About
AFK
This course has been designed
for anyone who wishes to further their knowledge in the
complexities of football. Whether they be a student on a
FA coaching course, a father who manages his child's football
team or just someone who wishes to have a better understanding
of the game I feel they can benefit. I am in no way looking
to make the people who undertake it think and do things
like me. I hope that by posing the different situations
in the modules and prompting the students through further
questions, they will learn more and be able to utilise their
own mind to deal with the different problems that will arise
during their coaching careers at whatever level. Furthermore,
I believe that the course is set out in a way that will
be enjoyable for the student to undertake.
Designed and Tutored
by David Platt
I retired from playing football
in 1998 and having played under and worked with some of
the finest coaches in the World game I planned to increase
my knowledge further by visiting and studying other respected
coaches at work. It proved to be beneficial in many ways
yet the week I spent at Barcelona observing the practices
of Louis Van Gaal was far and away the most rewarding.
If I had only returned to the UK with the training drills
that Van Gaal used that week then it would have been useful,
however, it was the actual time I spent talking with him
prior to and after training that prompted me to utilise
my own mind and elaborate on many of the principles he had.
In many ways he was a facilitator for me. He gave me the
key which unlocked my mind, making me think about things
laterally and logically and consequently form my own ideas
and opinions. To say he had a dramatic effect on me would
be an understatement yet in no way am I a Van Gaal clone.
3 years later I started my UEFA A coaching course. There
were many students on it and after only a couple of days
I could not help but wonder how many of them would actually
be successful and acquire the certificate. I was certain
that, armed with a greater knowledge and understanding of
the game they would undoubtedly have a better opportunity
to actually pass the course.
They had arrived almost to the top of the coaching ladder
but would fail at the last hurdle due to not having learned
in enough depth about football during their progress through
the certificates. On the eve of their practical assessments
many of them sought my advice in an effort to help them
pass the following day but without the background knowledge
on which they would have to call they were fighting a losing
battle.
The idea of designing a course to give this knowledge was
formed then, yet I had to wait for the right opportunity
to initiate it. Over the years I have developed and tested
it until finally it is ready.
It will be tutored in a way that through a process of guided
discovery the student will increase their understanding
of the game to give them a library of knowledge from which
they can call at any time, at any level and in any situation.
I am confident that once you complete the course you will
be fully able to navigate your way around any footballing
problem and truly believe that "Football really is
a simple game".
David Platt
UEFA Pro licensed coach |
