Now the World Cup 2014 has come to an end...

[Karl]

..what are the lessons for Jamaica (our JFF and our football)?

Where do we look within that spectacle for answers/pointers to overcoming obstacles and moving forward to future successes? Jangle? Don1, Stoni, Peter, Paul...di Massive?

[Peter R]

We don't... I agree with the strategy that Don1 has laid out in detail for football development.

Here are some random thoughts (I don't know what is actually being done on the ground so take my suggestions with the appropriate grain of salt):

I found it amusing that the Captain the other day was lamenting the state of fields in JA... so where has he been the last fifty years?!

That's a start... upgrading playing surfaces.

Enforce that clubs all have a age level teams, even if it means that they have those teams through affiliations with junior club sides/coaching schools (if such exist).

All coaches; schools, coaching schools etc. must have a minimum qualification (D licence for e.g.)

The JFF needs to align itself with some other FF (Brazil?; Netherlands?) and adopt a style/system that should be taught at all levels throughout the island. Everyone needs to be on the same page.

I know you are a big fan of schools' football (who isn't) but trying to develop football within that system needs to be reviewed, in fact, avoided. The season is a short one and after Christmas everyone is resting on their laurels or planning for the next season, eight months away! This ties into my comment regarding clubs having active age group teams, with ongoing training throughout the year.

There are many things that can be done without having to outlay cash... redoing fields could be facilitated by begging FIFA for some of their millions stashed away in Switzerland.

Anyway, as I said, these are just a few random thoughts, but finally I would say that the JFF needs to actually have a roadmap for the next 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. years... it should maybe start with a goal for ten years from now working its way back to present. Going to the WC should be incidental to the development plan.

That's it for now.

[Zeppo]

Lesson #1: No biting!

[Jangle]

Lesson #1: No biting!

Wrong country

[Karl]

We don't... I agree with the strategy that Don1 has laid out in detail for football development.

Agreed...but not enough by and of itself.

Here are some random thoughts (I don't know what is actually being done on the ground so take my suggestions with the appropriate grain of salt):

I found it amusing that the Captain the other day was lamenting the state of fields in JA... so where has he been the last fifty years?!

That's a start...
a) upgrading playing surfaces.

b) Enforce that clubs all have a age level teams, even if it means that they have those teams through affiliations with junior club sides/coaching schools (if such exist).


c) All coaches; schools, coaching schools etc. must have a minimum qualification (D licence for e.g.)


d) The JFF needs to align itself with some other FF (Brazil?; Netherlands?) and adopt a style/system that should be taught at all levels throughout the island. Everyone needs to be on the same page.

e) I know you are a big fan of schools' football (who isn't) but trying to develop football within that system needs to be reviewed, in fact, avoided. The season is a short one and after Christmas everyone is resting on their laurels or planning for the next season, eight months away! This ties into my comment regarding clubs having active age group teams, with ongoing training throughout the year.

There are many things that can be done without having to outlay cash... redoing fields could be facilitated by begging FIFA for some of their millions stashed away in Switzerland.

Anyway, as I said, these are just a few random thoughts, but finally I would say that the...

f) JFF needs to actually have a roadmap for the next 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. years... it should maybe start with a goal for ten years from now working its way back to present. Going to the WC should be incidental to the development plan.

That's it for now.

Question: Why should all coaches have a minimum of the D License...or any License at this level?

...and specific to the D License, what is its teaching points (syllabus)? Specifically what does it teach the coaches to impart to young players?

...for the B & A License: can anyone list or post the syllabus and explain how it can be used to teach the practical playing of the game?

Not interested in those licenses stating to coaches that they should use the services of professionals - e.g. fitness trainers, medical doctors, etc. Only a damn fool would not use the services of professionals with clear upside to having your players and TEAM in absolute best physical and mental health.
...it is actual top quality instructions on football skills and "game play"/'knowledge of and practical on how to play the game' that I am hoping our 'teachers/coaches' will deliver in the classrooms=field and other support areas.

Just to explain -
First: I have asked that question many times on this forum and elsewhere and have never had an answer.

Second: The answers I have had have never included "teaching how to play the game". (i.e. avoidance of providing an answer or ignoring answering).

...so I have often wondered what is the point of *'excluding' lessons on 'how to play'?

