Top coaches come to Nyon

Europe's leading club coaches will gather at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on 3 September for the sixth UEFA Élite Coaches Forum.

Ideas exchanged
The forum, which has become an annual event at the start of each European club competition season, is seen by UEFA as an excellent opportunity for top club coaches to come together and talk freely in an informal atmosphere about matters of mutual interest, and to exchange ideas away from their normal high-pressure environment. The star-studded lineup of coaches who will attend the forum is still being finalised.

Views and feedback
UEFA also welcomes the views and feedback given by coaches with a wealth of experience between them at the summit. European football's governing body has implemented certain recommendations put forward by the forum in recent years - including the abolition of the sudden-death golden goal in extra time.

Club competitions
This year, the coaches will be asked to put forward their viewpoint on the 2003/04 UEFA club competitions, and in particular the first UEFA Champions League competition under the new format. The coaches welcomed the introduction of last season's new format - one group stage followed by a 16-team knockout phase.

Surprise element
With the new format, they said, there would also be a greater possibility for 'outsiders' to cause a surprise against Europe's biggest teams when the competition reached the knockout phase. This view was borne out by the fact that two surprise teams, FC Porto and AS Monaco FC, reached the Champions League final in Gelsenkirchen in May.

Club versus country
Other items on the agenda for the latest forum include the ongoing club versus country debate, and how a balance can be found between the requirements of the clubs who employ the élite players, and the needs of the national associations in having these players available for national teams.

Offside law
The coaches will be asked to comment on the offside law. The issue of whether players are interfering with play in a move has been under constant debate for some time, and the matter is again expected to raise some lively discussions. They will be invited to give their views on the so-called professional foul, when a player, for example, is denied a clear goalscoring opportunity by deliberate obstruction.

Worthwhile venture
UEFA considers the forums to be an extremely worthwhile venture. Many of the coaches who attend the event were top players and are now leading coaches who are dealing with the finer details of football on a daily basis. Moreover, the coaches also derive satisfaction from being able to express their opinions about various elements of the game.