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Han Berger preaches revolution in Australian “soccer”

August 24th, 2009 | By: Jan | 36 Comments »

Australia and The Netherlands have a special relationship. Sure, Guus worked that well, but the connection is older. And is not about football. Although England claims to have found Australia first ( I didn’t know it was misplaced to begin with), it was a group of Dutchmen who first set a western foot on Aussie soil, when it wasn’t called Australia yet. Dirk Hartogh is the name that rings through Western Australia still and there’s even a tribe of Aborigines in W.A. with distinct genetic features correlating with Western European “tribes”. The thing with the Dutch is, we weren’t out to colonize other countries, we were out for trade. If there wasn’t a lot to trade with, we’d piss off .

Today, Australian football is partly colored Orange. After Guus Hiddink, Johan Neeskens and Rob Baan ( as manager of the Football Association) made their mark, a new contingent of flew down under to help Aussie football along. Pim Verbeek and Henk Duut are coaching the Socceroos. Han Berger succeeded Rob Baan and that referee guy is coaching the Australian refs (forgot his name…). Apart from that, there’s a number of Dutch youth coaches working hard in Australia to organize the youth system.

Han Berger recently introduced a new development system for the youth. The future Socceroos will be developed according to the Dutch School.

The former crown prince of Dutch coaching, Han Berger, collected all the coaches of the Australian football schools together during a trainings camp of the Under 17s. He introduced the 4-3-3 system to the trainers and the method used in Holland to develop youth players. Every Federation coach is obliged to work according to this new doctrine.

No ifs, no buts, no maybes says the The Sydney Morning Herald in their commentary. The newspaper supports Berger’s plans: “This revolution was needed. This system can structurally improve our level.”

The philosophy of the Dutch matches the Australian mentality, according to the Herald. “This system should result in a pro-active style of play, which resonates with our cultural preference to dominate, be aggressive and force victories. The 4-3-3 is a system that’s being used all over the world to teach the youth to solve tactical issues.”

Berger’s doctrine also needs to weed out incompetent youth coaches. “The traditional way of soccer coaching in Australia is: talk alot, networking, getting a plush job, help your mates, survival, appoint mates that will protect your position, writing reports on how good you are and keep on repeating all this.”

But this will change, the paper claims. “This new way of working means: getting certificates, creating training manuals, being assessed and judged on the quality of play and results, developing young players and be accountable on decisions made. No ifs, no buts, no maybes.”

Tags: Australia, Group C, Guus Hiddink, Han Berger, Holland, Oranje, Pim Verbeek

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 36 comments.

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By Jeroen | August 25th, 2009 at 8:03 am

also, apparently with the new rules, de Guzman can still play for either Canada or Holland. If Holland calls him up only once and he accepts, then he can’t switch anymore. gogo van Marwijk.

Posted from Netherlands

By goose | August 25th, 2009 at 8:08 am

@jeroen ; i say; since he is not dutch he shouldnt play in oranje (i reckon Canada could really use him)

btw; on New York
nice read on the dutch settlement:

Island in the centre of the world by Russell Shorto

also:

Brooklyn = Breukelen
Harlem = Haarlem

funny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IUwjFEwexI

Posted from Netherlands

By Miguel Rosado | August 25th, 2009 at 8:15 am

Sneijder won’t play for Madrid anymore, he is near to completing his move to Inter. Robben will have his chances and will be important throughout the whole season but I think he won’t be a regular because they simply can’t bench Cristiano, Kaká or Benzema (too expensive to be on the bench) and Raúl is an untouchable so I hope he also leaves. Drenthe can stay he’ll learn a lot even if he’s not playing every week. About Ruud I don’t know what to think, they love him in Madrid and he’s very strong mentally so we’ll see.

By Jan | August 25th, 2009 at 8:32 am

Sneijder is in Milan now to finalize the deal.

By goose | August 25th, 2009 at 8:50 am

btw; a must read for all you dutch-aussies (and others ofcourse)

Batavia’s graveyeard by Mike Dash

Posted from Netherlands

By ferenc | August 25th, 2009 at 9:17 am

with everything you write here about australia i’m quite happy to go there (for the first time in my life) next february

yeah,i read as well that sneijder was in milan. the italian press consider that the move is almost done,spanish press is more controversial… now i’m sure that in the coming days he’ll be an interista. great! strange to say that because i have never ever sympathetized with this club. with samu’s arrival it has changed,and with sneijder i’ll watch some of their games. especially the derby this weekend. anyway in italy milan ac is still my fave club. funny derby: ronaldinho versus eto’o,huntelaar&seedorf versus sneijder (if…).