*In parenthesis because it just may be that the courses leading to attainment of the licenses include 'how to play (the game)' but those persons I have spoken with cannot or did not wish to state same.

To once more state that I listened in on a FIFA coaches course in 1968 at Kingston College and there was not one damn thing on 'actual how to play the game'.

My reason for being at KC was to attend the referees lecturers' course and there were actual referee 'practicals' on how to make calls on specific practical acted out situations. Not so with the coaching course!

On the coaching courses there were some practical exercises using markers and the like...but game situation on organization, use of field markers, activities on simulated game situations, etc. not a word..and therefore/thus no activities on 'game simulations' or 'game situations'/saying using film or use of on field groups of schoolboys or adult players. Not one God thing on 'how to play' or on how to teach players on 'how to play'.


My rehashed comments later!

[Peter R]

Karl, You sound like you don't believe that coaches should be licensed?

I am not batting for a "D" license as any panacea for creating a competent coach, but it is better than having no qualification whatsoever.

The coach who goes through one of these programmes and implements what he's been taught, will be a better coach (all else being equal) than the coach who has no formal training. That's how I see it.

[Paul Marin]

Karl, You sound like you don't believe that coaches should be licensed?

I am not batting for a "D" license as any panacea for creating a competent coach, but it is better than having no qualification whatsoever.

The coach who goes through one of these programmes and implements what he's been taught, will be a better coach (all else being equal) than the coach who has no formal training. That's how I see it.

Karl needs to go to a training course in 2014, and forget about 1968!!

[Karl]

Karl, You sound like you don't believe that coaches should be licensed?

I am not batting for a "D" license as any panacea for creating a competent coach, but it is better than having no qualification whatsoever.

The coach who goes through one of these programmes and implements what he's been taught, will be a better coach (all else being equal) than the coach who has no formal training. That's how I see it.

Peter, have you looked at...really looked at the results of our football teachers/coaches?

Their Failing TEAMs. ...our NPL TEAMs and National TEAMs?
Their top graduates being of sub-standard quality players?

Are you accepting of the quality results those our 'licensed/trained teacher coaches' have been producing?

No Peter, I am not against licensing. I am against handing a 'trained teacher certificate'='license' to teach/coach that is merely worthless piece of paper. A piece of paper that perpetuates fraud...as the holder's results show that he/she does not have knowledge that that worthless piece of paper would have us believe he/she has.

No Peter, I am not against licensing.
I am for our teachers/coaches having the needed knowledge that a licensing course must at its successful conclusion...mmm? mmm? errr? errr?...the end of having undergone course acquiring requisite knowledge of the subject "the game of football" - and the grasping=full comprehension of (the) methods and skills necessary to be a "trained teacher/coach". Knowledge that put those "trained teachers/coaches" in the position to build on that base knowledge to grow into becoming expert teachers/coaches of football.

I sound like ...because I wish for...I believe that just as teachers of Mathematics, or any academic subject for that matter, have to have in-depth knowledge of the subject and must have at their disposal methods that they will use to teach the subject so should our coaches be taught the game - (acquire knowledge of the game/be extremely well versed on 'the game') - and how to teach others - coaches, players & TEAMs - how to play the game. ...be real trained teachers/coaches=acquire a 'real license'....a license that means something...one that on its graduate-holders use of its acquired inherent course knowledge produce *clearly discernable, measurable successful results. ...that those our licensed teachers/coaches are recognized as having a real "trained teacher certificate"/license as football coach!

*results measured against world standards of play.

[Karl]

Karl needs to go to a training course in 2014, and forget about 1968!!

You may be right on that.
mmmm? Wish someone could point me to online course outline.

[Karl]

Lesson #1: No biting!

YesI!

[Stonigut]

Build the team upon the rock of defense!!!!
If you are going to build a team, then build a team to survive in the heat of winning a championship, as you can all see there was only one goal scored in play in the quarters across four games. Where are all the offense and attacking theory guys now, where is all the pretty ball now, pretty ball and big scoring is for friendlies and for early rounds of competition, there is no place for pretty ball in the pantheon of winners, especially when penalty kicks ends the deadlock.

In hard core competition there is no scoring, defense protects your team and keeps you in the game all the way to penalties, then it is a fighting chance even for the team that had zero shots and 30% possession, we almost saw that with Holland versus CR, Holland dominated the game totally and CR was dangerous on counterattacks till the final whistle and had a great chance to win via penalties.

