Editorial:

Serious Fun

Interview:
Carlos Alberto
Parreira

Meridian Cup

Listening
to the referees

The role of the

press officer

N EWS LET TE R
FOR
COAC H ES
NO. 28
APRI L 2005
 FLASH PRESS
AFP/GENE

SOLI DARITY
AND DIGNITY
DU RING THE
FOOTBALL FOR
HOPE MATCH
IN AI D OF
VICTI MS OF THE
TSU NAMI.

SOM E OF THE VI PS
OF THE GAME,
INCLUDING ANDRIY
SH EVCH EN KO,
PICTURED HERE I N
FRONT OF HIDETOSH I
NAKATA, DID NOT
H ESITATE TO LEN D
THEIR SU PPORT.

COVER
● A friendly gesture
between Iker Casillas
and Samuel Eto’o during
the Football for Hope
match in Barcelona.
(PHOTO: EMPICS)

IMPRESSUM
PRODUCTION
André Vieli
Atema Communication SA
Printed by Cavin SA

EDITORIAL GROUP
Andy Roxburgh
Graham Turner
PHOTONEWS

Frits Ahlstrøm

2
 Serious Fun
EDITORIAL
BY ANDY ROXBURGH,
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
We live in a world obsessed by
celebrity. Film stars, soap idols, and
football personalities have become the
new royalty, crowned by the omni-
present, image-enhancing media. The
passport to that nebulous place called
stardom is a “big name”. The trouble
is that some so-called icons and
legends are simply famous for being
famous – no talent, wasted talent, or
one-day wonders who trade on their
reputations for ever after.
Football, like society, encompasses
all types: the good, the bad, the ugly,
and the truly gifted. On the pitch, it
is the gifted who make the difference.
As Carlos Alberto Parreira has stated:
“When we talk about stars, I don’t like
those who just make smoke, I like
those who make fire, the ones who
perform”. Some of those in this latter
category – the game’s VIPs – includ-
ing Ronaldinho, Andriy Shevchenko,
Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham,
Thierry Henry, Deco and Raúl, came
to Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium on
a bitterly cold February evening to
participate in the FIFA/UEFA Football
For Hope match (Ronaldinho XI v
Shevchenko XI), in aid of the Tsunami
Solidarity Fund. Big names with big
hearts, paying their respects to the
deceased and offering their talent to
help the survivors.
A sense of humility was almost tangible
in the Nou Camp dressing rooms
before the game. Rivalries were forgot-
ten for an event which had greater
significance than merely playing a game
of football. Stevie Gerrard, the Liverpool
and England midfielder, set the tone:
“I’m happy to play anywhere and for
the full 90 minutes”, he said on arrival.
At the end, having performed with
admirable enthusiasm both in midfield
and at the back, he declared: “It was
great fun, but I don’t think I want to be
a centre back”. Others, under strict
orders from their clubs, could only take
part for 45 minutes, but they still gave
their best in front of a 41,000 crowd,
and the millions watching on television.
Zinedine Zidane, for example, only
played the first half but produced some
impressive touches, including a majes-
tic pass to Alessandro Del Piero for his
side’s opening goal.
The collective sadness surrounding the
disaster (Johann Vogel of PSV Eindhoven
and Switzerland lost a relative in the
Tsunami and it was particularly poignant
for him to play in the match) and the
sobriety of the pre-match minute of
silence were in direct contrast to the
joyful spirit of the game itself. It is one
of football’s enduring values that even
in times of hardship, despair and loss,
the game can bring people together to
raise their spirits and to offer some
relief, however short-lived, from the
traumas of the real world. On a special
night, the catalyst for a joyful match
was Brazil’s Ronaldinho – a young man
whose exceptional talent and passion-
ate love for football took him from the
streets of Porto Alegre to the rich sur-
roundings of Barcelona, and subse-
quently to the title of FIFA World Player
of the Year 2004. From the kick-off,
Ronal- dinho’s effervescence was
intoxicating and Kaka, Deco, Cafu and
Samuel Eto’o happily joined the flowing
exhibition with mesmerising trickery.
Ronaldinho, who knows every secret
of the ball according to Mario Zagallo,
has outwitted world-class defenders
and goalkeepers with his talent, but
he remains low key about his fame.
When congratulated on his FIFA recog-
nition prior to the Tsunami match,
the modest Brazilian dropped his head,
and with his customary humility, simply
said: “Thanks”.
Football players are not just performers;
they are also people. And it’s important
to recognise the difference between
the performer and the person. You can
admire the player but dislike the per-
sonality. No such negativity surrounded
the players who came to Barcelona. For
example, Gianfranco Zola, now in the
twilight of his career at Cagliari Calcio,
is a great character and a wonderful
footballer. Thierry Henry of Arsenal FC
is a class act on and off the pitch.
3
Even though he played in a Premier-
ship match the night before, Thierry
travelled to Spain and made a cameo
appearance in the second half of the
match. David Beckham, his wife about
to give birth to their third child, could
easily have sent his apologies, but
there he was, boots in hand, in “enemy”
territory at the Nou Camp to make his
valuable contribution.
From time to time, football is exposed
to negative publicity because the hol-
low celebrities, the egocentric, and
those with cynical, ulterior motives let
the game down. It was therefore
refreshing to see so many big-name
stars – 40 top players plus the coach-
ing staff: Carlos Alberto Parreira, Frank
Rijkaard, Marcello Lippi and Arsène
Wenger – rally to Asia’s call for help.
Without doubt, the vast majority of
professional footballers are hardwork-
ing, team-orientated, genuine people.
When the famous amongst them are
true stars, like Ronaldinho and Andriy
Shevchenko, and give their names
and their talent to a worthy cause, as
they did in Barcelona, the reputation
of football is enhanced. We need the
big personalities – gifted players who
display character, commitment, and
a social conscience – because they
make the difference in a sporting busi-
ness that is both serious and fun.
FLASH PRESS
Ronaldinho, a “modest” magician.
INTERVIEW
BY ANDY ROXBURGH,
UEFA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA.

