Editorial:

A Precarious
Profession

Interview:
Valeriy
Gazzaev

In Search of
the Perfect
Training Session

Juan, Two,
Three

Including

N EWS LET TE R
F O R COAC H ES
NO. 37
N O V E M B E R 2 0 07
 IMPRESSUM
EDITORIAL GROUP
Andy Roxburgh
Graham Turner
Frits Ahlstrøm

PRODUCTION
André Vieli
Dominique Maurer
Atema Communication SA
Printed by Cavin SA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Hélène Fors

COVER
Dudu (20), one of the
Brazilians who plays for
CSKA Moscow, coached
by Valeriy Gazzaev,
up against Deniz Baris
in his team’s UEFA
ARSÈNE WENGER, Champions League match
against Fenerbahce.
ARSENAL’S LOYAL COACH,
(Photo: Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images)

IS AN EXCEPTION I N

A VERY FICKLE WORLD.

PA ARCHIVES /PA PHOTOS

2
 A PRECARIOUS
PROFESSION
EDITORIAL coach and his coat maybe shown the ment in the top divisions should surely
door before he has time to fully develop be recognised as a vocation requiring
BY ANDY ROXBURGH, his style and his team. specialised training. Gianluca Vialli, a
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR UEFA Pro licence holder, supports the
But surely, there is some career protec- argument when he states: “In Italy,
tion for the professional coach, apart coaching is seen as a profession, requir-
from a financial settlement? Herein lies ing study and an apprenticeship.” Without
the crux of the problem, because foot- doubt, it takes talent to manage talent.
To say that coaching at the top level ball coaching, particularly in some coun- But those with an aptitude for coaching
today is a precarious occupation is an tries, has never been viewed as a regu- can be nurtured, encouraged and pre-
understatement. Following matchday 1 lated profession in the same way as pared by the associations to meet the
in the UEFA Champions League, four a doctor, a teacher or a lawyer, and has demands of the professional game.
clubs parted company with their head lacked the official recognition, training
coach – José Mourinho left Chelsea FC, requirements, and legal protection which Of course, a coaching licence will not
Gheorghe Hagi stopped working at FC a job of this public importance should guarantee success, but it will ensure
Steaua Bucuresti, Anatoliy Demyanenko be afforded. UEFA, however, through minimum standards of coaching compe-
moved out at FC Dynamo Kyiv and its Coaching Convention has tried to tence and will protect the players and
Albert Emon stepped aside at Olym- raise standards of education throughout the game from basic mismanagement.
pique de Marseille. In the case of José Europe and to establish a clearly defined Establishing and enforcing regulations
Mourinho, it was a major surprise as accreditation system. Meanwhile, the which protect the rights of the coach will
he was a previous winner of the UEFA club licensing programme has been increase the credibility and the status of
Champions League and the UEFA Cup, established on a European and dom- the profession. Football is a high-stakes,
albeit at FC Porto. Finland’s national estic level, with specific criteria being high-risk business at the elite level and
coach Roy Hodgson summed up the imposed, including the qualification coaches cannot be protected from the
current climate when he said: “With requirements of the technical staff. But realities of life. But, progressive coach
a few exceptions (e.g. Sir Alex Ferguson difficulties remain, because in a number education and strict licensing schemes
and Arsène Wenger), coaching at the of associations a coaching licence is can help to prepare and protect frontline
highest level nowadays is a short-term not compulsory in order to work at the technicians – professionals who are
job. People want changes and the top level, and sometimes the domestic often exposed to irrational, emotional
media want new faces.” In a results- rules are modified or bypassed for judgements. If coaching can be univer-
driven business, someone is always ‘special cases’. Too many special cases sally recognised as a regulated profes-
under pressure, and for many profes- and credibility is lost. sion, then it may become a little less
sional coaches who are not living up to precarious, and we might survive UEFA
expectations, it seems that ‘their coat The training of a coach is a long, arduous Champions League matchday 1 with
is hanging precariously on a shaky nail’. process and involves organised courses fewer managerial casualties than we did
What then can be done to increase and seminars (both formal training and this time around.
stability and to minimise the risk of informal exchange), work experience
premature dismissal, which is some- (assisting and observing), the use of
times unfair? mentors, managing players and teams
at lower levels, specialised studies and
The first step must be to educate analysis, and personal development
coaches in a comprehensive way and (i.e. reading, travel, life challenges, etc.).
to equip them for the demands of the José Mourinho’s fairytale journey to the
football ‘bullring’. Today, it is an environ- top provides an interesting case study.
ment which is heavily influenced by As he explained to me a few weeks
player power, rich owners, critical ex- ago: “My training as a coach was fully
players, an all-consuming media and an comprehensive – I came from a foot-
insatiable, demanding public. Even if ball family, was educated in physical
these rough waters can be navigated education and football, gained work
Yates/AFP/Getty Images

and results can be achieved, it may experience at Sporting Clube de Portu-

not be enough. The customers, not to gal, FC Porto and FC Barcelona, had top
mention the owners, want flair and style mentors in Bobby Robson and Louis
in tandem with efficiency, and if the van Gaal, committed myself to personal
image of the coach and the team is study, and worked at a small club before José Mourinho won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Champions
perceived as dull and boring, then the I reached FC Porto.” Frontline manage- League with FC Porto before moving to Chelsea.

