Report by Damian Nicolaou

Let us start with a comparison of two footballing nations. England’s population is practically 61 million, whereas the population of the Netherlands is just around 16 million. As in Holland, football is the most well-liked sport in England the most widely played and watched, and as the number 1 sport, the most gifted athletes effortlessly gravitate to it. England is almost certainly the richest football nation in the world, the cream of the world’s football talent gravitate to clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea and North London giants Arsenal and Tottenham. Even legendary names such as Ajax and PSV are regarded as by gamers as mere stepping stones on the way to greater and far better points.

And yet, considering that 1966 the Dutch national staff has won the European Championship and twice appeared in the Planet Cup ultimate. In the identical time interval England has in no way got past the semi final stage of a main tournament. So how is that possible?

Arjen Robben’s previous mentor, Peter Jeltema thinks he knows. “Dutch soccer is primarily based on strategy and ways,” he says, implying that English football is not, an observation which is borne out by even casual observation of the England crew in action. Two other fundamentals of Dutch youth coaching are that youngsters are permitted to have enjoyable and encouraged to express themselves as people.

Unfortunately in England self expression and possessing entertaining are not large on the priority listing, successful is all, and yet this mentality has resulted only in successive generations of technically inferior gamers and a national crew incapable of demanding at a significant tournament, even qualifying is an uphill struggle.

An additional element could be the culture of blame noticed just about everywhere in this nation. Even technically achieved young gamers have worry coached into them. Due to the fact of the emphasis on successful at all charges, even effortlessly gifted kids will opt to boot the ball obvious fairly than play it and chance generating problems and incurring the wrath of the screaming mob at the sideline. As soon as this worry and mentality has been coached into a younger player it is not possible to take away, they will default to these modes of behaviour each and every time the pressure is on, as evidenced when again by the behavior of the national team.

Probably although there is an additional purpose, could it just be that the Dutch clubs set far more funds into youth coaching than the English, knowing that they cannot find the money for to import great players and should rely selling to deliver in a regular stream of income to preserve afloat? No. English clubs pour millions into their academies.

At this stage it is exciting to compare England with Africa wherever monetary resources are minimal and problems very poor. But in some way Africa is churning out rising numbers of confident, expert footballers with the ability and self perception to feel and play their way out of any scenario. How can this be? One particular coach, who has had knowledge of both African and English football, concludes that the African players, by means of lack of coaching, have just been allowed to produce by natural means: “They’re not as bothered about producing mistakes. Maybe we coach them a minor as well considerably in this country and don’t permit youngsters to come up with their individual solutions. We really don’t let them trust their instincts.”

Hopefully the FA’s extended awaited ‘root and branch review’ of football will lead to the prolonged needed restructure of football coaching in this nation. There is a whole lot to be realized from the Dutch and African experiences, and if the English spirit was mixed with the very best of these option methods, we may possibly witness a era of entire world beaters in the not also distant long run.

About the Author

Damian Nicolaou is a copywriter with London based viral promoting and marketing agency Lightning Bug.

With football coaching programs available in North London, Ministry of Football is a fun, dance music primarily based football coaching system. All Ministry of Football coaches are FA certified.