at the end of the 2023-24 season to manage WSL club Chelsea.

Montemurro's resume in the women's game is truly unmatched, leading Juventus to five trophies over a three year stretch including a treble in his maiden season. Before that he had a revolutionary coaching spell at WSL giants Arsenal, with whom he claimed the 2018 League Cup and the Women's Super League the following year.

Montemurro is just another of many top Australian coaches produced from home soil, with his youth squads and A-League Women's experience in Melbourne shaping the genius he has become today.

However, a hot topic in the Australian coaching community has been the lack of opportunities abroad for many local coaches whether it be due to the lack of pathways up the ranks or the AFC/UEFA licencing issue that has locked out managers from going abroad.

In a country that has produced plenty of elite manager talent, there are 14 managers in head coaching roles abroad, with only four of those in Europe (Oxtoby, Postecoglou, Montemurro, and Wehrman). It's simply not enough.

Names like Jeff Hopkins and Ante Juric, who have plied their trade in Australian women's football with many titles each are left to ponder the opportunity of coaching abroad without their UEFA licence acquired.

Both Montemurro and Oxtoby in particular have been pioneers in the women's game regarding the seamless transition from Australia to European success, and the consistent successes of the former will surely legitimise women's football more in this country and increase opportunities for the next generation of coaches who start locally and experience early success.

With this move, Montemurro also unfortunately rules himself out of the coveted Matildas manager position that he was certainly one of the leading contenders for. It was a story of poor timing with Australia's best ever women's football coach left to wait too long for Gustavsson to make way.

Montemurro also ended up on the final three of the shortlist in the USWNT's pursuit of a new manager with the Olympics arriving soon, however legendary Chelsea manager Emma Hayes was selected to take over.

However, it could be for the better, with Lyon's sky high expectations something that Montemurro will be very familiar with because of his time at both Arsenal and Juventus.

Lyon have won the French league 17 times in the last 18 seasons, making the league title the minimum requirement for Montemurro, who has really been brought on board to get them back on top in Europe after they lost to Barcelona in last month’s Champions League final.

Montemurro's move to Europe's elite is another step forward in his career and again showcases an example of local coaching success translating into roles in Europe, something that has not been seen enough for football in Australia.

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Global Institute of Sport (GIS) has announced the launch of its latest campus, GIS Brussels, located at 34-time Belgian football champions RSC Anderlecht's home of Lotto Park.

GIS, which provides university degrees in football and sport online and at iconic venues around the world - including access to London’s Wembley Stadium and Inter Miami’s Chase Stadium - will start to deliver a Postgraduate Diploma in International Football Business in Brussels from September 2024.

Open to domestic and international students and delivered in partnership with one of Western Europe’s top universities Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), budding football administrators will be able to learn in the 22,000 seater stadium which boasts state-of-the-art teaching spaces. This ensures that students are embedded in the football and sports industry through an immersive and inspirational learning environment and fantastic networking opportunities, a truly experiential education experience.

GIS President and CEO Sharona Friedman shared her delight at the new venture to Belgium.

“This is a landmark moment for Global Institute of Sport as we open our doors to international students to learn in the heart of western Europe,” she said via media release.

“Partnering with Vrije Universiteit Brussel, one of Europe’s leading universities, and with a stunning stadium campus hosted by the famous RSC Anderlecht, our students will be set up perfectly for a career in the dynamic European football industry.”

RSC Anderlecht Business CEO Kenneth Bornauw added:

“As a club, we are excited to partner with the Global Institute of Sport and Vrije Universiteit Brussel to host the football leaders of tomorrow in this unique university program. We are very happy to host the curriculum in our Lotto Park, where we are committed to nurturing talent and fostering personal development.”

For more information on GIS Brussels, please visit www.GIS.sport/brussels.

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Melbourne Knights Football Club has confirmed a new partnership with leading football management software company, ProTrainUp.

This collaboration is set to enhance communication and streamline operations with the Club, marking a significant step forward in the commitment to excellence and growth.

Founded in 2013, ProTrainUp is a club management system fuelled by data driven technology, created by and for the football community. ProTrainUp combines quantitative and qualitative data to enhance club operations for both staff and participants, enabling the Club to:

1. Enhance communication between club staff and players with built-in public and private messaging services.
2. Simplify the organization and delivery of training sessions using plans and sessions provided by top international federations and clubs, available only through ProTrainUp.
3. Maintain an up-to-date calendar of training sessions and matches.
4. Gather data and statistics on players to create detailed reports on individual player development and overall team progress.

ProTrainUp is a system used by clubs around the world including European clubs such as Dinamo Zagreb FC and FC Porto, highlighting its importance in modern football.

The main objective of this partnership is to enhance communication among club staff, players, and parents.

ProTrainUp’s advanced software will deliver a centralised platform for efficient and effective communication, guaranteeing that all members of the Melbourne Knights community stay well-informed and engaged.

The system is accessible both online and through the app, allowing players and parents to enable push notifications so they never miss important Club updates.

The partnership will play a huge role in upskilling the juniors program in 2025, a huge focus that President Simon Pincic spoke about in length in his exclusive interview with Soccerscene.

The Knights will leverage ProTrainUp’s comprehensive tools for training management, performance tracking, and development planning to 'provide the juniors with the best possible environment to grow and succeed' as per their statement.

This will help more than just the junior players however with ProTrainUp, the coaches will benefit from this technology with seamless tracking of player progress, and enhanced training experiences, all contributing to the overall development of the junior players.

The club spoke about the future of their management through this advanced technology system.

"We look forward to a successful partnership and are excited about the positive impact it will have on our Club and community. Together with ProTrainUp, we are committed to building a stronger, more connected, and highly effective football club," Knights said in a club statement.

This is an excellent and innovative partnership by the Knights that sees them advance forward in the development of technology.

The Knights have been vocal about the importance of junior development and have historically been one of Australia's most successful clubs at creating stars from their system, with ProTrainUp only advancing that cause.

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Global Institute of Sport (GIS) has announced an expansion into the Middle East by partnering with leading football performance specialists The Player, co-founded by former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor.

Aspiring footballers from across the globe can now study a GIS university degree and immerse themselves in an elite football environment with the stunning surroundings of Dubai.

The new ‘Study & Play: Dubai’ initiative provides footballers of all levels with an unprecedented opportunity to train and play in state-of-the-art facilities under the guidance of UEFA A licenced coaches. Alongside their football, students studying a specialist GIS online sports degree will receive local academic support, as well as be part of a global cohort of GIS students studying the same degree course.

Open to students from across the world to move to Dubai, successful applicants will be able to immerse themselves in the Middle East’s emerging football market, gain cutting-edge skills and apply for sports work placements that will shape their future both on and off the field.

The Player Co-Founder and former Newcastle United player Steven Taylor commented:

“This partnership with GIS offers a fantastic opportunity for young athletes. Education is one of our four main focuses at The Player, and we’re able to offer high level performance training alongside this education.”

Fellow The Player Co-Founder and UEFA A licenced coach Sam White added:

“We’re really proud to be introducing this partnership with Global Institute of Sport, and being able to offer young professionals and talented young athletes the opportunity to study a degree and play or work within the world of football in Dubai at the same time.”

GIS President and CEO Sharona Friedman stated:

“GIS was founded with the intention of bringing the best learning and education from the world of sport together so that students are able to graduate with a holistic understanding of best practice from around the globe.

“We are delighted to partner with The Player to provide an additional immersive opportunity for students to study and train in an elite football environment, whilst also bringing our education model to a new region, which will be at the forefront of sports business and performance for the decades to come.”

The GIS degrees available to study as part of this opportunity are:

• Certificate of Higher Education in Football Coaching
• MSc Football Business
• MSc Football Coaching & Analysis
• MSc Football Communications & Digital Marketing
• MSc International Sport Management
• MSc Performance Analysis in Football
• MA Sports Agency
• MSc Sports Marketing & Media

All programmes are delivered entirely online with the exception of MSc Football Coaching & Analysis, which is largely online plus two residential weeks in either London, Miami or Melbourne.

For more information on Study & Play: Dubai, you can visit the link here: www.GIS.sport/dubai.

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FIFA has announced several amendments to the current Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP). These changes have been approved by the FIFA Council by May 2024 and have been brought into effect from June 1.

These changes are majorly focused on women and the impact that menstruation and pregnancy have on their careers.

A meeting of key stakeholders and FIFA members resulted in these new regulations advancing the women's game.

These include:

• FIFA female players and coaches can now receive a minimum of 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.
• A minimum of 8 weeks of paid absence for female coaches and players who adopt a child under the age of 2.
• Also, a minimum of 8 weeks paid absence from the birth of the child if they are not the biological mother (for example same-sex parenthood).
• Players are entitled to full remuneration if they are absent from training or games due to menstruation or pregnancy health reasons.
• There is increased support for female players in contacting families during national team contexts to ease pressure on children and mothers.

FIFA Chief Legal & Compliance Officer Emilio García Silvero has commented on the recent changes:

“FIFA is committed to implementing a dynamic regulatory framework that is sound and suitable for the increasing needs of female players and coaches,” he said via media release.

“In order for the game to further flourish, it’s key that we have a holistic approach towards player well-being, including the legal aspects.”

This is a huge advancement in the game's equality mission as FIFA has recognised and actively planned to ease the physical, psychological and social dimensions of pregnancy and menstruation for women athletes.

These regulations fit Goal 2 in FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027, which describe the organisation’s commitment to exploring and implementing further safeguards for player and coach welfare.

FIFA Chief Football Women’s Officer Dame Sarai Bareman outlined the importance of placing women’s physical health in the legal and mainstream dialogue of the sport.

“When you’re playing sport for a living, and in a professional environment, we have to factor in that the female menstrual cycle can also impact on your ability to deliver within your role,” she added via media release.

“So, it’s important that we protect … those that are affected by their menstrual cycles in a way that it doesn’t put at risk their employment situation with their club and, ultimately, their ability to earn money.”

This announcement shows the players are becoming the major stakeholders in laws and regulations around their welfare.

This is an important strategy for the equality of the game by making sure that women’s sporting careers are not put on hold or impacted by their natural body function or raising a child.

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Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has confirmed details of their next webinar, to be held on Monday, June 10, 2024.

Dr Ron Smith will deliver an online session to share insights for players in a complex football environment, dubbed 'keep it simple'.

The session itself will be broken down into two parts, as Dr Ron Smith will outline what he thinks a coach can do to help players improve their performance and understanding.

Firstly, the focus will be on what players can do with and without the ball when the team is in possession. The second part of the session will see Dr Ron Smith explain why certain behaviours are better than others and why they will always be present.

Another important aspect will be how the language used to communicate with players can be more effective; by keeping it simple and easy to understand.

This event is free for FCA members, while all participants will qualify for one hour of CPD which links with Football Australia

The date and duration of the webinar is for Monday, June 10 at 7.30PM - 9PM AEST.

To register, you can do so by following the link here.

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Before Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United’s pre-season friendly match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, football codes came together on the day to test their skills in a first-ever junior clinic.

Hosted at Collingwood Football Club’s training facility of AIA Vitality Centre, the Aussie Rules AFL team was joined by the visiting Spurs.

Across two sporting codes, a common denominator is that AIA proudly supports both and through the affiliation, combined for a once in a lifetime coaching clinic.

Tottenham and Collingwood players were in attendance, along with AIA Ambassador and former Hawthorn premiership player Shane Crawford.

Junior soccer and AFL club players were treated to a memorable day of fun and skills training, aimed at promoting AIA’s vision of communities living happier and healthier lives. This included specialised drills, authentic coaching and a Q&A session for all kids to learn and benefit from.

AIA is a long-time partner of Tottenham, while their recent front-of-shirt deal with Melbourne Victory further emphasised their support for Australian football.

[caption id="attachment_24814" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] A day of fun at Collingwood FC's AIA Centre.[/caption]

Speaking to Soccerscene, AIA Australia CEO Damien Mu reflected on a hugely successful day for participants.

“The AIA junior clinic was fantastic, it was all about giving an opportunity for kids to get active and participate in training with Tottenham and Collingwood coaches,” he said.

“We thought it was a rare opportunity and fantastic way to really promote active participation in sport.

“At AIA, we encourage people to live happier, longer, and better lives and being active is one of those - with other important choices such as what you eat and looking after your mental wellbeing.

“We’ve sponsored Tottenham since 2013 and the fact they’re out here with Ange taking over was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”

“We also sponsor Collingwood and most recently Melbourne Victory, so we thought what a great way to get the three clubs together and Collingwood were fantastic in hosting at the AIA Vitality Centre and getting behind it, with all three teams giving back to the community.”

It was a momentous occasion for Victorian fans, as Ange Postecoglou has completed his first full season at the Spurs.

Mu shared what the excitement was like on the day.

“Undoubtably, having Ange had a huge impact,” he said.

“We’ve been fortunate to have Tottenham come out a few times – in Sydney and then Perth last year – it’s always a massive buzz and gives such a good lift to football.

“With Ange now there, it’s given that a super boost and the energy that’s around him, along with having two EPL teams in town, which is why just over 78,000 people went to the MCG on a weeknight.

“All of this is a great way to get kids attached to the game and have active participation post-World Cup, rather than being stuck on smart devices.”

[caption id="attachment_24816" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Crawford (far right) chatting with Tottenham representatives.[/caption]

Melbourne Victory, who were preparing for the A-League Men’s Grand Final against Central Coast Mariners, were backed by AIA as a Finals Series sponsor.

Mu described what he and AIA saw in Victory leading up to the deal being struck.

“Melbourne Victory have had a great season, been long-standing as one of the original clubs in the A-League and a cornerstone of the league from the start,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity that arose given our affiliation with football globally through Tottenham.

“We had ongoing conversations with Victory about how we can partner up, and it seemed like a great way to support them at a time when they were seeking that support going into the finals.

“They’re a great club – it really is about family, community and business coming together. Even Ange touched on the community feel, all the way back in his South Melbourne days.

“We definitely love the community aspect of what Victory are trying to do and how they like to get out there and promote the game as well.”

Reflecting on the community theme, Mu added what he sees in collaborating with sporting organisations.

“When we think partnerships, we want them to be purposeful,” he said.

“It’s great to be on the shirt, but it’s more about what we do with clubs in relation to health and wellbeing.

“Our sporting clubs are great because it provides genuine role models to cheer on within family and friends.

“It allows us to get really meaningful health and wellbeing content from the players and coaches that we know fans and members absolutely love, rather than a company with three letters on it telling you what we do.”

[caption id="attachment_24818" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Collingwood FC's Will Hoskin-Elliott (left) with Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.[/caption]

From a long-term perspective, AIA are hoping to maintain their presence in Asia and Oceania.

Mu shared the overall success of the junior clinic where we can expect more to come.

“We’re really lucky with the partnership through Tottenham where there’s coaching clinics right across the markets we operate in Australia and New Zealand,” he said.

“The clinics are really important as they get out to schools and the clubs, especially at grassroots level.

“When the whole team comes into town, you get a boost, but this is something we’ve been doing for a while and part of the collaboration with Tottenham where we are proud to do these clinics in Australia and New Zealand.”

