New approach to help

November 21 2007

Shepparton News

Goulburn Valley soccer teams will benefit from a change in the coaching culture in Victoria according to North Eastern Soccer League youth teams coordinator Jane Webb.

Sharing philosophies with Asian Soccer's women's coach of the year Tom Sermanni was just one of the benefits for Webb at the Victorian elite coaches conference in Melbourne last week.

The coach of Australia's women's soccer team was the feature presenter of Football Federation Victoria's two-day course along with former Australian youth coach Ange Postecoglu and other top brass in player education and development.

Webb said while in the past soccer authorities were keen to keep any breakthrough ideas about coaching a secret from the other states it had come to realise that sharing as much information as possible was the way forward.

"It wasn't insignificant that Tom Sermanni wasn't just presenting, but also listening to the other presenters," Webb said.

Other presenters included national coach education manager Kelly Cross and Victorian Institute of Sport soccer program head coach Ian Greener.

"I'm coming back from the conference with a good understanding of what the elite coaches are looking for in junior players," Webb said.

"The top coaches in the state and the country have really shifted the focus of what they look for in young players for representative squads now.

"Maybe in the past when it was how well you can play your position, what they're looking at now is the first touch and confidence on the ball.

"They don't want to produce footballing robots, there's real encouragement for creativity."

Webb was confident new coaching ideas would not be the exclusive property of metropolitan clubs.

"I was left very confident that the new ideas being presented wouldn't be done in a metro-centric way," Webb said.

"Absolutely I'm confident that rural players will be able to get the benefits that can see them match the city children."