AIS/U20 Head Coach named
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today announced the appointment of Jan Versleijen as the new Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)/Qantas Young Socceroos Head Coach.
Football Federation Australia (FFA) has today announced the appointment of Jan Versleijen as the new Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)/Qantas Young Socceroos Head Coach.
“Today-s announcement is about building for the future,” said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.
“On the one hand, we are delighted to announce the appointment of someone as credentialed and able as Jan Versleijen to head our national youth program which is vital to the long term success of Australian football.
“But on the other hand, we-re also investing in the future by announcing the recipients of our inaugural scholarships under the Elite Coach Development Program,” Buckley said.
Click here for Elite Coach Development Program Release
Versleijen has an extensive record in football in the Netherlands, Asia and the Middle East having coached at senior and youth levels in clubs such as Venlo, Roda and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands, JEF United in Japan, as well as clubs in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He has also held the position of coach of the Dutch U17 and U23 teams.
“This is a significant addition to our senior national coaching staff,” said FFA National Technical Director, Rob Baan.
“The current group of players involved in the National Under 20 Men-s Football Program are expected to feature heavily in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games, the 2011 and 2015 Asian Cups and 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
“With the advent of the new National Youth League competition this year, the National Under 20 Men-s Football Head Coach will be extremely important for the preparation of players for not only the Hyundai A-League, but also the Socceroos of the future.
“In Jan Versleijen, we have someone who is not only in step with the technical direction of Australian football, but who also knows the Asian Football Confederation very well,” Baan said.
Acting AIS Director Phil Borgeaud said Versleijen's appointment continued the Institute's tradition of pursuing excellence.
“Jan is a coach of tremendous experience and great quality who I have no doubt will continue the Institute's excellent work in producing talented footballers who will go on to excel at the national and international levels of the game,” Borgeaud said.
“The Institute's proud record of preparing players for national and international representation is testimony to the quality of the program.”
“The 2006 Socceroos World Cup squad of 23 players contained 12 former AIS scholarship holders.”
“The likes of Frank Farina, Craig Moore, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Lucas Neil, Mark Bresciano, Josh Kennedy and Vince Grella are just a few of the past and present international players who have come through the AIS Football program.”
The next major tournament for the Qantas Young Socceroos is the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U19 Championships to be played in Saudi Arabia in November , which also serve as the qualifying tournament for the next FIFA U20 World Cup to be held in Egypt in 2009.