The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.

2010 15:16 Page 1

Editorial:
Image Rights and
Responsibilities

Interview:
Bert van Marwijk

Football –
Art or Science?

Footballing
Questions

The World Cup

Experience

Refereeing
Matters

Including

N E WS L ET T E R
F O R C OA C H E S
NO 45
F E B R U A RY 2 010
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 2

Andres Iniesta up
against Javier Zanetti
in the UEFA Champions
League tie between
FC Barcelona
and Inter Milan

IMPRESSUM
EDITORIAL GROUP
Andy Roxburgh
Graham Turner

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

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Hélène Fors
COVER
By beating Bosnia-Herze-
govina in the play-offs
Portugal clinched a place in
the World Cup finals in
South Africa. Coach Carlos
Queiroz is counting on
his star striker, Cristiano
Ronaldo, to bring his
team success there.
Getty Images

(Photo: Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 3

IMAGE RIGHTS
AND RESPONSIBILITIES
EDITORIAL In football today, with the global ex- football community, offer their support
posure which the game gets from TV to the governing bodies and the au-
BY ANDY ROXBURGH, and other media, the coaches’ actions thorities in the battle to keep the game
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR are constantly exposed to detailed fair and attractive. Everybody in foot-
public scrutiny. The behaviour of the ball has a duty to guard it from exploita-
players on the pitch is also a reflection tion, manipulation and dishonesty.
on the coach, because ultimately he
is responsible for the way his team If the product is poor and the image
performs and acts. For example, if his is bad, then the brand will be weak.
What do FC Barcelona, David Beckham players are prone to diving, to cheating In football, this means that coaches and
and the UEFA Champions League have the referee, this damages the image players must play their part in promot-
in common? Our marketing colleagues of the game and the good name of ing and protecting the game. Many
would immediately shout: they’re all the club. AC Milan’s Leonardo is in no will make money from image rights, but
brands. In today’s world of commercial doubt: “Top clubs need to set an exam- with those rights comes responsibility.
jargon, football players, clubs, competi- ple – it is about ethics.“ And Sir Alex The terminology is new – brands, im-
tions, even coaches, are considered Ferguson concurs when he declares: ages, products – but the story is an
to be a brand – that means they have “Something must be done about div- old one. Skill, authenticity, attractiveness
an identity, a trademark which is in- ing.“ Protecting the image of the prod- and fair play are the cornerstones of
stantly recognisable and, in professional uct, the game itself, the brand, the club the game and are fundamental ingredi-
sport, sellable. Supporters are said to and the competition, therefore needs ents for the customers. It is said that a
have brand loyalty because they faith- to be part and parcel of every coach’s brand is a promise, but it is much more
fully follow their teams, while the popu- job. As Arsène Wenger says, “the team than that – FC Barcelona, David Beck-
larity of the player, the club, the compe- is a reflection of the coach,“ and this ham, and the UEFA Champions League
tition depends on the brand’s image: means the team’s attitude as well as its should be a guarantee of quality, and
how it is perceived by the public at playing performance, style and results. football’s technicians should be at the
large. Of course, there is no brand, no forefront in delivering a ‘product’ which
image without a product and in football The coach’s personal image also comes is dramatic, spectacular and clean.
that means the game itself, with its into this equation. The way he conducts
sporting, social and historical values. himself, as well as the success of his
But surely all this talk of brands, images team, has an impact on the public per-
and products has very little to do with ception of him. Gérard Houllier, the
top coaches – their job is to win foot- former Liverpool FC and Olympique
ball matches, period. Or is it? Lyonnais manager, once said that “the
most important moment of the week
The NFL (American football) is very for a coach is the 30-second sound
protective of its brand name and im- bite after a match.“ This is especially true
age. It makes sure that players, coaches when the team has lost, because what
and officials follow league rules, laws the coach says at that moment
and guidelines. Winning games is only will be heard on 24-hour TV channels
part of the equation for them. The by the players, their wives, the board,
Rugby Football Union in England has the supporters and the next opponents.
created an “image of the game“ task It is therefore important to convey a
force following recent scandals, which positive image, even during difficult
included fabricated blood injuries de- times. Most important of all, the coach
signed to deceive the opponents and must be genuine and natural, and not
the officials. The image of rugby as a the product of some marketing or PR
gentleman’s game has been tarnished advice – the football fan wants the real
by gamesmanship, foul play, violence thing and not a glossy caricature.
and feigned injuries. So the product – Some things which have a negative
the game – may have a lot to offer, impact on the image of the game are
but if its reputation is damaged, then not necessarily within the influence of
Empics

the fans, the lifeblood of professional the coach, such as hooliganism, illicit
sports, could lose faith, and, subse- betting, doping, etc. But it is helpful if David Beckham is an expert at taking
quently, interest. they, as high-profile members of the care of his image.

