Football on the Central Coast recently took the biggest stride forward in a determination to develop the “perfect pathway” for players and coaches that should ensure the health of the game in this region for many years to come.
Football on the Central Coast recently took the biggest stride forward in a determination to develop the “perfect pathway” for players and coaches that should ensure the health of the game in this region for many years to come.
Central Coast Football (CCF) signed over the control of the Central Coast Mariners Academy (CCMA) wholly and solely to the Central Coast Mariners (CCM).
There is one Hyundai A-League team on the coast and one state league club so it is a marriage made in heaven and a decision made by CCF chairman Darren Sprod and his board and Mike Charlesworth and Peter Turnbull (CCM) with the single most important thing in mind – the players – must be applauded!
Players in the region now have a genuine – and I-ll come back to that word later – pathway from the under-9 Skills Acquisition Program (SAP) all the way up to the Hyundai A-League.
The CCMA consists of 11 male teams (9s-1st grade) and five women-s teams (13s-1st grade). One can only hope that a W-League team on the coast again is not too far away.
It-s a perfect opportunity for the coast to lead the way amongst Hyundai A-League clubs in creating a properly structured pathway and filter the senior team-s football philosophies and principles from top to bottom.
The Mariners unearthed an absolutely unique culture from day one in the Hyundai A-League and that will now be passed on to every player and coach within the academy program.
This is not an Hyundai A-League academy in name only and this is where that word “genuine” comes in.
Graham Arnold – who sits right at the top of the football tree at the Mariners – will be personally involved in educating our academy coaches in the Mariners way as this is as much about developing coaches who are capable of following the pathway as it is about players.
Stability is the rock from which the Mariners have become the most successful club in Hyundai A-League history and is something that we intend to continue.
To “grow your own” players and coaches is a crucial ingredient for long-term success and sustainability.
I have agreed to take on the Technical Director-s role to help establish the academy-s structure so we hit the ground running straight away and with trials for youth league and senior teams starting next week there is no time to waste.
The first appointment is extremely significant with former Socceroo Jason Van Blerk agreeing to terms this week to take on the Head Coach role.
Jason, who has just bought a house at Macmaster-s Beach and will move to the Coast fulltime early in the New Year, is a consummate professional and extremely driven to develop footballers. He was the NSW Institute of Sport football coach last season, working with some of the best young elite footballers in the state and has also enjoyed plenty of success as the Head Coach of Gladesville Spirit in the IPL2 competition.
The full academy coaching staff will be announced over the coming week but suffice to say those appointments are crucial to the success of the program.
For too long players – and their parents in the case of the junior age groups – have felt obliged to make the trek down the M1 to Sydney clubs in search of the right environment for their development.
I-m not here to say whether it was the right or wrong decision. All I will say is that we are determined to create a representative culture and environment – a genuine pathway – that leaves players and parents in no doubt that playing their football within the CCMA and on the coast is the right place to be.
For more information of trial dates and times visit www.ccmariners.com.au & www.ccfootball.com.au over the coming weeks.
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Expect a reaction from the players tomorrow night when we host Adelaide United at Bluetongue Stadium in round three of the A-League season.
The boys were quiet in the first half against Melbourne Heart last weekend before fighting back from a 2-0 deficit to grab a draw in the second half after some stern halftime words from ‘Arnie-.
We know we didn-t play to our usual standards and the intensity and attitude on the training pitch this week suggests the players are keen to put things right this week at Fortress Bluetongue! Kick-off tomorrow is 5.30pm.
Central Coast Mariners vs. Adelaide United – Hyundai A-League 2013/14 Round 3
Saturday 26 October, 2013
Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
Kick-off: 5:30pm
Gates open: 4:30pm
Tickets: Please CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to Saturday’s match between Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United
Twitter: Join the match conversation on Twitter! The official match hash-tag is #CCMvADL
Watch: Live on Fox Sports 1 & 1HD
Listen: Live on ABC Grandstand and Coast FM
