Does anyone beleive that since the NC came out in 2010 is any club following the curriculum in your state?

Are there any clubs claiming to follow the Curriculum in your State?

While it is not necessary for a club to follow the NC, does any one think that the NTC, State Teams etc are actually following the curriculum?
I have heard that Han Berger was not impressed with the quality of sessions conducted by our Skillaroo coaches recently. Maybe thats why the more detailed NC is comming out, as he would have more contact time with them.

Hadn't heard that Berger was unimpressed with the NTC and state teams not following the NC.

The SAP and Skillaroos certainly are following the NC from the many sessions I've observed.

I am now understanding that the Dutch instructors are shocked at the genuine lack of knowledge in Australia. Even some FFA coaches have been pleased to receive Dirk's Academy sessions as a great training ground tool.

The local SAP trainer makes all his sessions up from a sound knowledge base. He is one of the joint authors of the FFA SAP program.

Two other split state league senior coaches have told me they make their drills up at sessions, but neither follow the NC. They only touched the ball 200-230 times per session when I observed them. According to FFA's Game Development Manager, Norm Boardman, there is now an expectation players will touch the ball for a minimum of 600 touches.

Hadn't heard that Berger was unimpressed with the NTC and state teams not following the NC.

The SAP and Skillaroos certainly are following the NC from the many sessions I've observed.

I am now understanding that the Dutch instructors are shocked at the genuine lack of knowledge in Australia. Even some FFA coaches have been pleased to receive Dirk's Academy sessions as a great training ground tool.

The local SAP trainer makes all his sessions up from a sound knowledge base. He is one of the joint authors of the FFA SAP program.

Two other split state league senior coaches have told me they make their drills up at sessions, but neither follow the NC. They only touched the ball 200-230 times per session when I observed them. According to FFA's Game Development Manager, Norm Boardman, there is now an expectation players will touch the ball for a minimum of 600 touches.

One reason I bring this up is that some clubs claim that they apply the curriculum yet when you take into consideration that the U10/U11 group is required to train 3 times a week, U12/13's & U14/15's four times a week and the U16/17 & U18/19 upto six times a week, yet these clubs provide two sessions per week only.

So how do you implement all components of the NC if your training for 3 hours a week when 4.5 hours 6 hours per week is required?

Others understand, but aren’t keen to implement it.

You blokes are making my blood boil everything you are saying is hitting the nail on the head.
too many for me to quote.
but

this one from hans makes me really mad.

please someone tell me

[size=9]WHY ARE THEY STILL THERE[/size]

Good question.

Han has the power to replace them.

but know one in authority is asking it.

Well nobody is doing this amount of training apart from the NTC that I know of.

In this aspect, time committed to training ground instruction, hardly anybody is doing the NC.

Needs Judy on here.

Decentric, You know what system i'm talking about. No other australian system, club can boast a player signed with manchester city. I can tell you if it wasn't for the system i'm talking about this kid would not even get into a rep side. Yet those that have been through the current system can't get off the bench at most clubs they are signed too. Other systems provided by successful academies are just a slap in the face for berger which is why he wants them out. Because it makes his system look 3rd rate which in my opinion it is.

As you guys know i'm not a fan of this new system. The system is outdated back to the days of hollands golden days of "Total football" well the rest of the world has moved forward and this system is rather archaic.

Also if the dutch system is so good why does a team like holland fail to get out of the group stages in euro2012 without winning a match? If even the dutch can't play it with any success what makes berger think australians can and it suits us?.

This is a fair point, but I think it amounts to subjective selection by coaches - not a failing of methodology.

ASA has results with players not wanted in the system, but a different coach within the FFA system may have selected the two lads who have gained contracts with EPL clubs through ASA.

I imagine in NSW there are so many players with similar abilities, good players can regularly miss out. Apparently Kewell, Tobin and Cahill missed out on some rep teams in the past.

I don't agree with Berger that we rid Australia of private academies. I know a state FFA TD who agrees with us privately, but can't say it publicly.

The fact australia has failed to qualify at any level for the olympics is a sign of the future and a bad workman always blames his tools for a shitty job. Sound familiar?

[quote=Aussiesrus]
Tony Basha is achieving considerable success, by from what you say, not adhering to the NC. I wonder If he were deemed to be a targeted coach by the FFA hierarchy, like yours truly, and was constantly being provided with coaching educational opportunities ( at a much higher level than me), if he would still feel outside the FFA system, like I did a a year ago?

Always enjoy your contributions to discussion, Aussiesrus.:)

For the record this is my point of view only as i see it. Not Basha's.

Basha goes to asia and the UK for qualifications and his educational systems but employs coaches from around the globe. Why would someone with coaching, training and talent want to be steamrolled with the stupid FFA system. If he wanted to become a brainless FFA drone and produce nothing then FFA would be the place to go.