3
INTERVIEW
BY ANDY ROXBURGH,
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

UEFA
HE HAS AN INFECTIOUS SMILE AND HE HAS MUCH TO SMILE ABOUT. VALERIY GAZZAEV,
THE HEAD COACH OF PFC CSKA MOSKVA, WAS A TOP PROFESSIONAL PLAYER, HAS WON MANY TITLES
AS A COACH, AND OWNS A SHARE IN AN OIL WELL. AS A PLAYER, HE WON THE EUROPEAN
CHAMPIONSHIP AT UNDER-23 (1976) AND UNDER-21 (1980) LEVELS, WAS A BRONZE MEDALLIST FOR
THE USSR AT THE 1980 OLYMPIC GAMES AND LIFTED THE SOVIET CUP (1984) AS A MEMBER OF THE
FC DINAMO MOSKVA SQUAD – HE SCORED 89 GOALS IN 283 APPEARANCES IN THE TOP SOVIET LEAGUE.
IN HIS MANAGERIAL ROLE, THE FORMER INTERNATIONAL STRIKER (EIGHT APPEARANCES AND FOUR
GOALS FOR THE USSR), HAS CAPTURED THE RUSSIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR TIMES (ONCE WITH
SPARTAK ALANIA-VLADIKAVKAZ AND THE OTHERS WITH CSKA MOSKVA), THE RUSSIAN CUP THREE
TIMES (ALL WITH CSKA MOSKVA), AND BECAME THE FIRST RUSSIAN COACH TO LIFT THE UEFA CUP
(2005), WHEN CSKA MOSKVA BEAT SPORTING CLUBE DE PORTUGAL IN THE FINAL IN LISBON.

THE MAN FROM VLADIKAVKAZ WAS RUSSIA’S COACH OF THE YEAR IN 2005, COACH OF THE NATIONAL
TEAM FOR A SHORT PERIOD, AND RECEIVED THE ORDER OF FRIENDSHIP AND THE ORDER OF HONOUR
FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. IN HIS PLAYING DAYS, HE WAS KNOWN AS A WIZARD WITH
THE BALL, AND AS A COACH HE HAS PRODUCED NUMEROUS MOMENTS OF MAGIC TO BECOME ONE
OF RUSSIA’S MOST SUCCESSFUL TECHNICIANS. A PARTICIPANT IN UEFA’S ELITE CLUB COACHES FORUM
FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND A MEMBER OF UEFA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TECHNICAL
STUDY GROUP IN 2006 AND 2007, HE IS THE MAN WITH THE SMILE – HE IS…

VALERIY GAZZAEV
1 • What was the reaction in Russia players allowed us to benefit from organised and responsible in our
when you won the UEFA Cup? the qualities of each group. defensive work – everybody has his
Of course, this was a great success clearly defined job. The second key
because never before had a Russian 2 • What system of play do you is having five in midfield, not just
club won a European trophy. It was use with CSKA Moskva? quantity but also quality. We can
a big celebration and recognition for All my career at CSKA Moskva, really build up the attacks, particularly
the whole nation. The president of the I have used the same system – with with the use of our fast players on
country gave us a reception in the three defenders, five midfielders the flanks. The high level of our twin
Kremlin and the reaction from everyone and two strikers. The two wing strikers completes the team unit and
was amazing. We won because we backs have always done a great produces a system which I am very
had good players, a good president and job both defensively and offen- comfortable with. Last season in the
a good coach (he laughs and the smile sively. Since 2001, we have won UEFA Champions League, we scored
sparkles). The commitment was total many trophies playing in this way 16 goals and only conceded four,
and everyone did his job professionally. and my players like this system so the system works for us. I find
The key was balance – the balance of play. The most important aspect that three at the back is more secure
between our Brazilian and Russian for us is that we are very well because, first and foremost, they

4
 Epsilon/Getty Images
VALERIY GASSAEV,

Korotayev/
CSKA MOSCOW’S “CONDUCTOR”.

know what to do defensively and they

remain in place, while a zonal four can
become stretched and imbalanced –
the latter has quantity but for me the
former has greater security.

3 • You have four Brazilians in

your team. What are the advantages
and disadvantages?
When we got our Brazilian players they
were not famous – they were young
boys when they came to us. During
their time with us, they have matured
into Brazilian national team players,
and now CSKA is the only team giving
four players to the Brazilian national
team. These players have great tech-
nical qualities, they are very profes-
sional, and they are a big plus for us
because we win many matches
on account of their quality. The big
disadvantage is that we lose them
when they are away with Brazil.

4 • How would you describe your

training methods?
Firstly, we focus on intensity because
today’s game is very quick and high
tempo. Therefore, my training is
intense and close to the match situa-
tion. Of course, we do a lot of tactical
work, together with coordination and
fluid movement – these elements are
combined. Usually, I incorporate the
tactics we will use in the game – the
physical aspect is also included, so it
is a combined, complex approach.
We do practical exercises on pressing,
which are exhausting because they
require everyone to work hard. I never
hold training sessions for longer than
one hour and fifteen minutes, but they
Leong/AFP/Getty Images

are very concentrated and demanding

in order to push everybody up to the
match level.

