Grammar is irelevant unless it is one of the serial offenders mate ;) I think your advise to Decentric is quite sound and I think that Decentric will see rewards come from the running of FFE by just running it successfully. Wins for this environment come about from the rewards for doing it and the enjoyment of the participants, the fruits of the program will become self evident over time.

Just one other thing Decentric. I just read your analysis of training for the various clubs. Are these clubs aware you're describing their training sessions on a forum? It only takes half a brain to know who you're talking about.

I'm not sure if they care or not but maybe a little less obvious with who is who. I could be overreacting though.

Welcome to 442, Juve Juve.:)
Glad to see you here.

I assume you are the contact 442 poster Rabid has in Tasmania, since you've found out I frequent this site. Unlike WP's blog, one is not constrained by short posts on 442.


The barriers in Tasmania are minimal compared to the good things occurring for Football For Everyone school. A number of stakeholders are trying to see FFE in action this week.

You are the poster, Juve Juve, who stated that Harry Kewell refuted KNVB. That is , because KNVB had taught him dribbling techniques. What that was, was Coerver. Kewell refuted Coerver. Now for someone to pontificate that they've played state football for Tasmania at senior level, yet hadn't heard of KNVB, and doesn't know the difference between KNVB and Coerver, is astonishing.

This has caused some discussion in the football community, off WP, in Tasmania, about the number of players, even at high levels, with considerable experience, who are not students of the game.


As for stats, I've assiduously compiled a dossier of stats over years regarding the Socceroos, some World Cup games, some ACL games, some A League games and ECL games. Trends emerge over time.

One icon within the Tasmanian football milieu challenged the stats I used. What won him over was that I could elucidate individual traits of the Socceroos in minute detail. That was just before I wrote on the Science Of Football. The icon intruduced me to a number of national and former national coaches who were interested in stats.

Arsene Wenger is leading the field in stats. Valery Lobanovski, the Ukraninan and national Russian coach, is the pioneer in this field. Other European coaches are following Wenger's lead.

Edited by Decentric: 31/7/2011 11:29:42 PM

Who is Rabid? I found this site because i typed Decentric into google. Most forum posters have various sites they post on ergo you were pretty easy to find.

You haven't exactly taken on my advice have you? Is that not the least bit hypocritical? (Take that as question not as a statement - Non 'Q&A' style.

I don't know where I said "i have not heard of KNVB" in any of my posts. This is the second time you've written that in an attempt to discredit what i'm saying - i've got honors in psychology, master in management & work in management - I know about those tactics. I also know how diplomacy works and I suggest you're struggling with the concept.

As for KNVB, i've read various football books with each one briefly detailing its philosophy, so yes I had heard of it. As Coerver, I've also heard of that, I admittedly mixed them up, the story was some 10 years ago ... I think you can forgive me for a minor mix-up with out contending I don't know either.

I actually like the methodology behind KNVB. Now answer me this. If we're copying the dutch, how can we ever attempt to be better than them let alone equal to them. Copying best practice is flawed in so many ways. Certainly, we can learn from best practice methods however to copy them will achieve mediocrity. It must be transferable and manipulated to suit the participant(s) or Australia and Australian's. Has this be done? or is it a direct copy?

I don't go up and proffer advice to senior coaches. I would never do that, but if asked I will proffer an opinion.

The comment about Devonport on WP was mainly to publicise the FFE, with a bit of tongue in cheek.:d I'm making contact with the Devonport split state league senior coach, who apparently is a really nice bloke.


Split state league is a term used for football stakeholders outside the state, which more appropriately describes the NPL and the SPL.

I have had 12 years football coaching experience and 26 years professional teaching experience.

I've attended three senior training sessions from three different split state league clubs in the last two weeks. Two of the senior coaches, unsolicited, have asked me what KNVB would do in various scenarios. I seem to be known, since I wore the same stupid hat that was in photos on WP's blog about FFE!!!

One of the most highly respected coaches in the state encouraged me to do the KNVB course a few years. He is well known with a reputation. He photocopied every page of the two KNVB course books as soon as he set eyes on them after the course.

Yes, you make a good point, Juve Juve, that coaches learn a lot on the training track since completing courses. True. What the KNVB provides is an extremely sound methodological and theoretical base. One can build on that knowledge incrementally over time. I am often, and currently at FFE, in a co-coaching partnership with a coach of 30 years experience. We will be joined soon by another coach with 18 years experience.

