By Joseph Solomon,

AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The All India Football Federation organized FIFA Senior Coaching Course which kicked-off at the Cooperage Stadium in Mumbai on August 05, 2016, concluded today (August 09, 2016). With 31 AFC A License Coaches having participated in the informative four-day Course, www.the-aiff.com caught up with Course Instructor and former Indian U-17 Coach Islam Akhmedov to talk about the objective of the Course, the participants, its implementation and a lot more. EXCERPTS:

What was the significance of this Course?

The significance of this Course was to sync the participants with the modern trends of the game. Football is a sport that changes quickly and this Course aimed to tutor the participants in what is happening around the World for them to learn and implement.

How important is the implementation of this course outside the classroom?

If there is no implementation then there is no use of this Course, or any Course for that matter. It is imperative for that knowledge gained should be applied on the field of play. We also had practical sessions for the participants to implement what they learnt in the classroom. However, the challenge remains to implement this in the Teams they coach.

Are the candidates capable enough to implement what they have learnt?

The candidates have shown that they are capable enough over the last few days. A Coach’s job is to think and analyze what his or her Team should be doing. The participants are quick learners and there are good things in store if they successfully implement what they have learnt in this Course.

How different is the FIFA Senior Coaching Course from the rest of the Coaching Courses?

First of all, it helps the participants to acknowledge and learn what is going on around the World. Then it helps them to implement the knowledge gained on the pitch through the practical sessions. The participants have shown that they are willing to learn and that is something which can take them a long way.