5 • What are the tactical trends

in Russian football?
Vogel/Bongarts/Getty Images

I would say that the tactical trends are

similar to those in the rest of Europe.
Many use 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 but the
quality of the play is not as high as the
top UEFA Champions League teams.
The only one who is not following the

5
 TAKING A LOOK

AT THE TECH NICIAN WITH

UEFA
ANDY ROXBU RGH.

trends is me. Most of the clubs are 7 • Do you think that a team 8 • Who were your favourite
playing cautiously, building from from Russia is capable of winning players and coaches?
defence and playing counter-attack – the UEFA Champions League I believe every coach should have
the aim is mainly not to lose. in the near future? his own way. We should not copy –
There has been a lot of investment yes, I like Sir Alex Ferguson and
6 • The next UEFA Champions in the game in Russia, including the I respect his work, but the key is to
League final will be in Moscow. infrastructure, and the competitive find your own way. Oleg Blokhin, who
What can we expect? level has improved, with eight or I played with, was a great player,
Firstly, I hope that a Russian club will nine top clubs of a similar standard. as was Lev Yashin and, of course,
be in the final. It is a great honour I believe that in the near future we Valerii Lobanovskyi was an outstanding
for Russia to get the final and we will are capable of having a team in the coach in the former USSR.
do everything to make it a big suc- final of the UEFA Champions League.
cess. For the whole country and for It is really only in the last six years 9 • Is there still a distinctive
the association, it is an important that we have become fully profes- Russian style of football?
development. It will attract a great sional in Russian football and we are I don’t think that there is a Russian
deal of attention to football and I am now experiencing a rapid develop- style of playing football because we
sure it will be a well-organised, spec- ment in the game. I think that in five have many foreign players and coaches.
tacular final. I agree with the decision years’ time we can have one of the Of course, there is South American
to play on real grass, although the top five championships in Europe. and European football, and we are part
artificial surface in Moscow is good. Now we are investing in quality of the latter. Maybe there was a Soviet
The level of organisation will be players, and top coaches are coming style, but now modern Russia does
high and Moscow will do its utmost to Russia, so the trend is towards not have a distinctive way of playing.
to welcome everybody. the top European level.
10 • How do you handle today’s
top professionals?
It is a big problem to handle top pro-
fessionals nowadays, but I can deal
with that. I am constantly working on
psychology and I have intense discus-
sions with the players, trying to make
them understand that money is only
part of the equation. They need to
work for their name – their reputation.
It is not an easy task, but I feel that
I can cope. I am always touching the
human aspect – they are football play-
ers, but their behaviour is also impor-
tant. They need to learn from their
experiences because it will benefit
them later in life, and I communicate
regularly with the players on a one-
to-one basis. Strict discipline in the
team is a priority for us – it is the base.
Then come the individual discussions
and the personal development. Of
course, you cannot make players from
the outside (such as the Brazilians)
love Russia, but you can get them to
Leong/AFP/Getty Images

respect the traditions here and to do

their job as professionals. The Brazilians
love Brazil, naturally, so we experience
a difference in mentality between
our Russian players and those who
The Brazilians show off their agility as CSKA warm up before a UEFA Champions League match. have come from South America.

6
 BY WI NNING THE UEFA CU P IN LISBON,

VALERIY GASSAEV EARN ED HIS CLUB THE HONOU R

Getty Images
OF BEING THE FIRST RUSSIAN SIDE TO WI N

A U EFA CLUB COMPETITION.

have just started with a professional

life, including the contractual duties of
a player, dealing with the owner/presi-
dent, etc. All of this is new to our peo-
ple and the mentality is different in
the East. But I see things changing and
gradually we are moving towards the
same standards as those in the leading
Western countries. However, I must
admit that there is a difference today,
although respect for the players and
the coaches is going up and up.

13 • For you, what are the best and

the worst aspects of football today?
For the last 100 years, football has
been the most popular game and I love
it. However, some developments have
disappointed me. I do not agree with
the current interpretation of the offside
law because many are afraid and there-
fore play cautiously. This is a negative
trend in the game. Also, football is
so popular that it can create jealousy
when some get too much money or
too much fame. From a positive per-
spective, I will never forget the emotion
of winning the UEFA Cup. Winning and
collecting trophies is always a wonderful
experience in football, and the game’s
appeal continues to grow throughout
the world.

14 • What does the future hold

for Russian football and for Valeriy
Gazzaev?
I think that the future of Russian foot-
ball is bright and I see myself coming
Getty Images

back to the national team one day –

I would like to do something for my
country. There is a boom in Russian
football, with five new stadiums being
11 • What do you think are logical problems. When the players built, and support coming from the
the most important qualities think that the coach is not a strong government and the private sector.
of a modern coach? character, then everything can be People now understand the role of foot-
As a coach you need to be aware of lost, even if he has all the tactical ball in our society, so we see growth,
the culture where the players come knowledge and an outstanding ability also at grassroots level. Many of the
from and react accordingly. There needs to read the game. stadiums are full and the management
to be a very good relationship between around the clubs is improving. Our
the coach and the player, no matter 12 • Do you see a difference victory in the UEFA Cup even gave
their place of origin. The coach needs between Eastern Europe and the a boost to the activities of the football
to be a strong character and a good West in the approach to the game? schools – the kids want to play and
psychologist. I read a lot and I prepare I think there is a difference between they know after our success that
myself to deal with the various psycho- the East and the West. We in Russia Russian clubs are capable of winning.