They fine tune the KNVB structure I set on the training track. I constantly learn from the other coaches, as do they from the KNVB paradigm. I also learnt some useful things from two in particular, of the three senior state league coaches I've observed take sessions this last week.

Now that one of the split state league reserves coaches, who is well known in the Tasmanian football milieu, has commented positively about FFE from observing, participating and bringing his daughter and team-mates to the programme, there is a certain credibility gained amongst sceptics on WP's blog. We have had no stakeholder who has observed the programme live, who has denigrated FFE. The sceptics are ones who have never seen it in action.

Juve Juve, I'm glad you have joined 442. One senior veteran in Hobart, thought you were a bogus poster. He was wrong. It is always good to have literate players who have played at a high level.

Edited by Decentric: 29/7/2011 07:01:13 PM

Mate, you've entered a great post. I'm about to go out to a game.

I'll get back to you in the next 24 hours, JJ.

Good. I'm glad you didn't find the site through Rabid.

Good, thank you for a proper reply.

"I don't go up and proffer advice to senior coaches. I would never do that, but if asked I will proffer an opinion."
I don't mean literally but I don't know of anyone who will critique another manager and then offer them to come to one of their training sessions to show how its really done. From memory you did this about 6 months ago. Can you see how that would be irritating??

"I am often, and currently at FFE, in a co-coaching partnership with a coach of 30 years experience. We will be joined soon by another coach with 18 years experience."

This is a good move.

I don't have a problem with KNVB or what you're trying to achieve, not at all. I was just trying to detail to you why you frustrate me with your online persona (you could be completely different face to face) and why I think you could be hitting brick walls.

Juve Juve, can you post this post in the KNVB thread in this Performance Section, please?

We have thread topics in Performance and this is more appropriate in the KNVB thread I started.

If not, I'll cut and paste it.

I've answered this question ad infinitum over the years. You've set out some really good points/questions and I'll address them one by one.

Jesus H.

Anybody that (correctly) calls you out is a known troll, accused of "playing the man" blah blah yadda yadda. :roll:

Clearly this new user has your measure - I can see some industrial strength grovelling (go easy on the overuse of the term 'mate') unfolding.

Hopefully you might dare to learn something from this exchange.

You are not over-reacting.

I find decentric's behaviour on this issue quite disturbing.

Check your PM, Juve Juve.

Your inbox is near the top left hand side of the page.

Fair point, Juve Juve. I've only known one or two irregular Tasmanians on this section of 442, but I'll change the names of the clubs to keep the anonymous.

I've recoded the names of clubs so they are not identifiable.

If any of them are still blatantly obvious, let me know.

I'm hoping some other posters will observe some state league clubs' training sessions in other states. Then post them for comparison purposes.

Juve Juve, let me introduce Judy Free.

FFE is hopeful of recruiting him as a coach. We are trying to find sponsorship to relocate him to Tasmania. That is, before he migrates to Holland to study KNVB coaching methods at the KNVB HQ in Zeist for the next 10 years. Simultaneously he hopes to study Dutch at a yet to be selected tertiary institution in Zeist.

Judy makes many comments on 442 that are tongue in cheek. ;) He doesn't mean what he says on here.

He is the best mate I've ever had on the football internet.

He is a massive fan of the Dutch coaching regime in Australia.

He is a passionate fan of football in Tasmania and makes many positive suggestions about how Tasmanian football could improve.

He is the nicest guy on 442.

He is a massive supporter of FFE. We hope to recruit him as the patron.

Wherever I go on the football internet, Judy is faithfully close by, like a puppy on a leash, prone to biting ankles.;)



Sorry GA, no more.:)



Edited by Decentric: 1/8/2011 12:15:26 AM

I've cut and pasted this, and responded, in the Dutch KNVB thread.

I'm not at all obsessed with courses compared to the current FFA regime!!!!!!!!

If it is a question of which course it is a different issue. Some are better than others.

Moreover, a lot of experience may not necessarily be that useful, if, a coach is using flawed practices in:

1. Coaching methodology.

2. Poor pedagogical practices.

3. Inappropriate exercises for age/skill level (inappropriate cognitive match).

Edited by Decentric: 31/7/2011 11:41:43 PM

Once again, some are obsessed with qualifications.

If one seeks a career in coaching it is in one's interests to be more highly qualified than anyone else.

Some coaches are very precious about convincing others that someone's coaching qualifications are suspect.

