"There are lies, damned lies and statistics" Mark Twain 1904
However, I still intend to use them;
UEFA A, UEFA B and UEFA Pro Licence Coaches
England - 2769 Spain - 23 995 Italy - 29 420 Germany - 34 970 France 17 568
UEFA qualified coach to registered player
England 1:182 Spain 1:17 Italy 1:48 Germany 1:150 France 1:150
England
2006: 1430 UEFA B Coaches, 397 UEFA A Coaches and 45 Pro Licence Coaches
2009: 1759 UEFA B Coaches, 895 UEFA A Coaches, 115 Pro Licence Coaches
At this rate it would take England 123 years to match Spain
These are just stats tho, and as Mark Twain said, probably lies. How about the criteria to sit a UEFA B qualification in Spain - played 8 season in the Spanish 1st Division or 5 games for the national team or represented Spain in the Olympics. In England you need just a Level 2. To pass the UEFA B in Spain you have to pass a basic numeracy test, a literacy test, a fitness test and study for 450 hours (150 practical) in England it is 90 hours (12 practical). The UEFA A is 550 hours (220 practical) in Spain and in England it is 240 hours (180 practical). The Pro Licence is even further apart, 245 theory hours in England whilst Spain has 750 hours (200 practical)
You can look at those stats and realise that the reason England can only produce players such as Martin Taylor at Birmingham and Carlton Cole at West Ham whilst Spanish clubs can let players such as Ignasi Miquel go who then play first team football in England.
If we are ever going to create high quality footballers again, the culture of this country has to take a massive shift. Coaches will have to get out there and gain qualifications and education, the FA will have to provide quality courses and children will have to want to play football, because not enough do.
Great blog and great topic. I must say your stats are fascinating and i'm sure they are very much true. I think a perfect example of good young English players coming through the footballing system is our very own Jack Wilshere. Now, albeit with all the hype surrounding Jack at the moment, I think it prudent to mention that when Jack was 8, Arsene Wenger was starting his position of full time manager at Arsenal FC. Because of Wengers philosophy Jack has blossomed into Englands best talent in years. As controversial as this may seem, I dont think Jack Wilshere would have made it in professional football if he'd have been at a club such as Stoke CIty, Blackburn Rovers or even Bolton Wanderers. Coaching is simply not good enough in this country, and young coaches now a days should look at people like Wenger, Guardiola, Villas Boas as examples of a great football philosophy. Coaches/Managers/Chairman/FA/FIFA/UEFA should be ashamed of themselves, because its them thats got English football into this mess.
ReplyDeleteSo in a culture already bloated with ex-pro's with no desire to learn the art of coaching, we are talking about a Spanish model which requires professional level play just to do the UEFA B? Well that cuts down about 99% of current coaches then.
ReplyDeleteEngland needs a culture of education, rather than to retain the old jobs for the boys process. Good coaches are good teachers of the game, not necessarily professional players. Playing at any structured level for a decent amount of time should be the only qualification, besides the previous level badge, to gain the higher qualifications.
A lot of ex-pro's get fast tracked through the system and then what, look at Alan Shearer and Gareth Southgate who were both fast tracked through to the Pro Licence level and where are they now? Southgate has been given a job with the FA but how long will that last?
ReplyDeleteI think an indepth review of the badges needs looking as well.
Chris