7
 AN OPPORTUNITY FOR

UEFA-pjwoods.ch
THE COACH ES TO SHARE THEIR

VI EWS WITH UEFA.

MESSAGES FROM
THE TECHNICAL AREA
THE TEAM PHOTO BEARS WITNESS TO THE STRENGTH IN DEPTH OF THE 9TH ELITE CLUB
COACHES FORUM WHICH WAS STAGED AT UEFA’S HEADQUARTERS EARLY IN SEPTEMBER.
EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ILLUSTRIOUS ABSENTEES SUCH AS SIR ALEX FERGUSON (SADLY OBLIGED
TO ATTEND A FUNERAL), CARLO ANCELOTTI (LEADING AC IN A MATCH IN KIEV TO COMMEMORATE
FC DYNAMO’S 80TH ANNIVERSARY) AND FRANK RIJKAARD (FAMILY REASONS), THE LINE-UP
WAS IMPRESSIVE AS IT GAVE UNPRECEDENTED GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE OF THE CONTINENT.

In any case, the participants would which were outlined to the partici- Among the main concerns was a
be the first to insist that the important pants by UEFA’s president, Michel topic which had also emerged as a
thing was not the star-studded line-up Platini. talking point during the compilation of
but rather the views they expressed. the technical report on the 2006/07
Since the forum was launched in But, like technicians the world over, UEFA Champions League, namely…
1999, many of the coaches’ proposals the favourite pastime at the forum
have been converted into reality and was simply to ‘talk football’. The The State of the Pitch
many of their current concerns will result was a mixture of suggestions The coaches commented that, in a
also be the object of high-level debate and observations which, due to lack UEFA Champions League which is uni-
in forthcoming months – as will the of space to do full justice to them, versally accepted as the benchmark
proposed reforms to the UEFA Cham- will have to be summarised in more for other club competitions, the impor-
pions League and the UEFA Cup or less telegraphic form. tance of the playing surface is under-
rated. A fast and true surface can con-
tribute to the match as a spectacle –
which is what the public expects when
they watch UEFA Champions League
football. There is a risk that the stars
may be eclipsed if the playing surface
is not conducive to one-touch combi-
nations and passes take an extra frac-
tion of a second – or even a second
touch – to control. In a competition
where space is at a premium, the
speed of combination play can be a
critical factor and, as Arsène Wenger
stated in the technical report and in
Nyon, “if the pitch is not perfect, the
athletes are rewarded, not the artists”.
UEFA-pjwoods.ch

The Last Word

A star-studded team.
One of the trends to emerge strongly
from the 2006/07 campaign was for

8
 J UANDE RAMOS,

TWO-TI M E WI N N ER OF

THE UEFA CU P.

technicians to play their cards in the just over 10% stemming from free

UEFA-pjwoods.ch
closing stages of games where there are kicks. However, the figures aren’t an
results to chase or to preserve. In the entirely accurate reflection of the full
semi-finals and finals of last season’s picture, as a higher percentage of the
UEFA Champions League, 23 of the crucial goals in knockout ties came
possible 30 substitutions were made from free kicks, including Liverpool FC’s habits are often the ones that are
(Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t make any during ‘equaliser’ in the semi-final against most difficult to kick (in the figurative
the home leg against AC Milan). And Chelsea FC and AC Milan’s opener in sense, of course) and Hugh Dallas
the striking fact is that 18 of those the final. Modern-day standards of admitted that it could be a painful
changes were rung in the last 15 min- ‘espionage’ work against the repeated and controversial process. Indeed,
utes. “This is when fatigue kicks in,” use of rehearsed set plays with the there may have been controversy by
‘Gica’ Hagi commented, “and there result that, as ‘Gica’ Hagi remarked at the time these lines reach the
are greater opportunities to cash in on the forum, each team needs to have printed page. Why?
lapses of concentration and individual at least one dead-ball specialist in
errors.” Ottmar Hitzfeld added “patience the line-up – or, to put it another way, Coaches are well aware that blocking
is a virtue and, in the crucial closing the lack of one creates an empty techniques at set plays are as old as
stages, factors like mental strength and space in the side’s attacking armoury. the hills. But there is a tendency for
will to win can be decisive.” Arsène Wen- them to escalate into all-in wrestling.
ger reflected “the speed of transition Holding Patterns Roberto Mancini hit the nail on the
is one of the key factors and this can At the forum, the technicians turned head when he commented that, in
fade in the last ten minutes or so. In this sympathetic ears towards Hugh Dallas Italy, at least seven out ten cases of
respect it’s understandable that coaches when, representing UEFA’s Referees wrestling result in a free kick for the
keep some cards up their sleeves Committee, he announced a tougher defending team. Hugh Dallas added
and go for the result in the phase when stance against the off-the-ball pushing that it was time for referees to take
fatigue is an important element.” and holding in the penalty box which a look in the mirror and ask them-
has become almost ‘standard practice’ selves if they were ‘taking the easy
Transition at set plays. As Roberto Mancini re- option’ – in other words, awarding
Arsène’s views on the speed and marked, “it’s not usually violent – it’s an innocuous free kick instead of a
efficiency of transition from attack to just a bad habit”. Unfortunately, the bad nocuous penalty.
defence and vice versa were endorsed
by his colleagues, many of whom now
employ the noun as a training ground
command. José Mourinho’s players,
for instance, know that the shout ‘transi-
tion’ is a galvanising cue to change
instantaneously from one mode to the
other. Shouting, of course, is not
enough. A good deal of training-ground
work needs to focus on rehearsing
positional reactions to ensure that transi-
tions are made as efficiently and as
rapidly as possible – and in accordance
with attack-to-defence policies which
may vary from aggressive forechecking
to a retreat-and-counter philosophy.
PA Wire /PA Photos