You don't win by not scoring goals but you definitely lose by conceding goals and you are always in with a chance to score a KO via counterattack if the score is tied.

What is it about defense first that is so hard to understand, we see this with every tournament when the sledding gets tough, one lapse in concentration, one opportunity and boom you have conceded a goal, it is critical to play defense in a way that the opponent in the final third has no space to turn and move with ease and if you are to get beaten it must be a brilliant shot outside the 18, it is unacceptable to have an opponent dribbling in the box and making guys whiff, like we saw with the first USA goal with Ghana, one second of sloppy defending and Ghana cedes a goal and the game to the US.

Defense starts and ends with the midfield control of the heart of the game, excellent defense and pressing creates havoc for opposing teams. England could not compete in this competition as they ceded midfield to the opponent and chose to play defensive mids that had no business playing that position especially the combination of Henderson and Gerrard who are best known for attacking and not defending, talk about brilliant planning you put in the defensive mid combination that gave up fifty goals and lost Liverpool the EPL title, what were they thinking???
The four goals ceded by England were like daggers with quick combinations through the heard of midfield with little or no opposition, ceding space to the attackers thus enabling the speed of the attack.

How do we build a team upon the rock of defense, we start with the formation of 4-5-1 or 3-6-1 both easily adapted to a 4-3-3 if the opposition is inferior or tired or starts breaking down mentally. The game is to shutdown the mids, shutdown the attack, force the attack to the wings and with speedy backs create opportunities for fast breaks and counterattacks. Stack the middle always with two defensive mids that are strong and good tacklers, ball hawks and interceptors by nature, are also good passers and good ball handlers those are the skills needed for that position.

All the important games means tough opposition therefore we must have patient players who can concentrate for long periods of time are super fit and play team ball, yes sounds like Germany doesn't it, well we can do that, we must find the players with these mental skills they are out there and those things can be easily discovered with a little work.

So let's start building that team, we have a few great competitions over the next two years, let's see if we can build a team that is almost impossible to score upon as that is the only way we can move forward. the team must play shutdown defense to survive the hex, draws away and wins at home.

[HL]

As long as can remember, Jamaica has been asking the same questions about becoming competitive in football.

Forget about football, concentrate on education!

The system is having problems wakling and chewing gum at the same time.

Furthermore Mosiah will tell yu'all dat Jamaicans prefer cricket over football.

[Karl]

You know...that defense first theory is 'old hat'.

The game has evolved. It is a misunderstanding of the game that would lead a say GAMMA, to on discussion on TEAM to conceptualize...to put forward the concept that forwards are there to (only) score goals.

In the game of today all players are outfielders and all players defend. ...all players are there to assist on the scoring of goals and defend against goals being scored on the TEAM. The logical conclusion is, equal competence on "the twin indispensables" - attack and defense - is a demand on each individual TEAM-mate and on the collective, The TEAM.

It would be instructive to 'study' the German TEAM in this just concluded World Cup. It would not be a stretch to conclude attack started at the back and defense at the front!!!

Long live this most wonderful of games!!!

[Stonigut]

Defense is a team thing, as you saw Lahm played dm and rb and was probably the MVP of the German team throughout the cup.defenders must be able to actually defend, defensive midfielders must be truly defense first attack second, England showed us this in a very clear way, two dm's that were attack focused and they were out in round one. We are seeing more rounded all round players rather than hard core specialists, ability to be flexible and change attack and defense looks within games is a great tool.

[Jangle]

Stoni defense starts from the furthest player upfield. That's why I like Wellbeck, even though his finishing skills needs some serious improvements. He constantly attacks the opponents defense. In his last match I saw him running back from the opponents 18 yards box to take the ball off the defender's foot. Defense is also a team effort as Karl says. Barcelona style, which evolved from the Brazilian samba-style of football, utilizes possession as their defensive strategy, while still maintaining "pretty football". Their philosophy is to win back the ball from their opponents in 3 seconds after they lose it. Your idea of forgoing pretty football for a rigid defensive structure is antiquated. it is now possible to play both defensive football while playing attractive ball. Keep your Encyclopedia Britannica tightly locked away in your glass bookcase. We now have something called Google. Just google it.