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Adelaide United confirmed that PSV legend and former Dutch international Ernest Faber will become the club's Technical Director.

This announcement is linked to the recent strategic partnership between Adelaide United and Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, further demonstrating the Club’s commitment to longer term football investment.

Securing someone of Faber's elite European football prestige is a brilliant move by the Reds and will advance their already successful off-field development plan that has seen Nestory Irankunda and Joe Gauci leave for big funds.

Faber was appointed Assistant Manager of the Netherlands national team in 2011 under Bert van Marwijk and worked with the national side at the UEFA Euro 2012.

Faber became PSV’s Head of Youth Academy in 2018 and will conclude his tenure there on June 30, 2024. He will join the Reds in July, relocating to Adelaide.

Faber expressed his excitement at joining the club and the challenges that lie ahead for him.

“I am truly honoured and excited to be starting this new challenge and cannot wait to get started,” Faber said in an interview.

“When I came to visit Adelaide in January, I was very impressed with the culture of the Club.

"There are a number of really good young players in South Australia, and I am really excited to work with Marius and the entire Football Department to help elevate the Club to the standards it strives for.”

Adelaide United Chair, Ned Morris mentioned how impactful this move was going to be for the club's future.

“Today is a monumental day for our great club and we are absolutely thrilled that Ernest has committed to Adelaide United," Morris said in a club statement.

“Our goal is to become the most successful Club in Australia, and having Ernest’s wealth of experience on and off the field is incredibly valuable to us.

“Having Ernest within our ranks strengthens our ties with PSV Eindhoven and will give us opportunities to work with the next generation of great young prospects in their Youth System.

“We look forward to the positive influence Ernest will have in our Football Department and the organisation as a whole.”

Adelaide United recently embarked on a journey to Eindhoven to link up with the Dutch club and give players, coaches and officials the opportunity to engage with PSV Academy, renowned for nurturing some of the brightest talents in European football.

This new partnership with PSV and appointment of Ernest Faber is part of an ambitious long-term plan that promises growth, success, and a shared passion to nurture young talent and generate success on and off the field.

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Western Sydney Wanderers announced a partnership with MKJ Projects to sponsor the Club’s Pre-Academy Development Program at Wanderers Football Park.

MKJ Projects will be presented on the front-of-shirt, in a program designed to advance the skills of 6 to 12 year old players, with the program open to both boys and girls wanting to develop their football skills under the guidance of the Western Sydney Wanderers Academy coaches.

The program aims to build on the skills that players already possess, while teaching them new skills and techniques to improve their game based on the Club’s highly regarded coaching curriculum.

MKJ Projects are a building and renovation company based in Sydney, that specialise in ensuring quality and affordable building options are available.

The company sponsors the Penrith Panthers in the NRL and are now moving towards football with the vision to improve the grassroots game in Western Sydney by helping out this program.

Western Sydney Wanderers CEO Scott Hudson thanked MKJ Projects for their support of the expanding program.

“We would like to thank Michael and his team for their support of our ever-expanding Pre-Academy Development Program which has gone from strength to strength since launching,” Hudson said in a statement.

“It the opportunity for youngsters from all over Western Sydney to train in a safe and enjoyable environment, as well as being mentored from highly qualified Academy coaches.”

MKJ Projects Managing Director & Founder Michael Jones discussed the company’s goal to help support and improve the pathway program for the Wanderers.

“MKJ Projects are thrilled to be part of the Western Sydney Wanderers community,” Jones added via media release.

“MKJ Projects are passionate around grassroots football and are excited to be a part of developing the next generation of Socceroos and Matildas.”

The Wanderers are a leader in academy programs in the country, with all ages, socio-economic groups and genders accompanied in a bid to follow in the footsteps of Adelaide United and the Mariners who have made a big profit off academy players.

Both companies have visions of excellence and quality which will help them develop an academy system that is currently producing fantastic talent.

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Football Queensland (FQ) have released their 2023 Annual Report which suggests state-wide growth in all areas and shows the strides it has made in its long-term strategic development across the state.

Football Queensland had a plan in 2020 to stabilise and grow its financial performances across the short-term future and were able to do that to full effect in 2023.

FQ delivered a record total revenue of $20,016,537 ($8.8m in 2020), and net assets of $5.3m, with a cumulative surplus of $2.5m.

In recent years, FQ has actively sought to diversify the organisation’s revenue streams by targeting growth in commercial income which this year saw an impressive 267% increase.

This placed downward pressure on registration fees which were reduced by nearly 30% in 2022.

As expected, a major influence in the increase of participation was the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup that inspired many around the country.

Football Queensland reported an 11.1% increase in state-wide participation post-FWWC23.

Football in Queensland is thriving, with 308 clubs and more than 300,000 players in 2023, the game stands as the state’s largest team and club-based participation sport, delivering significant social and community benefits both on and off the field.

For the first time ever, the Grand Finals of NPL Queensland and FQPL 1 Men and Women competitions were played at Suncorp Stadium which provided a platform to showcase Queensland’s top footballers on the prestigious stage.

As a result of this historic season, the digital broadcast reach and live stream viewership also experienced significant growth in 2023, particularly for the women’s competitions which recorded a viewership increase of 231.34%.

FQ have an ongoing commitment to promote women and girls in football, with dedicated programs and activations in place to reach their 50/50 gender parity goal by 2027.

In 2023, women & girls participation grew 8% on 2022 with a total of 31,239 outdoor club-based female players involved.

MiniRoos Club Girls growth was 5% with over 43,000 participants in 2023 providing an insight into how bright the future is in the state for women's football.

There was a 28% increase in female coaches in 2023 across all different levels with development a key target for FQ.

Futsal participation had a 28% increase as well with FQ cracking over 10,000 participants for the first time.

FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci explained the encouraging numbers from the report and spoke on the future vision of FQ.

“2023 was another huge year for football in Queensland, as we worked to continue the momentum and success of the initiatives outlined in FQ’s 2023-2026 One Football Strategic plan which delivered a clear and comprehensive framework to foster growth of the game,” he said in a statement.

“Football Queensland has outlined our bold target of 50/50 gender parity in participation by 2027 and already in the first quarter of 2024 we have seen a remarkable 44% growth in outdoor female players.

“While we can attribute some of this success to the amplification effect of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, FQ’s strategic commitment and deployment of initiatives and programs in the lead up and post the event have played a crucial role in capturing and funnelling this growth in demand for our game.

“As we continue to record strong growth across the state and strive to meet the demands of our current base, it is absolutely critical that we as a governing body continue to advocate strongly for infrastructure investment in our game at a local, state and federal level on behalf of our clubs and participants.

“FQ launched multiple brand-new tournaments in 2023 to continue to strengthen the connected football pyramid, linking FQPL football tiers and maximising competitive opportunities for players, including the Kappa Pro Series and the expanded Mitre FQPL Champions League.

“The new futsal pyramid announced in 2023 aims to unify the delivery of futsal products, including the launch of the new Queensland Futsal Cup which provides further pathways for Queensland players to strive for national success.

“FQ’s ongoing focus on coach and referee support and development led to six Queensland match officials being named in the inaugural intake of the Football Australia Referee Academy, as well as the delivery of 223 coaching courses to over 2,800 attendees.

“On behalf of Football Queensland, I’d like to acknowledge the support of our Football Queensland team, Football Australia, State and Local Governments and our official partners throughout 2023, who contributed to a year marked by many historic milestones for our game."

There are plenty of positives to come out of a year that has shaped the future of women's football and participation in Queensland.

Queensland showed its ability to host the Women's World Cup and will get a chance again in 2026 with the Women’s Asian Cup in a bid hopefully to again use the momentum to surge participation growth and their financial stability.

You can read the Annual Report in full here.

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Socceroos' Head Coach Graham Arnold addressed the 3rd Asian Football Confederation (AFC) National Coaches Conference on Thursday, 9 May in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The three-day conference reflects on insights gained from the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, while also considering the forthcoming expanded FIFA World Cup in 2026.

It gave Graham Arnold and other AFC associated coaches a chance to exchange ideas and share information in a bid to help improve and inspire each other as Round Three of World Cup Qualification approaches.

Arnold was selected by the AFC and spoke amongst other eminent coaches from across the Confederation including former Manchester City legend Yaya Toure.

After a memorable 2022 World Cup campaign and over three decades of coaching within the confederation, it’s no surprise that Graham Arnold is held in such high regard, and this represents a step forward for Football Australia.

Football Australia CEO, James Johnson spoke on how important it was for Graham Arnold to speak at such an event.

“Arnie’s record and reputation within international football speaks for itself, and his leadership of the Subway Socceroos has been exceptional over the last six years,” Johnson said in an statement for Football Australia.

“His contribution to Australian football as a player and coach extends almost three decades, and he possesses a wealth of knowledge that can help assist the development of our game throughout Asia.

“Arnie is held in high esteem not just here in Australia, but throughout the Confederation and we’re extremely proud to see him playing such a key role in a conference of this significance."

Socceroos’ Head Coach, Graham Arnold spoke about how honoured he was to be involved in the AFC National Coaches Conference.

“It’s a privilege to be sharing the room with so many fantastic coaches and I’m looking forward to sharing some of my experience with the group,” Arnold said at the event.

“We’ve all taken different journeys into coaching and bring varied perspectives which I think can be really valuable to discuss in this type of environment.

“I’m sure we’ll all walk away with something to take back and share with our respective teams – it's a great initiative from the AFC."

It is always positive to see top Australian coaches share and learn critical ideas from other successful names within the Asian football space as the country continues to underscore is commitment to advancing coaching quality.

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Football West have confirmed that player registrations in the state have reached an all-time high after passing the 50,000 mark for the first time.

The number of players in Western Australia registered on Play Football currently sits on 50,231 – 18% up on the same time in 2023 and also includes over 10,000 female players, another record figure and 34% increase from last year.

There are also 3,806 registered coaches in 2024, a massive 74% increase of last year's figure which stood at 2,226 coaches.

Referee numbers are also 25% higher than at the same time 12 months ago, 408 in 2023 while in 2024 it is 510.

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell was ecstatic to confirm this new milestone being hit in the state amongst other participation records.

“These numbers are incredible, and we are delighted to share them with the WA football community," Harnwell said in a statement.

“We were expecting a spike after the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, this is a wider success story and the result of much hard work done across clubs, associations and the Football West team over a number of years.

“We also know that there is a lot of work to be done to ensure these record numbers are not a one-off, rather part of a long-term growth that sees football continue to be the No1 participation sport in Western Australia.

“This includes tackling the extra demands on clubs by providing adequate facilities, including more female-friendly facilities. This will help attract new people and hopefully see them develop a lifelong love of football.

“This is why Football West is currently carrying out a new facilities audit across the state. We are also working closely with the State Government and the Local Government Authorities to identify key areas required for investment.”

Football West are doing a fantastic job in providing adequate funding at grassroots levels for facilities, encouraging the youth to play the sport and ensuring that across all divisions of participation there are more willing to sign up.

As Harnwell mentioned, it's much more than the sudden boom of the Women's World Cup that was expected but rather years of hard work and great decisions that have led to these promising statistics and the plan now is to sustain this growth to hopefully become the most played sport in the state.

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The AFC Technical Committee had its second meeting last weekend in Doha, Qatar on the eve of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 Final between Japan and Uzbekistan.

The official AFC meeting outlines new initiatives on awarding development and solidifying supportive structures.

In conjunction with the overall rise in Women's football within the AFC’s associations and the wider FIFA football community, The AFC has decided to unveil the new accolade of the AFC Women's International Player of the Year Award.

The eligibility criteria include that applicants:

• Must be Asian
• Playing in the leagues of other Confederations
• Have recorded significant achievements for country or club

There has also been an adapted criteria for the existing AFC Women's Player of the Year. Similarly, they must be Asian and a regular national team player, specifically in the AFC competitions, and any of the AFC's Member Associations (MAs) leagues.

The goalkeeper position has also been given due recognition with the Goalkeeper of the Tournament Award in the revamped AFC Champions League Elite - Final Stage, which commences from the 2024/25 season.

These initiatives are important for the AFC acknowledging crucial technical roles in the footballing scene. These individual awards give the incentive for further support for women and goalkeeping by officially elevating their status in the AFC.

Also, there was the support of structured initiatives within the AFC, including the ‘Positive Play’ campaign - promoting attractive football for players, coaches and supporters endorsing the expectation of positive future playing styles. This is especially prominent in the upcoming AFC youth competition with the winning team receiving a certificate of achievement.

On the topic of youth and growth, the AFC Elite Youth Scheme and AFC grassroots charter have also received updates and growing drive, including importantly newly updated regulations for the AFC Coaching Convention.

However, these decisions need to be further ratified by the AFC Executive Committee. This is a promising statement that the AFC Technical Committee is strategising large investments in increasing standards throughout all levels of the AFC’s MAs.

This meeting should also intrigue keen investors, shareholders and clubs in the AFC Technical Committees objective to encourage development means they are willing to reward. financially and strategically. This supports their aim to achieve higher standards and results on and off the field.

It’s an encouraging sign of evolution in the Asian football schedule and an ambitious push by the AFC.

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Football Australia has joined forces with Etrainu to forge ahead with the creation of the Football Australia Learning Centre, a pioneering initiative aimed at enriching the knowledge and skills within the football community.

The brand new Learning Centre will amalgamate the former Learning Management System (LMS) and Qualification Management System (QMS) into one unified platform, supplying Football Australia enhanced flexibility and oversight over their educational pathways.

Upon its completion, the Football Australia Learning Centre will serve as a centralised hub for coaches and referees to oversee their certifications and enhance their expertise, utilising a blend of online and in-person learning opportunities.

This marks a significant achievement for Australian football, as hundreds of thousands of coaches and referees will gain swift and convenient access to their learning journey, moreover, they will have the capability to independently oversee qualifications such as their referee license and journey.

After an exhaustive exploration phase, Etrainu and Football Australia collaborated on a solution that capitalises on the fundamental features of the Etrainu LMS, integrating seamlessly with Football Australia’s participant registration platform (Play Football), staff directory, and payment solution.

This integrated environment will unlock numerous advantages for Football Australia.

Etrainu CEO, Paul Hoon expressed his delight with the partnership via press release:

“This is an incredible opportunity to impact the football community in Australia,” he said to Football Australia.

“Watching the performance of both our Men’s and Women’s teams at the most recent World Cups, it is clear that football is continuing to grow in Australia, we’re excited to deliver a platform that will help streamline education pathways for coaches and referees, creating an impact for the grassroots football community.”

Upon the unveiling of the Football Australia Learning Centre, Chief Football Officer at Football Australia, Ernie Merrick conveyed his excitement for the venture and its prospective influence on the educational realm of the sport.

“Through our partnership with Etrainu, we’re setting a new standard for football education in Australia, The Football Australia Learning Centre is designed to empower our coaches and referees with the tools and knowledge they need to excel and progress,” he said to Football Australia.

