German-born Gumprecht, 35, has been handed responsibility for rolling out FFA’s new development curriculum for Northern NSW. It’s a program focusing on developing young players’ technical abilities between the ages of 9 and 13.

 

Elsewhere across the country former players such as Milan Blagojevic, Ivan Jolic, Richie Alagich and Dean Simpkins are also working in their respective states as skills acquisition trainers under the guidance of FFA technical director Han Berger.  It’s all part of the national governing body’s vision of improving technical and tactical ability at this important age group.

Berger is on record as saying there needs to be more balance at grassroots level between the Australian “win at all costs” attitude and an emphasis on what is best for player development.

Gumprecht’s program starts this week after a month long trial process. “This is going to be the pathway that hopefully leads all the way to the Socceroos," he told au.fourfourtwo.com. 

“It’s a very important program put in place by the FFA. And obviously Han Berger is looking after us coaches and we report with him and meet with him.

"And it’s a great way to start your coaching career because you need to know exactly how everything works from this early stage,” said Gumprecht, who assisted Wayne O’Sullivan on the Newcastle Jets W-League coaching staff last season. 

Gumprecht’s programme is based at Belmont in Newcastle but the one-time Lecce, Bayer Leverkusen and Perth Glory midfielder has dreams of integrating the program into a school facility.

 “This is what I went through, a professional football school. That’s the ideal scenario where they have their education and football together. And my future dream is for Newcastle Jets to have their juniors in this program all going to the same school getting trained by me all year round.”

Gumprecht played 64 times for Central Coast over four successful years at Bluetongue stadium under coach Lawrie McKinna before parting ways in 2009.

As for a fellow German coaching the Socceroos, Gumprecht was clearly impressed by the new Holger Osieck era.

He added: “I love it. It’s always good to see German colleagues there. If you were the assistant coach to Franz Beckenbauer, you’re no fool.”