Set-Play Specialists
Set plays accounted for just over a quar-
ter of the 309 goals scored during the Following a free kick, Filippo Inzaghi opens the scoring for AC Milan against Liverpool
2006/07 UEFA Champions League, with in the 2007 UEFA Champions League final.

9
 UEFA-pjwoods.ch
OTTMAR HITZFELD, COACH OF BAYERN MU NICH.

The technicians welcomed the tougher be prepared to distort your own struc- against teams who, rightly or wrongly,
stance – but with two provisos. Firstly, ture from time to time, so as to add an consider themselves inferior and set up
that it should be consistently adopted. element of unpredictability to your play. a solid defensive block. The knockout
In other words, punishment on a uni- In a competition of such uniformly high rounds, especially when you get to the
form ‘always or never’ basis is more standards, you have to be prepared to last eight, tend to be more open games
acceptable than ‘sometimes’. Secondly, momentarily take risks.” Gérard was one in which strength, power and resilience
that the referees should persevere with of many participants who underlined have greater relevance. A prime exam-
the tougher criteria and not allow them the differences in parameters during ple of this was AC Milan’s performance
to become diluted as the season wears a single campaign in the UEFA Champi- in Munich, where they were able to
on. “The guidelines are clear and have ons League – a competition which, defend under enormous pressure and
been publicised,” Hugh Dallas com- like the UEFA Cup in more recent times, still come away and score.” Arsène
mented. “What we can’t predict is features a fascinating combination Wenger summed things up very nicely
exactly how long it will take the players of league and knockout formats. “In the by adding, “the best sides in the UEFA
to get the message.” What role should group phase,” he said, “it’s a question Champions League are, quite simply,
the technicians play in the campaign of accumulating points, sometimes the ones who are good at everything.”
to break holding patterns?

League and Cup

The coaches in Nyon acknowledged
that there are significant variations
Fair Play = Fighting
between domestic league games and
UEFA Champions League fixtures. Takis
Lemonis highlighted the differences
and Sanctions? Crazy!
Scenario: the red team is losing 1-0 with a quarter of an hour to play.
in transition speeds between the Greek
The white team breaks fast down the right and, as their player cuts in,
championship and UEFA competitions,
while the technicians operating in a defender slips to the ground near the byline. The ball is crossed; the shot
England’s Premier League commented flies narrowly wide. The red team takes the goal kick, which is intercepted
that the use of professional fouls to in midfield. A through pass is immediately played into the inside-right
abort counter-attacks is more consis- channel. By this time, the red player who had fallen near the byline has
tently punished in Europe than in a made his way upfield – rather than going to the byline for treatment – and
domestic league where the emphasis is sitting on the grass outside the penalty area. The white attacker,
tends to be on allowing the play to flow. played onside by the seated opponent, runs through and scores.
In the UEFA Champions League, they
remarked, it is easier to build from As the referee points to the centre circle, the goalscorer is surrounded by red
the back but, on the other hand, the shirts and there are tussles involving players from both teams. Ill feeling extends
challenge is then to break down physi- beyond the final whistle and there are confrontations as the players make
cally well-prepared, tactically well- their way along the dressing-
organised, well-coached opponents room tunnel. The incidents are Hugh Dallas
who set up a low defensive block. recorded in the UEFA dele- represented the referees
gate’s report and sanctions are at the forum.

As Ottmar Hitzfeld remarked, this subsequently issued by UEFA’s

means that technicians have to be pre- Control and Disciplinary Body.
pared to change team structures in
midstream and implement tactical This is not one of those
variations. Gérard Houllier followed up fictitious situations dreamt up
by stressing the need for players who to challenge students in an
are strong enough in dribbling skills to examination room. It is a real-
emerge successfully from 1v1 situations case scenario from a match
Sportsfile

and distort opposition structures. “At in one of last season’s UEFA

the same time,” he added, “you must competitions.

10
 LEGENDE LEGENDE LEGEN

UEFA-pjwoods.ch
LEGENDE LEGENDE LEGENDE
ZICO’S EXPERIENCE IS NOW BENEFITI
LEGENDENG FENERBAHÇE.
LEGENDE LEGE.

