Dermot Dalton – The Coach Diary Football Blog

Last Sunday one of the most formative coaches in the history of the game passed away. I was going to write a message about my experiences with Horst and how I first came across him back in 2009. Dermot Dalton from the Beautifulgame.ie (a website devoted to Horst Wein Philosophy) and myself ran the first coaches seminar with Horst Wein back in 2011. Soon after Dermot introduced Ireland to a unique training programme for 7-9 year olds, called which is proven component of the Spanish Football Development Model Futbol a la medida del Niño or football designed for children. These methodology was started in 1993. Find out more about this unique game >> here

This is a short video of the seminar in Dublin. It was great to see all the top people from coach education with the FAI at the workshop. I’m sure they were inspired by Horst as everyone who met him was!!!

Dermot’s Message:

Our dear friend, mentor and inspiration passed away on Sunday 14th February 2016. He will be sadly missed by his many friends in the world of football, hockey and beyond.

Born in Hannover, Germany, Horst lived for the latter half of his life in Barcelona, where he is survived by his two sons.

His influence first in the game of hockey started as a German International player, and later as a coach, leading Spain to their first ever European title and an Olympic silver medal. He was the first to be awarded the title of FIH Master Coach and also became the first ever coach to the European team for their match against Asia in 1975. His book “The Science of Hockey” has sold more copies than any other hockey book.

Horst was encouraged by FC Barcelona to bring his game intelligence approach to football and he worked as a consultant for many top European and International clubs as well as a host of international football federations. His lasting legacy to Spanish football is his famous age-appropriate development model “Futbol a la medida del Nino” which has been the official textbook there for more than two decades.

Horst will be fondly remembered for his passion to bring a child-friendly approach to coaching soccer and indeed all sports.

Here are a sample of some of the tributes made to Horst this week:

I am sorry for your loss…for the entire world’s loss. Horst’s vision and his passion were wonderful to behold, and I have no doubt that, with your help, it will continue to sweep the world. The kids embrace it, and soon enough they will outnumber those who don’t. I feel privileged to have met him and attended your workshop last year.

I am saddened to learn the news of Horst’s passing. He was an inspirational coach, and a brilliant human being. I regard it as a privilege to have met Horst, and to have spent quality time with him. His innovative approach to coaching and education and his desire to empower others meant his life will always be remembered. He impacted the world in a healthy way.

When great people like Horst pass on we all hurt. We are grateful that he left us with so much to study from, and so much to pass on. Currently, I am in a fight for the basic rights of youth players. Horst and yourself through Funiño and your passion for teaching children have been a great source of strength as I bare down in my battle against those who try to steal the innocence of the Beautiful Game.

Sometimes you know immediately that you have met someone who is a blessing in your life and in that of others. Horst was certainly one of those people and had a vision and a passion to use this great game to empower people, to educate and to serve them. He did this with an open mind and a dreamers heart.

In Horst, we’ve lost a world class soccer visionary. In my view, his methods put him in a class all by himself. He was unique in that he found the formula to enhance knowledge and passion for the game at the same time. All the while staying true to the simple and beautiful game. Because of Horst, there are thousands of players all around the world that got the chance to truly enjoy playing soccer at a higher level…A sad day. Horst will be sorely missed here… Thankfully he remains on the field with us at every session.

I receive this news with a heavy heart. It was an absolute honor to have met and learned from Horst. My condolences to his family. The work to deliver his message must go on. His influence is visible in the joy of the children around the world playing the beautiful game. The friendships that I have made through my relation with Horst will certainly go on and I also consider them priceless.

I guess now God will be playing FUNino in heaven! Horst has been a soccer angel on earth! He will be missed not only for his soccer excellence but as a great human being!

Horst really lived his life through his love of giving to youth sport…1stly hockey…then Football…he was always ready to learn..and always ready to share….the great thing is he has left a legacy for kids Football just when the world of kids sport really needs to lighten up and allow them to play..lets all carry on his work and help kids enjoy their sport again!

I’m thankful to have known him and I’m so appreciative for the friends I’ve made through him. Horst was one of a kind in many ways and he’ll be missed my many around the world.

We will miss you, dear friend, but your work continues in the many coaches you have inspired to care about their sport, whether hockey, football or other, and the many children who have experienced the joy of exploring their game in a care-free discovery environment.

Dermot

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Thanks for that message Dermot.

The TCD Facebook also page received some messages:

Saddened to here of the passing of Mr. Horst Wein the “Coach of Coaches” I had the pleasure to spend sometime with him in Barcelona and then again during our coaching workshop in Dublin back in 2011.

He said to me, “In Ireland the kids are not allowed to discover the game and the beauty of the game of football. Why, they are exposed to competition which is by far to difficult and to complex for them. Competition for kids, should fit them like their shoes. Over here, at the moment our kids are playing with shoes that are by far to big and don’t suit them perfectly.”

He also said that Brazil would not qualify for the 2018 world cup, that was something that I also remembered from our meeting in Barca.

Horst always challenged us to re-think youth development and he inspired me to keep challenging and developing. I know plenty of Irish Coaches will be very sad to hear this terrible news. Rest in Peace Horst

Yes agreed an inspiration…to me

Sadness. Brilliant man!

My first introduction to coaching material was through Horst Wein and he inspired me continuously improve my game.

Horst was a true inspiration and coach legend.