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 4

INTERVIEW
BY ANDY ROXBURGH,
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Empics Sport
AS A PLAYER, BERT VAN MARWIJK PLAYED ON THE LEFT WING, THEN MOVED TO MIDFIELD,
BEFORE ENDING HIS CAREER AS A DEFENDER. HE PLAYED FOR GO AHEAD EAGLES, AZ ALKMAAR AND
MVV MAASTRICHT AMONG OTHERS, AND WAS CAPPED FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM. UNFORTUNATELY,
INJURY DEPRIVED HIM OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN ARGENTINA IN 1978.
HIS COACHING CAREER WAS LAUNCHED IN THE YOUTH PROGRAMME OF MVV MAASTRICHT AND,
AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF NURTURING YOUNG PLAYERS, HE MOVED TO THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS.
HIS FIRST TASTE OF A CUP FINAL CAME IN THE NETHERLANDS WITH FORTUNA SITTARD FC, BUT IT WAS
IN 2002 THAT HE STRUCK GOLD WHEN HE WON THE UEFA CUP WITH FEYENOORD. FOLLOWING
A TWO-YEAR STINT AT BV BORUSSIA DORTMUND IN GERMANY, HE RETURNED TO FEYENOORD AND WON
THE KNVB CUP IN 2008. IN THE AFTERMATH OF THAT SUCCESS, HE REPLACED MARCO VAN BASTEN
AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE DUTCH NATIONAL TEAM FOLLOWING EURO 2008 IN AUSTRIA/SWITZERLAND.
IN HIS NEW ROLE, HE TOOK THE NETHERLANDS TO THE FINALS OF THE 2010 WORLD CUP
BY WINNING THEIR QUALIFYING GROUP IN IMPRESSIVE STYLE. HE WAS A CREATIVE PLAYER WHO
HAS DEVELOPED INTO A POSITIVE, IMAGINATIVE COACH AT THE TOP LEVEL – HE IS…

BERT VAN MARWIJK

1 • How would you describe your
style of management/leadership?
technical football things and, above
all, you must have respect.
3 • Rinus [Michels] used to say
that it took a certain type of perso-
I think it is very important that you have nality to handle the Dutch team.
the respect of your players. How you 2 • Who influenced your Do you agree?
do that can vary. I think you have to be development as a coach? In the Netherlands it is never good
a personality and maybe a father figure. Nobody in particular. From an early enough, even when you win 7-0 –
You have to have a style that makes age I was a player, a left-winger, and enough is not enough. But we played
the players want to do something for I thought I knew everything. But, in EURO 2008 and we beat Italy and
you. That’s important. The best thing later I moved to midfield and saw France and everything was so good.
is that they will do it because of your the game differently. Finally, I played Suddenly, we lost the next game be-
quality. I’m not really democratic, but at the back and had another per- cause we lost focus. We seem to live in
I think it is vital that the players can spective and it is during those play- extremes. Because we are a small
trust you, that they know you can love ing times that I learned the most. country we need to be creative. Some
them, and that you can stand among I learned a lot from good and bad would say we have an arrogance, but
them when appropriate. But you must coaches, but not anyone special. I this can be a strength if it means con-
also be able to keep your distance. learned from my own mistakes, and fidence and tactical intelligence. We
You have to be clear and honest with I learned, from my own experiences, are always thinking about tactics and
your players and I try to be both. Also, how players feel. When I come into how we can beat the other team.
you have to have the guts to give them the dressing room, the players must I like to use the same organisation but
responsibility. The youth of the moment have the feeling that I know what with a difference in the details. We
are programmed not to take responsi- they are thinking and feeling. They always want to outsmart the opponent,
bility. When we were growing up in the have to know that I understand. because when you don’t have great
streets, we took our decisions. Now I have great respect for coaches depth in your squad, it is not enough
players ask you what to do next. So we who didn’t have a professional foot- to battle; you have to be clever. From
must point them in the right direction ball career, because for me it is very our history, we have always been
and they must know that you can important that the coach and the creative people. And from what I have
take decisions. You must be clear in players can understand each other. previously said, Rinus is right that it is

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 5

BERT VAN MARWI J K PICTU RED AFTER TH E DRAW

FOR TH E WORLD CU P FI NALS WITH TH E COACH ES OF TWO

Marit/AFP/Getty Images
OF TH E TEAMS THAT TH E N ETH ERLAN DS WI LL BE

COM I NG U P AGAI NST I N SOUTH AFRICA: MORTEN OLSEN

(DEN MARK, LEFT) AN D PAU L LE GU EN (CAM EROON)

The Netherlands
did not drop a single
point in their
qualifying group.
Rafael van der Vaart
in action against
Scotland.