EMPICS
EMPICS
IN 1967, THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT SENT A YOUNG COACH TO TAKE CHARGE
OF GHANA’S NATIONAL TEAM. IT WAS THE START OF A FOOTBALL JOURNEY, AN ODYSSEY, WHICH
PRODUCED MANY SUCCESSES AT WORLD, CONTINENTAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL.
CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA IS NOW IN HIS FOURTH SPELL WITH THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL
TEAM: HE STARTED IN 1970 AS A PHYSICAL TRAINER, WAS HEAD COACH IN 1983, WON THE WORLD CUP
IN 1994 AFTER FOUR YEARS IN CHARGE, AND SUCCESSFULLY CLAIMED THE COPA AMERICA IN 2004.
HE IS CURRENTLY LEADING THE BRAZILIAN TEAM IN ITS QUEST TO REACH
THE FIFA WORLD CUP IN GERMANY IN 2006.
CARLOS HAS ALSO BEEN A NATIONAL COACH WITH KUWAIT (GULF CUP WINNER TWICE,
ASIAN CUP CHAMPION, WORLD CUP FINALIST 1982), THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, AND SAUDI ARABIA
(ASIAN CUP WINNER AND, IN A SECOND SPELL, A 1998 WORLD CUP FINALIST).
HIS CLUBS HAVE INCLUDED VALENCIA CF (SPAIN), FENERBAHÇE SK (TURKEY), NEW YORK COSMOS,
VASCO DA GAMA, CORINTHIANS, AND, ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, FLUMINENSE OF BRAZIL,
WHERE HE WON THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1984.
CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA IS A VERY TALENTED MAN: INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER, WORLD-CLASS COACH,
AND AN EXCELLENT PAINTER. IN THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL COACHING AND IN LIFE ITSELF, HE IS…

A BRAZILIAN ARTIST
1 • What are the key features of
Brazilian football?
It is very clear for us – it’s the quality of
the players. By the quality I mean the
technique and the skill. Often we hear
about a wonderful player in a certain
country who is about to be transferred
and we can say without boasting that
we in Brazil have a hundred players like
that. The technique, the skills, the cre-
ativity of the players, is the main fea-
ture, of Brazilian football. Brazilian play-
ers are very comfortable with the ball –
they don’t panic when they are pres-
sured. They have the confidence and
the ability to make decisions, to take
responsibility. These are the key fea-
tures of Brazilian football, and we can
see this in our style, which is based on
possession. Brazilian players have the
freedom to play, to express themselves,
to experience the joy. They love to have
the ball. Of course, to be successful
at the highest level you must know
when to accelerate and when to
decelerate. Our players are good
at this – our build-up is slow, slow,
then suddenly a quick incisive pass.
2 • What aspects of the game need
greater attention in Brazil?
To play as a team. To have every-
body compromise in order to help
the cause. Attackers in Brazil still
don’t want to be the first line of
defence. The big stars are reluctant
to do that. It wasn’t part of their
education. We need tactical disci-
pline and this is something we
have to work on. The problem as
a national coach is that we rarely
have the time to do this. The clubs
in Brazil, contrary to some over-
seas’ opinion, do instil discipline
and tactical order. They fight for the
ball, but often the consequence is too
many fouls, too many interruptions
to the game.
3 • What is the situation regarding
coach education in Brazil?
The system is wrong here. I had to
go to university for three years to study
physical education and then one year
to specialise in football. How can a
player, especially if he doesn’t have the
educational background, train full time
for four years to become a coach?
Now, there are some courses lasting
three months, but these are not well
developed yet. For the first time the
Brazilian FA (CBF) is trying, with FIFA, to
produce a diploma system, so maybe
in one year we will have a Brazilian
coaching programme. It is very difficult
for a star player in Brazil to become