Posted from Hungary

By OranjeRules | August 25th, 2009 at 9:53 am

Just read Wes is on his way to Milan to finalize the Inter deal. Is this true?

What’s the latest on Vaart?

Once Wes and Vaart move then I think you guys can relax a bit, everyone will get their time and be sharp for WC-2010.

By Michel-Olivier | August 25th, 2009 at 9:54 am

sneijder should not go to inter, it’s a bad idea.

Posted from United States

By Leon | August 25th, 2009 at 10:03 am

@goose, that you tube link is gold. And that book was recommended to me by cousin in Rotterdam as well. I think I’ll actually read it now.

By Alex | August 25th, 2009 at 10:12 am

Italian competition is shit to play in right now, that 2 of our main players would go there says a lot. Still if I were Madrid coach, I’d bench Raul and Benzema, the kid is only 21, and his ego is already matching Ronaldo’s, he could use some humbling.

Posted from Netherlands

By OranjeRules | August 25th, 2009 at 10:13 am

Playing at Inter is worse than nothing at Shitrid? The Special One wants him to play the top of his diamond.

By ferenc | August 25th, 2009 at 10:19 am

going to inter is a far better idea than playing at real madrid castilla and watching from the tribune the big boys’game. it seems that wesley finally understood the situation

Posted from Hungary

By Marc | August 25th, 2009 at 10:55 am

Now the MARCA is saying the sneijder deal is off. I don’t know what to believe, it seems we’ll just have to wait and see

Posted from United States

By Jeff | August 25th, 2009 at 11:07 am

In the Telegraaf they claim that Manchester and Bayern have made offers as well. I have a tendency to believe the Dutch media more than the spanish ones. Apparently Zidane said that Wes was his successor at number 10. Beats me why then Zidane is not using his influence to keep him on the team.

Posted from United States

By ferenc | August 25th, 2009 at 11:23 am

i don’t know what’s going on. he’s no more number 10 there – lass diarra is the number 10. i don’t think that zidane wants to keep him. why? there’s no reason.

he doesn’t know the word “dignity” and behaves like a little child. if i were mourinho i would say “no need to this kind of person.” with his behavior he doesn’t deserve to belong to any major european team. real madrid castilla is the best place for him. bye,bye wesley,you can watch the world cup on telly… and you deserve it you’re a traitor,you’re against oranje,against dutch football.

Posted from Hungary

By Michel-Olivier | August 25th, 2009 at 11:24 am

“wes was his successor at number 10″?
do you mean 5 or gourcuff

Posted from United States

By Michel-Olivier | August 25th, 2009 at 11:25 am

Wesley Sneijder Rejects Inter Move
http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/08/25/1460799/real-madrid-star-wesley-sneijder-rejects-inter-move-report

Posted from United States

By Marc | August 25th, 2009 at 11:46 am

Guys I’m not sure it’s official that he rejected the move because the Marca is known for creating stories. And sky sports italie said he’s in milan, while the Marca said he rejected it. So we can’t be sure which paper is right. I think he is going to sign. I just don’t trust the Marca and I trust Wes that he does, in fact, know what he’s doing.

Posted from United States

By ferenc | August 25th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

http://www.sneijderofficial.com/

Posted from Hungary

By Carlos | August 25th, 2009 at 7:11 pm

@Jeroen – Has the rule been changed ? The old rule was, selected in squad can still change – once you play (even as a sub for 1 minute) you have to stay with that country.

Posted from Singapore

By Michel-Olivier | August 25th, 2009 at 7:45 pm

fifa nationality rules

2. If a player has been included in a national or representative team of a country for which he is eligible to play pursuant to paragraph 1, he shall not be permitted to take part in an international match for another country. Accordingly, any player who is qualified to play for more than one national association (i.e. who has dual nationality) will be deemed to have committed himself to one association only when he plays his first international match in an official competition for that association.

Posted from United States

By Ruud | August 25th, 2009 at 8:36 pm

Amrabat used to start in every match for PSV but now he is benched in every game after he has reported that he may join the Moroccan national team !!

Posted from Canada