Impossible to have no license, not even in Bangladesh!
(published in Slovak Sport Daily)
The takeaway from the recent exchange of pleasantries between SFZ technical director Gregu and coach Dragúň in the pages of Sport Daily is more than just a reminder that coaching qualification rules must be followed without exceptions and that courts tend to uphold such formalities. Earning a European coaching license through demanding education is not just a formality, it’s a valuable asset for practical application.
Just last month, I helped broker a coaching deal for Jozef Pavlík at Abahani Chattogram in Bangladesh. This is a country of nearly 170 million people, neighboring 1.2-billion-strong India and close to China, where football is experiencing an explosive commercial boom and record-breaking transfers. Although Bangladesh ranks around 180th in the FIFA rankings, the growth potential of football there, fueled by TV, mobile phones, and social media, points to a promising future.
Getting a coach into the Asian market isn’t easy. It requires strong contacts, international experience, English skills, and the ability to travel immediately. But the most important prerequisite is a European coaching license. Without it, you won’t even get into Bangladesh!
For players, fulfilling a dream of playing abroad is far simpler, they don’t need licenses. Slovak players have featured in nearly all of the world’s top leagues: the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, as well as in Turkey and Russia. Some have had stints in France and Spain. Others are scattered throughout Europe, and some have played in Australia, Qatar, and even the U.S.
Even officials are making their way internationally, though it's understandably more difficult for them. Former SFZ president Laurinec sits on UEFA’s Executive Committee, and current SFZ general secretary Kliment has worked within UEFA’s structures. Former referee and top executive Michež moved from a high-ranking position at a Ukrainian club to a post in Greece.
Aside from the Czech Republic, Slovak coaches have landed some notable roles abroad in recent years: Radolský and Kocian in Poland, Pecze in Turkey, Bubenko in Greece and Armenia (later followed by Hornyák in the same country), Weiss in Russia and Kazakhstan (currently managing Georgia’s national team), and Németh with a brief stint in Germany’s second division. More recently, Jarábek signed a deal in Georgia, and Vukuič in Kazakhstan.
Slovak coaches working abroad not only build their own reputations, they also open doors for Slovak players. Many of them bring Slovak footballers into their teams. That provides players with valuable experience, which in turn benefits the national team and Slovak football as a whole.
There’s no doubt that Slovakia has quality coaches. The national team has qualified for two of the last four major tournaments (World Cup or European Championship), and Slovak clubs have repeatedly appeared in the group stages of the Champions League and Europa League. Many comparable countries, or even neighbours like Poland, would envy those statistics.
By 2016, coaches really should have moved past questioning the need for licenses or claiming that experience alone is enough. Coaching abroad is an appealing opportunity and the key that unlocks it is a proper license. The new generation of ambitious, educated coaches already knows exactly what it takes.