PA Archive/PA Images
very difficult to handle a Dutch team, told the team to go for a draw. We The execution of the pass, the timing,
because everyone wants to be an indi- come with our approach but are able is so important.
vidual. Also, our players are coming to deal with every type of opponent.
from different countries to join the My organisation stays, so that we can 5 • You started out as a youth coach.
national team and they earn a lot of play our game. Some countries can per- What was your attitude towards
money. We have a lot of different per- form well without the ball, while Dutch player development?
sonalities to deal with, but the one players only feel good when they have I started as a youth coach when I
common ingredient is that they all love possession. Our philosophy is to build stopped playing and I did that for eight
the game, just like me and my staff. the play, to use the ball in a constructive years. The emphasis was very much
way and not just to play long. One of on technical work. For 19 years I was a
4 • From a playing perspective, what the most important things today is the professional player, but I never thought
is your philosophy of the game? transition, particularly when you lose of becoming a coach. However, when
What is important for me is that we play the ball. Because we like to dominate you stop playing you want to stay in the
in a way that suits the players, but also the ball, the counter against us can be game, because football is your world.
me as the coach. They have to have the the biggest danger. We try to get the So with the youths I started my coach-
qualities to do what you want – you ball back as quickly as possible. This ing career and I focused on technical,
can’t ask them to do things they can’t means that the front and middle players tactical training. I am also a believer
do. They have to be motivated to do must understand the need to react that, when possible, young players
what you want them to do. It is impor- and to press the ball. If FC Barcelona’s should stay at home. When you are
tant to use the whole field and I like to stars can do that, we can do that. When really talented you will always become
have players on the wings. In midfield, people look at Barça, they see their cre- a good player anyway. But it is also im-
we have either two deep and one in an ative players, but they are also impres- portant to take care of your education,
advanced position, or the other way sive in the way they respond to losing to have your friends. Maybe when you
around, both shapes creating a triangle. the ball. Their philosophy is the same as are 14 years old you can move to an-
We are always trying to create a third mine. What I like is to create situations other town to join a big club. The organ-
man situation. I like to play in a creative where we have an extra man in the isation in youth clubs in Holland is very
way, but I also like to win. I have never midfield; we train a lot to achieve that. good, even the structure of amateur

5
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 6

Antonisse/AFP/Getty Images
BERT FACE

TH E CAM ERAS

IN ZEIST

football is good. We can, however, up to 80,000 every game. I learned a frequently but then the intensity is far,
improve the quality of the coaches. You lot because I was exposed to a differ- far greater. That is the big difference.
can always make improvements. Also, ent mentality. We in Holland are taught
we need to pay the youth coaches bet- to say what we think and this is not 9 • You have successfully worked
ter, because then you motivate them the norm in Germany. I really liked with a lot of top players, many
even more. Youth players at top clubs being there and I gained a lot from the with strong personalities. Is there
don’t take responsibility any more, they experience. The German players were anything in particular which you
don’t think for themselves. Everybody very focused on the physical side of have learned from this experience?
tells them what to do, but I like them the game, while we in Holland are ob- When you are working with superstar
to be trained to think for themselves. sessed by the technical/tactical. But we players and you deal with them and talk
When we played on the streets we can definitely learn some things from to them in a normal way, and you show
were very self-reliant. They don’t do them. The amazing thing about Ger- them that you love football, they like
that any more. There needs to be time man players is that they can win when that. I remember my son-in-law, Mark
for free play and they need to be playing a bad game, whereas for us van Bommel from FC Bayern München
challenged more. it is very difficult to win a match when and Holland, telling my daughter that he
we don’t play well. The Germans have thought I was a good player. He only
6 • When you won the 2002 a great winning mentality. We can all saw me kick the ball once but, like all
UEFA Cup with Feyenoord, what was learn from each other and I can’t un- top players, he could instantly recognise
special about that campaign? derstand when some people are not someone who could play. The things
One thing for me was very important – open and willing to learn from others. you say, the way you walk, the way you
we were not the biggest club, with the kick the ball are all indications to players
most money, but we had the best team 8 • Do you find the demands that you are a football person. They can
that year, in that competition. The cur- of the national team greater than relate to you and you can communicate
rent Dutch team is capable of beating those at club level? with them, but it must be in a natural
anyone, but they have to be able to When you are a club coach here, at way. Ultimately, the players have to re-
sustain a high level over a long period. AFC Ajax or PSV Eindhoven, everyone alise that we can only succeed by doing
This is what we did at Feyenoord. We talks about you and you are on TV things together. I agree with Sir Alex
were very confident, a positive arro- every week, but when you are the Ferguson when he says that it is good
gance you could call it, and this showed. coach of Holland, they talk about you for players to have an ego, a pride in
For example, we won away to Inter every four or five weeks. But the pres- what they do, and that we need to have
Milan, motivated by their disregard for us. sure is ten times greater and that is those star players to succeed.
the big difference. I cannot train with
7 • How do you reflect on the players every day like a club coach, 10 • As a graduate of the Dutch
your time as the head coach but I still have to produce results. coaching school, what is special
of Borussia Dortmund? With a club, the attention, the impact, about the training that young
I had a very good time at Dortmund. is regular week after week, while the coaches receive there?
The crowd there was fantastic, with national coach comes into focus less When you train as a coach here in
Holland, the most important thing they
teach you is how to watch a game –
to analyse what is going wrong and
then how to train the players. What we
do well here is to make the training
of coaches as realistic as possible.
I have contributed to our pro licence
courses and talked about practical
things, such as how to deal with pres-
sure, how to deal with other cultures,
how to manage your staff, etc. We
want young coaches to think for them-
selves, to be themselves.

