Part One:

It is interesting to note many US Youth Clubs have larger budgets then most professional clubs youth programs if you take into account coaches pay, travel expenditures and uniform costs. Because most clubs do not travel their teams 600 miles for a tournament they are able to concentrate their monies on coaching. However most coaches in the US are well paid by European professional standards.

       Each year in December Andrew Ziemer and Frans Hoek organize a coaches tour to Europe.  The tour generally begins in Holland before moving to other countries such as Belgium, England, Germany and Spain. The aim of the tour is education. The tours participants have included National Team Coaches, College Coaches, youth coaches, youth coaching directors, youth board members and sometimes plain old soccer fans. The tours consist of visits to a wide range of clubs from the best of the best, ( Ajax, Chelsea, PSV Eindhoven, Borrusia Dortmund, Barcelona) to the middle: FC Twente, Wilhelm II, Schalke, Tottenham Hotspurs, as well as amateut clubs. The purpose is to expose everyone to the top but also expose them to clubs who face similar challenges as clubs in the US.   

It is interesting to note many US Youth Clubs have larger budgets then most professional clubs youth programs if you take into account coaches pay, travel expenditures and uniform costs. Because most clubs do not travel their teams 600 miles for a tournament they are able to concentrate their monies on coaching. However most coaches in the US are well paid by European professional standards.   

This is the first in a series of articles highlighting a club in Europe. These articles are written with the permission of Andrew Ziemer and Frans Hoek who are organizing trip #6 this December to Holland, England, and Spain.
 

The first club highlighted will be Ajax Amsterdam who is a smaller club with a big name. We choose Ajax because they are known for developing youth players. Because Frans Hoek worked at Ajax for 13 years we had a special inside view but Ajax is visited daily by coaches who take advantage of their open door policy. This policy extends across most of Holland whe believes if everyone improves so do we. This is not the case in other countries. The other reason we begin with Ajax is…….. We love our Ajax … we do!

We attended a lecture with Danny Blind who was the Head of the Youth Academy, and  U19 Head Coach.

The Youth Development – The Future
Ajax  does not have money to pay top dollar for players, therefore they  must develop the players for the 1st team. The best players are normally those who spend the longest time in the Ajax Academy. If the first team needs players Ajax sometimes purchases them but too often players that are purchased do not work out well and can be expensive. The club will look to develop younger professionals and develop them – not only youth.

The Product – the players
Ajax had  Louis Van Gaal, former first team coach, complete a study while he was Technical Director. This study revealed indicated:
Players  developed through Academy were more successful within the Ajax system
Players who came to Ajax between 8-12 years are more successful than players brought in later.
        7 – 8 players in the top 18 at that time were from the Academy.

Team results are not important for the youth teams although they win often. Players are important and their development is the goal. This means the top players are often moved up to a older age group even though it may hurt their team. Players are played in varying positions until U16 and above to insure they develop all their qualities.

The Scouting System

Professional clubs in Holland generally  have an agreement  to not recruit in each others area.  There are a few reasons for this including a desire to not disrupt a youngster life too much. For this reason Ajax looks for players in a radius of 100 Kilometers from its youth training center.
Ajax has:
25-30 volunteer scouts, have split an area 45 kilometer radius into 6 districts. 

4-5 scouts per district, scouts rotate districts after two months and continue throughout the year in order for each scout to have been in each of the districts.

Ajax has 6 professional scouts

If a player is identified by two scouts  they will send the coach of the players age group to observe the player (from the reports of the scouts).

If the coach likes the player they are invited to training at Ajax for a 4-6 week trial.

This time is given to allow the player enough time to get used to Ajax, its system and its culture.

Because of the quality scouting program Ajax has only had to drop 6 players in 2004 and 7 in 2003.

 Once players have been selected they have a minimum of two years to develop, and unless something out of ordinary happens, they will not be dropped before two years.

Ajax also holds open tryouts each year which are attended by up to 3000 players ages U10 and younger. This is how Patrick Kluivert was discovered. Edgar Davids was discovered on a small soccer court in Amsterdam.

Team Organization – in the youngest age groups almost every Ajax team plays up at least one age group - sometimes  two

    F (U9) - 10 players + 1-2 GK –  they play 7 v 7 against U9 opponents
    E3 (U10) - 10 players + 2 GK – they play 7 v 7
    E2 (U10/U11) – made up of  6-7 U10 players and 6-7 U11 players – 11v11
    E1 (U11) - 14 players + 2 GK – they play 11 v 11
    D3, D2, D1(U12-U13) - 14 players + 2 GK    - 11 v 11       
    C2 (U14) - 14 players + 2 GK - 11 v 11       
    C1 (U15) - 14 players + 2 GK - 11 v 11
    B2, B1 (U16, U17)    14 players + 2 GK - 11 v 11 – play in National League
    A2, A1 (U18, U19)    14 players + 2 GK - 11 v 11 – play in National League
                                           
    Reserve Team    16 players + 2 GK – play in National Young League
    1st team        16 players + 2 GK – Play in Eredie Divisie




System Organization
    7 v 7        1:3:3 in a half field (across)
            2 lines (backs & forwards) is simpler for the younger players.
    9 v 9        1:3:2:3
3 lines (backs, midfielders, forwards) Natural to add 2 central midfielders to transition from 7v7-9v9.

       11 v 11    1:4:3:3 or 1:3:4:3
System is based upon keeping equal distances between players.  Defending 5 meters between players.  Attacking 10-15 meters between players.
Coaches look for and 99% of the time 4 left-sided players for each team.

       
Players are evaluated based on TIPS:
T    Technique
I    Insight
P    Personality
S    Speed

They also look at four steps of development in the Academy
1)    U9-U19 Technique
2)    Play together
3)    Play together, against an opponent
4)    Win
Club Philosophy
Teams must play an attacking game both with the ball and without (pressing). Teams must be attractive, passing oriented not with consistent long balls (especially with youth as this does not develop players)

Player Evaluations
Every day players are evaluated and given feedback.
Players are evaluated (written and verbal) 2 times per year.  Parents must be involved in the conference.


Other ideas
Coaching rotation – very rarely will coaches stay with team for 2 years
Every session has at least two coach/trainers
Coaching points are the key to the exercises, not where the cones are set – everyone can see how a drill runs but it take experience in soccer to know what to coach in the drill. This is the biggest challenge.

     When you (the coach) demonstrate it is the best, especially with the U9-U13 players. Therefore a coach must have played soccer to coach properly.

Training Facilities
    1st team – 2 fields 1 natural grass, 1 Field Turf both lighted.
    Youth – 6 fields, 2 Field Turf all lighted.

Haarlem FC – Haarlem is an affiliate of Ajax.

Edmund Klaus – Youth Director, Haarlem

Edmund Klaus is on loan from Ajax due to a cooperation between Ajax and Haarlem. He has a 70,000 Euro budget  or $65,000 – for coaches salary, travel budget, etc.
He is as director  an Asst. Coach with each of the teams.
Note – the U13 and U14 120 headers per training session (sit-up, standing, jumping, sideways back (left and right).
Homework – Club had trouble enforcing players doing soccer homework.  Therefore created new program.  3-4 players (assigned) would show up to training 30 minutes prior to training.  Coach gives exercises and the players go out and work out on their own, while coach sets up the exercises for training.