ASPIRE ACADEMY PROVIDES PERFORMANCE MODULES FOR AFC’S COACHES PR0-LICENCE COURSE

 

Doha, Qatar

Aspire Academy once again provided the performance module for

those undertaking the Asian Football Confederation Coaches’ Pro-

License course.

The programme was run in collaboration with the Qatar Football

Association (QFA) and featured 26 coaches from around Asia.

There was a total of 16 nationalities on the nine-day course that

was hosted at Aspire Academy and featured practical and

theoretical sessions.

All the performance module material was prepared by Football

performance & Science department of Aspire Academy and all the

lectures and practical sessions were overseen by Academy staff.

The performance module is one of four that coaches must

undertake to obtain their pro-licence, which is coaching’s highest

qualification.

The director of QFA’s Development Department Fahad Thani al

Zaraa explained the importance of the course and the advantages

of hosting it at Aspire Academy.

“This Pro-License coaching course has become a prerequisite for

all professional coaches, whether they work in the Qatar Stars

League or other professional leagues on the continent,” he

explained.

“Aspire has several advantages including at the level of player

development, high performance and in terms of resources and

facilities when it comes to pitches, well-equipped classrooms.”

 

Aspire Academy’s Director of Football Performance & Science,

Professor Valter Di Salvo added that the course is based on

experiences gathered at the highest levels.

“We were really proud to run these 9 days performance module

with practical and theoretical classes all based on applied

situations with several references to experiences on the field

performed by Aspire staff at high international level.”

“Aspire strongly believe in supporting the educational programs

that helps the development of football coaches in Qatar and even

wider in Asia.”

Among those on the course was Syria’s all-time leading

international goal scorer Faras Alkabtib, who was named coach of

the year in Kuwait for his work with Al-Fahaheel.

“We are learning from specialized people, it is easy for them, when

you ask, to give you the direct answers you need,” he said.

Former Qatar international Talal Al-Bloushi, who is now the

assistant coach with Al-Shamal SC in the Qatar Stars League, also

attended the course.

“It was a very special module on performance from which we

learned a lot,” he said.

“Everyone knows Aspire Academy where there are very

distinguished cadres of coaches, from whom we learn.”

Another high-profile attendee was the ex-Iraq defender Salim

Shakir, who also works in Qatar now as an assistant coach at Al

Khor.

“As a player, you may have the information, but you don’t go deep

into the details related to training issues, in Aspire we did it” he

added.

“There is a lot of information which we have benefited from in

relation to the physical aspect, how to develop a player's fitness

and how to recover.”

 

Other coaches on the course worked in Mongolia, India, Saudi

Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The course covered a wide variety of topics including the

importance of physical performance in football, the different

physical demands need for different playing positions, the concept

of injury prevention as well as coaches' blind spots.

There was also a talk on nutrition that was given by Ms Maria

Luisa Cravana, the Performance Nutritionist for Italy’s under-21

side, who was visiting Aspire Academy as part of the UEFA Assist

project.

This was the second time that Aspire Academy has provided this

AFC Pro Licence course, having done so in 2021.