FFA goes Dutch with Baan - TD

[pydgey]

The World Game (http://www.theworldgame.com.au/home/index.php?pid=st&cid=79246) - Football Federation Australia has taken a significant step towards ensuring long-term success of its national teams with the appointment of experienced Dutchman Robert Baan as Technical Director.

Baan, who has had a 40-year career in football, has held Technical Directorships with the Dutch FA, Feyenoord Rotterdam, ADO Den Haag and in the UAE.

FFA Chairman, Frank Lowy, finalised the appointment after meeting with Baan in Europe on Monday.

"We are delighted to have been able to secure the services of such a capable and highly respected Football Technical Director as Robert Baan," FFA Chairman Frank Lowy said.

Baan will will act as Coach for the Men’s Olympic Team from January 2007 before taking up the Technical Director position full time in July after agreeing a two-year deal.

This appointment will allow Graham Arnold to concentrate on his role as Coach of the Socceroos as the team prepares for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

"Robert’s appointment fills a key piece of our coaching and development jigsaw puzzle, because he will drive the implementation of the Talent Identification and Development Review outcomes from top to bottom through our development pathway," Lowy added...

Baan was equally enthusiastic about his appointment...

The Australian-based Technical Director position will provide strategic, tactical, and technical direction to FFA and its representative teams and the elite player development pathway.

Critically, the Technical Director will have an important role in progressing the outcomes of the current national Talent Identification and Development Review initiative.

This will mean, in close consultation with the National Men’s and National Women’s Coaches and other senior Australian coaches, that the Technical Director will drive the development of a philosophy and style of playing for Australian teams, and will work to import that philosophy and direction in to the pathway for players leading into the Senior National Teams.

Another important feature of the position will be to identify talented players for future national teams, and to monitor their development.

The list of names that have been guided during Baan’s career include some of the biggest in World football including Ronaldo, Marco van Basten, Johan Neeskens, Ronald de Boer and more recently Premier League stars Robin van Persie and Dirk Kuyt.

Baan has had a significant interest in football in Australia having been involved in the recruiting of Socceroos Brett Emerton and Brett Holman to Dutch club Feyenoord during his tenure there.

didn't see that coming :confused: :confused: :confused:

thoughts anybody?!

[savvas]

I didn't see it coming either, although I think it was a good move to get an experienced coach to help the development of football in Australia, although I don't know much about this coach, he will have to prove to me he makes an impact here in Australia.

[Kan]

I didn't see it coming either, although I think it was a good move to get an experienced coach to help the development of football in Australia, although I don't know much about this coach, he will have to prove to me he makes an impact here in Australia.

Ditto, heard they arent going to renew Ange contract which is great. We are going into the right direction and Craig Foster get his way with the director.

[pydgey]

..heard they arent going to renew Ange contract...

LOL

well i dun realli keep up with the youth but that sounds like good news :D

anyways glad to see the FFA doing somthin. thought they were jus gonna wait around for hiddink to return...

dunno much about this guy but his CV looks good enuff :)

[savvas]

Ditto, heard they arent going to renew Ange contract which is great. We are going into the right direction and Craig Foster get his way with the director.

Yep, Sounds good to me, Now lets see how we go in the future, hopefully we can produce some good times.

[matt.morris]

It's a step in the right direction, but a lot of Aussies need to realise that we're not going to be light years ahead overnight. We're in it for the long haul now, and there's no going back to the Farina dark ages.

[Matski]

and people have to remember that qualifying for competitions isn't going to be easier in Asia, the difference is that it's more glamorous and there is more money but the competition in Asia is far superior but we do get direct qualification to the WC if we are good enough.