The sequence of events obviously

raises several questions. However, the
relevance of the incident is not about
The Fourth Degree
the rights and wrongs of the particular Since the game was born, millions of words have been said and written
situation. A fundamental issue has about the relationships between technicians and referees.
to be addressed.
Traditionally, the most publicised disagreements have stemmed from discrep-
The red team’s irritation stemmed ancies with decisions – and it is a tradition that is not easy to break. But are we
from a belief that the white team missing the point? In modern times, the technician’s most relevant relationship
should have kicked the ball out of play. on the field of play is not with the referee but with the fourth official. And with
The white team’s refusal to do so was Hugh Dallas listening attentively at the Elite Coaches Forum, the participants
based on the fact that the red team felt it was an ideal moment to address an issue which, in fairness, need not be
had restarted play and that the calls an issue at all.
for the ‘sporting gesture’ had started
only when the whites had intercepted It has to be admitted that, for 90 minutes, it’s a professional relationship where
and launched a counter-attack. The human qualities have their importance. Cultural differences can play a part; so
bottom line is that a so-called fair can language limitations. If the fourth official’s approach is to shout “back!” and
play gesture had become the cause point a finger towards
of bad feeling, scuffling and incidents the dug-out, it might
which obliged UEFA to mete out be understandable for
punishments. Crazy. the coach to feel that
this is how he trains his
In a way, it was the straw that broke dog. More than one
the camel’s back. If a fair play gesture has admitted to feeling Clear guidelines
would improve
can be distorted and taken to so “hounded and humili- relations between
many negative extremes, the time ated” by an overzeal- the coach and the
has come to call a timeout and take ous fourth official. fourth official.
stock of the situation. Hugh Dallas agreed
that the brief of the
As Hugh Dallas explained to the fourth official was not
technicians at the Elite Coaches Forum, to ‘police’ the technical
the issue is of considerable concern area but the forum also
to match officials, who are becoming highlighted a certain
increasingly obliged to handle com- lack of consistency with
plicated situations where, in a way, regard to sitting/stand-
control has been taken out of their ing/coaching/patrolling
hands. It is also of concern to the the technical area, with
coaches who, from the technical area, Zico – the Brazilian
can only look on as fair play gestures coach of Turkish club
develop into tactical issues. Fenerbahçe SK – also
highlighting the diffi-
The problem is that the ‘sporting ges- culties of needing to
ture’ has taken root among players and transmit instructions via
supporters – meaning that uprooting an interpreter.
it entails an educational process. But
the coaches at the forum agreed that The net result was a
PA Wire /PA Photos

the time has come to revert to the call for clear guidelines
old situation, whereby the referee is – and for them to
the only one entitled to decide be applied as politely
whether play is to be halted or not. as possible!

11
 U EFA EXECUTIVE COM M ITTEE M EM BER

PER OM DAL FROM NORWAY.

IN SEARCH OF THE
PERFECT TRAINING SESSION
“IF I WAS ASKED TO FIND ONE WORD TO DESCRIBE ONE OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCES
I HAVE NOTICED IN 25 YEARS OF COACHING,” GÉRARD HOULLIER REMARKED AT THIS YEAR’S ELITE
CLUB COACHES FORUM, “THE WORD WOULD PROBABLY BE ‘WHY’? TODAY’S PLAYERS
WANT TO KNOW THE REASONS BEHIND EACH SESSION ON THE TRAINING GROUND – AND, OF COURSE,
YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO GIVE THEM A GOOD ANSWER.”

At today’s multilingual professional club, a ‘guided discovery’ strategy on the dressing-room climate, the technician
this can become even more demand- training ground. “Sometimes an exer- is required to devise training exercises
ing – which is why some technicians, cise starts in one way and finishes in a which are motivating, interesting and
‘Takis’ Lemonis among them, now open totally different way,” he commented. totally relevant to matchplay.
the proceedings with an explanatory
talk, either on the training pitch or in Everybody has his or her modus “The important thing is to start with
the dressing room. Pragmatisms apart, operandi but the clear message was clear objectives that you can explain
the coaches at the forum emphasised that the days of “just do what I say” to the players,” José Mourinho com-
that modern footballers tend to be are past history. mented in Nyon. “And then you design
top-level students of the game and, in the exercise to attain those objectives.
order to attain maximum levels of moti- It was a theme which cropped up again But you want input from the players
vation, need to feel involved and, to a at the UEFA Coach Education Sympo- and, like matches, exercises can start
degree, responsible for the shape of sium in London, attended by represen- in one way and end in a different way.
training exercises. José Mourinho voiced tatives from all 53 member associations But everything must be game-related.
the opinion of many coaches when and, in addition, colleagues from FIFA The game is the end, so it should also
he said he encourages feedback from and the other confederations. There be the beginning.”
his players and prefers to implement was a clear consensus that, in today’s
“I use a global method,” he told Andy
Roxburgh during a recent interview.
“I use direct methods when preparing
our organisation but I also use guided
discovery where I create the practice,
dictate the aim and then invite the
players to come up with different solu-
tions. My practices are aimed at devel-
oping an aspect of my team’s play –
they are specific for my style of foot-
ball. Sometimes I decide I won’t use
a certain practice again because I am
sure I can devise a better one with
this specific outcome in mind.”

