Our Readers' Opinions
November 11, 2011

Coaches, seek help from the Technical Director

Fri, Nov 11. 2011

Editor: Having witnessed two of four SVGFF World Cup matches, of which we won one, drew one and lost two, giving a total of four points, Vincentian soccer fans are very critical of the team’s performance and the coach who is also the SVGFF Technical Director.{{more}}

With two games remaining, if the team wins, the Technical Director will hold the best record since SVGFF’s first attempt at World Cup games; all the Technical Directors have been the coach for all national teams.

Executives should have hired experienced coaches who have had good results with players, clubs and countries to prepare the national team for the World Cup. Now Vincentians are aware of other countries’ soccer team preparations, they have realized SVGFF executives know very little of team development requirements. All the technical directors they hired had very little time, were inexperienced and unfit players, with poor facilities and no help from executives, for example, not enough practice matches to assist in their preparation.

Six attempts at World Cups: 1994 – 2011, neither the voters nor those they elect have yet to recognize their faults. The solution is to become knowledgeable of the player and sport development, then they will elect executives who can help to develop them and the sport. It’s also been said that at no time have the top five coaches in each league and divisions been rewarded, so the changes which all have been asking for are coming from all areas.

Soccer players should now pay more attention to their development and what can make them and their team improve, especially those who missed their opportunity to try out abroad; they have some knowledge of what is required, therefore, seeking a coach to assist, what’s required will be very important.

Spectators, fans and supporters must encourage all players to attend practices regularly to perform better in the future. Local coaches and those persons hired by past executives are responsible for the national team’s poor technical, tactical and physical abilities, which they handed to the technical director six months ago. He then had to make changes, correct attitudes, habits and movements to produce a World Cup team.

All of us who teach and coach would do well to remember that we are the trustees for the rising generation. Disrespecting coaches would only hire poor results. However, coaches, your certificates mean you have coaching knowledge, not that you have become a coach. Developing good habits and creating good attitudes are the corner stone of soccer education, so join a club and develop the players and be among the top five clubs and you will be on your way to becoming a coach. While I am in sympathy with our coaches, coaching clinics need structural organization for developing our next generation. Should coaches fail in developing the foundation, then soccer structure will fail to rise, and guess who will they blame? Coaches, seek help from the Technical Director.

Rollit Walrond