AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The third and final module of the Pro-Licence Coaching Course conducted by National Coach Wim Koevermans will kick-off from May 5 to 19, 2014 in Osaka, and Shizuoka, Japan. Twelve participants would be leaving for Japan on May 4, along with Koevermans, who’s also a UEFA Pro-Licence Instructor.

The first module of the Course was held from July 8 to 28, 2013 at the Cooperage in Mumbai.

“Under the Course module we need to visit a Club abroad. We zeroed in on Japan for its infrastructure and the quality of Competition which it offers,” Koevermans told www.the-aiff.com.

“Being in Japan the participants would be able to get a firsthand knowledge of its professional structure. After all, besides the Men’s Japan’s Women Team are the current World Champions,” he added.

“What’s more interesting is that we will be having a look into the kitchen of two good Clubs, namely Cerezo Osaka and Shimizu S-Pulse. Osaka presently has Diego Forlan in their ranks,” Koevermans informed.

Koevermans has earlier been the instructor for the likes of his former Dutch National Team teammate Marco van Basten and Frank de Boer during his Dutch Pro-Licence Courses amongst others. Though this is his first-ever Pro-Licence Course in Asia, he has earlier conducted Coaching Courses for Youth Coaches in China and Japan.

“In Japan, we will be speaking to people from the management about the organisation of the Club and also have a look at the manner they deal and bond with the fans, its financial management, marketing, the ticketing system, etc,” Koevermans stated.

“Importantly, we would be observing training sessions of their first Teams as well as two matches involving the two Clubs. After the training sessions we can even ask questions to the Coach. Hopefully we would be able to get an access to the post match Press Conferences to see what and how they speak.”

“During the Course there are also lot of theory sessions about the role and task of the Coach in a professional organisation – mainly about training, matches and management.”

Besides being an UEFA Pro-Licence Instructor, Koevermans has also conducted Pro-Licence Courses in The Netherlands, Ireland and many other European Countries. He has also served as a member of the JIRA Panel which overlooks the Coaching Convention of the UEFA. The Panel monitors the Quality Check for Coaching Courses in the UEFA.

“While some of the participants were working with an Airtel I-League Clubs, the others, since the conclusion of the first module have been working as apprentices with an I-League Club where they have been watching training sessions, making analysis and making a report (the log book).”

Koevermans opined the Coach is like a “Spider in a Web.”

“Besides his Players, he has to deal with the Media, the management of the Club, Fans, Medical Staff, his own technical and support staff. We intend to make clear the role and responsibilities of the Coach in a professional environment,” he pronounced.

“The three weeks which we were together in Mumbai, we exchanged a lot of information which they had to carry on into the League season. We changed the thought process of many a Coach about their job as a whole.”

The practical examinations and the interviews would be held after the module in Japan ends.

“The entire process needs to get over by November 2014,” the National Coach concluded.