I suspect one high level coach in Tasmania doesn't like anyone else having KNVB training, because he thought only his partner, of equal rank, had it until recently.

I haven't tried to dictate.

What is the definition of success - results, development or keeping a large number of players playing football because they enjoy it?

Working up ranks may not be my intended objective.

I can see how it would be irritating.

Some Tasmanian football stakeholders despair at the paucity of theoretical and historical knowledge in the game in the state. They won't go on WP and say that though.

Sometimes one can be questioned by a range of posters with the same name - Anonymous. It can be difficult to determine whether this is sometimes one persona or a number of them.

The context was that one person, purporting to be a split state league coach, told me,' to shut up'. The inference being that because he was a state league senior coach, what he said carried more weight that anyone else. Since I had seen his team play, I challenged him on how he understood the game by delineating his methodological principles for constructing training ground sessions which related to his perceived weaknesses in his team's performances.

Yes it would be very irritating. Pertinently, he refused to set out a succinct a sound methodological system for constructing training sessions based on match performances. He lost face.

He was sacked a few weeks later.

All these comments originated from discussions about a potential football school.

We believe we have sound methodology for establishing a football school. We can't be wrong. It is based on world's best practices. The other FFE coach and I, now joined by a third coach with extensive experience, speak every day about football/coaching issues. Like you suggest, Juve Juve, one builds on knowledge after completing courses.

FFE probably treads on some toes because we have FFA programmes, rep programmes, state programmes, regional programmes, club programmes set by TDs/DOCs, and a private soccer school in Hobart already.

Many of these are only accessible by people willing to pay money or to have been identified as talented. We preclude nobody unless they are time wasters. Furthermore, we see what we do as a corollary to other programmes. Whatever they learn with us, they can take elsewhere. There is no pressure to attend FFE. If they come fine. If they don't it doesn't matter. We never have exactly the same group of players at any training session.

Come up and see the programme in action, JJ. I'm going overseas in a few weeks for a few months, so we only have a few more sessions with me setting the programme. If interested contact me via PM.

I'll forgive you.:)

Some from the big island won't though.

Juve Juve has sought me out on 442 out for constructive criticism.

He has made some fair points.=d>

Our FFE session last night was our biggest turn out yet- about 30 players.

We had a minibusload of recent migrants transported by a migrant resource centre youth worker from the Migrant Resource Centre.

In terms of coaching the migrants football it has thrown up some coaching issues. The regular participants at FFE are making ridiculously fast progress. Many of thse are country footballers who have not played an enormous amount of football. There are also a number of 11-16 year old female players who have not played a lot of football. The is another group of 10- 16 year olds who have been in elite programmes but want more football and specific one on one skills FFE provides.

We also have a good state league player who is an excellent technician and a good role model, who we continue to push to improve weaknesses, and a reserves player from the same club who needs more technical work.

We have three other coaches - one a state league reserves senior coach, who Juve Juve probably knows, and two qualified FFA Youth coaches from a junior club and a country club. They all bring their own kids and other players from their teams.

Apart from the elite mid - age teenagers and the state league senior player, all the other players are making fast progress.

The country club is now starting to draw with good teams who were thrashing them 6 weeks ago. They've also started beating teams of similar ability from 6 weeks ago and are moving up the ladder. Their coach uses the same stuff we do at FFE on another training night of the week. Those kids probably touch the ball 2500 times a week now just at training.

If they do any work at home, plus play SSGs at school as we recommend, they would be gaining more touches again. In a month they would probably be touching the ball more than some of their opposition does in an entire season. Not to mention that with a lot more juggling and receiving drills, they are developing a much better first touch.

They are able to pass and move in tight spaces from the rondos and 4v4 SSGs. They are shooting with more confidence after some KNVB exercises which develop dribbling, endurance, receiving a lay off and shooting all in the one exercise. The players in the team are much more confident on the ball in general and are wrong footing opponents with techniques to send opponents the wrong way.

I was going to do some painstaking tactical work with that particular team to mitigate some of their hidings. But just the technical work and SSGs at FFE and the training model being extrapolated to their team by coaches who actively participate in FFE, have made a dramatic difference to their team's performance.

Opposition coaches have said that teams, where a number of players train regularly at FFE, are improving pretty quickly.


Getting back to the migrants. I watched them play in some park football last week. I concluded they were much better technicians than most local players, but were very one footed. The migrant players have said they want coaching.