During his time at Chelsea FC, José

enjoyed the luxury of brand-new train-
ing facilities at Cobham – and one of
Howard Wilkinson, Sir Trevor Brooking, Gérard Houllier and Andy Roxburgh the features he regarded as basic was
at the London press conference. the ability to conduct training sessions

12
 U EFA VICE-PRESIDENT, GEOFFREY THOM PSON,

CHAI RMAN OF THE FA. 0

on two adjacent pitches. “This allows The role of the fitness coach was a and Ottmar Hitzfeld also highlighted
you to prepare exercises in advance theme which cropped up again in Lon- the need for training sessions to com-
without having to stop working to don. “Top-level football is so important,” bine fun and efficiency.
move cones or change goals. Players Gérard Houllier commented with a
But what is efficiency? Is it simply
can simply switch from one pitch to smile, “that we have to be careful about
measured by the next result? These
the other, taking some fluid in the how much we leave to the fitness
are two of the many questions posed
meantime, and that allows you to con- coach…”
in Nyon by Arsène Wenger, a restless
duct a 95-minute session with match-
mind if ever there was one. “It’s correct
like intensity. That has a big influence For Gérard, the training ground is one
to say that we have limited time in
on the players’ levels of concentration.” of the places where the personality
comparison with other sports. So what
of the coach – as well as his methods –
is the most efficient way of using, for
Some would argue that a peak-of-the- become highly relevant. “Today’s play-
example, a one-hour session? Some-
pyramid club like Chelsea are not the ers are usually top-level students of
times I think that a training session has
perfect example in that many of the the game. They want to ask questions
been good. But that’s a subjective
players have been acquired rather than about what happens when we meet
assessment. How can we objectively
developed. Zico, who was poised to opponents who do this or do that.
measure the effectiveness of a session?
make his UEFA Champions League And the training ground is where the
What is the best way for us, as coaches,
debut with Fenerbahçe SK, admitted coach’s philosophy and enthusiasm
to work on aspects such as vision or
that his training programme focuses are passed on to the players.”
reading the game? I still cannot unravel
as much on the development of the
the mystery of exactly what makes a
individual as on the construction of At the symposium in London, Gérard
player suddenly improve and develop.”
a winning team. “It’s important to go stressed the importance of building
back regularly to basics and to make your entire season as a coherent train- Sir Alex Ferguson maintains “a top
the player feel responsible for his ing project aimed at raising the level coach needs an imagination – we all
actions,” he said. Claude Puel endorsed of competence, building confidence want to be the coach that created
his viewpoint. “When you have a and mutual trust among the players the perfect goal”. Arsène would surely
young squad like we have at Lille,” he and establishing a culture of constant love to be the coach who created the
explained, “there is a need to develop progress and improvement. Both he perfect training session…
players. Training therefore becomes
an educational process as well as
the means of preparing for a specific
game. This is why competing in the
Champions League was important.
It helped us to raise standards.”

“I think this is why many of us com-

plain that we don’t have enough time,”
FC Porto’s Jesualdo Ferreira added.
“Today’s fixture list barely leaves
us enough training time to prepare for
matches, let alone work on player
development. In my average week,
the emphasis is firmly on team tactical
work rather than anything else.”

“The objectives are usually tactical

variations for a specific game,” Ottmar
Hitzfeld agreed. “If you have time,
you work on attacking and defensive
patterns, passing options and transi-
Photos: Sportsfile

tion. And to make training sessions

successful, you need a fitness trainer
Putting the theory into practice.
who has hundreds and thousands
of exercises!”

13
 A SUCCESSFU L SU M M ER FOR

J UAN SANTISTEBAN, WHO WON THE EU ROPEAN

Sportsfile
U17 AND U19 TITLES WITH SPAI N.

JUAN, TWO, THREE

IN THE OLD DAYS, AN ODD-NUMBERED SUMMER
WAS A GOOD CHANCE TO TAKE A BREATHER.
BUT NOT ANY MORE – TO THE EXTENT THAT SOME COACHING NATIONAL TEAM
STAFFS WERE STRETCHED TO THE LIMIT. COMPETITIONS
The Spanish national association, for Congratulations on a magnificent final European Under-21 Championship
instance, had to cope with the highly season, Juan. You will be missed. in the Netherlands
agreeable problem of having teams at Netherlands v Serbia 4-1
the Under-17, Under-19 and Women’s The summer of European football is Champion: Foppe de Haan
Under-19 European Championship now on permanent record in the tech- Runner-up: Miroslav Djukic
finals along with the FIFA Under-20 and nical reports published – in English,
Under-17 World Cups. The workload French and German – after the European Under-19 Championship
meant that, with Ginés Meléndez away UEFA Champions League, European in Austria