The guy has a group of 16 year olds that would kick arse anything FFA could put together and call them socceroos. The next few years for ASA is going to be bigger than previous years and australia will miss out on them because of the current system. But the system doesn't give a shit about anything other than promoting it's own system at talents expense.


Life in the current australian football world...You can either be borged or be talented. At least that option is still in our hands.

I had an interesting discussion with a japanese scout in australia recently and told me he had trouble even getting trials here in australia for his japanese lads because their still exists the racist ethnics clubs which have a strangehold in our second tier football. He hinted this is becoming feedback to asia and is highly frowned upon by the asian football community and if not changed may cause australia future expulsion from the AFC..

He can't say it publicly because he is owned by the system. The same as players cannot be picked with better talent because of the system.

Just a reminder Cruyff, the father of Spainish Football cannot stand the KNVB and has just routed AJAX junior development practices as too regimented, to fitness based and not based on developing technique.

While his system of play is different to KNVB's.

We get the impression that the Dutch system is a "Homogenous" system. It is not. Even though Holland made the last World Cup Final many Dutch men were disgusted at Van Marjwick's cynical tactics in the WC Final, chief amongst them Cruyff.

Just a reminder Cruyff, the father of Spainish Football cannot stand the KNVB and has just routed AJAX junior development practices as too regimented, to fitness based and not based on developing technique.

While his system of play is different to KNVB's.

The recent National Competitions Review recommendations had better work.
Instead of a cap on fees payable by youth players, there is to be a points system implemented to encourage home grown products. Time will tell what effect this has on the football economy because, to state the bleeding obvious, change is desperately needed.

Kids are being overcharged. Some academies are selling dreams for exorbitant fees - with some agents selling overseas trials to hopeful but misguided parents for upwards of five or six thousand dollars, which is an absolute disgrace. And the grab for dollars goes even deeper.

Recently, in Sydney, it came to my attention that some parents are paying large amounts of money to the club under the table for their child to play in elite teams.

In at least one instance that I'm aware of, someone has paid tens of thousands of dollars to a club to coach its elite youth team, despite not being qualified for the role.

These are two examples that reflect the flawed economy of junior football that is plaguing our game, as greedy clubs heap larger burdens on vulnerable parents.

It has to stop, because it is selling off the future to fund today.

If any club is so desperate to stay afloat that it is prepared to allow someone to pay his way into an elite youth team coaching position, rather than earn it the proper way, they are not only a disgrace to football for selling out the game, but are clearly in a financially parlous state.

It would be better for the game if that club closed its doors rather than prostitute the quality of environment and education being provided to our future generations of players. Anyone with knowledge of such a situation should immediately alert the association, state body and Football Federation Australia (FFA).

How can we call ourselves a game of high standards when a parent is being charged several thousand dollars his child's football development, only for the person in charge of that education to have gained the position by paying for it?

The opportunity to be able to shape the football development of a child or youth player is a gift that must be taken more seriously, for every mistake limits the chances of a boy or girl to make a career in the game. Selling such a position to the highest bidder goes against every principle of decency, integrity and value the game stands for.

Nor is 'opportunity' merely a term that can be used without understanding the ramifications for a child's life. In Outliers Malcolm Gladwell argues that being chosen in an elite program sets off a potentially virtuous cycle in a child's life and ultimately career.

The author calls this 'accumulative advantage', where the child enters a better learning environment with (hopefully) better coaches, facilities and a greater frequency of training.

This allows the chosen child to progress above those excluded, making them more likely to be selected the following years in better positions, creating a cycle that eventually raises the child's ability.

Unfortunately in our system, money is allowing mediocre performers to enter the system ahead of more talented children who can't afford to.

Every time we choose a development squad or first team at any age, we assume a responsibility that can make immense positive impact on a child's life. A child's future should never be for sale.

It is imperative that we train thousands more child educators for our grass roots clubs. To that end the cost of coaching courses must fall. That cost is ultimately passed on to the parents in one form or another and any parent entering the game is entitled to believe their child is being given the best possible chance to succeed.

The thought of someone without the skills, paying for the privilege of guiding talented kids, makes me sick to the core. Absolute filth, and a stain on the game. Both the payer, and payee.

By the same token, I am reliably informed that the practice of people paying for their children to be a part of these elite squads is alive and well.

Any club that sells a position in an elite youth squad should be shut down, the management prosecuted for destroying the integrity of the game and life bans handed around.
How many truly gifted talents are missing out because clubs are selling positions in elite squads to stay alive?

It is difficult to quantify the damaging effect on the future of our game when these deplorable practices are going on.

For those clubs and administrators who argue that they need to prostitute the heart of the game to keep their club alive, do all of us a favor by closing the doors and throw away the key. The game neither wants nor needs you.

You have not the first concept of what football is about.

Let’s ensure that we start promoting the best talents, charging them the least possible, ceasing the practice of passing on the cost of Premier League teams to the children below and work together to develop a system that is of higher quality, fairer and cheaper, for all.

Our future depends on it.