11 • As you look forward to the

Vos/AFP/Getty Images

World Cup in South Africa, what are

your expectations in relation to the
standard of competition and the
Netherlands’ chances of success?
I’m very realistic, but at the same time
Bert van Marwijk leading a coaching session with the Dutch national team I believe in something. We are capable

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 7

WITH BORUSSIA DORTM U N D,

Winde/Bongarts/Getty Images
BERT VAN MARWI J K

GIVES FI NAL I NSTRUCTIONS

TO SAH R SEN ESI E BEFORE

PUTTI NG H I M ON TH E FI ELD.

best. All of our backroom staff are

ex-players – the chief scout was a
team-mate of mine and I trust him
totally. If any one in your technical/
medical staff becomes negative then
they must go, because one little nega-
tive thing and you don’t win the final.
Bert van Marwijk
lifts the UEFA Cup
he won with 13 • How do you see the future
Feyenoord in 2002. of international football?
The signals now suggest that the
biggest clubs in the world must be
controlled in terms of financial fair play,
and it seems that the financial crisis
is helping to bring football people to-
gether. Technically the game is getting
faster and better. But everyone needs
to keep their own style. Because many
of our players are playing abroad, the
first thing I have to say to them is
”now we play the Dutch way”. This, of
course, is possible because they were
brought up and developed in Holland.
The best compliment we can get is
when someone says, without knowing
the names of the competing sides,
that it is a Dutch team. As I said be-
Getty Images

fore, I am realistic, but I am also ideal-

istic, and because of that, I am very
hopeful that international football will
continue to blossom in the future.
of winning against any team, but we stay fit and be at our best, mentally
will have to be well structured and the and tactically, if we are going to suc- 14 • What are the main compe-
players will have to realise that. In the ceed. In my opinion, Spain is the tences/qualities that a top coach
qualifying group, we had an impor- best team at the moment, but Eng- needs today?
tant moment up in Iceland. We only land and Brazil are very dangerous. Personality is a vital quality. The way
needed a point to reach the finals and you deal with things can be different,
we had four games still to play, so 12 • What kind of team- but you must gain respect. You must
we could have relaxed but instead we behind-the-team will you have be able to influence people and to get
played very well. The players now re- in South Africa? them to do what you want. As I said
alise that it never stops, that we always Our team-behind-the-team includes earlier, when I was young I thought
have to be at our best. Sometimes four scouts, a goalkeeping coach and that I knew everything, but now I have
we don’t have our top players avail- three assistant coaches – Frank de learned to listen, although I still make
able, either at the front or the back, Boer and Phillip Cocu are part of this my own decisions. When you are coach
but we must always defend as a team staff because they have so much of a top team and you lose three or
– this is very important and something experience in the EURO, World Cup four games everyone is talking to you
I have tried to impart to them. When and UEFA Champions League. They and some coaches are swayed by
you defend as a team there needs are at an age when it is easy for what they hear. For me, it is important
to be trust among the players, and them to relate to the players, and not to show fear and not to be influ-
when there is trust, the confidence they also get a lot of respect from enced by others’ opinions – you must
grows. I think we have improved in everyone in our team. Also Frank trust yourself. You also need the
this aspect of the game. Added to this played at the back, Phillip was a mid- courage to risk making mistakes. Team
we have players who can make a dif- fielder and I was an attacker, and this selection is a priority – the right people
ference. But we are a country of only means we have specialists in each on the pitch and the right people in
16 million people and when we lose area. I give them a lot of responsi- the backroom staff. Your philosophy
three or four of our key players, it is bility because the team-behind-the- of football, your personality and your
not possible to open a door and bring team is one of the most important attitude are the main coaching compe-
in others of that level. We have to things if we are to perform at our tences at the top level of the game.

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 8

CARLO ANCELOTTI
PA Wire/PA Images

IN DISCUSSION WITH HIS ASSISTANT

AT CHELSEA, BRUNO DEMICHELIS

– FOOTBALL –
ART OR SCIENCE? THE TITLE IS PROVOCATIVE BECAUSE IT HINTS AT PITTING ART AGAINST SCIENCE
AS IF THEY WERE OPPONENTS ON THE PITCH. ON THE FACE OF IT, FOOTBALL AND SCIENCE CAN SEEM
TO BE AS ALIEN TO EACH OTHER AS A FOOTBALLER AND A SCIENTIST. HOW MANY TIMES
HAVE TECHNICIANS UTTERED THE WORDS “FOOTBALL IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE”? BUT, IN RECENT
TIMES, THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMS OF COMPATIBILITY AND A DETECTABLE
TREND TOWARDS THE USE OF SCIENCE TO UNDERPIN FOOTBALLING QUALITIES.

One of the problems is that ‘science’ at their Milanello training complex, programmes based on specific require-
has become a nebulous term since its the MilanLab – a name which clearly ments in terms of, for example, physi-
original definition as ‘possession of links science and footballing tradition. cal training loads, nutrition or psycho-
knowledge’. Having evolved into ‘sys- logical preparation.
tematised knowledge that can be made The declared aim of the MilanLab was
a specific object of study’, the term has to “contribute strongly to optimising One of the salient features of the
since been diverted into all sorts of the team’s results”. The tools, including system is the predictive analysis server
curious areas, such as ‘science fiction’. chiropractic elements, were to be found designed to flag up psycho-physical
The history of football has been marked in science, technology, cybernetics parameters that may indicate risk of
by an increasing use of medical science and psychology – only the last of which injury. The medical staff react immedi-
but, in the 21st century, maybe the could be considered as one of the ately by proposing measures to correct
most publicised marriage took place technician’s ‘traditional’ domains. The any anomalous values. At one point,
in 2002, when AC Milan inaugurated, use of specialised sports psychologists AC Milan reported a 92% reduction in
in football was initially controversial non-traumatic injuries and a dramatic
(a major debating point when Spain’s drop in the need for injections.
gold-medal 1992 Olympic team em-
ployed one, for example) but has now The potential benefits of such a sys-
become a common feature among tem were underlined when Carlo An-
top clubs and national teams. However, celotti left the Italian club for Chelsea
analysis was taken a stage further by FC last summer – and took Bruno
one of the other publicised features of Demichelis to London with him. Bruno,
the MilanLab: a glassed-in ‘mind room’ having joined AC Milan’s backroom
where up to eight players can relax in staff in 1987, had worked with Carlo
ergonomic seats after training and relax as a player and with technicians such
for 20 minutes while their mental state as Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello.
is being analysed via electrodes which
are attached to their scalp, chest and “My task is to act as scientific coordi-
fingers and which transmit measure- nator as I did in Milan,” he told the
ments of brainwave activity, muscle Chelsea website when he arrived in
Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

