PARRAMATTA
Stadium may help young David Beckham hopefuls fulfil
their dreams.
Young players groomed for worldwide success commenced
training at Parramatta on March 8.
Their heads and hearts will be trained to think as if
they were in Milan.
Football
Development Australia (FDA) kicked off their AC Milan
youth academy program with AC Milan youth development
coaches including Daniele Massaro.
Massaro scored two goals for Milan in the 1994 champions
league final against Barcelona, which Milan won 4-0.
The Italian soccer club has established 10 academy
programs throughout the world to train and groom young
players for future recruitment.
Omar Melizza, FDA programs and events manager said the
objective of the Milan academy is to develop players
technically, physically and psychologically as if they
were based in Milan.
"The psychological approach to soccer in Europe is very
different to the Australian approach." Melizza said.
"Players have higher intensity and the coaching formula
is different.
"This is the key factor to improving the quality of the
game,"
Up to 80 players between seven and 11 years old will
attend the program over 10 months, covering the official
AC Milan Academy elite player development curriculum.
They will train three times a week.
Football Development Australia director Cormac Begley
said the aim was to replicate a professional academy
environment in Australia to develop young players to a
high level.
"In Australia there is not the same level of structured
methodology and expertise as there is in Europe, where
they have a curriculum to help young players improve
their technique," Begley said.
"Players can get used to the drills and training of
international teams so that if the opportunity arises
for them to play overseas, they will be one step ahead,"
FDA monitors the international technical development of
soccer and integrates these practices into football
development and education programs.
Source:ParramattaSun.au