4

a coach because, to date, there has
been nowhere for him to go, except
university.
4 • Why did you organise
the 1st Coaches’ Forum in Rio
in December 2004?
The main reason we decided to organ-
ise the 1st Football Forum in Brazil was
because we felt the need to circulate
knowledge amongst football profes-
sionals. Considering the big developed
soccer countries in the world, and given
the position Brazil occupies in relation
to these countries, it was unacceptable
that we didn’t have a major coaching
event. That was a situation which both-
CARLOS ALBERTO
PARREI RA I N DISCUS-
SION WITH UEFA’S
TECH N ICAL DI RECTOR,
ANDY ROXBU RGH, AT
THE FI RST TOP-LEVEL
COACH ES’ FORU M I N RIO.
MEXSPORT/MARTINEZ
ered me very much. So at last we
held this 1st International Forum, with
Gérard Houllier and yourself, together
with the most important Brazilian
coaches. We had two full days of
debates and valuable lectures with
high-level content. The attendance
was great, around 600 people.
We also had an excellent coverage by
the media, and we created a good
ambiance and impression amongst our
audience. There are now high expec-
tations to make the Forum an annual
event. After 30 years working as a
professional football coach, it was
a very special opportunity for me to
promote coach education in Brazil.
5
V. PARREIRA
5 • How are players developed
in Brazil?
The players no longer come from the
beaches and the streets. Brazilian
players are now developed in the clubs.
Between eight and ten years old,
youngsters are invited to train twice
a week at the club. They then become
part of the youth structure, which has
its various categories. The focus of the
training with these young players is
fundamental technique and basic
principles of play. The clubs also insist
on schooling, on general education.
From twelve years onwards the boys
will play 11-11 as part of their develop-
ment programme.
6 • What are the difficulties faced
by the coach of Brazil’s national team?
The biggest pressure is to win every
match. We hadn’t lost for a year, then
we were defeated by Ecuador and
it was viewed as a catastrophe. It was
almost a crisis – a real crisis and
I would be out! The game against
Ecuador was at high altitude (2,900 m),
but nobody cares because you are
expected to win. We met on the
Monday, trained a little on Tuesday,
and then played on Wednesday.
Immediately after the match twelve
players left on a private plane for
Europe and back to their clubs. The
players are treated like machines, and
for the coach there is no follow-up,
just the next match. I think the players
have the appetite for the games, but
it is difficult when they arrive tired
and there is no time for recovery. Our
biggest challenge is to motivate our
players to play – although the real stars
motivate themselves. With only a few
days’ preparation before a qualification
match, I have only one target: to organ-
ise the team. Very little time is spent
on corners or free kicks. We do a lot
of recovery work with stretching and
light movement, but it is a problem to
decide on the intensity of the training.
Before we played Argentina in Brazil,
we did a little bit more and two players

