Q - Please could you tell us a bit about your background?
A - I am a Merseysider who has spent my working life in the development of young people, both in sport and in football. I started as the Youth Development Officer at Everton in 1990 and I am currently the club’s Academy Ambassador. In this role I am responsible for player and coach development at an international level.
Q – What were you doing before you entered coaching?
A - I was a teacher and lecturer in Physical Education and then worked for the Football Association as a Football Development Officer.
Q – How did you first get the job at Everton?
A - I was a part time coach at Everton from 1980-1982 during Howard Kendall’s first term as manager. I must have made an impression because he asked me to become full time at the start of his second term in 1990.
Q – How have things changed in coaching during the time you’ve been involved in the profession?
A - The game is now far more technical as well as athletic. Coaching has had to change to adapt to these changes in emphasis.
Q – How have young players’ attitudes changed during the time you’ve been in coaching?
A - The development programme begins at a much earlier age (6 years at Everton) and so player’s attitudes can be guided much easier. Players understand the requirements of being a professional footballer at Everton from a very early age.
Q – How easy is it to spot attributes in a youngster to know he will make it in the professional game?
A - It is not easy. In fact talent identification is the most difficult part of the development process.
Q – Which players did you work with as youngsters who have gone on to play the game professionally?
A – There are too many to mention them all but Wayne Rooney, Richard Dunne, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines Jack Rodwell, Leon Osman and Tony Hibbert are some of the players I worked with as youngsters.
Q – Which players who you have worked with are you most proud of?
A - Leon Osman because he has had to do it the hard way. He’s small in stature but big in courage. And of course, Wayne.
Q – Have you ever been wrong about a player ie someone you didn’t think would make it who subsequently went on to play the game professionally?
A – Again, too many to mention but I am honest enough to admit to releasing Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka. It is not the players who are released from the club that makes an Academy successful it is the players who stay with the club and play in the first team.
Q – Which of the managers you have worked under have been most supportive of encouraging young talent?
A - Joe Royle and David Moyes.
Q – How did you get involved with Chonburi FC?
A – Through the sponsors. Both Everton F.C.and Chonburi are sponsored by Chang.
Q – How many other coaches are involved in the Academy?
A - There are 13 full time coaches involved in the Academy and 5 part time.
Q – How much time do you spend in Thailand and Chonburi?
A – I spend about 25 days a year in Thailand and maybe 10 of those days will be in Chonburi.
Q – What do you consider to be the strengths of the young Thai players?
A - Technique and desire with some boys.
Q – And their weaknesses?
A - Physical and physiological. They do tend to lack strength and power.
Q – What is the biggest difference between coaching Thai youngsters and their English counterparts?
A – Culture. Our boys are born into football. Thai boys are not.
Q – Have you spotted any young players at Chonburi who have the potential to go all the way?
A - I have identified some players who could be professional players in some European leagues but none that are good enough for the English Premier League.
Q – A lot of good young Thai players seem to “get lost” or disappear before they can make it in the professional game, what is the club doing to ensure that we keep hold of the most promising youngsters?
A - Chonburi F.C has the best youth development programme in Thailand. However, it needs to find a pathway into Europe, Japan and Korea for the best players.
Q – What are your impressions of the set up at Chonburi FC?
A - Very good. The facilities and coaches are good and, as I said before, the club has the best youth development in the country.
Q – How does it compare to what you’re used to?
A – The development of youth players in Thailand has been operating for maybe 5-10 year, in England it is over 50 years. That is the difference !!!!
Q – What advice, if any, have you given to the coaches at Chonburi?
A - Keep working to improve your ability, without good coaches you will not have good players.
Q – Have you had any input with first team affairs (tactics, training etc) or made any suggestions for behind the scenes improvement whilst you’ve been involved at Chonburi FC?
A – One of our academy coaches, Michael O’Brien, has worked with the Chonburi F.C 1st team.
Q – Have you seen any current Thai players who you think could perform in England?
A - Not at senior level but many young players could work in our Academies.
Q – When will you next be in Thailand and Chonburi? And what are your plans during the visit?
A – We’ll be there in June and July this year. We would like to continue with the tournament type programme, as the Chang Cadet Cup was a real success.
Q – Are there any plans to bring young Everton players over to Thailand or to Chonburi?
A - I hope we’ll soon be able to bring a team to play in the Chang Cadet Cup tournament.
Q – How do you think young Thai players would cope with training and playing in England?
A - We brought three sixteen year old Thai boys over to Everton in 2007 (Theerathep Winothai, Sompong Solarb and Rattapol Piyawuthikuland), they were excellent but found the climate and culture difficult. Two of them (Theerathep and Sompong) are now regulars in the Thailand national team.
Q – How has Chonburi’s reputation for developing young Thai players helped you with your academy? And did this reputation have any influence on you accepting your current job?
A - It made me consider that we should work with the best players from all of Thailand and perhaps at the best Centre, which is at present is at Chonburi F.C.
Q – How do you see the academy developing in the future?
A - I would like to see all TPL clubs with their own Academies and rewards for clubs who develop their own players. Should a player developed at youth level go on to represent Thailand, that club should be rewarded either through the media or financially. I am not sure that Thai clubs understand that developing their own players has a financial benefit, both in sales (transfers) and in saving revenue.
Q – What advice would you give to young Thai players who want to become professional footballers?
A - Work hard at improving and appreciate that it takes more than talent to be a professional footballer.
Q – How do you recruit youngsters for your academy? Is there a scouting network?
A - We look for the best players at all age ranges. We have a local, regional, national and international network of scouts. There are 5 full time staff and over 200 part time staff.
No comments:
Post a Comment