“This platform is more than just a learning management system; it's a gateway to unlocking potential at every level of the game. We are committed to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that Australian football remains strong today and even stronger tomorrow.”

Phase 1 of the Football Australia Learning Centre has been successfully launched, providing tangible benefits to the football community across the nation.

In the forthcoming months and years, subsequent phases will witness the ongoing expansion of the Learning Centre.

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Football Queensland (FQ) have remained busy on the tools in building the framework required to materialize their aspirations, all through the implementation of The 2024-2026 Game Development Strategy.

Acknowledging the popularity of the world's game within the state, CEO Robert Cavallucci disclosed that the development strategy plan is to make football “the game of choice” amongst Queenslanders.

In correlation with the strategic referee plan released earlier in the month, the Development Strategy plan highlights women’s football, 50/50 parity amongst male and female participants FQ wishes to achieve 128,000 registered football club participants.

The monumental hype that surrounded Australia’s maiden tenure as World Cup hosts has culminated in football governing bodies looking to transcend the sport within their respective states to unprecedented heights.

It is common knowledge that the success and appreciation for the Matilda’s throughout their 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign leaves in its wake a tangible interest within football amongst potential female participants.

FQ are also seeking to achieve 200,000 social participants, while vying to achieve further diversity amongst its existing participants.

But how are FQ going climb the steep mountain?

Pillar One: Recruitment and Opportunity

In order to have a significant percentage increase within the number of official and social participants across the board involves a proactive approach. The fundamental aspect of achieving parity between genders is to amplify the dedicated focus upon fostering inclusivity.

Through events crafted towards a vast variety of varying demographical and geographical communities, the programs created in order to showcase the sport of football, while attempting to attract new participants.

In order to break the barriers FQ will investigate and identify strategic growth areas by conducting a geographical and demographical review.

Upon this, the establishment and implementation of a strategy where football within schools becomes more inclusive will be exercised.

Pillar Two: Delivery and Experience

The pursuit of excellence spearheads the secondary pillar featured within the strategic plan. The experience of every participant is paramount.

Underscored by a pledge to deliver 10/10 experiences enabling its participants in the development of existing skills while garnering new ones.

In order for participants increase and remain active, FQ has dedicated attention towards a coach’s development through upskilling initiatives and creation of a coach's community.

Regular coaching workshops creating opportunities for professional development of community club coaches, a feedback loop for participants, a reward and recognition program and imperative quality assurance are the aspects in which FQ will exercise in order to fulfil the secondary pillar.

Success within the pillar includes a 90% participation of the coaches attending the regularly offered workshops and development opportunities.

Pillar Three: Retention and Transition

Dedication targeted towards the encouragement of an inclusive football environment, making its participants feel important, valued and satisfied is the framework for the third and final pillar.

Personalized programs offered are created in order to welcome football for everyone. Commitment to developing effective retention and transition strategies all crafted in order to achieve 80% retention rates throughout the state.

With potential participants becoming active then ultimately losing interest and involvement, FQ disclosed their intent to target this issue.

Exit surveys are to be conducted to find patterns relating to player turn over. The creation of a comprehensive player lifecycle engagement plan in order to retain players across whatever stage of their football journey they are experiencing.

Furthermore, the creation of a centralized database tracking participation and engagement will determine areas for improvement.

Increased club capacity, a retention success score of 80% and 60% uptake of educational workshops throughout clubs are the areas of success within the retention and transition pillar.

The measurement of success within the Development Strategy plan undertaken by FQ is across multiple areas. Coaching quality, club participation churn rate, transition Success, demographic diversity, 50/50 parity, and participation retention rate all to culminate towards the primary target.

Overall

128,000 active outdoor players, 200,000 social players. All within the next two years. Quite the mountain FQ are trying to climb. The strategy plans and the roadmap to see their succession plan come to full fruition.

The roadmap for success has been created. It will be a path consisting of commitment, patience and perseverance, all culminating in the greater future success of a football rich state.

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Adelaide United have confirmed an ambitious strategic partnership with PSV Eindhoven that will help both clubs engage in a mutually beneficial exchange, both on and off the pitch.

The partnership will offer the opportunity for young talents from Adelaide United to immerse themselves in the world-renowned PSV Campus De Herdgang. This gives them a chance to train and potentially compete under European conditions, gaining invaluable experience and exposure.

Adelaide United are known for their fantastic academy and development system that has seen them exceed expectations on the pitch and garner great financial gain off it.

Superstars like Joe Gauci and Nestory Irankunda are the two big names out of Adelaide's system to recently secure moves to Europe and break league transfer records.

The club aim to gain significantly more than just the training opportunities the young players will receive access to PSV's vast network that opens doors to potential player transfers and loan moves. It provides the club a chance to bolster their squad with top-tier talent and inject fresh energy into their ranks.

Moreover, United coaching staff will leverage the expertise and insights offered by the PSV Coaching Academy, enhancing their methodologies and approaches to player development.

Ernest Faber, Head of Youth Development at PSV, explained the benefits of this collaboration.

“The clubs will share expertise and insights on matters such as scouting and youth development. This is also a great commercial opportunity for PSV,” he said in a statement.

Adelaide United Chairman Ned Morris highlighted the ambition of the club and the significance of this move for the club's future.

“PSV is one of the biggest clubs in the world and has a proven track record of developing some of the most talented players in Europe. On and off the pitch, PSV is achieving great successes,” Morris said in a club statement.

“As a club, we are committed to developing young players and giving them opportunities. Being able to apprentice with PSV will certainly have a beneficial effect on Adelaide United’s players and coaches. At the same time, we know we are doing a lot of things very well in the A-League and will try to share our football vision and operational knowledge with PSV’s.”

This follows the Mariners' recent collaboration with Liga Portugal club Portimonense SAD as both clubs continue to lead the way in academy performance and production.

Adelaide United have pointed out many times that they want to become the most successful football cub in Australia and this incredible partnership shows one huge leap towards their ambition.

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Football Victoria announced a partnership with Veo Technologies, a global leader in AI-powered sports recording platforms.

FV will integrate Veo Technology and cameras across its internal departments, including technical teams and the referee department.

This collaboration brings advanced video analysis capabilities to all aspects of football operations within FV, including technical teams and the referee department.

FV have been searching for a new company to help with their modern football analytics capabilities and chose Veo after a rigorous and detailed process.

The company met FV's requirements and standards for elite football analysis and both companies reflect a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in football analytics, benefiting the entire Victorian football landscape.

Veo is the simple and portable sports camera. In Veo, their goal is to help every player and team take their game and sport up a level. They do it with a camera that can automatically record and live-stream sport and a state-of-the-art analysis platform, all powered by AI.

With a combination of advanced AI technology and ease of use, Veo have made this whole process easy and available for everybody, and Veo has become a natural part of sport pitches worldwide.

In their statement, the company spoke about the overall target they want to hit with this partnership.

"Our goal is to also make VEO's technology accessible to all clubs, players, and coaches, supporting the game's progress in Victoria," Veo said in a statement.

Paul Iliopoulos, FV Sponsorship & Events Manager, mentioned the importance of this partnership in improving the quality of coaching and football development in the state.

"VEO's cameras are a crucial asset for coaches, players, and clubs. This partnership will provide valuable options and benefits, enhancing education and development in football analytics across the Victorian football community," he said in a statement.

This partnership will mainly benefit the local clubs in Victoria with an affordable deal set that will allow easier access to the fantastic technology.

Through the partnership, FV members are eligible for A$300 discount off a Veo Cam 2, this offer is eligible with the purchase of a 1 or 2-year subscription for a team or club.

To redeem this discount, enter your information at https://www.veo.co/en-au/partnership/football-victoria?t=1

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Similar to all life cycles, a footballers career commences and concludes.

However, athletes are often uncertain about the precise timing of the conclusion of their career and the events that might lead to retirement.

Babalj's retirement occurred at the age of 30 due to a career marred by recurring injuries, prompting him to exit professional football. After enduring a 12-year career plagued by setbacks, Babalj was already contemplating his next steps as he transitioned into life after playing.

After finishing his studies, Babalj swiftly obtained employment following his retirement.

In his final year at the highest level, Babalj was involved for the Newcastle Jets during the 2021-2022 A-League Men Season, now he continues his footballing journey with the same club, serving as their Football Operations Manager and assistant coach for their senior men’s teams.

Not every individual has the privilege of such opportunities, some struggles exist in securing employment after their football careers, while others simply find themselves not knowing what to do.

However, Babalj had been contemplating his next phase for some time, and with assistance from Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), he started to map out the path of his future beyond his playing career.

“There were a couple of situations throughout my career where I thought, will I get another contract or will I be given another chance and it made you think: ‘okay, what’s next?,’ he told the PFA.

“That’s where the PFA was great, the Player Development Managers helped push you into and guide you and gave you suggestions and advice about what you can do.

“I was lucky enough to do a post grad in Football Business and I carried on to do a Masters in Sports Management which helped me get this gig in the first place.

“I had started my coaching badges while I was playing. It’s very important, I hope the PFA continue to do that work because when I was 18 and they’d come in, I used to think ‘oh, don’t worry about that, I’ll worry about that when I’m 30.'

“But l wish I had started it earlier, because in your down time you can actually switch off and learn, and get qualifications instead of overthinking because you have a lot of down time as a player.

“I’m glad l ended up doing it, l still ended up finishing it on time, it’s never too late or never too early to start.”

Upon assuming his new position, many of Babalj’s former teammates became individuals he now oversaw in his role in football operations, furthermore, they were the players to whom he imparted instructions on the pitch.

“You want to earn the respect of your peers because of your new role, not because of who you were as a player so I just tried to have good rapport with everyone and help in any way I can,” he said to the PFA.

“The transition was made easier because it kept you busy because a lot of players once they retire, they have a lot of spare time and when you have a lot of spare time, it’s a lot of thinking and overthinking and that’s not good.

Indeed, Babalj’s performance with Melbourne Heart and his subsequent move abroad earned him a call-up for the Socceroos, he debuted in a friendly match against South Korea and later scored two goals against Guam during the 2013 East Asian Cup.

Sadly, the common theme of Babalj’s playing career was struggling to maintain consistent playing time, nonetheless, he aims to embark on a new chapter where he can exert a greater influence in football beyond the field.

“When l was presented that role with football ops, it coincided with doing my Masters in Sports Management and then former Jets Head Coach, Arthur Papas, was happy enough for me to help out on a coaching side, which helped me decide which direction I wanted to go long term and gave me something to think about,” he said to the PFA.

Babalj harbours significant aspirations for the direction he wants to steer his coaching career, intending to pursue further studies overseas.

“Keep getting the experience and learning, you have to finish off all the licences first. I always wanted to do the UEFA ones, I started all the AFC ones through FA and the PFA but as you see many other coaches from Australia, when they want to go overseas they have obstacles,” he said to the PFA.

Babalj’s career should be a guide for local players in the country thinking about their post-football careers and the importance of laying the groundwork for getting ready in the necessary occupation they may have, whether it’s in football or elsewhere.

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Football Queensland (FQ) are embarking on a transformative journey.

Seeking to elevate the current refereeing regime on a state-wide level is a high-priority within their objectives. The Referee Strategy plan will run from 2024 until 2026, where the current framework of officials officiating within Queensland looks to be recrafted.

Referees are the unsung heroes of any sport, especially football. The decisions they make as a collective can have historical ramifications. They are ultimately tasked with making correct decisions, while under the microscope of the entire footballing audience, governing bodies and participants all watching attentively on to hear of what the decision may be, which ultimately impacts their respective teams.

The constant pressure, scrutiny and tension they are under does not go unnoticed, nor should their presence. Referring on a global scale is a tedious aspect of sport. It is simple to attract people that are keen to participate within a sport on a playing level. In an officiating role, it is a whole different kettle of fish.

The Strategic Pillars 
The priority placed upon the recruitment and retainment of officials is a focal point of the FQ referee strategy. Unification of their already established referee base is crucial. Their primary objectives include:

3600 FQ Registered Referees across all formatted of football within Queensland.

50/50 Parity: Resulting in FQ wishing to foster 1250 more female referees.

Queensland founded referees to be represented on a global scale.

Developing pathways for educators, referees and match day officials.

With all of those objectives in mind. To execute such a tall order is achievable all through the basis of a solid foundation. The “Strategic Pillars” assorted to accumulate 3,600 referees by the year 2026 include the following stages. 

Pillar #1: Recruitment and Outreach
The re-imagination of talent recruitment, combined with diversification and expansion all are at the forefront of the strategies initial phase.

Pillar #2: Pathways and Opportunities 

Creating a community that thrives upon the continuous growth of refereeing through the establishment of a unified culture, spearheaded by the passion involved for the game and officiating.

Pillar #3: Retention and Engagement

The pressures involved within the occupation can deter potential participants or current officials for wanting to exercise their skillset within the field. The third phase within the pillars involves support directed towards the wellbeing of officials. Ensuring that they are recognized, celebrated, supported and encouraged.

Pillar #4: Training and Development

The fourth and final phase is equally as important as the previous three. The creation of cohesion amongst a community is of great importance. Looking to gain participants through revolutionary training activities in which showcase the intense art form of officiating in an engaging manner, while improving and establishing skills.
There are currently over 2000 registered referees within FQ.

They are attempting to increase their refereeing basis by 425 participants, compounding each year until 2026 while striving to double their current female referee basis.

As a footnote to Australia’s presence on a global perspective within the football world, we remain a nation in that possesses immense interest in the sport, yet haven’t found their strides in translating that passion into becoming a top-level contending country upon the football pitch on the international scale.

It was Queensland’s very own Jarred Gillet who pathed the pathway in which Australian referees should look to charter. From officiating some of the A-leagues all-time greatest clashes to becoming a primary referee within the Premier League all over the span of 11 years.

It’s a feat in which FQ will strive for within this new strategy plan. All for the benefit of football within the state of Queensland, and most importantly, for Australia.

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Football Queensland (FQ) has recently confirmed that several clubs located across the state have successfully applied to be involved in FQ’s 2nd Tier Club Development Assessment, that drives their committing to the evolution of technical improvement across regional football entity’s in Queensland.

Three regional clubs ranging from the Far North, Gulf and Northern Regions were part of being viable for the assessment process. The Southside Comets located in the Far North and Gulf region were joined by Northern region clubs Brothers Townsville, and MA Olympic. Metro entity’s Springfield United and Noosa Lions join the regional clubs in the Tier 2 assessment.

In addition two extra regional clubs including Riverway JCU and Edge Hill United, have been included in undertaking the Tier 2 Club Development Assessment on a conditional basis.

The sole purpose of the Tier 2 Assessment is for FQ to continue its ongoing support for clubs within their pyramid to receive opportunities which will establish them amongst the states best within the future. The assessment will support clubs in their efforts in upgrading technical and developmental capabilities.

Upon the FQ website, Football and State Technical Director Gabor Ganczer stated via press release:

“We are excited as more clubs, especially regional clubs, are entering Football Queensland’s FQ Academy club assessment process at the Tier 2 entry stage, highlighting FQ’s technical strategy in action as an increasing number of clubs across the state who are dedicated to elevating the standard of technical development of both players and coaches."