OF BRAZILIAN CREATIVITY, TRAI NING
WITH THE NATIONAL TEAM.
AFP/ALVAREZ
pulled muscles. I like to play 3 against
2 or 4-3, very quick waves of attack,
and the defender must go right to the
end of the phase. The players like to
do it, but the demands can create
problems for some players if they are
not in good condition.
7 • How do you see the trends in
a) Brazilian football?
b) international football?
Here in Brazil there are no wingers any
more which is counter to what we saw
in EURO 2004. We have wide players,
not wingers, who link up with the main
strikers. The trend here is one striker
and one behind, and the favoured struc-
ture is 4 - 4 - 2. Although, it is inter-
esting that four or five teams in the
Brazilian League play with three centre
backs – Santos for example. The phi-
losophy in Brazil is to keep the ball, to
emphasise possession play, and to play
Carlos Alberto Parreira with Andy Roxburgh and Gérard Houllier at the coaches’ forum in Brazil.
RONALDINHO, A GREAT EXAMPLE
the ball at speed. There is very little
pressing because of the climate.
When there is, it is because the home
team is trying to dictate the tempo.
We don’t play a lot of counter-attack.
We prefer to build up by passing to
feet. However, there is an emphasis
on retreating defence, and on getting
7 or 8 players behind the ball when
possession is lost.
EURO 2004 was an interesting bench-
mark for all of us, and it was clear that
in a global context counter attacking
was very fashionable. Sometimes the
only time you can have space is on
a counter, but you need to know how
to create this, and that means bringing
the opponent to you by retreating.
Zagallo was working on counter-attack-
ing back in 1970, but then he was
always ahead of his time.
As we saw at EURO 2004, most teams
have returned to the flat back four.
We ask ourselves: what is the reason
for the zonal back four? I think it is
a more efficient system and it’s part
of the 4-4-2 formation which is very
appropriate for the Brazilian way of
playing. I like it because of the zone
marking and the occupation of space –
V. PARREIRA
6
it allows you to be very versatile in
terms of defending and attacking.
8 • How do you deal with the stress
of being the manager of Brazil?
I have often been asked this question
at business seminars. There are four
key elements: family, values, religion
and a hobby. You must have the family
support around you – your people –
and you must have a hobby. As you
know I am a painter, and after a few
days at the seaside, working on my
latest creation, I am fully relaxed.
9 • How have you evolved as a coach
over the years?
Of course, you change both as a coach
and as a person. You experience things,
you get more secure, you become
more confident at taking decisions, you
are not afraid to face criticism, and you
grow as a coach and manager. You
constantly gain more knowledge, and
this is the reason we organise confer-
ences to add to our thoughts on the
game. You must never stop learning
and always be aware of what is going
on in football. I try to be very open-
minded – to listen to people, to read
books. But then, and this is very impor-
tant, you must make your own deci-
sions. Even with our national team,
I have a very good staff, including
Zagallo, and all of them contribute with
their views, but then I make my deci-
sion. It is the right of each colleague
to say what he thinks. Often this is an
emotional comment and I must make
an objective judgement.
10 • Why do you take photos when
you watch matches as a technical
observer or as an interested spectator?
The photograph is the pause on a
video – it freezes a moment in the
game, and players can learn a lot from
discussing these tactical pictures. In
Peru, at the Copa América, I had nearly
500 photos with me on my computer.
These were taken at a number of
recent top-level games – some had

tactical lines drawn on them to highlight
the players’ actions. At a national team
meeting, I asked Adriano: “What do you
think of this movement here?” He gave
his opinion. Then the others joined in
and for an hour and a half we had a
wonderful discussion about the various
tactical images on the screen. Photo-
graphs are very useful to the coach.
11 • Do you have a spying structure?
Yes. We have two members of staff
who focus on this: one is the techni-
cian, while the other gathers all the
information by watching games, study-
ing the press, listening to interviews
with opposition coaches. Sometimes
we get 70 to 80 pages of a report on
the other team, and this includes every
detail about the players in the other
squad. I think a spy is important for one
main reason: to avoid any surprises.
I don’t want our players to have too
much in their heads about the other
team. We have to concentrate on our
AND RONALDO.
AFP/ALMEIDA
performance. But, we show them
things which could cause problems
for us – we don’t highlight the other
team too much. I know everything
about the opponent, of course. The
players, however, see only 20 minutes
of video with the opponent’s main
strengths and weaknesses.
12 • What role does Zagallo play
in your organisation?
He is our technical adviser. The players
love him and his presence is important
because he is a winner, a legend of
Brazilian football. He is the ‘father fig-
ure’ of our team and one word from
him can be inspiring. It is a privilege
to have him with us.
13 • Are you a romantic or a realist?
Both. Outside the ground I am defi-
nitely a romantic – I love the sweet
things in life: my family, music and
painting. In football, I still love the
beauty of the game, the fantasy. But
7
CARLOS ALBERTO PARREIRA
I have to be realistic, this doesn’t win
competitions. You must be able to
compete in the modern game, to fight
for the ball, to have possession. The
pure romantic football belonged to the
50s, 60s and 70s. Football will always
be a game of technique and skills
and those with great ability will decide
games. Against a compact defence,
sometimes the solution lies with the
individual – one dribble or one trick
can create the breakthrough. There
will always be an element of romance
in football, but there must also be an
acceptance of reality.
14 • What next for you and Brazil?
I have no plans, but I don’t see myself
on the training ground when I’m 70
years old. Short-term, I am focused on
the FIFA World Cup qualification com-
petition, the FIFA Confederations Cup,
and then, hopefully, the FIFA World Cup
Finals in Germany. That’s the duration
of my contract with the CBF. But if you
lose three games then you never know.
I’m a realist. The pressure is enormous
on Brazilian national team coaches.
During the last qualification campaign
we had four coaches – Scolari only
arrived near the end. You have to win:
that’s it. The Confederations Cup will
be used by the teams to prepare for the
following year. We South Americans –
Argentina and Brazil – have very good
teams. Argentina, playing their well-
developed 3-4-3 system, could be a
threat at the World Cup. But the differ-
ence between Brazil and Argentina is
that we have more power in front – we
have match-winning attackers. Of course,
there will be many good teams in
Germany. From Africa, I like Cameroon,
with Barcelona’s Eto’o, and Nigeria are
useful. From Europe, I must highlight
Germany because they traditionally rise
to the occasion – they will once again
be a threat. I also like the Czech
Republic and the Netherlands. The
Dutch style, the way they play flowing
football really impresses me – for me
they are the Brazilians of Europe.
 GODWI N I H IJ EGBE,

NIGERIA’S

YOUTH COACH.

