FAW launches National Syllabus Document
Chris Coleman and Osian Roberts have launched the FAW's National Syllabus document at this weekend's National Coaching Conference in Newport, which details the 'Welsh Way' of playing.
FAW National Syllabus
The FAW's National Syllabus aims to provide a framework of how the 'Welsh Way' of playing can be implemented by coaches from grassroots to elite in order to raise the standards at all levels of the game.
The FAW’s long-term vision for football in Wales is to create a cohesive approach to how the game is taught and played to help the national team to compete at the highest level.
The National Syllabus document aims to provide a framework of how the ‘Welsh Way’ of playing can be implemented by coaches from grassroots to elite, raising standards at all levels of the game in Wales.
Technical Director Osian Roberts said: "In 2011 Gary Speed introduced a 'Welsh Way' of playing, providing a philosophy, identity and framework for our national coaches to work within and enable young players to move seamlessly through our age-groups and squads.
“The National Syllabus document brings the Welsh Way of playing and coaching to life.”
The National Syllabus’ principal challenge and the gauge of its success, will be the transition of youth players to the national team.
From grassroots coaches helping young players to fall in love with the game and teaching them life skills that come with it to maximising their journey and development into international football, the full football story is included in the document.
It is planned that the implementation of the National Syllabus will create generations of intelligent, athletic and flexible footballers who can interchange positions and solve problems in real-time.
With so many players playing at different clubs and outside of the Welsh football structure, it’s important that they are directed by clear principles of play, regardless of team shape or tactics, when they join up with a national team.
The players will be coached to create and exploit overloads in possession, to switch play based on the pressure applied by the opposition, to break lines by playing through, around or over the opposition and create and finish chances in the final third.
The National Syllabus document explains how coaches can adapt sessions and small-sided games to cover all the above aspects before describing how Wales plans consolidate its position as a world-class coaching nation, which has educated some of the biggest names in the game, like Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Marcel Desailly.
Former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Henry said: “The way they see the game is how I see the game. The way they do things in Wales, the philosophy, it’s a perfect match.”
The innovative document also looks in detail at the structure and methodology of FAW coaching and describes how the talent identification system works.
The final section discusses player profiles and what physical and mental attributes are required in each position on the field.
FAW Trust CEO Neil Ward said: “The size of our country is a weakness but also our strength.
“You can develop that club ethos which players like. What has been achieved so far is by design and not default and the future looks healthy.”