Yet when we try to impart a lot of the stuff in videos I have used as a reference for FFE in this thread, it seems really difficult for them. Having to do exercises using both feet, adjusting faulty non-kicking/passing foot position seems very difficult for them to unlearn bad habits.

The migrants also don't seem to be able to pass and move like the regular FFE participants. Running into space is a problem for them. They often try to dribble around three or four players at a time. Waiting to receive on the balls of feet is a problem too. Nevertheless, one of them is able to use both feet and is doing well.

We receive a lot of feedback that the regular participants are really enjoying the KNVB training model. They enjoy doing so much ball work, SSGs and incorporating a lot of explicit and specific instruction in performing Mattthews' Cuts, body swerves, sole of the foot dribbling, body swerve receiving and turning fakes, Brazilian step overs, Cruyff Cuts, Brazilian Soccer Schools techniques - like Jairzinho turns, Ronaldos, Ronaldinhos, Klebersons, etc, etc.

Yet I'm not sure the migrants enjoyed the training anywhere near as much as the local players. I suspect we won't see much of them. I could be wrong. One was signed up for a club from our state league reserves coach. In general the unlearning of bad habits was problematic for them. I just hope we can get some migrants attending regularly. Migrant involvement is our greatest challenge.

The rest is going well.

In a few weeks I'll be away in Europe for a few months. In one way I'd like to see FFE close for the period, as many of the tenuous links between players/coaches/clubs/altruistic organisations/politicians/council have been forged by yours truly. Ongoing liaison is important.

If FFE keeps operating, I hope it remains intact when I return in mid-October.




Edited by Decentric: 3/8/2011 03:06:46 PM

I was at a split state league club training to view another session, but I was side tracked.

A doyen of Tassie coaches volunteered to come up and help at FFE. He loved the concept. He has coached his own kids. One has been in a senior Australian squad. Another guy I seek advice from.

Also, that club TD, one of the top coaches in the state, will come and take a session too at FFE. I picked up more useful training ground exercises from him tonight.

The way we are going, we will have more coaches than players at FFE.:d

The three younger coaches we use in SSGs as mentors, are restricted to one or two touches, no tackling, just jockeying and no scoring. All three of the younger and active coaches claim it is very difficult just to defend using space and jockeying. They pretty well do the whole session as active payers, performing the drills too.

Senior Australian squad? I could count that number on one hand in Tassie but I can't think of who you might mean. Liam?

Liam has never been a in a senior Australian squad.

I wasn't gender specific.

Edited by Decentric: 12/8/2011 03:24:25 PM

I've just accrued some more good stationary and mobile simple dribbling techniques to augment the ones we already use at FFE.



The dribbling triangle.

With one's right foot sole of the foot dribble the ball backwards to your body.

Then inside right foot it to the left foot.

The left foot diagonally passes it to the right foot just far enough in front to sole of the foot backwards to the body and repeat the process over and over again.

As one gains speed it is a more complex version of the inside to inside foot exercise.




The V.

With the right foot push the ball diagonally behind the left leg.

Then push the ball in front of the left leg on the other side. Then repeat with other foot.

I'm struggling with this one.




The Matthews Cut is inside/ outside/ inside/ outside/ inside/ outside of the same foot, reppeating it over and over.

This next extension move to it can be done laterally. It is inside of the right foot, inside of the right foot, then outside of the right foot, outside of the right foot and keep repeating it - inside inside, outside outside.





Bastardised Elastic

I'll use this term for it as I have no other.

Keep the right foot on the top of the ball.

Without taking it off move it half way down the ball to the right.

Then inside of the right foot cut it to the left foot and reverse the process with the left foot back to the right.

Edited by Decentric: 14/8/2011 10:04:03 PM

I know, I was giving you the benefit of the doubt in relation to what constituted 'senior.' I didn't think of female football.

See you guys in mid-October.

I'm going overseas for a few months. I'll have limited sustained computer access and may have little football content to report.

FFE will operate whilst I'm away with my co-coach taking over, with an assistant with a lot of experience.

The other FFE head coach will be undertaking his FFA C Licence in a few weeks. It will be interesting to see what he covers compared to the KNVB youth certificate, which ostensibly has considerable C Licence content. If the C Licence is of lower quality, I'll head to Spain/Barcelona (if they do English language courses) or Holland for any future course I undertake.

Au revoir, decentric.

I do hope Mrs Decentric enjoys the 2 month tour of the knvb academy and it's hotel facilities.

Edited by judy free: 15/8/2011 09:01:00 PM