With five regional clubs involved in the assessment, Ganczer disclosed FQ’s message surrounding its contribution to the growth of their regional clubs.

"This is a strong indicator of the increased state-wide progression opportunities available and the appetite of clubs to work with Football Queensland to advance the standard of football and coaching expertise across the entire state.

“The FQ Academy assessment process is designed to measure a club’s technical performance from a planning, delivery and outcomes perspective, while it strengthens its accountability, transparency, and visibility across all areas to foster high-quality development and facilitate accessible tier progression."

The Club Development Assessment process was first initiated within FQ in 2020, serving as their primary system in the evolution of clubs within the state, designed to guide clubs towards growing on a technical basis.

The Club Development Process further supports coaches, players and club officials through licensed courses, webinars and information workshops, proving insight and clarity surrounding what the assessment entails.

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Australia’s leading retailer Coles have partnered up with Football Australia as the naming right holders for MiniRoos - the official junior grassroots program of Australian football in a promising acquisition for both parties.

The four-year investment aims to boost participation of the MiniRoos program, while also attempting to support education around young Australians and establishing healthy eating habits from a young age.

The initiative corresponds with Coles’ current commitment to assist Australians in eating and living well on a day to day basis. The grassroots program is created for children ages from as young as four up to 12, ranging from kindergarten to the culmination of primary school. As of 2023, there are over 240,000 active MiniRoos, which caters for all abilities.

The new sponsorship agreement also facilitates Coles and their official partnership with the Subway Socceroos, CommBank Matildas and the men’s and women’s Youth National Football Teams.

The Coles logo will become a prominent feature amongst youth football across the nation. Coaching apparel, MiniRoos equipment and Football Australia school programs are all set to have the notorious red signature writing.

In addition, Coles have also become a presenting partner of the Little Legends Lap across respective international and domestic Australian related football matches and the MiniRoos half-time mini match at senior national team home matches.

Upon the announcement via the Football Australia website, Chief Customer Officer (CCO)  Amanda McVay discussed her pleasure amongst the partnership.

“Coles is delighted to be teaming up with Football Australia in what is a historic partnership for both parties and one we hope will benefit the lives of Australians for many years to come,” she said via Football Australia media release.

It is acknowledged that the supermarket juggernaut have understood the potential Football has within the nation. The CCO also claimed Coles’ commitment:

“Coles is committed to helping Australian families right across the country and is aligned with Football Australia’s ambition to provide more opportunities for Aussie Kids to play football,” she added via media release.

From the perspective of someone in whom aches to see the game grow within their native country, it is intriguing, as it is exciting to see Coles enter the football realm.

Understanding their desire to attribute towards the growth and nourishment of the game, can only guide its vested youth interest into a path of future stability and perhaps prosperity.

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The AFC Pro Licence is still not recognised by UEFA and this issue has been an ongoing battle for many years.

Despite professional coaching badges, years of experience and on-field success, coaches are exploiting loopholes in order to acquire these roles in Europe that clubs clearly believe they are qualified for.

Many top coaches like Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat have battled through many obstacles like job title changes and being unable to take training or sit on the bench for matchdays just to accept offers in Europe.

Football Coaches Australia President Gary Cole discussed the frameworks that are set in order to fix this issue whilst also communicating the many obstacles in place that are currently halting the process.

"The discussions, I'm going to say started at least 5 years ago, Glenn Warry, the inaugural FCA CEO encouraged to Football Australia voraciously to work on that," he said.

"The truth is that UEFA clearly don't believe that an AFC pro Licence is as good as theirs because Australian-Asian coaches go to Europe and their qualifications aren't recognised which doesn't make a whole bunch of sense.

"Football Coaches Australia will try to influence Football Australia to push for change, it's very difficult to get the AFC to do so but our legal team has sent a good amount of time writing to FIFA, but they don't recognise coaching associations."

David Zdrilic's story is quite fascinating with the current Sydney FC assistant coach spending around $20,000 on a qualification that was not recognised in Europe. If you factor in flights and accommodation, the outlay was closer to $30,000 as he had to return from Germany four times to complete it. The FCA worked with  Zzdrillic through this interesting period where he worked for the likes of RB Leipzig and Genoa on different job titles to escape trouble. However he wasn't the only coach to have troubles with this system in Australia recently.

"David was one of the many people that Glenn Warry helped through this process because it’s a challenge. Essentially what they're saying is, yep you have a certificate that says you have a pro licence, but you need to prove to us that you really are a pro licence coach and that can take many forms," Cole said.

"I think Muscat ended up, after having to sit to get around it, his club in Belgium called him a Technical Director and initially he couldn't even sit on the bench for matchdays.

"They eventually got around that and they got to a point where his previous experience gets ratified because they sit down with him, interview him and realise this guy knows what he is talking about. They don’t give him a pro licence, but they give him a letter that says 'you're ok to work in Europe'.

"So many Aussie coaches go through it, Kevin [Muscat] went through it, Ange went through it, David Zdrillic didn't have a pro licence, got a job offer in Italy and couldn't accept it because his credentials weren't recognised"

When asked if Australian coaches succeeding in Europe would help force the issue on this situation, Cole mentioned that there was still a lot more that had to done outside of that for it to pass.

"Success will cause change to one degree. Obviously if Ange succeeds it will say we have done something right but that’s a one off," he said.

"When you start to add up the volume, so you've got Ange's success, now Tanya Oxtoby who’s manager of Northern Ireland women's national team but like Joe Montemurro they both got their UEFA pro licences whilst spending time abroad and that adds another string to the bow.

"Question is should we be encouraging Australian coaches to plan to go to Europe to get into the UEFA coaching course but that's really expensive because you have to fly over and take time off work etc.

"We'd like to think no but the reality is today that it would be a better option for those who have the capacity and the willingness to work at that level.

"There are people working to try and fix that but given the organisations involved, I don't perceive that it will be a quick fix by any means."

It remains an extremely interesting discussion that has accelerated into a bigger issue in recent years as more Australian coaches start succeeding domestically and in Asia which leads to the bigger job opportunities in Europe that they aren't qualified for due to this incredible rule.

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Football Queensland have released numbers for the 2023 year that show a steep rise in female participation across all age groups following the incredible Women’s World Cup held on home soil.

In 2023, the split for Football Queensland participation was set at 69.8% Male and 30.2% Female which represents a hefty increase from 25.5% participation in 2022. The federation have been adamant that the 50/50 gender parity goal can be achieved by the start of the 2027 season which matches Football Australia’s Gender Equality Action Plan.

In the 2023-2026 Football Queensland Strategic Plan, the federation recognised that they had to transform their Women and Girls Strategy by integrating it with FQ’s Strategic Infrastructure Plan and Schools Strategy to supercharge growth.

The plan mentioned that there will be new facilities in place for boys and girls teams built in Brisbane’s North which will deliver state-of-the-art playing fields, a clubhouse, and community spaces.

This ambition to fast track growth means that FQ are putting an emphasis on creating the best possible foundation for ongoing growth on their path to 50/50 participation. This consists of improving numbers in coaching, volunteering and refereeing for women and girls.

Quickly, the federation are seeing results in many different sectors of the women’s game, most recently announcing that there was an incredible 81.4% participation increase recorded at women and girls festivals and programs in 2023.

FQ also has an ongoing commitment to supporting the progression of female coaches which was seen in the 2023 success that resulted in a 28% increase in female coach numbers for the year.

The next step for Football Queensland is ensuring the up and coming talent in the women’s game is properly developed by making use of the FQ Academy QAS program. The program has been a major success and has produced players for Australia’s national teams, including eight players in the CommBank Matildas squad for the 2023 WWC.

The strategic plan key targets outlined that FQ are ensuring there will be at least 25 Advanced female technical directors and female technical staff in key roles across Queensland by 2026.

This drive to utilise the success of the 2023 WWC along with strategic planning and tactical investment in the women’s game has allowed the federation to see enormous growth so quickly.

They are well on their way to hitting important KPI's, similar to the 50/50 gender parity by 2027 and 62,000 club based female participants by 2026 which signify the change in modern football.

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Football Victoria (FV) released their Regional Football Review, aimed at giving regional football stakeholders the platform to voice their feedback about the delivery of football in their local community.

FV’s overarching aim for the review is to assess the current health of regional football, and determine its future influence in areas of the regional game, such as governance, participation, infrastructure, and pathways.

These sporting communities battle a unique set of challenges to operate sustainably, but the ultimate goal for FV - like any governing sports body - is to bridge gaps between regional and metropolitan areas.

412 participants took part in the report, including parents, coaches, players and association members (paid and voluntary). In addition, 24 in-depth interviews took place with “key identified” stakeholders.

FV sought the assistance of consultancy company Solucio to independently facilitate the review.

Governance and Administration

Regional Victoria’s football landscape includes 12 associations and leagues, and 130 clubs. Some of these clubs do compete in metropolitan competitions run by FV, but remain based in regional locations.

The governance of most regional associations follow a club representative model, which the report describes as “not in line with current best industry practice,” and leads to inconsistencies in football delivery.

The model is favoured because of the primitive nature of clubs within regional associations, and the assistance associations can guarantee from club members.

However, stakeholders believe that areas such as competition management and future project planning suffer as clubs place their own interests ahead of others.

Administration is also considered a problem area, with paid staff members at regional associations stating that a lack of additional support from volunteers increases their workload into overtime.

When volunteers were surveyed about the health of regional football, 25% of them believed the game to be in ‘very poor’ health.

Yet, over 50% of team managers, association board members and staff, and club committee members say the game is in a ‘fair’ or ‘very good’ state.

A lack of strategic planning, and clear assignment of roles between paid staff and volunteers, is likely causing this disconnect between regional football stakeholders.

Contradictory though it may seem, stakeholders continue to support the club representative model.

Participation and Infrastructure

Participation in regional football is slowly growing again, returning closer to levels of growth prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A reduced player registration fee for regional areas helps this growth, though, FV asserts that a levelling of regional player registration fees with metropolitan rates would create an extra $1.36 million in revenue.

This could be spent on improvements to the regional game, but a rise in registration fees is not in the best interests of growing football in regional communities.

Regarding female participation in football, there was negative but constructive feedback from stakeholders. Regional associations believe there is a lack of funding and resources to help them lead programs built for growing female participation.

FV is in the midst of its ambitious ‘FootballHerWay’ plan that aims to achieve 50/50 gender participation by 2027. Therefore, it makes sense for the organisation to consider more involvement in the delivery of female football programs to regional areas.

Regional school participation represents an area for improvement for FV, admitting in the report that the Australian Rules model (Auskick) is outperforming its efforts in terms of clinics and programs.

Recent investment in up-to-date football infrastructure, though, has been well-received, with most stakeholders considering future developments in infrastructure to be of less importance, despite the high satisfaction it provides communities.

The report acknowledges, though, that a gap exists between clubs and associations that have received upgrades, and those who have not.

According to regional NPL clubs, this gap is illuminated when visiting the facilities of metro NPL clubs.

Coaches

Coaches represent the most disgruntled stakeholder demographic, with 43% of those interviewed believing the health of regional football to be ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’.

There was negative feedback about pathways for coaches - particularly first-timers - who either do not have the capacity to attend accreditation courses, or are unmotivated to attain their licenses.

Some participants believe the approach to coach education is too metro-centric, citing additional expenses such as travel, food, and accommodation, just to attend a coaching accreditation course.

A wider problem exists in the marketing and promotion of coaching courses, with many regional associations lamenting the fact that courses are often cancelled due to small numbers.

One stakeholder floated a recommendation to subsidise Melbourne-based coaches to partake in regional-based courses to improve numbers.

This issue transcends into school participation, where stakeholders believe opportunities to grow participation are being neglected.

There is an over-reliance on unqualified parents or teachers passionate about the game to pioneer clinics or programs, and whilst participation is higher when this occurs, it is not sustainable in the long-term.

Players

A lack of motivated or accredited coaches inevitably impacts the morale of players, and this trend is consistent with the review’s findings, where 39% of players consider the health of regional football to be poor or very poor.

The pathway to elite football for junior players in regional areas, which is well-documented as being an all-encompassing, often sacrificial experience, that asks players and parents to spend large amounts of time and money.

Most stakeholders surveyed recognise the provision of elite-level football education within their communities as a key area for improvement. This helps to keep players grounded, and less susceptible to burnout at younger ages.

Further to this, Football Australia’s recent unveiling of the National Talent Development Scheme (NTDS) should provide a more level-playing field for players in regional areas to access elite pathways.

Again, better conditions and resources for coaches is recommended to help regional players. Some stakeholders recommend the provision of more metro-based coaches to deliver training to players in regional areas.

For senior players, there is a greater level of satisfaction among regional NPL clubs based closer to Melbourne than those playing in regional competitions.

Short season length (due to a small number of clubs) for regional competitions is cited as an issue in the review, which is likely to dissatisfy players.

Stakeholders suggest alternative competitions could be organised to lengthen the season and further engagement, but this could exasperate association staff members and volunteers.

Referees

Referees are a more satisfied demographic than players and coaches, and this is reflected by an increase in numbers across regional Victoria.

The review acknowledges that whilst this is positive, it stretches association resources for referee development.

Similarly to players and coaches, there is an expectation that more accessible pathways be provided to referees to upskill.

Specifically, existing referees desire more practical education in the form of officiating more metropolitan NPL games. Not only would this improve their ability, it provides more opportunities for mentoring and promotion to the elite.

Beyond the Review

The qualitative feedback provided by participants will be considered for FV’s regional football plan from 2025 onwards. Head of Growth & Development at FV, Lachlan Cole, reflected further on this.

"The engagement and contributions from Regional Victorians have been invaluable in putting the needs of Regional Football at the forefront of this project,” he told the FV website.

"The Discussion Paper and Survey Results provide a real snapshot of our current landscape, from several different perspectives, and will guide the formulation of really positive and meaningful recommendations."

The Regional Football Review’s assessment of the health of football in rural Victoria shines a light on the difficulties regional football faces across the country.

There is a growing desire for better pathways and programs for players, coaches, and referees, as well as a greater provision of resources to maintain the standard of football delivery for the future.

Whether FV as an organisation chooses to involve themselves more in the governance and administration of regional football associations will be a topic for discussion in the near future.

The Regional Football Review Discussion Paper can be viewed in full here.

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Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC (LAFC), put pen to paper on a strategic partnership between Swiss Super League powerhouse Grasshopper Club Zürich, making them shareholders of Grasshopper Football Ltd.

The two organisations will provide unique platforms for the development of young talent, through a further expansion of LAFC's network which has Austria’s FC Wacker Innsbruck and Germany's FC Bayern München.

Having played their first professional season in 2018, LAFC are trailblazers across the MLS, in establishing themselves as a competitive club so early in their existence.

Since 2019, The Black and Gold have accumulated a total of seven domestic titles, also including an appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League Final, in which they fell narrowly short to Mexican outfit, Leon.

