Football Federation Australia has revealed its $10 million plan to make Australia a “world leader in the world game” with the announcement of its national football development plan today.
To see all the pics from yesterday's launch...
The main points to come out the announcement include:
• A national youth league commencing in the next A-League season
• A women's A-League commencing in the next A-League season
• All junior players to begin their football experience playing small-sided games
• More emphasis on futsal
• More emphasis on encouraging and identifying talent from country areas
• A unified national football curriculum
• Accreditation and rating for all “service providers” within the junior system
• A national skills test for juniors that can be downloaded online
• A focus on improving the technical proficiency of young players and coaches and better talent identificaiton in both areas.
The new plan was created through consultation and research and draws on existing programs and systems, together with a suite of new initiatives.
It highlights the two distinct but interconnecting areas of football development...
Game Development: aimed at developing the infrastructure and programs around the broad base of the sport that supports the grass roots at the community level.
Talented Player Development: Aimed at providing a clear pathway and specialised development for the most talented of Australian footballers.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley said that after three years of focussing on the sport's governance following the demise of the old Soccer Australia, the entry into Asia and the launch of the A-League “...this development plan is now a critical focus going forward.
“Even with the absence of a co-ordinated national football development plan we have seen both our senior men's and women’s teams in the past two years make it past the group stages of their respective World Cups."
He added: "Imagine the success Australian football teams can achieve with the commitment of everyone to work to this plan.
"With these new structures and initiatives in place we can build upon the success already achieved and produce even better results.”
How will this plan will be funded? FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said: “Without corporate support and the government, we're nowhere.”
He revealed there was corporate support in place to help offset some of the rollout costs. What's more, he assured the gathering that if there was to be a change of government on November 24, that the ALP was behind the equally as much as the current administration.
And Lowy defended the increase in junior levies, saying: “At the end of day, we have to find ways to help pay for all of this.”
To see all the pics from yesterday's launch...
The main points to come out the announcement include:
• A national youth league commencing in the next A-League season
• A women's A-League commencing in the next A-League season
• All junior players to begin their football experience playing small-sided games
• More emphasis on futsal
• More emphasis on encouraging and identifying talent from country areas
• A unified national football curriculum
• Accreditation and rating for all “service providers” within the junior system
• A national skills test for juniors that can be downloaded online
• A focus on improving the technical proficiency of young players and coaches and better talent identificaiton in both areas.
The new plan was created through consultation and research and draws on existing programs and systems, together with a suite of new initiatives.
It highlights the two distinct but interconnecting areas of football development...
Game Development: aimed at developing the infrastructure and programs around the broad base of the sport that supports the grass roots at the community level.
Talented Player Development: Aimed at providing a clear pathway and specialised development for the most talented of Australian footballers.
FFA CEO Ben Buckley said that after three years of focussing on the sport's governance following the demise of the old Soccer Australia, the entry into Asia and the launch of the A-League “...this development plan is now a critical focus going forward.
“Even with the absence of a co-ordinated national football development plan we have seen both our senior men's and women’s teams in the past two years make it past the group stages of their respective World Cups."
He added: "Imagine the success Australian football teams can achieve with the commitment of everyone to work to this plan.
"With these new structures and initiatives in place we can build upon the success already achieved and produce even better results.”
How will this plan will be funded? FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said: “Without corporate support and the government, we're nowhere.”
He revealed there was corporate support in place to help offset some of the rollout costs. What's more, he assured the gathering that if there was to be a change of government on November 24, that the ALP was behind the equally as much as the current administration.
And Lowy defended the increase in junior levies, saying: “At the end of day, we have to find ways to help pay for all of this.”
To see all the pics from yesterday's launch...
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