tension and sweat response to a com- London. “As a sports psychologist, my

puter. The results are combined with role is to assist the coach in order to
biochemical and neurostructural data coordinate all the activities that support
in a fully computerised system which the team and individual players to help
assesses each player’s physical and them reach their highest performance
mental condition according to objective levels. At top, top level, the difference
The stars of AC Milan are closely monitored scientific data. This allows the MilanLab between winners and losers is some-
by the MilanLab. team to design individual preparation times very, very small details: a hun-

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 9

FRANK DICK, PRESIDENT OF THE

UEFA-Woods
EUROPEAN ATHLETIC COACHES ASSOCIATION,

SPEAKING AT A UEFA CONFERENCE

dredth of a second or a few centime- included high-stress scenarios, such encroachment on their coaching space.
tres. The key is therefore to be thor- as penalty shoot-outs or how to play “The way Bruno fits in,” he explains,
oughly professional in every area and 10 v 11. But that’s another story… “is as one of three assistant managers,
to be able to take decisions based on alongside Ray Wilkins and Paul Clement.
solid data rather than personal opinion.” Going back to Milan and Chelsea, In terms of piecing everything together,
Carlo and Bruno arrived at Stamford we’re talking about collating data from
The English media were quick to high- Bridge with the advantage of having around 20 subdisciplines in physical,
light the installation of a Milan-style previously worked together. Other tech- psychological, technical and tactical
mind room at the Chelsea training cen- nicians less versed in MilanLab princi- areas with a very concise objective of
tre in Cobham and to underline its ples might, however, express a degree helping Carlo to get the best out of
value at a club which had sustained psy- of reticence based on territorial ques- his players – and the players to get the
chological trauma, such as the penalty tions. Some coaches might regard best out of themselves. At this particu-
shoot-out in the 2008 UEFA Champions the ‘scientific’ input as intrusion or en- lar club, we’re talking about a group
League final in Moscow or last season’s croachment, just as some technicians of 18 different nationalities, great cul-
semi-final elimination by FC Barcelona. wonder what percentage of training tural diversity and a workload of around
As part of their mental training, they sessions should best be conducted by 60 games. The aim is to make sure
reported, players were encouraged to the fitness coach. To what extent, for that the players are technically, tacti-
confront stressful moments rather than example, should laboratory data be cally, mentally and physically prepared
sweep them under the mental carpet. allowed to influence team selection? to cope with it.”
The same theme – and its relevance –
were underscored during the recent At Chelsea, a club which had already “Apart from preparing the squad for
UEFA Women’s National Team Coaches made significant progress along scien- the present, we also have to project
Conference where, under the title of tific paths before the arrival of Carlo into the future,” he adds. “The current
‘A Winning Mindset’, the renowned ath- and Bruno, this is where Mike Forde squad provides the benchmarks for
letics coach, Dr Frank Dick, explained steps in. As the club’s performance future recruitment and we use science
how the preparation of medal-winning director, he represents a direct link with to make sure that we are assessing
athletes such as Sebastian Coe, Steve the board of directors and, on a day- players in the right way. Science should
Ovett or Daley Thompson included to-day basis he regards one of the im- be integrated in the processes of foot-
some tough tests of mental resilience portant areas of his job description as ball but we definitely never look to
based on worst case scenarios. This being to make sure that everything fits replace the art of it. The art of coaching,
was echoed by the English coach, Hope together, to allocate the right resources the art of playing, the emotions gen-
Powell, when she revealed that the to the right places and to ensure that erated – that is the heart of the game
silver-medallists’ preparations had also Carlo and his backroom staff suffer no and what makes it successful.”

Penalty kicks
require good mental
preparation.
Getty Images

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The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 10

FRANZ BECKEN BAU ER,

WORLD CHAM PION I N 1974, WITH

Empics
COACH H ELM UT SCHÖN

FOOTBALLING
QUESTIONS
AT UEFA, WHO DISCUSSES ISSUES RELATED TO FOOTBALL AND FORMULATES THE PROPOSALS
WHICH MAKE THEIR WAY TOWARDS THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND, MAYBE, TOWARDS FIFA AND
THE INTERNATIONAL BOARD? ANNUAL GATHERINGS SUCH AS THE UEFA ELITE CLUB COACHES FORUM
PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR DEBATE ON PITCH-RELATED SUBJECTS. BUT THE UEFA BODY BRIEFED
TO DRAW UP RECOMMENDATIONS ON NATIONAL TEAM AND CLUB ISSUES, THE LAWS OF THE GAME,
PLAYER PROTECTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER FOOTBALL-RELATED MATTERS WHICH
MIGHT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GAME IS THE UEFA FOOTBALL COMMITTEE.

