Coaching seminar brings international soccer expertise to Qatar

Organized by the technical committee of the Qatar Football Association and conducted at the stunning ASPIRE facility, the seminar was attended by some of the leading coaches from Qatar and other Arab countries, as Qatar moves ahead with its program of developing world-class soccer resources.

Participants underwent a rigorous programme of theoretical and practical training focused on key topics in football, including the responsibility of coaches, team preparation and technical analyses of the current GCC cup, looking at playing techniques and defensive tactics.

Qatar's success in reaching the Cup Final has drawn region-wide attention to its soccer program, and the coaching seminar offers an important opportunity to share some of the lessons across the football community.

"Football requires as much tactical insight as it does physical prowess, so it is important that coaches should be able to learn from internationally-recognized experts," said ASPIRE's head football coach, Michael Browne.

"As one of the major developmental activities supporting the 17th Arabian Gulf Cup, the seminar was both an educational and inspirational experience," he added.

The key note speaker at the seminar was Richard Dick Howard, a coaching instructor for Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as well a member of the technical community of FIFA and chairman of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) coaching committee. He is also a media football analyst for TSN, a leading Canadian sports channel.

ASPIRE, which aims to identify, educate, and train world-class athletes, has the Middle East's most advanced football program and is also responsible for the development of the Qatar junior national football squads. ASPIRE will begin coaching talented children from the age of 6 who will then move on to the Academy at the age of 12, until they reach peak performance age.

A total of 92 student athletes are now in their first full academic year at ASPIRE, 52 of whom are part of the Academy's successful football programme. ASPIRE deploys cutting-edge technology and advanced performance management techniques to support a new generation of potential champions, offering them both world-class training and a high level of education.