High-quality players including Georgio Chiellini, Carlos Vela and Gareth Bale all shared stints in the City of Angels. The partnership LAFC have entered proposes the idea that the American club are looking to sustain a European feel.

Co-President Larry Freedman praised the Zurich-based club.

“Grasshopper Club Zürich is an iconic brand in both Swiss and European football, with an incredible tradition of success and a foundation built on developing top-level talent,” he said via media release.

“LAFC is honoured to work together on this long-term partnership with the GC Zürich community and all the supporters as we begin our collaboration.”

The Grasshoppers are a staple within Switzerland. Founded in 1886, the reign as the longest serving Swiss club across Europe. Throughout their 138 year tenure, the Hoppers hold the most League and Cup Titles respectively, accumulating 51 titles.

However, their most recent major trophy success came in the 2012-13 season. Since then, Their decline has been swift. For the first time in 68 years, the club succumbed to relegation in 2019.

Although bouncing back out of the second tier two seasons later, the club have not been able to reach their past dominance. Financial hardship, the COVID-19 pandemic, and lack of ambition were the ingredients to the clubs spiral out of form on the pitch.

The American acquisition will leave Hoppers fans hopeful.

Given the financial freedom the American outfit possesses, the combination of clubs is a benefit to both parties.

On one hand, The Grasshoppers are able to rejuvenate their youth system, in which it has bred players the likes of Stephen Lichsteiner, Roman Burki and Yan Sommer.

Furthermore, players within their youth academy can gain senior football experience in the MLS, before competing against Switzerland and Europe’s finest.

Given the ambition in which LAFC possesses, the partnership between both clubs can ultimately breed a new plethora of Swiss superstars - helping the Hoppers get back to heights they have reached before.

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Wellington Phoenix have partnered with Chinese Super League team Tianjin Tiger to boost football growth in both nations.

As part of the Wellington Phoenix Tianjin Tiger Sister City Friendship, the clubs have agreed to hold an annual encounter between their men's first teams.

The inaugural Wellington Phoenix F.C. vs. Tianjin Tiger F.C. Sister City Shield match is set to take place in Tianjin this September, with the second in Wellington next year.

The strategic collaboration was formed after Phoenix general manager David Dome visited Tianjin in September as part of a business delegation headed by Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.

The club hosted a delegation from Tianjin, and the two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding at the Mayor's office.

Phoenix general manager David Dome was thrilled with the partnership going through.

“The mayoral delegation to China last year was invaluable and I’m thrilled about this partnership with Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, which will be of benefit to the club on multiple levels,” he said via press release.

“Not only will the men get to play a Chinese Super League side as part of their A-League pre-season each year, but the academy will soon benefit from an influx of footballers from Tianjin.

“We’re looking to grow our academy to have an international component and Tianjin Jinmen have committed to sending some young players to Wellington to attend training camps in July and we’re discussing the possibility of their juniors being part of a new international academy annual programme.

“International students are essential for the secondary and tertiary education sector in Wellington and we are evaluating how an elite international academy focused on football can be part of New Zealand’s international education offering.”

Wellington mayor Tory Whanau added that the city is excited about the opportunity. 

“I’d like to congratulate David Dome and the wider team for the work they’ve done on this MoU,” he stated via press release.

“I’m beyond stoked that the delegation last September has resulted in this MoU between the Wellington Phoenix and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger. 

“The development opportunities for both the clubs will be invaluable to not only football but also our cities.”

The Phoenix are enjoying a successful A-league campaign where they currently sit top of the table 18 games into the season.

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Football Coaches Australia (FCA) and XVenture (XV) have forged a ground-breaking partnership with Football Victoria (FV) to enhance the calibre of football coaching in the region.

This collaboration aims to empower and bolster football coaches through a strategic alliance with FV's Club Coach Coordinator (CCC) programs, available at various levels.

The FV CCC packages encompass Basic, Bronze, Silver, and gold levels, each offering unique benefits:

Basic Package: Clubs enrolled in FV's Basic CCC program will receive online resources and content along with monthly check ins via email with their FV program manager supplemented by FCA XV Essential Skills content on Leadership and specialized guidance on supporting teenagers.

Gold Package: At the other end of the scale, Gold CCC package, FV provides monthly sessions plans from the online platform with 3 club visits from program manager throughout the season to work with the CCC and coaches at the club.  alongside the prevailing advantages. CCCs at this level will unlock three modules within the FCA XV Essential Skills Program. Moreover, nine coaches within the club will receive access to the Foundations of Essential Skills Module.

Gold CCC package holders will enjoy an extraordinary opportunity, granting their entire community access to an exclusive webinar featuring top EQ and mind coach, Mike Conway. Conway, renowned for his pivotal four-year coaching role contributing to Australia's historic FIFA World Cup Campaign in Qatar 2022, brings unparalleled expertise.

FCA CEO, Kelly Rourke, expressed her excitement about the partnership, stating:

"We’re thrilled to be able to work with Football Victoria as part of their innovative Club Coach Coordinator program, designed to provide coaches of any level access to a diverse range of resources and expertise. All for the improvement of the game.”

FCA President Gary Cole echoed Kelly's sentiments:

"We are so pleased to partner with Football Victoria on this new Club Coach Coordinator program. Ongoing Coach Education is important and providing these wonderful online tools to help Clubs, Coordinators and Coaches is a great way to assist," he said.

"FCA/XVenture College has helped almost 900 coaches from 20 countries with valuable ongoing growth and development opportunities and this relationship with Football Victoria is another fantastic initiative. Better Coaches, Better Players!"

Craig Moore, FV Coach Education Manager, emphasised the significance of this collaboration, remarking:

"I’m thrilled as this is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen our CCC Program with two organisations that are setting the standards for coach support and development in this country and beyond. I can only see better times for our coaches in the future with this collaboration."

For further information on Football Victoria's CCC programs and to seize this unparalleled coaching advancement opportunity, kindly contact Football Victoria’s CCC program Manager Rob Taylor at Robert.Taylor@footballvictoria.com.au.

This alliance marks a pivotal stride in football coaching, empowering coaches to nurture their skills and lead with excellence.

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Central Coast Mariners announced a partnership with Liga Portugal club Portimonense SAD.

The club, which now competes in the Portuguese first division, has a long history of generating top-tier players via both its academy and first-team programmes.

This collaboration is intended to mutually benefit young development for both teams, as well as general progress for Portimonense and the Mariners, making it a strategically smart move from Mariners who also have a history of producing young talent.

The contract would allow prospective Central Coast players to transfer into Portuguese first division football, one of Europe's best divisions, while the Mariners will receive access to outstanding players from Portimonense SAD to enhance their team.

This has already begun with Mariners signing Ronald Barcellos on loan, with the goal of assisting both teams in their respective divisions while also allowing our players to continue their football growth.

Central Coast Mariners' Sporting Director Matt Simon is eager to be working with Portimonense.

“To be able to work closely with a club of Portimonense’s pedigree is extremely exciting and an opportunity that we are greatly looking forward to,” he said via press release.

“We are clubs who see youth development as extremely important and to be able to work together on this will only benefit us both.”

Central Coast Mariners Chairman Richard Peil also commented on the partnership outlining the importance of the alliance.

“We’d love to own a network of clubs to be able to help players progress their careers and maximise their value, but that is just not realistic,” he stated via press release.

“This is the next best thing. The relationship with Portimonense is an important step in our progression to becoming a self-funding football club.”

Officials from Portimonense's elite coaching squad are scheduled to visit the Central Coast Mariners Centre of Excellence this month (February) to begin work on the relationship.

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Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) released their 2024 to 2026 Strategic Plan which focuses on collaboration and a shared vision for football in the region.

NNSWF announced in August of 2023 that the federation would partner up with global sports and entertainment consultancy Gemba to assist them in developing the plan aimed at nurturing football’s growth and sustainability in the community.

NNSWF and Gemba consulted with member zones, clubs, volunteers and staff to create the plan, with feedback taken on board to provide an exciting roadmap for football in northern NSW over the next three years.

There are four pillars that have the goal to 'inspire and unite everyone in Northern NSW to reach their potential in football'

These include:

• Enjoyable Football Experience - Goal is to minimise barriers for participation (KPI: 90,000 total registered players) and improve facilities in the area to ensure the sport advances (70%+ of facilities rated acceptable or above)
• Talent Development - Providing clear and comprehensive talent pathways for all participants (KPI: 1,500 participants engaged in NNSWF Talent programs) as well as increasing numbers in non-playing roles (KPI: 15,000 registered coaches, match officials, volunteers and administrators)
• Champions in Excellence - Setting the benchmark for excellence in sports through effective governance and beneficial partnerships. (KPI: is 90% staff retention across NNSWF's business)
• Showcase our game - Improving the promotion of the sport from grassroots to the elite level. Leveraging the stories of the game to grow the sport is vital. (KPI: 4,000 positive media articles/segments on football across Northern NSW)

NNSWF chairman Mike Parsons explained how the strategic plan was a representation of their core values.

"These values, which include integrity, inclusivity, transparency, respect, innovation and ambition, are the bedrock of our approach and will guide our actions and decisions moving forward," Parsons explained in a statement.

"The role of our board of directors has been pivotal in this journey. We have worked closely with our member zones, clubs and other stakeholders to understand their needs, aspirations and the challenge they face.

"This collaborative approach has been instrumental in shaping a strategy that is not only ambitious but also grounded in the realities of our football community."

NNSWF CEO Peter Haynes expressed his excitement in implementing the plan and seeing the huge benefits it brings to the federation.

"The plan revolves around four core pillars - Enjoyable Football Experience, Talent Development for All, Champions in Excellence and Showcase Our Game, with each aligning to our mission to create an inclusive and thriving football community," Haynes added via a statement.

"This is not just a strategic plan for Northern NSW Football but more a strategic plan for football in northern NSW. It's not just about our organisation. We are dedicated to supporting our member zones and clubs to enhance facilities and ensure football remains a positive, respectful experience for everyone.

"This plan is a pledge from us to our players, coaches, volunteers, match officials, spectators and all who love the game that, together, we will work tirelessly to ensure football in northern NSW is not just a sport but a source of community, pride, unity and inspiration.

"We want football to reach its potential in our region and I look forward to embarking on this exciting journey alongside our football community."

Northern NSW Football have laid out a really detailed and direct plan of attack to improve in the areas that are lacking within the organisation. Within the next three years, they have set ambitious goals but are determined to achieve them.

You can view the 2024 to 2026 Strategic Plan here.

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A flexible football program providing health and wellbeing sessions that are the foundations of developing young players, Sam Kerr Football, has collaborated with PARK, the official clothing and ball partner for all Sam Kerr Football Schools.

The collaboration involves two heart-led brands linking together to assist on delivering Sam’s mission of making kids fall in love with the game.

PARK will supply custom designed kits crafted from plants and recycled materials not only beneficial for players, but also good for the planet, with the high quality fabrication using seaweed for the moisture absorbing properties instead of a chemical process, making it more desirable for players as well as having a softer footprint.

Both brands are a firm believer that everyone from a walks of life has a right to play and the collaboration extends beyond apparel and balls, a representation of this fundamental belief.

There will be PARK funded scholarships offered every year to allow those players who do not have the means to practice with SKF and lend a hand to develop their skills to see them excel on the field and also in life.

Sam Kerr Football Marketing Manager Jonah Vraca said via press release:

“Our partnership with PARK offers an incredible opportunity to truly change the game, together we will pave the way for kids of all ages, genders and backgrounds to fall in love with football in a safe and fun environment.

“But our impact will be larger than just what we can do at Sam Kerr Football Schools, through PARK’s ‘Pass-a-ball’ project, the impact of Sam Kerr Football will be global.”

PARK Co-founder Sam Davy added via press release:

“We are thrilled to partner with Sam Kerr Football to provide their official kit and footballs, but it’s about so much more than equipment, it’s about two impact-focused businesses joining forces to change the world through the sport we love, football.”

For more information about PARK, click here.

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Football West is engaging football clubs in the discussion of mental health and well-being by aligning with SportWest’s True Sport program.

The program offers sporting clubs and associations valuable resources to help tackle mental health problems amongst individuals in sport and build openness within sporting communities.

A crucial part of the resource offering is a critical incident eToolkit and response guide, that assists clubs in developing a plan for - and response to - an incident that could impact the mental health and well-being of the community.

Further resources include a directory of mental health organisations, factsheets, and posters, all of which are vital to tackling mental health issues safely and effectively.

True Sport has been popular with many sporting codes, which according to SportWest’s vision statement, 'provides a cohesive, all-sport approach to align values, culture and practices of sport delivery across WA and enrich the sport experience for all participants.'

In addition to its mental health and well-being resources, True Sport provides resources for child safeguarding and side-line behaviour, with both recognised as key challenges for grassroots sport, and areas where sporting experiences can be improved and maximised.

Football clubs are often viewed as important spaces for individuals to let off steam and facilitate positive social interaction. However, many continue to struggle with mental health issues, and despite their participation in football, these issues often go unnoticed.

Football West is creating important awareness of this, in an effort to build support networks for individuals who may be struggling with mental health issues.

Late last year, it announced its own program, Kick off the Conversation, which will educate football clubs about mental health and well-being through engagement practices, resources, and the establishment of well-being champions, who will act as ports of call for players of individual clubs.

Football West believes the Kick Off the Conversation program will empower football clubs to make a recognised difference in the lives of individuals struggling with mental health issues.

Participating clubs that enter the program will be eligible for a share of $15,000 in cash prizes; a valuable incentive for any local football club.

With football expanding at extraordinary lengths, it is vital that it continues to develop in areas off the field, ensuring that the game grows in an organic, inclusive, and responsible manner.

For information on how to get involved in the Kick Off the Conversation program, you can visit the link here:

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Brisbane Roar's deal with sports equipment provider Alpha Group is giving players and staff access to the latest range of football-specific tools.

Alpha Group is an Australian company that has risen to prominence for its state-of-the-art, football-specific equipment. In particular, the company provides a wide range of portable pop-up goals that facilitates various football training drills.

The company also provides a range of accessories such as target nets, tennis nets and rebounders, which serve as important tools for player skill-development.

With players and coaching staff accessing Alpha Group’s extensive range, Brisbane Roar believe it will improve its day-to-day training programs, whilst having a positive effect on the club’s on-field performance.

Roar Chief Operating Officer, Zac Anderson, spoke glowingly about the collaboration.

“The tools and equipment Alpha Group offers are unmatched in quality, and their reputation in the industry is exceptional,” Anderson said via Roar press release.

“This partnership will significantly enhance our training programs, ensuring our players and coaches are equipped to compete at the highest level.”

The deal also provides valuable exposure for an Australian brand in the football equipment market.

Alpha Group’s Director Robert Bonanno is thrilled for the company to be connected with an A-League club.

“It’s an honour to enter this partnership and be chosen as their trusted equipment provider, and we’re committed to ensuring that all team’s get the best training equipment available,” he added via media release.

Brisbane Roar will hope that the equipment deal brings further success to its A-League Men and Women teams and help to nurture its young talent as they rise through the club ranks.

