UEFA meets coaching elite
Tuesday, September 3, 2002
Article summary
Europe's top club coaches will gather at UEFA's headquarters for the Elite Coaches Forum.
Article body
The cream of European club coaching gathers at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland tomorrow for the fourth UEFA Elite Coaches Forum.
Star-studded lineup
A star-studded lineup of coaches will meet with European football's governing body to discuss a variety of issues relating to European and world football, including the UEFA Champions League and the recent FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.
'Who's Who'
The list of coaches who have confirmed their attendance reads like a 'Who’s Who' of the European club scene. Vicente del Bosque (Real Madrid CF) and Klaus Topmöller (Bayer 04 Leverkusen) – coaches of last season's UEFA Champions League finalists - will be joined by men of the calibre of Marcello Lippi (Juventus FC), Louis van Gaal (FC Barcelona), Carlo Ancelotti (Milan AC), Fabio Capello (AS Roma), Ottmar Hitzfeld (FC Bayern München), Gérard Houllier (Liverpool FC) and Arsène Wenger (Arsenal FC).
Top names
The distinguished array of top names coming to Nyon also includes Jupp Heynckes (Athletic Club Bilbao), Javier Irureta (RC Deportivo La Coruña), José Mourinho (FC Porto), Fernando Santos (Panathanaikos FC) and Fatih Terim (Galatasaray SK).
Technical and coaching perspectives
The coaches will review the past Champions League season and World Cup tournament from a technical and coaching perspective, and provide UEFA with useful recommendations and proposals for the future.
Away from pressures
"The forum has become an ideal opportunity for the coaches to get together and talk freely and informally about areas of mutual interest, and exchange ideas in a setting where they are not facing their normal pressures," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh.
Excellent feedback
"It also gives them a chance as a group to offer their views to UEFA, so we are in a position to receive excellent feedback from them," he added. UEFA has implemented a number of recommendations put forward by the coaches in recent years, including abolishing the 'golden goal' rule for this season’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup finals.
Ferguson absent
One leading coach who is unable to attend is Manchester United FC’s Sir Alex Ferguson, due to English Premiership fixture commitments with his club. "Alex is disappointed that he can't make it, but he's already given me detailed views on the various items that we'll be discussing," said Roxburgh.
