Coaching ● Apr 01, 2022
Conclusion of FAS/AFC ‘Pro’ Diploma Coaching Course (Part 4B)
A group photo of the participants of the FAS/AFC Pro Diploma Coaching Course, 22 March 2022
(Unavailable: Abbas Saad, Clement Teo, Firdaus Kassim and Hairil Amin)
SINGAPORE, 1 APRIL 2022 – Eighteen participants took another step towards obtaining the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) / Asian Football Confederation (AFC) ‘Pro’ Diploma certification a week ago after completing Part 4B of the Coaching Course.
Held from 20 to 24 March at the Jalan Besar Stadium, it was the latest step in a journey that had begun in May 2021. As it had been since the start, Lead Coach Developer, Mr Robert Sherman, guided the participants throughout the five days, aided by Assistant Coach Developer, Mr Robin Chitrakar. It was Mr Sherman’s first time in Singapore, having been prevented from visiting due to COVID-19 travel restrictions previously, and the Welshman had in fact arrived ahead of time to meet up with the participants earlier in the month.
For this part of the course, topics under the Vision and Philosophy component were covered. Top English Premier League teams Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were used as examples for tactical analysis and discussion, while the FAS is also grateful to players from Geylang International’s Singapore Premier League (SPL) team for providing support during the practical sessions.
Mr Sherman, who holds a UEFA Pro License and has 43 years of coaching experience, was delighted to finally have the opportunity to conduct the course in person and praised the participants’ involvement.
“They have been diligent and approached their work with total professionalism,” he told FAS.org.sg. “Having the opportunity to work together face to face has been a significant step forward for the course in general.
“The big difference between an ‘A’ Diploma and ‘Pro’ Diploma is that on the Pro Diploma, the participants are required to demonstrate their application. This relates to their leadership, coaching, and how they operate during the match itself. This has been a challenge. However, there is no rush as it takes time to implement the leadership aspects and review and amend. Running the course in six parts gives us the opportunity for us to provide feedback so the participants can take it on board and make adaptations where needed.
“The participants understood that the ‘Pro’ Diploma is held in high regard universally. To that end, we will be ensuring that those who pass the course can be sure they have met world standards and achieved a special place in their development.”
Meanwhile, the participants were very receptive to the teachings and appreciated the opportunity to enhance their knowledge.
“It was interesting to know the different ways of thinking from the course participants during course sessions,” said Keiji Shigetomi, Albirex Niigata (S) coach. “It was a good experience for me to give presentations in English for the first time. Feedback received from Mr Robert Sherman and the course participants helped me in my personal development.”
Abdul Musawir, Head of Youth Development and Head Coach (Under-21) at Tanjong Pagar United, noted: “It was great to have Mr Robert Sherman in Singapore for this part of the course. The sessions were interactive. The timely feedback given by our peers and the coach developers helped me to reflect on my presentations. The information and knowledge gained in this part of the course will help me better prepare myself for the coming Part 5 and beyond.”
“It was a great experience to have Mr Robert Sherman here with us. He shared his knowledge too. It was a good experience when we conducted the practical sessions on the pitch. There were different opinions and debates during the course. I’ve learned a lot from everyone and I’m looking forward to the next one in May 2022,” added Marko Kraljevic, Head of Youth Development and Head Coach (U21) at Hougang United.
The participants can now look forward to continuing their journey with Part 5 from 30 May to 3 June.
Full list of participants: Philippe Aw, Subramani s/o Shunmughan, Fazuhasny Juraimi (all FAS National Youth Team), Keiji Shigetomi (Albirex Niigata (S)), Haris Sumri (Balestier Khalsa), Mohamed Noor Ali (Geylang International), Clement Teo, Firdaus Kassim, Marko Kraljevic, Steven Tan Teng Chuan, Hairil Amin (all Hougang United), Yeong Sheau Shyan (Lion City Sailors (Women’s)), Gavin Lee (Tampines Rovers), Herman Zailani, Hasrin Jailani, Abdul Musawir (all Tanjong Pagar United), Winston Yap (Lion City Sailors Under-21s), Abbas Saad (Sydney Olympic)