The first meeting of the restructured the president, Michel Platini, and The agenda included an appraisal
committee – with seven new mem- general secretary, Gianni Infantino, of penalty area incidents and debate
bers – took place last November. teamed up with the technical director, on the triple-punishment scenario
Franz Beckenbauer was in the chair Andy Roxburgh, to provide strong which can arise when a player is
(helpfully, he is also chairman of UEFA support to a committee which deemed to have committed a last-
FIFA’s equivalent committee), while features 15 nationalities. defender offence, which entails a
penalty kick against his team, a red
card that leaves his side a man short,
and an automatic suspension of
at least one match. This type of inci-
dent frequently raises questions
about whether the punishment fits
the crime.

Still in the penalty area, the commit-

tee offered ‘so far so good’ support
to the UEFA Europa League experi-
ment with two additional pairs of eyes
on the goal lines. Apart from helping
referees to minimise errors, it was felt
that the mere presence of the extra
official often acted as a deterrent

Like Franz Beckenbauer,

who chairs the committee,
Fernando Hierro
Bongarts/Getty Images

(Real Madrid CF) lifted

the European champion
clubs’ trophy three times,
with Real Madrid.

10
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 11

TH E U EFA PRESI DENT, M ICH EL PLATI N I,

I N CONVERSATION WITH TWO M EM BERS OF

TH E COM M ITTEE, IVAN CU RKOVIC AN D

??????????????????
UEFA-Woods
DEM ETRIO ALBERTI N I,

DU RI NG A M EETI NG I N NYON

to unfair manoeuvring and therefore within the game – from the peak style and identity. In an era when
helped to improve players’ conduct in right down to the grassroots. globalisation and migratory patterns are
the penalty area – especially in set affecting the composition of many
plays. At the same time, ways of pro- Discussions also focused on issues national teams, the need for well-struc-
actively encouraging players to behave related to the release of players to tured player development and coach
in a professional manner and not national teams – at youth levels as education programmes was regarded
deceive referees or opponents is an well as on senior sides – and the as an important element in terms
issue currently being carried forward importance of national team football of integrating diversity and maintaining
in conjunction with other bodies with regard to representing national and developing a national identity
which inspires pride among the public.

But, apart from the topics which

might appear on their agenda, there
are some interesting questions to
be asked about the committee
members themselves, whose terms
of office run through to 2011:

● Which of them has won the World

Cup as player, captain and coach?
● Which of them has won the UEFA
Champions League three times?
● Which of them won bronze
medals at the 1974 and 1982
World Cup finals?
● Which of them finished fourth
in the 1994 finals?
● Which three of them were
UEFA-Woods

team-mates in the 1994 UEFA

Champions League final?

THE UEFA FOOTBALL COMMITTEE ● Which two of them were team-

mates in the 1991 final?
Chairman: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
Deputy Chairman: Vitaly Mutko (Russia) ● Which of them were opposing
captains in a European Champion-
1st Vice-Chairman: Pavel Cebanu (Moldova)
ship final?
2nd Vice-Chairman: Dejan Savicevic (Montenegro)
3rd Vice-Chairman: Grzegorz Lato (Poland) ● Which of them was Michel Platini’s
team-mate at AS Saint-Etienne?
Members: Demetrio Albertini (Italy)
Revaz Arveladze (Georgia) ● Which of them was the first player
Miodrag Belodedici (Romania) to be champion of Europe with
Zvonimir Boban (Croatia) two different clubs?
Ivan Curkovic (Serbia) ● Which of the others completed
Fernando Hierro (Spain) the same ‘double’ in 1994?
Julius Kvedaras (Lithuania)
Yordan Letchkov (Bulgaria)
Anton Ondrus (Slovakia) And many more. Never has a UEFA
Gordon Smith (Scotland) committee raised so many footballing
questions…

11
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 12

OPPONENTS IN THE SAME QUALIFYING GROUP,

WITH SWITZERLAND AND GREECE RESPECTIVELY, AND BOTH

Getty Images
THROUGH TO THE FINAL ROUND, OTTMAR HITZFELD

AND OTTO REHHAGEL ARE HUGELY ACCOMPLISHED COACHES.

THE WORLD CUP

EXPERIENCE
“EXPERIENCE IS CERTAINLY NOT A DISADVANTAGE,” SAID SIR ALEX FERGUSON ON THE EVE
OF LAST SEASON’S UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL IN ROME, WHERE HIS MANCHESTER UNITED
SIDE TOOK ON AN FC BARCELONA TEAM LED BY ‘ROOKIE’ COACH JOSEP GUARDIOLA, AN AVID
ADMIRER OF HIS SCOTTISH RIVAL, AT THE STADIO OLIMPICO. “HOW DOES HE FIND THE STAMINA
TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL FOR SO MANY YEARS?” ‘PEP’ OFTEN ASKS. THE RESULT IN ROME COULD
BE USED AS A CATALYST FOR DISCUSSION: HOW MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE IS EXPERIENCE?