SAME JOB
DIFFERENT CHALLENGES
“WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUTH FOOTBALL IN AFRICA AND EUROPE ?

EUROPE IS WELL ORGANISED, WELL STRUCTURED, WELL DISCIPLINED AND WELL PREPARED.

THESE ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS, BECAUSE BASICALLY YOUTH FOOTBALL IN AFRICA IS AMATEUR WHILE
THE YOUNG PLAYERS FROM FRANCE, SPAIN, ETC. ARE PROFESSIONALS.”

Abu Sankoh, the coach of the Sierra
Leone youth team at the 2005 Meridian
Cup, voiced his opinion without a hint
of negativity. Having survived ten years
of civil war, he speaks with stark realism
and objectivity. Abu, a former interna-
tional player, admires European disci-
pline and he works hard to control the
emotional fluctuations of his young
charges. “They get carried away easily,” discipline and order of the European
he says with a sigh.
The other African coaches at the 2005
Meridian Cup in Turkey (Cameroon’s
Engelbert Mbarga, Egypt’s Ismail Youssef, education,” stated Ismail Youssef, a for-
and Nigeria’s Godwin Ihijegbe) con-
curred with Abu Sankoh about the
sides. “African coaches have more prob-
lems than their European counterparts
due to our players’ mentality, particularly
their attitude towards discipline and
mer Egyptian World Cup star who now
manages his nation’s Under-17s. His
opposite number in Nigeria, Godwin
Ihijegbe, expanded on the theme,
“It’s not just discipline, but concentration
which makes the difference”. Godwin’s
team squad captain and goalkeeper,
17-year-old Okemute Odah, whose burn-
ing ambition is to play in English profes-
sional football, supported his coach’s
view: “You have to concentrate 100%
against the European teams because
their possession play and precise finish-
ing doesn’t allow you to switch off.”

“It’s easier for us to play African teams,”

said Cameroon boss Engelbert Mbarga,
“because one lapse in concentration
against France or Spain and it can be
costly.”

The African coaches at the Meridian Cup

were impressed by the compact play,
the tactical awareness and the fluidity
of the Europeans’ collective game.
Abu Sankoh issues his instructions to the Sierra Leone team. French coach, Philippe Bergeroo, an

8

OKEM UTE ODAH,
A GOALKEEPER
WITH AMBITION.
The Africans displayed good dribbling skills, as demonstrated here by Mustapha Bangura
(Sierra Leone) as he breaks away from France’s Ahmed Yahiaoui.
international goalkeeper in his time,
agreed with the assessment of his
African colleagues: “Our emphasis is on
tactical development at this age, and
I think we are better developed in this
department than they are, but the
Africans are physically strong and tech-
nically very good.” Juan Santisteban,
the Spanish guru of youth football,
acknowledged the skill level of the
Africans, but in his opinion there are
exciting talents on both continents,
“Some European players are technically
top-class – think of Fabregas at
Arsenal FC and Piqué at Manchester
United FC, who would both have been
in this Spanish Under-17 side but for
club commitments.”
Portuguese coach Carlos Dinis recog-
nised strengths on both sides. “We
Europeans are better organised in posi-
ENGELBERT
M BARGA,
CAMEROON’S
U17 COACH.
tional play, but the Africans have the
edge when it comes to improvisation.”
Metin Tekin, the Turkish youth coach
emphasised the point. “The Africans
can be unpredictable and surprising,
but often their finishing and approach
play can let them down. They are
also quick and mobile, and their spirit,
as shown by Nigeria, is excellent,
even when they lose.”
The coaches from both continents
agreed that they can learn a great deal
from each other. The Africans desper-
ately need better youth competitions,
facilities, and coach education pro-
grammes, while the Europeans in their
quest for team efficiency must not
neglect the kind of individual creativity
which the African players display in
abundance. “Yes, we are very good at
1-1 dribbling skills, but our kicking and
9
PHOTOS: UEFA
Ismail Youssef, Egypt’s youth coach.
finishing techniques still require a
lot of attention,” declared Cameroon’s
Engelbert Mbarga.
The youth coaches from Africa and
Europe may have the same job, but
their tasks and demands are very
different. While the Europeans con-
centrate on their team-building
process, in particular the development
of tactical awareness, the Africans’
primary challenge is to train profes-
sional habits and thinking against
a backdrop of amateurism and poor
infrastructure. (There is only one
grass pitch in Sierra Leone, and only
three in Cameroon.)
The sister confederations of CAF and
UEFA have a lot to offer each other
on the technical front both in terms
of player development and coaching
know-how. It is a partnership which
can benefit both parties and con-
tribute to the general progress of
football. In 16 years as a coach, our
colleague Abu Sankoh has never
been out of Sierra Leone to attend a
coaching course. With the CAF/UEFA
partnership’s new emphasis on
‘training the trainers’, through the
Meridian Project, maybe Abu will not
have much longer to wait.