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Northern NSW Football are setting up the future for female coaches in the region, with a group of coaches taking part in a Northern NSW Football all-female coaching course at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.

The Women in Football Scholarship Program is helping the participants receive the opportunity to take part in the first stages of the Football Australia ‘C’ Diploma Course, regardless of experience or background.

The scholarship's main goal is to upskill women in non-playing roles and enhance voices within our football community, and this is the first step in terms of female coaching.

NNSWF Technical Director Ryan Doidge presented over the course of three weekends, with Newcastle Jets Goalkeeper Coach Greg Lowe delivering a session as a special guest on one of the course days.

The course, available to coaches 18 years and older, gave candidates an understanding of the National Curriculum and Football Australia’s vision and philosophy.

The Football Australia 'C' Licence course focuses on the technical aspects of the game, which includes teaching the techniques of passing, receiving, striking the ball and running with the ball, along with defending techniques to regain possession.

Participants were introduced to the concept of teaching behaviour in different types of practice methods as part of the education program.

NNSWF Talent Development Coordinator Joseph Wright discussed the importance of using the $10m Legacy Fund to good use for the future of coaching.

“By providing all-female courses such as the All-Female ‘C’ Diploma, we can provide an environment where female coaches can connect with like-minded coaches with shared experiences,” Wright said in a Northern NSW Football press release.

“We have seen a greater uptake of female coaches since the introduction of all-female courses leading to increased visibility across all environments.”

The importance of creating new coaches in the women’s game is vital and with the goal of creating a 50/50 split in terms of gender participation by the end of 2026, this course using the Women’s Legacy Fund money will fast-track the ever important coaching aspect of the game.

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Football Victoria (FV) has locked in key presenters for the 2023 Coaching Conference, taking place on December 16 at La Trobe University's Bundoora Campus.

The yearly event is a key part of Victorian football's calendar, designed for coaches of all backgrounds and skill levels.

Louise McColl will be the host of the conference that will welcome a range of international and domestic presenters.

Key topics of note involve leadership, tactical collaboration and reflections of the recent FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023.

As confirmed by FV, all the presenters for the day are as per below:

• Louise McColl - Conference Host
• Mami Yamaguchi - Washington Spirit Coach
• Dr. Janos Toth - Vasas Kubala
• Elena Sadiku - Everton FC
• Ernie Merrick OAM - FA Chief Football Officer
• Gary Cole - Football Coaches Australia President
• Beau Busch - PFA CO-CEO
• Michael Fabian - FV NPL Referees Manager
• Siem Nijssen - PEC Zwolle GK Coach
• Sean Gale - Football Victoria

Key details:

• Where: La Trobe University, Bundoora Campus
• When: Saturday, December 16, 9am-5pm
• Cost: $200.00
• CPD Points will be awarded to coaches who attend

To register, you can do so here: https://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/event.asp?EIDMC=1546201&MenuID=%2f17038%2f0

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Sydney FC are teaming up with Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) to increase support for young footballers both on and off the field.

The club will run a variety of programs within the SCS curriculum, aimed at developing student footballers through specialised, football-related training.

Off the field, Sydney FC will provide students with mentorship programs focused on developing important life skills and enhancing their school education experience whilst being engaged in football.

SCS includes 147 primary and secondary campuses, consisting of almost 73,000 students. The initiative is expected to have a significant impact on those students who want to pursue a career in football.

Sydney FC Chief Executive Officer Mark Aubrey believes the collaboration is part and parcel of the club’s vision.

“Developing young people and young footballers is central to Sydney FC’s values and philosophy,” he said via press release.

“This partnership with SCS allows us to offer more opportunities for young girls and boys to increase their skills and abilities on the football field as well as off it.

“We are looking forward to working with all of the students within the Sydney Catholic Schools system and giving them the specialised learning and mentoring our coaches can provide.”

Declan Donohue, Manager of Sport at SCS, asserts that the new programs will only enhance students’ school experience.

“We are extremely excited to see our students benefit from the unique opportunities that Sydney FC will provide,” Donohue added via media release.

“With Sydney FC’s help, we will be able to offer more support to students who have a passion and talent for football while also helping maintain a strong focus on their education.

“At SCS, we are strong believers in the power of sport to shape character and foster personal growth and this partnership is a perfect embodiment of that.”

Sydney FC’s latest initiative hopes to inspire a new generation of football talent in Australia, whilst ensuring that students continue to immerse themselves in their school education.

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CommBank and Football Australia are extending their fruitful partnership in the form of a new community fund that aims to increase participation in women’s football across the country.

The Growing Football Fund will provide millions of dollars to help invigorate grassroots football in Australia, pledging to attract and retain 50,000 female participants over two years through the fund.

With grant recipients to be announced in February 2024, we will soon see the continuation of a legacy that the FIFA Women's World Cup is creating.

A key part of this pledge is the provision of high-quality resources for coaches in the women’s game, ensuring that players can thrive in an inclusive and sustainable football environment.

This includes a dedicated online “coaches hub”, that will provide coaches with scholarships, resources, technical training, and state-based networking.

A key pillar of this fund, Football Australia Head of Women’s Football, Women’s World Cup Legacy & Inclusion, Sarah Walsh, believes the timing of the launch is crucial, given the high-point women’s football is experiencing in Australia right now.

“This important initiative will provide hundreds of community clubs across the country with access to funding to ensure that together we maximise the interest off the back of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023,” Walsh stated.

“Critical to sustainable growth in participation is support for our coaches of women and girls, to create greater accessibility to training, more pathways and ongoing support to foster a positive environment where all players can thrive.”

Commonwealth Bank Group Executive of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Monique Macleod, shared Walsh’s enthusiasm for the fund.

“As major supporters of women’s sport, we are delighted to extend our partnership with Football Australia with the launch of the Growing Football Fund which will help change the game in Australia,” Macleod added via media release.

“Grassroots sport empowers communities – it is where children grow up, family and friends come together, and dreams are realised. This should be strengthened and preserved for future generations.”

Further to this, Matildas Captain and CommBank Ambassador Sam Kerr believes the fund will play a crucial role in empowering women in football.

“We have seen what is possible when you invest in women and girls and provide them with the opportunity to fulfill their potential. We want this transformative experience for women and girls at all levels of football.”

With women’s football in Australia experiencing a boom like no other, the launch of the Growing Football Fund is an exciting moment that will help preserve and grow football to new, unprecedented levels.

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Northern NSW Football recently announced that applications for the 2023-24 Northern NSW Football Talented Indigenous Scholarships are now open.

Having opened applications on November 24, the scholarships are designed to reduce barriers by supporting and increasing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from across northern NSW in the player development pathway.

Four scholarships will be awarded to two male Indigenous players between the ages of 13 to 16 and two female Indigenous players aged 13 to 17.

Who is eligible to apply for the Scholarship?

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Players who are registered as a player within the national Play Football registration system and who intend to register in 2024.
• Boys turning 13 - 16 in the 2024 calendar year
• Girls turning 13 - 17 in the 2024 calendar year

Assessment Criteria:
Applications will be assessed on merit and scored against the following criteria:

• Current registered player
• Playing history
• Technical assessment if deemed necessary by NNSWF’s Technical Department
• Letter of Support from Regional Zone or Premier Club Technical Director that confirms a position in a Premier Competition Program has or will be offered to the applicant
• Applicants from Football Far North Coast will be required to provide a Letter of Support from their Club Technical Director or NNSWF Technical Advisor-FFNC

NNSWF Female Participation and Inclusion Officer Natalie Boyd discussed the importance of Indigenous players to have a legitimate pathway towards their football journey.

“Each recipient will be role models for future generations of Indigenous players and will hopefully inspire others from their community,” Boyd said in a Northern NSW Football statement.

“We want to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players across football while creating more opportunities for them to engage in professional development. This is a chance to identify and showcase the next generation who have the potential to achieve at the highest levels of the game.”

It is a fantastic initiative by Northern NSW Football who have focused on these scholarships in their recent strategic plan with the increasing amount of Indigenous participants over the last few years and the success of the ever popular NAIDOC Cup.

Applications close on Friday, December 22.

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Football South Australia (SA) announced the expansion of its Development Centres for boys and girls from ages nine to 13.

This expansion will offer more football and more opportunities for players in the Barossa, Noarlunga, Port Lincoln and Metropolitan Adelaide.

The five new centres add to the four currently located in the Limestone Coast, Whyalla, Riverland and the Adelaide Hills, taking the total up to nine centres in 2024.

Much of the talk has been the incredible impact that the home soil FIFA Women's World Cup has had on football participation in the country across all age groups. There has been a notable uptick in player participation in regional areas , registering a 16.5% increase. Across the entire state, there is overall growth of 9%.

The key goal of the Football SA Development Centres expansion is to lay the grassroots foundation in place and create a suitable environment for kids so that their talent is recognised and captured by coaches.

These added sessions as a result of the expansion are designed not to conflict with existing club activities and will enhance players' fundamental footballing skills.

Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper touched on the opportunity this opens up for player development at the early ages.

“When we started the original program in 2023, we had the vision to implement a state-wide program that provides equal opportunities for players to progress to our State programs and offerings, which are highly regarded nationally,” Cooper said via Football SA press release.

"Taking our programs to regional South Australia has prevented the need for young players to travel week in week out to Adelaide for specialised coaching. This illustrates our support for regional associations and pathways we collectively offer.

"We are excited to see all players come together at events such as the State Development Carnival in July and I am confident more players will be identified from regional areas in the future.”

An issue Football South Australia touched on in their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan was the lack of regional players making the transition into state and regional squads.

The key function of Football SA, as mentioned on their website, has always been player development and to increase participation. This Development Centre expansion will service the regional communities and allow potential talented players, who weren’t recognised before, to grow through a natural pathway up until they represent state squads.

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At Football Victoria's Community in Business Full Time Luncheon event, special guests discussed Ange Postecoglou’s brilliant start at Tottenham Hotspur and explained his journey through the coaching ranks.

Postecoglou’s incredible 27-year coaching resume started at South Melbourne FC, the team he played 10 years with in the old NSL. Ange's stint at the Roar was memorable, most notably his record-breaking 36-game unbeaten run which saw them win multiple titles during his reign.

After spending time managing the national team and Japanese club Yokohama F. Marinos, it wasn't until his Celtic managerial move that contributed to the positive reputation spike of Australian managers in the world game.

The Celtic appointment was faced with lots of criticism from the Scottish media and Celtic supporters, but his success made sure that simmered down quickly. It was a huge milestone in Australian football as it was the first time an Aussie manager not only managed a major team in Europe but also won a league title in Europe.

Former South Melbourne FC player Paul Trimboli and Melbourne Victory legend Archie Thompson were on the panel that told their personal anecdotes about how he was on and off the field. This has opened up a wider discussion about Australian coaches in general and how there is quite a lack of success in that area.

Archie Thompson, who played under Postecoglou for his short stint at Melbourne Victory, spoke about his coaching style at the Community in Business event recently.

"He is a little bit difficult to read at first for sure but what I admire is how he was able to evolve. He came into Victory and changed the way he played the game from his Roar days, and it worked. We scored heaps of goals and had success," Thompson said.

"Ange was solely focused on the team first over any individuals. It was never Thompson 1 or 2-0; it was Victory 2-0 and that’s why he has been so great. He has a knack of appreciating individuals but always keeping the team-first mentality."

Ange's incredible journey does paint a picture however of the struggles that Australian coaches have breaking into European football, which is increasingly becoming an issue as more Aussie coaches succeed in both the men's and women's game domestically and in Asia.

Gary Cole, President of Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has previously discussed in length about the significant hurdle that these coaches face, which is acquiring the UEFA pro license.

Despite Postecoglou’s deep football coaching resume, his move to Celtic could have been derailed because of the system and rules set in place in order to attain the license, which review the coach's ability to manage a professional football team.

However, there is no doubt that Ange's incredible journey and early Manager of the Month success at Tottenham Hotspur will open doors for fellow Aussie managers to be firstly given a chance but to also succeed in Europe.

Kevin Muscat had a small stint at Belgian club Sint-Truiden in 2020, whilst Patrick Kisnorbo managed ESTAC Troyes and became the first ever Australian manager of a team in a 'top five' European men's league. Kisnorbo's move to fellow City group club  Troyes, thanks to his success at Melbourne City, also presents as a future opportunity for A-League managers who impress.

Whilst the results from both weren't or haven't been fantastic, the opportunity was granted to them due to recent success and the foundation potentially laid for the future of Australian coaches in Europe. These moves only increase the validity of the A-League and Australian coaches, especially because of the long journey a lot of these managers go through just to reach that sort of level.

The future is brighter for the reputation and validity of Australian football, a country that is quickly latching on to the sport especially after Men's and Women's World cup successes.

Ange Postecoglou continues to shine in the Premier League and his impressive story has no doubt created its own pathway for more Australian coaches to follow with hopefully less obstacles and difficulties.

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Melbourne City FC announced that Tarneit United Soccer Club are a Macca's City Clubs Platinum Partner for the current 2023/24 A-Leagues season.

Melbourne City have used their partnership with McDonald's Australia to create The Macca's City Clubs program. This program aims to engage junior grassroots football clubs across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria with the aim to help grow football on and off the pitch.

The club seek to create purposeful long-term relationships with every club they work with and make a huge impact on the development and participation numbers of the sport.

It was originally launched in the 2021/22 A-Leagues season, and the club continues to grow the club network utilising this amazing program every season.

There are plenty of benefits for Tarneit United SC that come out of this partnership including “Coach the Coach” workshops led by our experienced Melbourne City coaches, player meet and greets, and the opportunity to take part in exclusive matchday experiences and offers.

Tarneit United President, Burhan Farah explained why this partnership would benefit the members of the club greatly.

“Tarneit United is in the heart of the west and we’re excited to partner with the best A-League club in the country. Farah mentioned in a Melbourne City press release

“A love for football is our number one driver, and by aligning our club with Melbourne City FC, we hope to inspire our coaches and players to continue to grow our game in the community.

“It’s an honour to be a Macca’s City Club Platinum Partner and we look forward to supporting Melbourne City from the stands this season.”

Melbourne City FC CEO, Brad Rowse explained the importance of growing grassroots football in Victoria.

“We’re delighted to welcome Tarneit United to the Macca’s City Club program on the eve of the 2023/24 A-Leagues season. Rowse added in a club press release.

“Supporting grassroots football is important to us at Melbourne City FC, and with the addition of Tarneit United, we now have thirteen Macca’s City Club Platinum Partners stretching right across Melbourne.

“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Tarneit United and can’t wait to give their participants plenty of unforgettable experiences and opportunities in the years ahead.”

Melbourne City through their Football School and Maccas City Clubs programs have set a standard for the other teams in the league to hopefully follow in the near future.

The importance of setting a fantastic grassroots foundation of football in the country can never be undermined and this partnership provides another great example of it.

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Northern NSW Football’s (NNSWF) annual census results have showed that the region is quickly expanding in all the important areas of growth.

The census, which included information from July 1 2022 to June 30 2023, highlighted that the Total Registered Participants number reached 82,018, a 19% increase, whilst registered players were 73,766 with a 20% increase.

