Sir Trevor Brooking meets Guernsey’s women footballers of the future. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0568057)
GUERNSEY’S new approach to youth football was yesterday endorsed by West Ham legend Sir Trevor Brooking.
The former England international, who is the FA’s director of football development, said the island was showing the UK the way to go. He was in the island to see the strides that the local set-up is making in improving the island’s game, particularly in terms of developing young players.
His visit culminated in watching last night’s Corbet Cup final between North and Sylvans. ‘The old-school guard may be reluctant to change, but you have to think about what is good in the long term and by making changes at the younger ages I’m sure we will see the standards, in five to 10 years, improve across the board,’ said Sir Trevor.
A revamp of the island’s junior set-up was announced recently as part of the Guernsey Football Association’s five-year plan.
It includes establishing a two-tier, development-based soccer school, a centre of excellence and a formal futsal [a five-a-side indoor game played on a lined court and with a small, less bouncy ball] programme.
But it also provides for the introduction of the 4 v 4 multi-game format within the central mini soccer programme for children from Reception class age to eight, while football for ages eight to 10 will remain in the current 7 v 7 format.
However, from next season the Youth Three league for 12-to-14-year-olds will move from 11-a-side on full-size pitches to 9 v 9 on three-quarter size pitches with three-quarter size goals.
Sir Trevor believes that England’s skills deficit compared with other countries at senior level is largely down to how children are coached, particularly in the crucial five-to-11 age band.
He said Guernsey was heading in the right direction by adopting as much of the small-sided format as possible.
‘You may be playing a couple of games a week, but if you don’t get enough touches on the ball then you are not going to develop as a player.
‘By playing small-sided matches, youngsters will get more touches of the ball. They will be playing for fun and if you try a step-over that doesn’t come off, it doesn’t matter.
‘It’s a new way of thinking and a way of trying to replicate what happened 20 years ago when people used to go out and play with their friends in the park in three-a-side or four-a-side kickabouts. They had the freedom to develop their own technique and skills in a relaxed environment.’
Sir Trevor said technology meant there were far more distractions for children of this generation.
‘From what I see, Guernsey’s development plan is going to be very much aligned to what we are going to do at the English FA, so that’s very positive.’
Chris Schofield, the GFA director for youth and football development, said the GFA saw a logical progression from the small-sided format in the youngest age groups through to senior football.
‘Four v 4 has become very popular on the mainland.
‘It’s what Manchester United use in their academy. The only way to improve technique is by getting more touches on the ball and small-sided football is designed to do exactly that.’
However, Sir Trevor found one worrying aspect: the lack of States funding for football.
‘I understand there is an election happening and investing in sport has hardly been mentioned in any manifesto.
‘Governments have to realise that you need to invest in keeping people active, otherwise it just drains on other areas such as health care.’
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