UEFA
LISTENING TO
THE WHISTLE HOW MANY REFEREES DO YOU KNOW ? NOT RECOGNISE, KNOW PERSONALLY ?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ? SHOULD YOU KNOW MORE ? THE QUESTIONS WERE BROUGHT TO
MIND DURING THE ANNUAL UEFA COURSES FOR NEW AND TOP REFEREES STAGED IN ANTIBES.
The referees’ get-together took place
three weeks prior to the annual meeting
of the International FA Board, so the
match officials were at pains to point
out that their job is to apply the laws –
not to write them – and that any pro-
posals would be made with, at most,
EMPICS
Zvonimir Boban wearing the colours
of Croatia.
EM ILIO BUTRAGU EÑO.
a ‘might I humbly suggest’ tone of
voice. But, in their discussion groups,
it soon became obvious that the refer-
ees were on the same wavelength as
the coaches and endorsed many of the
views expressed at the National Team
Coaches’ Conference in Stockholm last
September.
There were no coaches in Antibes –
most countries had full midweek pro-
grammes of league or cup games – but
three former players, Zvonimir Boban,
Emilio Butragueño and Hansi Müller,
took part in the discussion groups.
At times, they seemed surprised to find
that they and the referees were so
finely tuned in to the same wavelength.
There was agreement, for example,
on the need to review the penalty-and-
red-card punishment for fouls in the
penalty area which denied a clear goal-
scoring opportunity. There was even
clearer agreement on the need to take
urgent measures against simulation.
But, at the same time, there were topics
where viewpoints differed. “That’s why
these meetings are so good,” Emilio
Butragueño remarked. “To express
different perspectives helps to enrich
the game and sparks off ideas about
how to improve.”
10
One proposal that the referees shied
away from came from Hansi Müller
when he commented “I can imagine
ten different types of situations in the
penalty area, so why don’t we give
referees greater flexibility when it
comes to dealing with them?” But, for
the referees, flexibility is almost a
dirty word in an environment where
uniformity is one of the prime objec-
tives. What the match official needs is
a clear guideline that he or she can
apply and that the players, the coaches,
the media and the public can under-
stand – even if some of them don’t
agree with it.
Much the same applied when the dia-
logue veered towards ‘passive offside’.
Hansi Müller wanted the whole concept
to be scrapped. Emilio Butragueño was
in favour of a ‘wait and see’ approach
in order to determine whether the
offside player was genuinely ‘passive’
or not. The referees also had their
views. But the common denominator
was the desire to have a clear ruling –
whatever it might be – that the referee-
ing community can apply on a consis-
tent basis. In other words, one might
say that, while players and coaches
discuss policy, the referee is much
more concerned with implementation.
 ANDY ROXBU RGH

MAKES A PRESENTATON

BONGARTS
HANSI
ABOUT MÜ LLER.
EU RO 2004.

UEFA
It’s a case of architects and builders
needing to combine on a successful
project.

This brings us back to the initial ques-

tion: should the architects and builders
meet or, in some cases, meet more
often? The question is formulated
in that way because some
national associations already
arrange such meetings or,
as Hansi Müller preferred
to call them, ‘workshops’.
Pierluigi Collina explained
how he and his Italian colleagues have
two get-togethers a season with coaches
and influential players – usually the
captains – from all the Serie A clubs.

The idea received a warm welcome.

“In a top division,” Emilio Butragueño
commented, “you’re talking about
18 or 20 coaches and a squad of, say,
25 referees. That doesn’t require too
much organising and it could go a long
way towards creating a much better
understanding between coaches and
referees.”