Miniroos and Youth participation, which was a main focus for Northern NSW in their 2021-23 strategy plan, both saw a 9% rise, whilst the 19+ senior age group rose 4%.

Importantly, registered volunteers were up 19 per cent with registered match officials increasing eight percent meaning a better foundation is created at the grassroots level for it to run as efficiently as it can.

There has been a nation-wide effort, headed by Football Australia's strategy plan, to try and bring 50/50 gender parity for grassroots football, and the census results suggest that 74% of participants are Male which is a 5% swing on the 2022 numbers.

There is a long way to go to achieve this goal but after the recent Women's World Cup and record numbers for participation and Liberty A-league attendance, there’s no doubt this will continue to swing towards parity for 2024 and beyond.

NNSWF General Manager of Community Football Ross Hicks expressed his delight for what the results mean for the region.

“It is really important that our numbers within our competitions continue to increase,” Hicks said via Northern NSW press release.

“The number of registered winter players is up by eight per cent with a total of 54,358 which is significant. This increase is crucial in helping the game continue to grow and we hope that we see these trends continue to help build the future of football within northern NSW.”

NNSWF CEO Peter Haynes was similarly pleased with the results and overall growth.

“It’s fantastic to see the participant numbers across our game in northern NSW increasing,” Haynes added via press release.

“These numbers are not just a result of the job NNSWF are doing but the immense strength of our game and the high-quality experiences delivered by our member zones and clubs throughout our region.”

There are plenty of positives coming out of the annual census results for Northern NSW Football and it certainly highlights an element of growth and sustainability for the near future where the future of the sport seems brighter than ever before.

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Indigenous Football Week (IFW) 2023 was celebrated October 30 to November 5, recognising the impacts of Indigenous football program John Moriarty Football (JMF).

Putting into consideration that it is Australia’s longest-running and most successful Indigenous Football initiative for 2-18-year-olds, JMF perseveres with its mission to create a beacon of light for social change as well as providing a pathway for Indigenous footballers and communities.

Overseeing JMF is an expert advisory council, Indigenous Football Australia (IFA), which was established to increase social change through football, expand the operations of JMF and ensure equal access to football for grassroots and elite Indigenous players.

Speaking with Soccerscene, JMF Program Director Jamie Morriss and JMF Scholarships Coordinator  & IFA Council member Allira Toby discussed the overall impact of assisting Indigenous peoples and their communities around the country.

What was the process involved in organising the Indigenous Football Australia Council?

Jamie Morriss: We looked at bringing in expertise across a range of different areas, including previous Socceroos and Matildas, and also sport more broadly as well as academia and media. The council has majority Indigenous membership and is gender equal. Its goal is to strategically guide John Moriarty Football. The IFA Council meets once a quarter to discuss where the strategy and direction of the program is going.

Having lots of great experience along with great individuals on that council provides expertise and thinking to help us unlock doors and continue to drive the program forward.

What is the procedure for kids to be involved in the Scholarship?

Allira Toby: A lot is involved in the scholarships. We have a criteria that identifies kids in the communities that have the potential to go far professionally in football. A key component of this is the individual Scholarship Holders, with the support of their family, making a commitment to attend school.

A JMF Scholarship starts at the grassroots level in our community hubs. We provide football training and development, mentoring, help with their studies, providing football equipment and club fees, and even travel to tournaments. As their talent and skills develop, they may then qualify for a Sydney Scholarship during their high school years. In Sydney they will attend a top sports high school, receive extensive football training and development, wrap-around pastoral care, mentoring, tutoring, placement with a football club, and much more.

How many kids have gone far in becoming a professional footballer?

Allira Toby: We have one individual so far playing professional football. Marra woman Shadeene (Shay) Evans is the inaugural JMF Scholarship Holder. She has played for the young Matildas and is currently playing for the Central Coast Mariners in the A-Leagues.

We also have a number of talented Sydney Scholarship Holders who are well on their way to playing professionally and are already playing in high level tournaments and competitions.

What is the vision for JMF?

Jamie Morriss: To grow it across Australia. Ideally we would have a hub operating in each of the states - currently we are in three states, but we would like to offer the program nationwide, with the view of having more staff on the ground to run the grassroots program so we can impact as many kids and communities as possible.

Are there any fees involved for this program?

Jamie Morriss: Not for us - we offer the program free of charge to all the communities that we are delivering to.

We have some contributions from schools and partners that we are delivering to so they help with our fundraising efforts. For the scholarship players that we support in Sydney, we cover their registration fees, boots, shinpads, additional training sessions and we support their travel to and from community so they can go home for the school holidays.

[caption id="attachment_22251" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] John Moriarty and Shadene Evans in 2018[/caption]

The sister program of JMF, Indi Kindi, is an innovative early years education initiative for birth to five year olds, delivered by locally employed Aboriginal staff.

The Indi Kindi program includes Indi Footi which activates young brains through movement and develops basic football and motor skills, balance and coordination in a fun and non-competitive environment.

Having been recognised across the A-Leagues, JMF will continue to have an everlasting impact.

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The 2023 Football NSW Coaching Conference details have been confirmed ahead of the two-day event taking place this weekend (November 11 & 12) at Valentine Sports Park.

Hosted by well-known football personality Stephanie Brantz, the Conference will include a wide array of special guests both domestically and internationally, (as per below), all delivering presentations that pass on their experiences and advice for all levels of the game.

Coaches will be able to tailor their learning based on their area of expertise, such as;

• Goalkeeping
• Leadership
• Player Development
• Women’s Football
• Strength & Conditioning
• Futsal
• Management

Football NSW Coach Development Manager Christopher Adams is an instrumental part in organising the Conference, sharing his thoughts with Soccerscene ahead of a jam-packed schedule.

"After a COVID hiatus, we're back to having a face-to-face Coaching Conference which is fantastic," he said.

"We're really excited to be welcoming over 600 attendees across the weekend to Valentine Sports Park.

"We've got coaches from all levels of the game from community football to Pro Diploma coaches across NSW clubs.

"They'll be treated to theory and practical sessions that will suit their interest and offers them the chance to choose their own journey throughout the conference with a mixture of keynote sessions and breakout groups."

With up to 50 CPD Points across the two-day for coaches, there will be plenty of incentive to get involved.

"We hope that coaches can leave the event inspired and eager to develop themselves into the best coach that they can be," Adams said.

"The conference's theory and practical sessions will discuss key coaching trends across Australia and the world, while there's also leadership, management and tactical understanding to cover all bases for a coach in the game.

"In addition, we also look at women's football, goalkeeping and futsal to deliver all experiences for a coach."

Full attendance at each day earns participants 25 points per day towards FA/AFC licence reaccreditation as per the AFC Coaching Convention.

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Football West have launched the Kick Off the Conversation mental health program with Healthway, ahead of the 2024 rollout.

Kick Off the Conversation focuses on raising awareness of improved mental health practices within clubs. This is done by developing tailored resources and taking part in workshops run by local mental health providers.Im

It also educates the football community about Healthway’s Think Mental Health campaign and importantly as part of the program, participating clubs will be eligible to win a share of $15,000 in cash prizes.

Football West and Healthway renewed their partnership for a third year in 2023 and will continue to create club environments that promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

The local football clubs with this program will gain a better understanding of the role they play in supporting and educating all their members on the importance of mental health.

This will help when their members face complex issues and problems with the club hopefully becoming a safe outlet for anyone struggling.

Football West CEO Jamie Harnwell outlined that the program plans to help improve mental health within the sport in the local community.

“The Kick Off the Conversation program will make a positive impact on the lives of many people involved in our sport and will help create a legacy of support and understanding. Harnwell mentioned in a Football West press release.

“Football West is committed to working with Healthway to continue to create supportive club environments that prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of footballers, coaches, officials, and supporters.”

Lotterywest and Healthway CEO Ralph Addis added how the program was going to be rolled out to the local clubs.

“Through the launch of the new program we can directly engage with clubs on prioritising their mental health and wellbeing, and provide them access to relevant support, education, and training,” Addis stated via press release.

There is no denying the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the football space, and educating coaches on how to handle different situations with their players will educate everyone involves and build a solid foundation of learning for the future.

For more information and to download the program e-book, visit the link here: https://www.footballwest.com.au/kick-conversation

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Indigenous Football Week (IFW) 2023, held October 30 to November 5, will highlight the impacts of Indigenous football programs that are supported by John Morairty Football (JMF).

As Australia's longest-running and most successful Indigenous Football initiative for 2 to 18 year olds, JMF continues to roll out vital programs that foster positive change, such as improving school attendance and achieving resilient, healthier outcomes in Indigenous communities.

IFW is supported by the A-Leagues and Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), where we will see this recognised in Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Liberty A-League Women matches, as well as in JMF communities and schools across NT, NSW and Queensland.

As Co-Founder/Co-Chair of JMF, John Moriarty AM has been at the heart of pathways from the grassroots to professional level, supporting talented young Indigenous footballers to not only play the game they love, but succeed in school.

“We draw on the cultural strengths of our local coaches and community advisory groups, made up of local elders, Traditional Owners and community members. JMF is all about self-determination to address the extreme social disadvantage and barriers to football opportunity that Indigenous players face in many remote and regional communities across Australia,” Moriarty said in a statement.

David Williams will be the 2023 IFW Patron, a prominent Indigenous footballer that played internationally for the Socceroos and now plying his trade for Perth Glory.

“Being Patron for IFW23 is a huge honour. As one of the few professional Indigenous footballers in Australia, I believe it’s important to be a role model and help create pathways for young Indigenous players, particularly those from the bush. The work John Moriarty Football does is inspirational and I’m proud to be involved,” Williams said via media release.

IFW will now be in its third year of partnership with the A-Leagues - a Welcome to Country ceremony will be conducted prior to each A-Leagues match.

"Indigenous Football Week is an important part of the A-Leagues calendar as we celebrate the contribution of First Nations people to the game and reflect on how we can make our game ever more culturally safe and inclusive. We are proud to support the work of the Moriarty Foundation," Australian Professional Leagues Commissioner Nick Garcia added via media release.

Professional Footballers Australia Co-CEO Kathryn Gill spoke on behalf of the organisation about their care and support for JMF, who delivers to over 2,000 primary and secondary school Indigenous children every week.

"JMF is an excellent example of how the most impactful organisations in addressing indigenous issues are indigenous-led. The PFA is delighted to again partner with JMF in support of Indigenous Football Week 2023."

IFW and JMF are in conjuction with Moriarty Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that provides successful Indigenous program solutions through resilient local engagement.

JMF’s sister program is Indi Kindi, an early learning program for the under-fives and their families to improve the global readiness of Aboriginal children entering pre-school and school.

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Football Queensland’s Diploma Program for 2024 is set to be delivered in conjunction with TAFE Queensland.

The program is a 12-month course and provides graduates with a Diploma of Sport.

Unlike broader programs, this one will provide students with the opportunity to complete their studies in a practical football centric environment. This will include work integrated learning that will be facilitated directly with Football Queensland.

The opportunity to complete workplace learning with the governing body will be a huge sell for the program and is likely to be a great way for the quality of Queensland football to grow.

The studies themselves will cover a wide range of sports relates subjects, all geared towards preparing students to work in industry upon graduation.

Some of the areas covered in the course include high performance training, coaching techniques, the management of people, and the management of sporting events.

Graduates will be qualified to work as coaches or sport development managers. They will also be equipped to design, deliver, and manage a range of football activities, including training sessions, junior activations, tournaments and competitions.

The program will be headquartered at Meakin Park, giving students direct access to the heart of the Queensland game.

Through the programs proximity to the body, students will be able to regularly engage with quality football facilities as well as guest lecturers both from Football Queensland itself and also the wider sports industry.

Discussing this exciting opportunity, Football Queensland CEO Robert Cavallucci expressed the governing bodies excitement at being able to directly facilitate its states next generation of administrative talent.

“Following the success of the TAFE at Schools program, we’re delighted to deliver the Football Queensland Diploma Program from 2024 as part of our partnership with TAFE Queensland,” he said via press release.

“Football is already the state’s largest participation sport, and with our game only continuing to grow in the wake of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™ there has never been a better time to begin working towards a career in football.”

TAFE Queensland’s Academy Sport Manager Jesse O’Hara spoke of how this deal solidifies Queensland as the new frontier for football in Australia.

“Students are craving real world learning with tangible career outcomes, a style of learning that suits us naturally at TAFE Queensland. With the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 happening on our doorstep and the constant growth in football participation across the state, the football industry has never been stronger in Queensland,” he added via press release.

“We view this program as the ideal pathway for students looking to embark on their career with the football, and broader sports industry.”

This program is an exciting development for the growth of football not only in Queensland but also nationwide.

Through focusing its program on the development of the future administrators of the game, Football Queensland is helping to secure an efficient future for football in this country that is also one that is self-sufficient.

For students, this program will be a great pathway into real-world experience and coupling that with TAFE Queensland’s diploma-to-degree pathway, this will be a great step to help students keen to be involved in sport but unsure of how to gain both a qualification and industry experience while also keeping the door open to further study.

For those readers interested in participating in the scheme please visit https://tafeqld.edu.au/sportsacademy.

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There are very few people in Australian football who have left their mark on so many facets of the game like Gary Cole.

From his early days in the Victorian Premier League as a professional footballer which led to a prolific goalscoring record in the National Soccer League (NSL) and significant success with the Socceroos, Cole has experienced it all.

Cole wasn’t the type who could hang up his boots and not play any further part in the game, so he pursued coaching positions in the Victorian State League, Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the NSL.

He was also the first Director of Football at Melbourne Victory from 2005 to 2011 and occupied a similar role at Sydney FC in 2012.

Recently, Cole has completed an eight-month stint with Football Australia (F.A.) in trying to establish a National Academy.

Significantly, he has occupied an active role on the Board of Football Coaches Australia (FCA) for the last three years and was recently elected as President.

Although there have been periods he has been absent from the game, Gary Cole identifies strongly with the desire to see football in this country prosper.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Gary Cole discusses his recent work at the F.A., shares his opinion on the standard of playing and coaching, and the means by which football can be improved on and off of the park.

ROGER SLEEMAN

You were recently with the F.A. but your position was made redundant.

What did you achieve while you were there?

GARY COLE

My specific role was to initiate the setup of a National Academy, similar to the previous AIS.

I reconnected with people involved in coaching education at the FA and also met up with representatives of the member federations.

However, ultimately the FA decided not to invest in the Academy.

Whether it was a question of affordability or their lack of desire, I wasn’t privy to the reasons behind the decision.

Nevertheless, the FA Board should be asked to read a document compiled in 2021/2022 called; “The One Football Strategy”, which revealed a hunger for the Academy to be established with the FA and the member Federations working in unison.

Furthermore, with the appointment by FIFA of Arsene Wenger as Chief Football Officer who has stated every nation should have a National Academy or Centre of Excellence by 2026, it flies in the face of the decision to close the AIS in 2017 and the reluctance to invest in a National Academy now.