More evidence may emerge from the It may be asking a lot for Europe to
FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa. provide all four semi-finalists, as was
The draw in Cape Town signalled the the case in 2006, though Marcello
start of pre-tournament planning: the Lippi and Raymond Domenech would
hotels, transport, training grounds, undoubtedly settle for a rematch
media arrangements, nutrition, medical between Italy and France in the final.
facilities, use of leisure time, tickets for Significantly, they are the only two
families and a million other details which coaches of European national teams
become something of an obsession to double up at the 2006 and 2010
for coaches who, after a couple of years World Cups. Even this is not an accu-
of seeing their players sporadically, rate gauge of longevity, as Marcello
suddenly have to manage the group for stepped down after victory in Ger-
several weeks – and, in order to satisfy many and returned to the job in the
their own and their players’ sporting summer of 2008. On the other hand,
ambitions, the longer the better. Joachim Löw could also draw shades
of meaning, having started as No. 2
Over half of the coaches heading for to Jürgen Klinsmann in August 2004
South Africa are European. The 13 and shared the bench with him during
who’ll be waving the UEFA banner will, Germany’s bronze-medal campaign
barring late changes, be joined by five in 2006.
others. France’s Paul Le Guen will be
leading Cameroon into battle against So what is ‘experience’? Is it experi-
the Dutch and the Danes in Group E, ence in coaching? Or is it experience
Vahid Halilhodzic from Bosnia-Herze- acquired in the specific task of leading
govina will be on the Ivory Coast bench a national team into a major tourna-
against Brazilians, Portuguese and ment?
North Koreans, Portugal’s José Peseiro
is at the South Korean helm in Group B, In terms of coaching experience, the
and Serbia’s Milovan Rajevac (Ghana) men at the helms of Europe’s 13
will be taking on his compatriots, Ger- successful qualifiers amass enormous
Empics

many and an Australian side led by riches. Four of them – Fabio Capello,
Dutch coach Pim Verbeek in a Group D Vicente Del Bosque, Ottmar Hitzfeld Morten Olsen, the longest serving of the
where all four technicians are European. and Marcello Lippi – have been European coaches at the 2010 World Cup

12
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 13

ALL COACHES DREAM OF

EMULATING MARCELLO LIPPI AND

WINNING THE WORLD CUP.

Otto is also a front runner in terms

of the other type of experience – the
experience acquired in a specific job.
Having coached the Greek national
team since 2001, in terms of con-
tinuity he is second only to Morten
Olsen, who has been leading the
Danish national team since 2000 and
whose World Cup coaching experi-
ence dates back to the 2002 finals.
Having taken the baton of the French
team in July 2004, Raymond Dom-
enech is third on the long-service list,
while Joachim Löw, at the German
helm since July 2006, is fourth.
Getty Images

It means that a tenure of four years

has been become an exception rather
than a rule. Only 3 of the 13 coaches
who are heading for South Africa oc-
cupied the same position as recently
UEFA Champions League winners as EURO 2008. Apart from the four
and most of their track records make long-servers previously mentioned,
extensive reading. Slovenia’s Matjaz Kek, appointed in
2007, is the ‘senior citizen’. The other

Empics
When the final tournament kicks off eight were appointed in 2008 – a
on 11 June, the average age among statistic which underlines the trend
the coaches of the European teams towards relatively brief cycles of na- Vladimir Weiss, national coach of Slovakia,
is in the unusual position of having his own son,
will be 58 years and 4 months. Curi- tional team management and, in con- and namesake, in his squad.
ously, the average is slightly misleading sequence, a limited amount of spe-
in that only five are below it: Slovenia’s cific experience carried from one who came successfully through the
Matjaz Kek (48), Slovakia’s Vladimir major event to another. Answers to qualification stages and wish them
Weiss (the debutants’ head coach is questions about how important this is the best of luck as they prepare to
the youngest at 45), Germany’s will be provided in a few months’ take on the rest of the world in South
Joachim Löw (50), Portugal’s Carlos time. In the meantime, we can only Africa and, in most cases, enjoy a first
Queiroz (57) and, marginally, the congratulate the European technicians taste of the World Cup experience.
Dutch head coach, Bert van Marwijk.
Six of the other eight will have passed
their 60th birthdays. Country Coach Since
Denmark Morten Olsen 2000
The trend away from recently retired
England Fabio Capello 2008
former players raises a debating point
about whether national association France Raymond Domenech 2004
recruiters have been influenced by Germany Joachim Löw 2006
the profiles of recent gold medallists. Greece Otto Rehhagel 2001
Marcello Lippi was 58 when he lifted Italy Marcello Lippi 2008
the Jules Rimet trophy in 2006. Netherlands Bert van Marwijk 2008
Luís Aragonés was a few days short Portugal Carlos Queiroz 2008
of his 70th birthday when the Spanish Serbia Radomir Antic 2008
national team won EURO 2008 in Slovakia Vladimir Weiss 2008
Vienna. And Otto Rehhagel was just Slovenia Matjaz Kek 2007
about to blow out 64 candles when Spain Vicente Del Bosque 2008
Greece became champions of Europe Switzerland Ottmar Hitzfeld 2008
in Lisbon in 2004.

