Part 1 – European Education Tour 2017

Part 1 – European Education Tour 2017

This first part of the European Education Tour is to get to know the clubs and football associations of Holland and Germany, 2 of Europe’s powerhouses in soccer. The member clubs of these associations are incredibly decorated for their youth development and playing honors at the senior levels, and have been of huge support to the National efforts of the senior teams.

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KNVB Royal Dutch Football Association
President: Michael van Praag
Vice President: Bert van Oostveen

The football association has a philosophy of working together, have people love the sport, and to keep soccer attractive, accessible, and enjoyable to as many people as possible. Dutch football through its leadership at the top with its association has kept deep roots in the community with their clubs as social organizations to better the communities, and at the larger scale the integrity of the soccer community. A youth academy and a training center where member club associates work together for the betterment of soccer in Holland and its players. KNVB focus’s on both the grassroots programs and its elite clubs.

 

Vitesse Arnhem

Manager: Henk Fraser
Owner: Alexander Chigirnsky

Sees the game as being bigger than just the sport in its self.  The club combines two regional areas, Vitesse and Arnhem, 2 regions working together for a collective goal, improving the community through social interaction, living standards, and a mutual commitment between club and community.  The club focus’s on 3 pillars, with health being an important part of the club, encouraging all to be involved in sports participation, and reaching out to those who are less fortunate. Players have a big role at the club to connect with the community being involved in out reach programs for fans, the club’s identity is very important to its mission of benefiting the community. Recently purchased by a Russian owner in 2010, the first Dutch club to be owned by a foreigner.

 

Ajax Amsterdam

Manager: Marcel Keizer
Chairman: Hennie Henrichs

The Board of Directors contains former players, giving soccer decisions to soccer professionals, Ajax is also the only Dutch team to be an IPO. World famous for its youth development program with some of the worlds most talented players coming through the long term development pathway of the youth system. The 1-4-3-3 is coached through youth in to the senior team, all players in the youth system coached the same way as the seniors. Ajax are known for their attacking, fast, creative style of play, pressing high up the field staying away from their own goal. Ajax relies on its youth development to filter in to the senior squad. Players are developed through the AJAX TIPS model, technique, insight, personality, and speed.

 

AZ 67

Executive Director: Robert Eenhoorn
Technical Director: Max Huiberts
Chairman: Rene Neelissen
Manager: John van den Brom

AZ was formed in 1967 after the merger of Alkmaar ’57 and FC Zaanstreek. AZ has been twice awarded the best youth academy in Netherlands, creating a pathway for its youth to make it to the senior squad. Over half of the current senior squad have come from its youth program. The clubs director of football is responsible for the youth development, with its coaching staff buying in to the playing culture of AZ 67. The youth program provides education support to enable youth players so every player can obtain a diploma.

 

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German Football Association
President: Reinhard Grindel

Direct members of the DFB are only its five regional associations and its 21 state associations, along with the German Football League, whereas the clubs participating in the German football league system are members of the state associations covering their district. Germany hold their associations and development to high standards, every day setting standards for the development of (top) football, with passion to lead the players to the top and the teams to titles. The goal is to further develop German football and to establish its academy as a seal of quality in the world. With the most competent team, the best infrastructure, the latest technology and science, we shape the success of our players, coaches and referees. We turn talent into quality. And quality wins title.

 

Schalke 04

President: Clemens Tonnies
Head Coach: Domenico Tedesco

The common goal is for athletic success, through long term development of their youth. Schalke is committed to the following; Sporting Development, Commitment of Members, Fans, Employees and Sponsors to Schalke 04, Economic Development, and Social Responsibility
It’s educational goals and focuses are tailored exactly to the current skills of the players. The focus is on the teaching of basic techniques such as dribbling, passing, shooting. At the same time, special attention to the development of general coordinated skills to support and enhance the execution of basic techniques. These programs are held in the schools during school time, held for periods of 6 to 8 weeks and repeated. A child-oriented, individual and constructive but also goal-oriented form of coaching is paramount and  generates a sustainable willingness to learn.  Not only the improvement of the footballing skills of the participants is in the foreground. It’s also about the feeling, with Schalke 04 in the heart, to have a great time together, to compete in fair competitions, to achieve goals together and to go home as friends. We want to secure the lifelong enthusiasm for football among the youngest.
Schalke 04 management board consists of 3 current members, never less than 2 and no more than 4. Christian Heidel is responsible for soccer operations.

 

Borussia Dortmund

Chairman: Hans-Joachim Watzke
Head Coach: Peter Bosz

Borussia Dortmund stands for intensity, authenticity, cohesion and ambition. It has a ig role in the social element of its fans, with its authenticity and cohesion creating a bond where fans remain loyal, and share its values with the Dortmund region. Dortmund is the second biggest sports club in Germany and the 11th biggest football team in the world.
Borussia Dortmund e.V. is represented by its management board and a board of directors consisting of president Dr. Reinhard Rauball, his proxy and vice president Gerd Pieper, and treasurer Dr. Reinhold Lunow. Football at Dortmund is run by the organization Borussia Dortmund GmbH. This corporation model has two types of participators: at least one partner with unlimited liability and at least one partner with limited liability. The investment of the latter is divided into stocks. The organization Borussia Dortmund GmbH is the partner with unlimited liability and is responsible for the management and representation of Borussia Dortmund GmbH. Borussia Dortmund GmbH is fully owned by the sports club, Borussia Dortmund e.V. This organizational structure was designed to ensure that the sports club has full control over the professional squad

 

Bayer Leverkusen

Chief Executive Officer: Michael Schade
Head Coach: Heiko Herrlich

The club was founded in 1904 by employees of the German pharmaceutical company Bayer, whose headquarters are in Leverkusen and from which the club draws its name. It was formerly the best-known department of TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, a sports club whose members also participate in athletics, gymnastics, basketball and other sports including the RTHC Bayer Leverkusen (rowing, tennis and hockey). In 1999 the football department was separated from the sports club and is now a separate entity formally called Bayer 04 Leverkusen GmbH.
In contrast to many other German football clubs, which hold close ties to their working-class roots, Bayer Leverkusen strives for a clean, family-friendly image. The BayArena has the reputation of being one of the most family-friendly football stadiums in Germany. Ironically, Bayer 04 was the first Bundesliga club whose fans identified themselves as Ultras and the city of Leverkusen is one of the old industrial cities of Germany.

The youth academy hopes to develop its most talented youth players to quickly make the step up to the first team. They achieve this through a combination of targeted individual practice, with team training plus balanced games to ensure players develop to the thier fullest. Bayer 04 Leverkusen expect its teams to play attacking technically good football, and ultimately be successful. More significantly is the importance of developing the players personality, as follows:

• • A performance-related and self-motivated attitude to playing and training
  • Self-critical analysis with own performance and with the input of the coach
  •  A friendly attitude
  • The ability to share team spirit and get on with each other