Changing Times Ahead – Whole of Football Approach

Christchurch and Nelson have played host to NZF presentations over the last couple of days.  John Herdman, National Development Manager communicated the Whole of Football Plan (WOFP) to over 80 club delegates from around the federation. Over the past couple of years NZF has been conducting research with a number of other Football federations around the world in order to consider a model of football delivery that can be considered for implementation across NZ and therefore relevant to NZ given our geography, amateur status, structure, resource constraints. 

The WOFP is just that – a top down/bottom up deliver models that takes best practice principles from many countries around the world – Holland, Germany, France, Australia, Korea, Switzerland, England, Japan and moulds these into a structure best suited to improving all aspects of football performance in NZ.  The WOFP will focus on the capability of clubs, with the support of Federations, to improve and sustain development across 4 key areas – GAME (small sided games, club organisation efficiency, Goalnet, curriculum based recreation programming), PLAYER, COACH, REFEREE.  The WOFP will concentrate effort on social and participation (including enjoyment and developing a love of football) as a pathway for players and will also concentrate curriculum based growth in player and coach development programmes that lead to improved performance on the world stage. 

Already Football in NZ is unique in that we have a strategic plan that is for one and all – NZF and the 7 Federations.  Now in partnership with SPARC (who see the WOFP as a model other national codes will need to adopt to draw greater government investment) NZF will in June announce the new SPARC backed WOFP plan; a 10 year plan that concentrates the first three years on junior development (with some youth focus), the 2^nd three years on youth focus with some junior and senior focus and the 3^rd three years on senior focus. 

This new approach is in line with world best practice and will ensure a commitment from development officers across NZ to follow the same course of action to benefit players, coaches, referees and the game alike.  This new approach is principally based on close working relationships with well organised and progressive club football.

SPARC has generally pitched its investment in the sport at the elite end – until now.  Since the “almost” collapse of NZF in 2008, the governing body has done much soul searching, in alignment with the Federations and as an outcome we will see a brighter future.  Football in NZ is riding the crest of a wave, like no other year and this has every chance to be sustained through the WOF initiative.  It requires everyone to be steering in the same direction, to put the good of the game ahead of singular interest and to be dedicated to working to one plan.  If we do that there is no doubt we will improve our chances of keeping youth involved in football, growing the number of females in football, increasing the pool of talented players nationally, increasing the quality and percentage within clubs of educated coaches and creating greater enjoyment levels for everyone.  If we achieve these intrinsic goals we will be in a better space towards being far more competitive on the world stage at 17’s, 20’s and ultimately our men’s team will be in a stronger position to regularly push towards participation at future FIFA world cups.

After all, seeing the All Whites performances against Australia and Serbia recently has been awe inspiring.  I am excited about the future for Football in this country.  If we are all collectively committed I am adamant that in 10 years times we can all look back saying we supported a new and bright future for this wonderful game.