in Canada with the Under-20s, Juan Under-21, European Under-19, Spain v Greece 1-0
European Under-17 and European Champion: Juan Santisteban
Santisteban took the Under-19s to
Women’s Under-19 finals played during Runner-up: Nikolaos Nioplias
Austria a couple of months after leading
the Under-17s to victory in Belgium. a spell of hectic activity. As usual,
The Technician is happy to salute the European Under-17 Championship
He did Ginés proud by completing an in Belgium
age-limit ‘double’ which had only previ- coaches who have stepped on to the Spain v England 1-0
ously been achieved by the Republic international podium in recent months: Champion: Juan Santisteban
of Ireland’s Brian Kerr in 1998, back Runner-up: John Peacock
in the Under-16/Under-18 days. Juan CLUB COMPETITIONS
then took the Under-17s to Korea and FIFA Under-20 World Cup
reached his third final in four months, UEFA Champions League in Canada

only to be beaten in a penalty shoot-out in Athens Argentina v Czech Republic 2-1

by Nigeria. Hats off to Juan and to the AC Milan v Liverpool FC 2-1 Champion: Hugo Tocalli
Champion: Carlo Ancelotti Runner-up: Miroslav Soukup
Spanish federation for a magnificent
Runner-up: Rafael Benítez
achievement – especially as Juan, after
FIFA Under-17 World Cup
the final in Korea, announced his inten- in Korea Republic
UEFA Cup
tion to retire at the tender age of 70. in Glasgow Nigeria v Spain 0-0 (3-0 in penalty shoot-out)
Sevilla FC v RCD Espanyol 2-2 Champion: Yemi Tella
Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

(3-1 in penalty shoot-out) Runner-up: Juan Santisteban

Champion: Juande Ramos
Runner-up: Ernesto Valverde European Women’s Under-19
Championship
UEFA Super Cup in Iceland
in Monaco Germany v England 2-0 (after extra time)
AC Milan – Sevilla FC 3-1 Champion: Maren Meinert
Champion: Carlo Ancelotti Runner-up: ‘Mo’ Marley
Runner-up: Juande Ramos
FIFA Women’s World Cup
UEFA Women’s Cup in China
in Umeå, Sweden, and Borehamwood, England Germany v Brazil 2-0
Arsenal LFC v Umeå IK 1-0 / 0-0 Champion: Silvia Neid
Champion: Vic Akers Runner-up: Jorge Barcellos
Runner-up: Andrée Jeglertz
UEFA Regions’ Cup
UEFA Futsal Cup in Bulgaria
in Murcia, Spain South-East Region Bulgaria – Dolnoslaski
MFK Dinamo Moskva v Boomerang Interviú 2-1 ZPN 1-2 (after extra time)
Carlo Ancelotti celebrates AC Milan’s Champion: Yury Rudnev Champion: Janusz Kudyba
UEFA Champions League victory. Runner-up: Jesús Candelas Runner-up: Angel Stankov

14
 ON COM PLETION OF THE QUALI FIERS,

THE EU RO 2008 FINAL ROU N D DRAW TAKES PLACE

Sabattini
IN LUCERNE ON 2 DECEM BER.

Second part:

TRAINING ● About 20 minutes overall with the

same time sequence.

ROUTINE Development
● Positioning of the players in a
5 against 3 situation in one square.
● Choosing the right moment to play
the ball to the other square.
● Running action from midfielders.

KNVB
● Positioning of the player receiving
the ball.
BY FOPPE DE HAAN ● Keeping possession of the ball.
Under-21 Coach / Youth Football Technical Coordinator, KNVB

AND REMY REYNIERSE

Assistant Under-21 Coach, KNVB
AG E N DA
2007
November 5
Medical Committee (Nyon)

November 9
Development and Technical
Assistance Committee (Nyon)
Fig.1 Fig. 2

November 16 – 25
Aim Second part: 5th European Futsal Championship
To develop players’ ability (mid- ● 3 teams of 3 players and 2 goal- (Portugal)
fielders) to support the striker after keepers (11 players in total).
a pass (long ball). ● The team in possession can use
the yellow players for support – November 27
Rules one beside each goal and one in 3rd UEFA Elite Club Youth Coaches
The training is divided into two parts. midfield.
First part: Forum (Cannes)
● This part of the training will be
● 3 teams of 3 players (9 players
situated in an area between the
in total).
touchline and the halfway line. November 27 – 29
● Blue versus red and yellow to start. The exact size of the field depends
9th UEFA Elite Youth Football
● This part of the game will take on the requested intensity.
place in an area of 20 x 10 metres ● Each player can only touch the Conference (Cannes)
divided into two squares of ball once.
10 x 10 metres each.
● Teams change roles after a rest December 2
● Both teams play from square period of one minute.
to square. EURO 2008 final round draw
● Each player can only touch the (Lucerne)
Time
ball once.
First part:
● The player is only allowed to run ● About 20 minutes overall. December 11
in the other square when the ball 4 or 5 sessions of 3-4 minutes with
is played to the striker. 1 minute rest (depending on the 3rd UEFA Elite Women’s Coaches
● Teams change roles after a rest fitness of the players). The players Forum (Nyon)
period of one minute. train with heart rate monitors.

15
UEFA
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CH-1260 Nyon européennes de football
Switzerland
Phone +41 848 00 27 27
Fax +41 22 707 27 34
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