“I think it should become common

practice to meet twice a season,” Hansi
Müller agreed. “There should be a work-
shop at the start of the season and
another one at the halfway mark, so
PI ERLUIGI that everybody can review what has
COLLI NA MEETS gone on and look for improvements
that could be implemented during the
REGU LARLY second half of the season. The problem
WITH THE is that coaches, players and referees
tend to meet in match situations, where
COACH ES everyone is tense and the adrenalin is
pumping. In that situation, there is no
AND PLAYERS
way you can communicate effectively.
IN ITALY. What you need to do is to allow the
coaches and the referees to meet in
EMPICS/DIENA/BRENGOLA

an everyday environment where there

is no pressure. Then you can discuss
things properly and constructively.
At the moment, we know the referee.
But we don’t know the man.”

11
 ON-THE- SPOT

INTERVI EWS ARE NOT

EMPICS
EASY TO HANDLE.

THE FIRE BRIGADE

CAN YOU IDENTIFY “THE FIREMAN WHO TRIES TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES AND REMAIN CALM

AND PROFESSIONAL IN SITUATIONS WHERE OTHERS ARE PANICKING”?

THE IMMEDIATE REACTION FROM SOME TECHNICIANS WOULD BE “THAT’S ME!” BUT ARSÈNE WENGER

WAS DESCRIBING THE ROLE OF THE PRESS OFFICER. “BUT ANY FIREMAN WILL TELL YOU,”

HE ADDS, “THAT PREVENTION IS MUCH BETTER BECAUSE, ONCE A FIRE HAS STARTED,

IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO EXTINGUISH.”

The quote is taken from a taped
interview screened during UEFA’s
3rd Conference for Media Officers in
Copenhagen, where Ottmar Hitzfeld
joined Peter Schmeichel, Markus Merk
and other VIP guests in reviewing
relationships with the media and
plotting future strategy. In offering
the technician’s point of view,
Arsène and Ottmar stressed that it’s
a mistake to underestimate the
importance of a good Press Officer.
“The most important quality for a Press
Officer to possess is loyalty,” Ottmar
commented. “He or she is an impor-
tant person for the coach, as the Press
Officer has a role to play in terms of
creating an atmosphere of trust. We’re
talking about a very demanding job
because the Press Officer is basically
caught between the devil and the deep
blue sea. It requires a high level of
professional competence, coupled with
human qualities.” Establishing the per-
fect symbiosis is not always an easy
task, as the Press Officer is invariably
appointed by the club or national
association rather than the coach.
Some technicians prefer to keep the
Press Officer out of the dressing
room, while others consider that
his dialogue with the coaching and
playing staff is a crucial element.
“In the dressing room, trust is
the essential ingredient,” says Ottmar
Hitzfeld. “I think the Press Officer
should be given free access to the
players but, at the same time, he
needs to have good judgement on
when to address them as a squad
or individually and he should recog-
nise the moments when it’s best
to stay away and come back later.”

The technicians also stressed that

the role of a good Press Officer goes
far beyond “TV are ready for you
now” or “it’s time for the Press
Conference”. Arsène Wenger states
“there are three basic roles to be
played. The first involves the selec-
tion of media activities from the long
list of requests. The second is the
EMPICS

protection of the manager and the

Media pressure comes with every important competition. players. And the third is the accurate

12

Arsène Wenger has a very clear idea about the press officer’s role.
transmission of the image the club
wishes to project.”
Each of the three roles is demanding
in its own right. “In terms of media
activities, the Press Officer takes some
of the burden from your shoulders by
being selective – and not by simply
agreeing for the coach and the players
OTTMAR HITZFELD
FACES
THE CAMERAS.
EMPICS
to talk to everybody or nobody. He
or she needs to be available 24 hours
a day and needs to inform the coach
immediately if a negative story crops
up. It’s also essential to be informed
about comments that players have
made in interviews and to be briefed
before you go into a Press Conference.
All I would say to my fellow profes-
13
BONGARTS
sionals is that, if your Press Officer
asks for a meeting, it’s vital that you
make time to have one. It’s certainly
a good idea to meet at least once
a day and discuss things that can be
very important for the players and
for the team spirit.”
When Ottmar embarked on his coach-
ing career 35 years ago, clubs tended
to have a part-time Press Officer or,
more usually, none at all. “I tried to
teach myself by analysing the mis-
takes I made,” he admits. Nowadays,
ability to cope with the media is vital.
The national team coaches, reunited
in Stockholm for last September’s
UEFA conference, looked back at
EURO 2004 and stressed once again
that dealing with the media had been
the thorniest part of their daily routine.
Gérard Houllier always maintained
that the TV interview immediately
after the final whistle was the most
difficult and crucial part of his week’s
work, as any comments made could
easily shape the forthcoming week.
“In post-match interviews,” says
Arsène Wenger, “we have to imagine
that, when we are talking into a
camera or a microphone, we are in
fact talking to our players. Every
message is transmitted to the dressing
room and negative messages can
have an adverse effect on the next
game. What’s more, body language
also comes over very strongly on TV
and, very often, a manager’s body
language is a good reflection of the
state of his team.”
“I’ve tried to get the hang of media
work over the years,” concludes
Ottmar Hitzfeld, “but I’ve tried to
remain true to myself. The important
thing is not to reveal everything all the
time but to be honest all the time.”