13
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 14

UEFA-Woods
TH E ADDITIONAL REFEREES EXPERI M ENT –

A TRIAL RU N I N AUGUST

REFEREEING
information makes it more difficult
for the referee to take instant deci-
sions. Positional play has also been
readjusted, with the referee no longer

MATTERS
running the traditional diagonal but,
with a view to forming a visual triangle
with the touchline and goal-line assis-
tants, taking a more central position
in the final third of the pitch – where
THE 2009/10 SEASON IS HIGHLY ACTIVE ON THE REFEREEING FRONT, there is a potentially higher risk of
impeding play. Another factor to
WITH LARGE AMOUNTS OF SPACE ON THE SPORTS PAGES DEDICATED
bear in mind is that, during the pilot
TO THE EXPERIMENT WITH ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT REFEREES WHICH, scheme, referees have to switch
AS UEFA’S PRESIDENT, MICHEL PLATINI, HAS STATED, “OFFERS ADDITIONAL between the traditional format for
domestic games at weekends and the
HUMAN RESOURCES AND DIFFERENT ANGLES TO PROVIDE BETTER
experimental formula for a midweek
COVERAGE OF INCIDENTS WHICH A SINGLE REFEREE MIGHT NOT SEE.” game in Europe. Time will tell…
IT’S PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT THE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE IS BEING
USED AS A TEST BED FOR THE FIVE-MAN TEAMS FEATURING TWO But there has been more activity
on the refereeing front. During the
GOAL-LINE OFFICIALS. BUT THE BEHIND-THE-GOAL-LINE ACTIVITY HAS build-up to the European Futsal
TO BE BACKED BY BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACTIVITY. Championship finals, a course for
Category 1 referees was staged at
Detailed preparations began last August into the knockout rounds, going right Italy’s national training centre in Cover-
with a course for 48 referees in the through to the final in Hamburg on ciano. Apart from DVD sessions, the
premier and second categories, plus 12 May and, in the meantime, feed- officials went through the new FIFA
48 observers and International Board back from referees and observers is fitness tests designed specifically for
instructors. National associations were being collated by a central coordinator the indoor game, featuring 10-second
invited to name two extra officials for before the IFAB makes a final decision. high-intensity yo-yo sprints along
three matches apiece during an experi- with agility exercises over a distance
ment originally designed to cover the One of the challenges is to maintain of 40 metres. It has to be said that
144 fixtures in the group phase of the optimal communication within a larger the outdoor refs who tried it found
UEFA Europa League. But at FIFA’s re- referee team. And it will be interesting it quite tough… After the course, a
quest, testing has now been extended to ask whether an increased input of squad of 16 was selected for the first
12-team final tournament in Hungary
in January.

By that time, five applications to join

the UEFA Referee Convention had
been put on the UEFA Executive Com-
mittee agenda, with ratification of
Cyprus, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova and
Wales set to bring the total number
of signatories to 30. As the remaining
23 member associations are at vari-
ous stages in the process of imple-
menting the quality and organisational
criteria, the target of completing the
circle by the end of the 2011/12 sea-
son looks feasible. “We’ve passed
the halfway mark in a very short
Getty Images

period of time,” says UEFA’s head

of refereeing, Yvan Cornu, “but there’s
still a long way to go. Let’s just say
Fulham v CSKA Sofia in the UEFA Europa League, with an additional assistant referee officiating that it’s a good achievement, but…”

14
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 15

TRAINING
ROUTINE
AG E N DA
BY WIM KOEVERMANS
Sportsfile

High Performance Director of the FA of Ireland 2010

January 19 – 30
Th e O v e r l a p P r a c t i c e ● European Futsal Championship
2009/10 Final Round (Hungary)

D R AW I N G 1 February 2 – 4
● Elite
Referees Course (Malta)
● 8 players + 1 goalkeeper
● After warming up, wing play +
February 7
finishing ● EURO 2012 Draw (Warsaw)
● A players rotate
B players in position February 9 – 11
● Demand for quality passing / ● 5th UEFA Medical Symposium
crossing and finishing (Stockholm)
● Half of full-size pitch
● Other group of 8 + GK work February 16
● Start
of the UEFA Champions
on other half of the pitch
League 2009/10 knockout phase

February 18
● Start
of the UEFA Europa League
2009/10 knockout phase
D R AW I N G 2
● 4 players + GK : 4 players April 13 – 16
● Aim: wing play / overlap ● 18th UEFA Course for Coach
● 2 groups of 8 work on half Educators (Florence)
of the pitch
May 12
● UEFA Europa League 2009/2010
Final (Hamburg)

May 18 – 30
● European Under-17 Cham-
pionship 2009/10 – Final Tour-
nament (Liechtenstein)

D R AW I N G 3 May 19
● 16 players + 2 GKs ● 1st
UEFA Grassroots Day
● Aim: wing play
(Madrid)
● Overlap fullbacks
May 20
● Full-size pitch ● UEFAWomen’s Champions
● Left v right wing League Final (Madrid)

May 22
● UEFAChampions League Final
(Madrid)

15
The Technician N°45•E :Anglais 11.1.2010 15:16 Page 16

UEFA
Route de Genève 46 Union des associations
CH-1260 Nyon européennes de football
Switzerland
Phone +41 848 00 27 27
Fax +41 22 707 27 34
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