You can find out more about this wonderful coach on Horstwein.net and Dermot’s website is thebeautifulgame.ie

The rights of a young football player,

“Developing Youth Soccer Players” by Horst Wein (RIP)

The right to enjoyment both in practice and in competition, with a wide variety of activities that promote fun and easy learning.
The right to play as a child and not be treated like an adult, either on or off the playing field.
The right to participate in competitions with simplified rules, adapted to their level of ability and capacity in each stage of their evolution.
The right to play in conditions of greatest possible safety.
The right to participate in all aspects of the game.
The right to be trained by experienced and specially prepared coaches and developers.
The right to gain experience by resolving most of the problems that arise during practices.
The right to be treated with dignity by the coach, their team-mates, and by their opponents.
The right to play with children of their own age with similar chances of winning.
The right not to become a champion.

*Main post picture supplied by the beautiful game

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I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary

Ireland is evolving and so are the methods of the many coaches around the country, but of all the small sided games programmes, FUNINO is the most creditable and the best format for developing the game of football.

If you have heard of Funino you can download the ‘Ultimate Mini Game with Four Goals’ programme at the bottom of this article. Funino is the most excited game in the world and the only one designed to unlock creativity and game intelligence. Developed by the Horst Wein, a University Lecture and former German and Spanish Olympic Hockey Teams Coach. His methods have been used for over 20 years by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, for 7 years by Australian Football Federation and now the Mexican football Federation has published the first volume of “Futbol a la medida del nino”.

“There was once a time when street football and free play was the norm. Then we become adults wanted to control it , make it organised and forgot the child in all of us” UEFA B Coach Mark O Sullivan

What makes this even more relevant is an Irish man called Dermot Dalton of thebeautifulgame.ie is helping Wein re-write his methods, which are now being used by the North Dublin School Boy League. The programme which is designed for 7 to 9 year olds is currently being employed by six Professional Clubs in the German Bundesliga. A game that can be used for older players in training and even up-to and including professional level.

Funino

This is a game for young players to discover the magic of The Beautiful Game with a programme designed especially for them:

Experience the “renaissance of street football” in the 21st century.
Be the best coach you can be, creating a player-centred environment where young talent flourishes.
Introduce your players to game intelligence while establishing their technique, in a player-centred, game-oriented programme.
32 official games
24 Preparatory/corrective games
20+ important game variables

Horst Wein’s training programme for 7-9 year olds is based on his proven game of Mini-Football, now called which is the abbreviation for “ Futbol a la medida del Niño” or “football designed for children.”

The programme is the result of 27 years of innovation, practice and continuing improvement and is part of the Horst Wein Youth Football Development Model, which is the official textbook of the Spanish Football Federation since 1993 and is used by FC Barcelona, Athletico Bilbao and many top clubs around the world. This breakthrough approach to inducting young children into the game of football obviously has an emphasis on FUN so that children come to fall in love with the game from the earliest ages. It has been called the “Revival of Street Football. “

NDSL

Last Monday saw the official Funino programme launch at the NDSL headquarters. 20 mini pitches inside a full 11 aside pitch for a group of boys and girls age 8 and 9. A total of 85 kids turned out to experience the programme first hand. This is another great leap by the NDSL in trying to re-structure the grassroots game, who are the first league in Ireland to introduce this format. The training will continue every Monday from 6 to 7pm for u9s and 7 to 8pm for u10s and spaces are still available.

The Benefits of the 3v3

The two wide goals at each end encourage young players to use the wings in attack and open up the play.
Playing with 2 goals stimulates greater reading and understanding of the game, including peripheral vision, perception and decision making skills before executing any actions.
Stimulates, more than any other traditional football game, intelligence, perception, imagination and creativity.
Sufficient space and time allows children to read the game and play constructive football and to develop basic communication skills.
More time and space, better reading of the game and better decision-making and skill execution means less mistakes.
Due to the fact that the same basic game situations appear again and again (i.e. the 2v1 situation) the young players learn very quickly.
In FUNino, 8 and 9 year olds enjoy more touches on the ball, treating it as their best friend. No long clearances or wild and dangerous kicks can be seen in which players “violate the ball”.
Players attack and defend in a triangular formation for better communication and collaboration. Positioning in the field is easy.
Allows an all round development of all participants as there are no fixed positions in a team which would avoid too early specialization. Everybody has to attack as well as to defend, using the whole pitch.
Usually there are lots of goals and goalmouth action.
Each player scores more than one goal per game.
All the players get to experience a starring role in this dynamic game.
All 3 players, including the weaker ones, play a critical role in this game and are involved mentally and physically throughout the game. Nobody can hide!

We, at The Beautiful Game, believe that our proven youth development model can achieve a number of important goals at the same time:

All children get to enjoy the game of football as children (and not as mini-adults) as the game(s) are tailored to their needs.
Children have the opportunity to reach their full potential, whatever that is, through an optimal development model, including a player-centred approach, that is games-oriented (rather than drills) and a guided discovery coaching style (rather than the traditional instruction style).
As the model is more inclusive and fair than the traditional elitist model, there are many social and character/lifestyle benefits emanating from this approach.

FUNINO 1-DAY COACH TRAINING CLINICS

There will be a one day Funino course held the NDSL on Saturday 2nd November and Sunday 9th November. T

Saturday 2nd November 2013

9am – 4.30pm

Sunday 10th November

9am – 4.30pm

Oscar Traynor Centre, Coolock

€90 (including printed Funino manual)

For further details on Funino contact dermot@thebeautifulgame.ie or call Dermot on 086 8513339.

Download the FUNINO BROCHURE OCT 2013

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I always like to hear your opinions. Please comment below or email me info@thecoachdiary.com If, you don’t have anything to add then please forward this on to a friend. Thanks for reading.

I’m also on twitter @Coachdiary