Yes, coaching courses cost money but money is readily available from the poker machine trusts to fund the attendence at these by coaches. From my experience with junior football, most coaches do it because they are coaching their own child and many will do the introductory course just to give themselves some ideas on how to run a practise and keep the kids involved etc. The numbers of interested coaches drop off after that but many clubs will finance coaches/parents that want to take further courses and develop further. That money comes from either club savings or by being organised and applying for and receiving funding in good time. To be fair to NZF, what else can they do except make all of those arrangements themselves - its just not possible without employing 100s of staff to coordinate this. There is a fine balance between what NZF can and should do and what grassroots should be doing themselves. i/t can't all be a hand outs and cries for NZF to do this and do that. We all have a role to play in the development of the game and moaning isn't it, there is a lot to do and NZF have a limited amount of people to do it. Football is like a co-op and we all need to play our part to make it a success - effort in equates to the quality of what comes out the other end. I don't want to sound like an apologist for NZF but they do not have any easy task with the job they have to do. Made even more hard in that everyone has an opnion on what they should be doing or how they are doing something wrong etc.
Not quite the point NP. Do you think the oval ball game would have difficulty coming up with numerous options for a new national coach? Or even at a lower elite level? No they wouldn’t. So why does football have difficulty coming up with a single name? What is NZF doing for coaches who can coach beyond kiddies or a decent amateur level? F-all.
Where are the pathways for coaches? Federations get their FDO’s to coach ASB Prem/ NYL / NWL who are often foreigners here on a short term basis. We need to invest time and money in local coaches at the elite level. They need opportunities and support.
I went to a Victoria Football weekend seminar last year superbly run by Sean Douglas. I’m guessing they are doing things well over the tasman.