R.S.

What do you observe as other problems in the system?

G.C.

Player development and talent identification are key factors in producing a better quality of player.

Graham Arnold said before the last World Cup in his Gap Report that players from u/17- u/23 don’t get enough game time.

in his role as Chief Football Officer at the FA, Ernie Merrick has a big job to review and change the system because people involved in coaching at the moment are frustrated by the current pathways and lack of investment in the game.

R.S.

When you were at the FA, how did you rate the expertise of your colleagues and other employees  in the organisation?

G.C.

I had already worked with Will Hastie at Football Victoria and rubbed shoulders with seasoned campaigners Ian Crook and Gary Phillips - who I’ve both known for a long time.

However, they’re all busy people who are fully occupied in their coaching development and administrative roles.

Regarding other employees at the FA, it isn’t always the case that obtaining a university degree in sports management guarantees a contribution can be made to the game.

If football isn’t your first love and you don’t have a background in the game, it makes it much harder.

While I was there, I witnessed a high turnover of staff which indicated that maybe the wrong people were being employed.

R.S.

How can we get more former professional players involved in media, coaching, marketing and operations?

G.C.

Professional Footballers Australia are trying to encourage current players to think about remaining in the game and they are paying for their courses.

Some players want to get away from the game and follow a new career but for others, it’s a matter of examining their skill set which doesn’t happen enough.

One of the biggest problems is the current regime feels threatened by the presence of former players which is a big mistake.

Surely, the retention of more former players in life after football can only benefit the sport due to their total understanding of the product.

R.S.

We are producing very few tactically accomplished players in the game.

What is the solution?

G.C.

I was invited to the National Youth Championships in Coffs Harbour last year by the FA and spent some time with former Socceroo striker, Josh Kennedy.

There were players on view with reasonable technical ability but there was a dearth of quality strikers.

Control and passing technique were excellent but they didn’t know where the ball should be going before and after the pass was made.

It shouldn’t be just about maintaining possession which the current coach education emphasises.

What about penetration behind defences to create goal scoring opportunities?

In relation to the quality of players in general, every coach I speak to decries the quality of players coming through the system.

When we replaced the AIS and State institute of Sports because the Dutch said not enough players were getting a chance, we set up academies in the A-League and NPL clubs.

The intention of the model was theoretically sound,  but as Wenger says the reason to establish national academies is so the best play with the best which provides the ultimate learning environment.

R.S.

You spent six years with Melbourne Victory from the start of the A-League and it was the boom club of the competition for many years.

What has happened?

G.C.

The club had lost its way to some extent when Geoff Lord was replaced as chairman and Ernie Merrick and I moved on.

However, when Ange Postecoglou became coach and was succeeded by Kevin Muscat, the performances on the park improved and AAMI Park was always full.

After they vacated their positions, recruiting wasn’t up to scratch and then Covid struck.

When Tony Popovic took over two seasons ago, the mood became positive leading to a Australia Cup win and just missing out on the Championship.

Unfortunately, the club finished last in the league last season and I believe the reluctance to start U/23’S from the Academy was a major reason for the poor performance.

In contrast, the Mariners - with the smallest budget in the league - gave their youngsters a chance and achieved wonders while Adelaide United provided opportunity for their youth players and also performed very well.

Notably, there has been a clearing out of the Football Department at Victory and Poppa has a new squad so hopefully the club will benefit on and off the field.

Unquestionably, the A-League needs a strong Melbourne Victory.

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The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is offering master's scholarships to support outstanding students as they embark on their postgraduate study.

The scholarship will enhance the prospects of future athletes and leaders in the diverse sporting industry.

Benefits include:

• Generous financial awards
• Mentorships with Industry leaders
• Placements and internships with industry partners
• GIS Professional Education Courses
• GIS Global Sports Summits

The deadline to apply for a scholarship for January 2024 entry is November 30 and to be eligible you must be a current applicant to a GIS Masters course. Interest can be registered on the GIS website here.

Applications will be assessed against eligibility criteria by a panel of university staff and external staff (where relevant), and applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of December.

GIS are holding Master's open evenings in London and Manchester on the 14th and 21st of November. These evenings will provide prospective students with the opportunity to learn more about our unique degrees, the chance to meet staff and explore our state-of-the-art facilities.

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is the leading destination for master’s degrees, executive education and professional qualifications in sport around the world.

The GIS offer study programs that are solely based around sport and gives current and aspiring sports professionals the chance to excel in the industry. They do this through a number of graduate and specialist program spanning leadership, business, and coaching delivered by some of the most experienced and respected practitioners in world sport.

The purpose of GIS, as stated on their website, is: To unite, inspire and equip the current and future leaders of the global sports industry with the skills, knowledge and network to take the world of sport to continually new heights.

GIS hold Global summit events at their six campus hubs across the world with a focus on networking with industry professionals and enjoying a fantastic experience of travelling. These are in London, Manchester, Toronto, Melbourne, Miami and New York.

This scholarship opportunity is a huge one for any students wanting to launch their career in sport and escape their comfort zone with the many events and opportunities that arise because of it.

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The International Sport College Australia (ISCA) has been named as Football NSW's Official Education Partner.

In early 2023, ISCA opened its North-West Sydney Campus at Valentine Sports Park, providing both a Diploma of Sports Management (High Performance) and an online Certificate of Sport Management.

The unique program allows students to combine their passion for sports into a complete grasp of the worldwide professional sports sector. The Diploma, created by prominent industry professionals, offers students an innovative combination of training, coaching, learning, and mentorship.

The new Valentine Sports Park campus, the Home of Football in NSW, offers an exciting opportunity for players wishing to broaden their knowledge and take their initial steps towards a career in football or, more generally, sport.

The Diploma is a stand-alone certification, but it also serves as a stepping stone into a bachelor programme at the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS). Former ISCA students have also gone on to pursue Bachelor's degrees at other Sydney universities.

Football NSW CEO John Tsatsimas is ecstatic to be collaborating with an institution dedicated to football and the broader sports business..

“We’re excited to be partnering with ISCA as our official Education Partner,” he said via press release.

“ISCA provides a great fusion of high-performance training with sports business principles, beneficial to anyone wishing to start their career within the sporting industry. We look forward to welcoming some of the next generation of sporting professionals to Valentine Sports Park over the coming years.”

ISCA General Manager Ian Evans believes the offering of first-class sporting facilities and coaching staff, coupled with a high-quality academic program, will be a game-changer for young athletes.

“ISCA is positioned as an alternative pathway for Year 12 students who love sport but are just not sure what area of sport to focus on,” he added via press release.

“Being non-ATAR based, and offering a blend of business, high performance and sport management subjects, we want to encourage and work with school-leavers who are interested in sport business, coaching, and athletic development, but are unsure about what to focus on in future years, whether it be employment, further study or continuing to play the sport they love.”

The ISCA Diploma of Sports Management (High Performance) course provides students with an innovative blend of training, coaching, learning and mentoring to develop an edge in the sports industry, whilst offering a platform for students to improve athletic ability in a high-performance environment.

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Macarthur FC has partnered with the NSW Government to instigate a new community outreach program ‘Bulls in Schools’.

The program that will be based in south-west Sydney will be a partnership between A-League clubs Macarthur, Western Sydney Wanderers and the NSW government.

The deal is set to benefit up to 40,000 students and will focus on delivering football programs to school students within the region the clubs are based out of.

The Football in Schools Program that Bulls in Schools is a component of is set to be a major part of the upcoming NSW state budget.

The program will last for four years and will cost $14.5 million.

It is set to feature a wide range of initiatives that will aim to get more students to participate in sport.

These programs will mainly centre on after school programs and are set to be delivered both in-schools and on-site at the Bulls and Wanders A-league training facilities.

In the spirit of diversity, the program is set to include targeted female, multicultural, and all-abilities programs.

NSW Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper, spoke of the opportunity that this program will have for so many students.

“40,000 kids will be able to participate in football programs with some of the best footballers and coaches in our nation,” he said via press release.

“The Football in Schools Program will see more Western Sydney students participating in sport and enjoying the benefits of that it offers. “We understand that families in Western Sydney are feeling the crunch of cost-of-living pressures and this free program will ensure that no child regardless of their background or ability misses out.”

Prue Car, Member for Western Sydney and NSW Minister for Education, also added to these sentiments.

“Education is not just about books and laptops, some of the best lessons in life are on the sports field,” she said via press release.

“By working in partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers and Macarthur FC, the Football in Schools Program will bring the classroom to the football pitch.”

Macarthur FC Chairman Gino Marra added to the club's delight in being able to use this opportunity to engrain itself further in the south-west Sydney community.

“This commitment by the NSW Government into our Bulls in Schools and community program is a major investment into the future of south-west Sydney,” he said via press release.

“The key pillars our community programs are health & wellbeing, education and inclusion. We are proud to have had more than 60,000 children take part and today’s commitment from the state government will significantly expand the scope of our program across our region.”

This is a huge announcement both in terms of supporting the local community and developing football in NSW.

By having both major south-western Sydney clubs joined together on this program it shows the ability of major stake holders in the sport to come together for the sport and its next generation development.

Even though football at the highest level is naturally competitive, it is great to see clubs put aside these difference in order to help grow the game in diverse and inclusive ways.

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Central Coast Mariners and Central Coast United have announced an official collaboration with the shared goal of nurturing local football talent and ensuring a pathway for local stars to shine on the national and global stage.

The Mariners already have a reputation for being one of the most successful football academies in Australia and will now continue to develop talent from Central Coast United as they have done so for the six years since United's inception.

Over 100 players have moved from Central Coast United to the Central Coast Mariners academy and this official partnership signifies a commitment to creating the best possible environment for up-and-coming footballers in the Central Coast region.

Central Coast United currently act as the feeder club for the Mariners, bridging the gap between grassroots football and a chance to play elite level professional football.

From U9s to U18s, Central Coast Mariners Academy and Central Coast United will be conducting joint open trials for Youth Boys, resulting in one of three possible pathways for players:

1. Central Coast Mariners Academy
2. Central Coast United
3. Foundation Program

The Central Coast Mariners will continue to run and operate the Girls SAP and Youth Girl’s Academy programs for local aspiring female footballers on the Central Coast, a goal outlined in their 2023/24 season plan on their website.

A key factor in this partnership is improving players' journeys and giving them a second chance. The partnership aims to create an environment where players who narrowly miss out on Central Coast Mariners’ selection can develop further at  Central Coast United or the foundation program in hopes to have another crack at it the next year.

Not only does this create a happier, less stressful academy system for the young prospects but it also allows the Mariners to monitor these players yearly and ensure they don't miss out on any top talents.

Central Coast Mariners Sporting Director Matt Simon expressed his excitement for what the partnership brings for the future of Central Coast football.

“The Central Coast Mariners are committed to creating a pathway for all kids on the Central Coast and are proud to reaffirm this with a formal partnership with Central Coast United,” he said in a club press release.

“This partnership will enable all kids on the Coast to have a clear pathway to the Mariners Academy and this has been proven over the years to be one of the best pathway relationships in the country.”

Central Coast United General Manager Matt Crowell is also pleased to join officially with the Central Coast Mariners, a move that has been in the making for a few years.

“We are delighted to formally announce a partnership with the Central Coast Mariners. To have a professional football club in our region where local boys and girls have an opportunity to become professional footballers is incredibly special,” Crowell added via Mariners press release.

“For us to give our players this pathway to potentially reach the very top is something we support one hundred percent. Between CCM, CCU, CCSC, CCF and all the local clubs, I think football on the Coast is in a great place.”

Building this foundation with Central Coast United allows footballers in the Central Coast region to have a clear pathway into the professional game, whilst also providing an environment that allows them multiple chances to make it. The reigning A-League Men's champions are making an intelligent move in building a stable foundation for their future which could contribute to even more success for the club.

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Adelaide United has confirmed the launch of a new junior development program, set to start in October 2023.

The new program will be spearheaded by former Adelaide United player, Marcelo Carrusca, who brings eight years worth of youth development experience to the role. The program in fact will be an expansion of Carrusca’s pre-existing development program that has been a staple of the South Australian football community.

The new program will offer participants elite coaching, holistic development, confidence boosting activities, and it will also promote education on healthy lifestyles. The club aims for the program to be delivered in a safe and inclusive environment, helping participants not only grow as footballers but as better community members.

“Adelaide United Junior Development Program is built with a strong emphasis on skill development, respect, teamwork, and social skills. Not only will the Program develop football skills, but it will teach valuable life skills to use off the field,” the club said via press release.

The program comes off the back of a survey the club conducted with 700 of their fans. The aim of the survey was to better understand what fans wished to get from the club and football generally. As a result of the survey the club discovered that for many of the fans the Adelaide United Football Club is one of the paramount custodians of community football in South Australia.

Following this result, the Club then set to work developing ways that they can live up to this expectation. Adelaide United Chief Executive Officer Nathan Kosmina spoke of this custodial role in the programmes launch.

“As custodians of the game in South Australia, we are delivering on an aspiration to be champions of our community,” he said via press release.

“We are thrilled to be fostering skills both on and off the field to South Australian children, many of whom might have only been introduced to football recently.

“The investment in this program is testament to our commitment to the future of this great Club and the important role it plays in the South Australian community.

“The Adelaide United Junior Development Program is a key pillar in our community engagement and talent development strategies.”

The programs leader, Marcelo Carrusca, added to the CEO’s sentiments expressing the core aims that the program hopes to achieve for the South Australian community.

“I am so happy to be back home at Adelaide United,” he stated via media release.

“The new Adelaide United Junior Development Program will teach South Australian children the fundamentals of football, in addition to skills off the field to be the best person they can be.

“Our coaches are amongst the best in Australia, and I can’t wait to have a positive impact on so many South Australian kids.”

This announcement comes at a perfect time for football development. Not only is it the eve of return the hotly anticipated Isuzu UTE A-League season, but it’s also the time when interest in the game at the junior level is at an all-time high. Announcements such as this are a great indicator that the interest sparked by the home FIFA Women’s World Cup is going to affect real change and give more chances for the next generation of Australian football talent to succeed.

The full program schedule is as follows:

St Clair Oval
Address: Brocas Ave, St Clair SA 5011
Dates & Session Times:
Monday, 23 October – Monday, 11 December (8 Sessions)
5 – 8 Year Old – 6:00pm – 7:00pm
9 – 13 Year Old – 7:15pm – 8:15pm

Saturday, 28 October – Saturday, 16 December (8 Session)
5 – 8 Year Old – 9:00am – 10:00am
9 – 13 Year Old – 10:15am – 11:15am

Ridley Reserve East
Address: Judd Road, Elizabeth SA 5112
Dates & Session Times:
Wednesday, 25 October – Wednesday, 13 December (8 Sessions)
5 – 8 Year Old – 6:00pm – 7:00pm
9 – 13 Year Old – 7:15pm – 8:15pm

*The club has also committed to offering girls-only sessions at Ridley Reserve on Wednesdays and St Clair on Saturdays.

Registration can be made via this link: https://adelaideunited.com.au/community/junior-development-program

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