Bang on the money, EG.

I'vd prefer to coach a keen kid, with little ability, who is willing to learn, and is appreciative, than an arrogant elite player, who is simply there for the extrinsic reward, ego gratification and a sense of entitlement.

As a teacher in my day job I've come down very hard on this type of player, kicking them out of sessions and upsetting parents, who subsequently complain to one's association.:roll:

I've insisted kids apologise, for them to come back into the team. Some stupid parents have then withdrawn their kids. One missed out on an appearance at national titles.

With senior players one can simply drop them to the reserves or bench.:lol:

Apparently, Christian Vieri was almost considered uncoachable when he was youth in Australia, as he was so disruptive.

When one reads Langan's and Four Five One's posts, what all and sundry should realise, is that coaches give up a lot of voluntary time and commitment to coach footballers. It can also be a thankless job.

It ls one of the things I like about playing and coaching senior football. I like the drink at the bar with adult players after games. One women's team , a social team, introduced me to a to a few excellent new beers.=d>

With senior players, one doesn't have to deal with ingratiating parents who are very ambitious for their own children either.






Edited by Decentric: 30/4/2015 10:20:13 AM

I think the other thing is that with the new style of coaching with all the ball work, and keeping them constantly moving, with only 30 second drink breaks, increases enjoyment. Players also perceive that they are improving. Occasionally it doesn't hurt at the end of a training session and ask players what they've learnt over the last month.

One can also receive useful feedback, particularly if some players say they've learnt nothing new. I've always been able to point out what they have, that they've forgotten.

In sessions conducted , the objective is to have short discussions, even with seniors, and keep them busy for 90 minutes - 2 hours.

It takes very meticulous planning though.




Edited by Decentric: 30/4/2015 10:19:18 AM

Tard News I'd say the answer to all your questions is "passion". People have to have a love for the game to be prepared to do that. And you can harness a lot of that passion through professionalism (coaching, administration, facilities), enjoyment (incorporate fun into drills) and growth. If a person can see themselves "growing", that is accomplishment things they get more passionate about something. This is where "good" coaching comes in, IMO. If players can see themselves getting better than are more likely to continue playing. e.g. in karate there are belts ... it is an incentive to keep getting better to go up to the next belt, and as you get better chances are you will be more passionate about it.

This is the most important facet of coaching. Plan your session. Dont show up at 5:50 and expect you can start a session at 6 and make it up on the run ffs

New Signing said


In saying that i am currently being coached by a bloke who played premier league in brisbane, sydney, wollongong and canberra and he is really really ordinary. [b]Some of the things i have seen from him on the training pitch and tactically have lead to me just putting my head down and not saying a word as i dont want to undermine his authority. As a result if he is going to commit himself to coaching next season i will have no choice but to at least send him to do his senior cert




This is amazing.

You are higher qualified than your senior coach!

At least you are not undermining his authority. However, it is important that senior players like yourself, see some gains in skills/ game sense/ knowledge as you continue to play at senior revel.

Maybe you could ask him to provide individual feed back for each player to see where they need to improve?

This might result in him seeing the need for further coach education himself.

There was a similar scenario here, where one of the FFA staff coaches was still playing, at the same being a National Curriculum writer with Berger and Ali Edwards for the national SAP curriculum.

Eventually, he retired prematurely, as he wasn't quite good enough for NPL level. He knew it was intimidating for any of his coaches.







[i]Edited by Decentric: 30/4/2015 01:47:10 PM

I agree with the passion answer. Its the reason i will continue coaching long after im finished playing.

My concern is that my club, that i have been involved in as a player, coach, TD and administrator, ambitions do not match that of my own and i feel ill be forced to move on when the time comes to coach fulltime :cry:

As with all areas, once you drop below NPL level training seems to be optional to players and i have little interest in designing sessions for blokes who are there for the social aspect

This is difficult.

I actually was going to resign from a rep caching position, because of a lackadaisical attitude of too many players.

A few matches changed this.

With youth I suggest they are wasting their time and mine. Leaving the decision to them if they are disruptive, before booting them out with no improvement in attitude . This usually causes disquiet amongst players who are good trainers who are friends with the disruptive player, but cannot see their negative influence on training.

The major repercussions are parents. I give them short shrift, which usually results in them going over my head in the organisation. If I receive grief from higher up, I suggest they need to do come out and be a visible presence on the training track, if they want to call the shots.

I believe it is the coach's prerogative to decide when practice games can be played and when sessions can be cancelled due to poor weather and being able to boot out disruptive players. I've had some in FFA disagree.

The problem is with 13 -14 year olds, whose parents are good company, which is usually the majority. I f I have a difficult parent and a difficult, disruptive player, it is an easy decision. I also tell players they are wasting their time and mine, and communicate this to parents, often very ambitious for their own kid's football future.

In rep coaching a few years ago, I booted one out . His replacements were so keen, training the house down, others with a suspect attitude knew there were plenty of others willing to take their places, so they also pulled their socks up.

Also , in the rep system, coaches higher up like state coaches, or NTC coaches, also told players their attitude needed to improve if they wanted state or NTC honours.



For those 18 year olds the coach needs to talk to the whole group, then provide individual feedback forms. Often one finds out they are really pissed off with another player who sneakily annoys others.

Another thing that works for me, by chance, was asking the players to vote for the captain and vice -captain by secret ballot.

Nobody knows the ballot results apart from the coach . If you get a shocker, just appoint a decent role model further down the list.:lol:

That is a tough one.

At rep level if the coach can't handle U15's below he shouldn't be there full stop.
Discipline is the key for starters - if kids muck about just as Decentric mentions, either have a word to them and their parents or ask them to leave.
As for senior club level say Div 1 - this is all generational imo, if your lucky to have found a squad that is committed and hungry for success trainings are intense/attended fully importantly.
These are the ype of squads who have grown up alot together, or many ex rep players etcetc....the trouble is finding them.
This is only x amount of clubs from every association I expect in every state.

A very, very good question.

Most of the time I've been happy to coach for no remuneration, because it provides a good deal of goodwill.

So players wanting money at around 18.:-k

It depends on what is occurring elsewhere. In this milieu there are a lot of registrations and minimal payments made of circa $100 per game.

The issue with that is that he would need to be able to identify these problems himself.

It is a struggle that many swnior players will face. As a coach you are between a rock and a hard place at this level, youve have players who arent technically up to it so you spend time working with them, players who probably arent as fit as they need to be (me) and then players who are tactically inept.

Very difficult to address all these issues in 4 hours a week.

If you were to ask me if i thought i could do a better job, i would say undoubtably, however i dont believe in player coaches so i wont be coaching until i finally call it a day. I dont knwo when that will be.

Interesting point on the fitness side of things, harry redknapp addresses the need to manage different types of players fitness in his autobiography when talking about john hartson

To the letter of the law without a signed contract these payments are actually 'reimbursements'

FWIW payments at NPL level in our area vary greatly, where as some players get nothing up to $800 that im aware of