Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuala Lumpur: Representatives of FIFA and UEFA were impressed by the AFC’s constant efforts at improving coach education for the vast continent, an investment that will bear results in taking Asian football further on the world stage.
AFC is currently organising its annual Technical Education Seminar in the Malaysian capital consisting of various courses and workshops aimed at updating the continent’s coaching proponents in their respective areas of expertise.
To date, the Seminar has organised or is currently organising the AFC Goalkeeping Coaching Instructors’ Workshop, Coach Educators’ Workshop, Futsal Coaching Instructors’ Course, Futsal Coaching Instructors’ Course and workshops to discuss the contents of future coaching courses for beach soccer, futsal goalkeeping and futsal fitness.
FIFA’s Jean Marie Conz and Ghenadie Scurtul of UEFA were invited to observe the Coach Educators’ Workshop which was co-instructed by Bernd Stober (DFB/German Football Association), Jens Bangsbo (FIFA) and Keith Granger (UEFA and FA England).
“It’s very important for the instructors to get together and refresh regularly and I’m sure this is the way of the future in order to build Asia’s coaching foundation,” Conz told The-AFC.com. “The AFC has also invited top experts such as Prof. Jens Bangsbo of Denmark, someone who is qualified in his area of expertise, to share knowledge in fitness with the coaching instructors.
‘I’d say from my observation that the knowledge shared was complete and I didn’t see if there could’ve been more to impart to the coaching instructors during the many sessions.
“There was also very good camaraderie, networking and communication fostered during the course. The team spirit to take Asian football coaching higher was clearly evident. All countries came together to share and to improve and to renew the aspirations to take Asian football to the world.
“I think the AFC is doing very well in this regard.”
Scurtul was also impressed, saying: “This is my first time in Asia and I’m really impressed by the people and the Confederation. The AFC Coach Educators’ Workshop, which was held as one of the activities under the all-coaching-encompassing AFC Technical Education Seminar 2014, was organised on a very good and professional level.
“Because of the very good contents and high-level instructors, the workshop was successful. All the participants demonstrated good skills and were very active and professional. I also have taken home some new ideas from you and will try to implement them in my country, Moldova.
"For sure, this collaboration has been very useful for both confederations, the AFC and UEFA.”
The participants of the workshop also left the workshop enriched and were encouraged more than ever to take Asian coaching to the next level.
Participant from China Jessie Fan Yunjie, who is also a Member of the AFC Technical Committee, said: “There is some new stuff that we learned such as the use of the automated external defibrillator which is a now must-have during matches. Also from now onwards, coaching instructors will introduce the updated topic of fitness during the ‘C’ Coaching Certificate Course they will be delivering.
“I think the quality of our coaching education keeps improving and I’m sure this important aspect of our game, coaching, will go on a higher level that will in turn help the continent produce the next generation of coaches.”
Qatari Ahmed Omer SH. Festok, also a Member of the AFC Technical Committee, said: “Football is a rapidly changing game and this is why we need new tools to constantly improve ourselves and improve the Asian game. There was a lot of information also covered, some old to refresh, and some new.
“It was also good to get together and to know what others were doing and how they were doing things. I think the main instructor in the workshop, Mr. Stober, has done a good job.”