Asian coaching "closing the distance" wth UEFA

According to the Fédération Française de Football (France Football Federation) National Technical Director Jean-Pierre Morlans, "UEFA coaching standards are very high but I can see that AFC is working hard to reduce the gap (in coaching) between the two confederations. Asian teams and their styles are very different though the football standards here are improving.”

Attending the Asian Football Confederation's Elite Coaching Education Seminar, he noted that the AFC is "working hard to bring together all the right people together – referees, coaches, futsal experts, and this is very important for Asian football. This will definitely lead to a further development in coaching standards. For example, all AFC coaching licence courses have a good program and are prestigious. You also take into account different factors for different age groups. As you know, training for six to eight year old kids is not the same as the one for 10-12 year olds.”

“It is very important to have an exchange of experiences. Education is a life-long process,” he told AFCMedia. “After the 1998 World Cup success some people in France decided that our football is very advanced. But in reality it was not. It is important to learn, to know, to understand foreign experiences, and adapt our football. Such seminars go a long way in improving coaching qualifications. It helps one try new directions, find motivation. I am confident that Asia will slowly close the distance between itself and the others.”