UEFA
APPEARING SHORTLY
TWO NEW “TECHNICIANS”
BEARING IN MIND THAT THE EUROPEAN FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP HAS JUST BEEN PLAYED IN OSTRAVA,
MORE THAN ONE READER MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO FIND ONLY A FEW LINES
IN ‘THE TECHNICIAN’ ABOUT THE – SPECTACULAR, IT HAS TO BE SAID – EVENT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.
But, before we explain why, it would be
churlish not to doff our hats to Javier
Lozano. He was already the head coach
of Spain’s futsal team when they won
the first European tournament UEFA
organised in 1996. He then led Spain
to victory in the FIFA World Futsal
Championship in 2000 and, a matter
of months later, lifted the European title
in Moscow. Beating Italy in the Taipei
final last December gave Spain their
second successive world crown and the
2-1 victory over Russia in Ostrava on
WOM EN’S FOOTBALL
LOOKS FORWARD
TO THE EU ROPEAN
CHAMPIONSH IP
IN ENGLAND IN JU NE.
20 February allowed Javier and his
pupils to celebrate a second ‘double’.
It means that, at 44, the Spanish coach
has assembled a CV that no technician
in the indoor or outdoor game can
match. Equally beyond par is the statis-
tic of winning 86% of the 171 matches
played since he took the Spanish helm
in March 1992.
Doing justice to Javier and the Spanish
team in a few words is patently impos-
sible. What’s more, taking a wider per-
JAVI ER LOZANO,
A MASTER
OF FUTSAL.
UEFA
14
spective, doing justice to futsal within
the confines of ’The Technician’ is
another mission well-nigh impossible.
Hence the decision to launch, later
this year, a new supplement called
The Futsal Technician dedicated exclu-
sively to the indoor game.
At this point we have to apologise for
not putting the ladies first. Although many
technicians are involved in – or, at least,
interested in – both men’s and women’s
football, much of what we have just said
about futsal also applies to the women’s
game. It does have its own parameters
and it does warrant more than the
cursory attention it has received up till
now in The Technician. This is why
The Women’s Football Technician will
also be launched as a supplement in
the autumn.
Enhancing our coverage of these two
specialities is very much in line with
UEFA’s broader policy. It’s easy to dismiss
as ‘internal politics’ the decision to move
futsal and women’s football from the
Development Division into the Profe-
sional Football Division. But this is a cru-
cial move in UEFA’s strategy to upgrade
both specialities and to give them equal
opportunities in terms of marketing and
promotion. With European champion-
ships in both disciplines being staged dur-
ing 2005, it looks like the ideal moment
to give them some added value.
 THE ATATÜRK

OLYM PIC STADIU M

WI LL HOST THIS YEAR’S

U EFA CHAMPIONS

EMPICS
LEAGU E FINAL.

AG E N D A
2005
April 6/7
UEFA Jira Panel • Florence

MEXSPORT/MARTINEZ
TRAINING April 8
UEFA Grassroots Working Group
Florence

BY OSWALDO DE OLIVEIRA FILHO April 25

FIFA World Club Champion Coach with Corinthians in 2000
Former coach of Flamengo, São Paulo, Vasco da Gama and Fluminense UEFA Medical Committee • Nyon

May 3-14
European Under-17 Final
Tournament • Italy

May 17
UEFA Technical Development
Committee • Lisbon

May 18
UEFA Players Panel • Lisbon
UEFA Cup Final • Lisbon

Aim ● Teams change roles after each May 25

● To encourage ball possession in high- 3’ session
pressure situations (i.e. keep the ball) UEFA Champions League Final
Coaching Istanbul
Numbers Emphasis on:
● 3 teams of 4 ● Man-for-man marking
(4 v 4 plus 4 side players) ● Losing an opponent May 30-June 3
● Making angles UEFA Coach Educators Course
Duration ● Speed of passing and movement
● 3’ sessions ● Switching the play Netherlands
● 2’ rest periods
● The number of sessions will depend Scoring
June 5-19
on the training effect required ● Keeping possession is
the challenge, with the coach European Women’s Championship
Rules assessing the quality. Final Tournament • England
● Maximum of 3 touches in the field (However, counting the intercep-
● One touch for the side players tions during each 3’ period,
● Each 3’ period: one team defends, or competing for the longest
one team plays possession, uninterrupted time in
and one team supports the team possession, are possible scoring
in possession from the sides options.)

15
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