FFA annoints: Jan Versleijen, Okon, Williams, Edwards and Tobin.

The younger Jan Versleijen, thank god he's Dutch!

FFA have announced the appointment of the new AIS Coach Jan Versleijen and four "young" coaching scholarship worth $25,000 per year for three years for Alistair Edwards, Paul Okon, Alex Tobin and Nicola Williams. Full release below.

SYDNEY
24 June 2008

Three former Socceroos, including two Socceroos captains, and a former national women’s league player have been named today as the recipients of the inaugural Elite Coach Development Scholarships by Football Federation Australia (FFA), simultaneously with the announcement of 53 year old Jan Versleijen as the new Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)/Qantas Young Socceroos Head Coach.

“Today’s announcement is about building for the future,” said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.

“On the one hand, we are delighted to announce the appointment of someone as credentialed and able as Jan Versleijen to head our national youth program which is vital to the long term success of Australian football.

“But on the other hand, we’re also investing in the future by announcing the recipients of our inaugural scholarships under the Elite Coach Development Program,” Buckley said.

Versleijen has an extensive record in football in the Netherlands, Asia and the Middle East having coached at senior and youth levels in clubs such as Venlo, Roda and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands, JEF United in Japan, as well as clubs in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He has also held the position of coach of the Dutch U17 and U23 teams.

“This is a significant addition to our senior national coaching staff,” said FFA National Technical Director, Rob Baan.

“The current group of players involved in the National Under 20 Men’s Football Program are expected to feature heavily in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Games, the 2011 and 2015 Asian Cups and 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.

“With the advent of the new National Youth League competition this year, the National Under 20 Men’s Football Head Coach will be extremely important for the preparation of players for not only the Hyundai A-League, but also the Qantas Socceroos of the future.

“In Jan Versleijen, we have someone who is not only in step with the technical direction of Australian football, but who also knows the Asian Football Confederation very well,” Baan said.

Acting AIS Director Phil Borgeaud said Versleijen's appointment continued the Institute's tradition of pursuing excellence.

“Jan is a coach of tremendous experience and great quality who I have no doubt will continue the Institute's excellent work in producing talented footballers who will go on to excel at the national and international levels of the game,” Borgeaud said.

“The Institute's proud record of preparing players for national and international representation is testimony to the quality of the program.”

“The 2006 Socceroos World Cup squad of 23 players contained 12 former AIS scholarship holders.”

“The likes of Frank Farina, Craig Moore, Mark Viduka, Brett Emerton, Lucas Neil, Mark Bresciano, Josh Kennedy and Vince Grella are just a few of the past and present international players who have come through the AIS Football program.”

The next major tournament for the Qantas Young Socceroos is the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U19 Championships to be played in Saudi Arabia in November , which also serve as the qualifying tournament for the next FIFA U20 World Cup to be held in Egypt in 2009.

Buckley and Baan said that four people had been awarded scholarships valued at $25,000 each under the Elite Coach Development Program.

Paul Okon from Sydney, Alex Tobin of the Central Coast Mariners, Alastair Edwards and Nicola Williams (both of Perth) will take up their scholarships from 1 July.

The Elite Coach Development Program is a scholarship program for younger coaches who aspire to coach at the elite level - whether for an Institute, Women's National League, Hyundai A-League or national team coach position.

"FFA is committed to ongoing growth in the area of football development,” said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.

“It’s a vital component of our National Football Development Plan, and these scholarships provide another level of implementation in this area.”

Baan added that the Elite Coach Development Program will provide the springboard for targeted Australian coaches to ultimately reach the top of the coaching profession.

“Paul Okon, Alex Tobin, Alastair Edwards and Nicola Williams are all very worthy recipients of these four inaugural scholarships,” Baan said.

“While their playing and professional careers have been very different, they each bring something unique to a potential coaching career and each demonstrate considerable thought for where the game is heading.

“They are typical of the coach of the future in Australia,” Baan concluded.

Baan will lead the program, with assistance from the National Coach Education Manager, Kelly Cross, and the FFA National Teams and Football Development Units.

Each recipient will have a program customised for their level of existing expertise, skills, interests and aspirations.

Paul Okon, 36, said that he was delighted to receive a scholarship.

“It has always been my ambition to get into coaching at the highest level possible,” Okon said.

“I have been playing football for more than 30 years, and have been fortunate to play in the first division in Belgium (Club Brugge), Italy (Lazio and Fiorentina) and England (Leeds and Middlesbrough) as well as here at home, and I would like to share this knowledge as well as gain more.

“The technical direction football is heading in Australia, with people like Rob Baan at the helm, is the right direction for us and I want to be part of it.

“We are seeing the effects of this expertise and I hope that the scholarship will give me greater access and a more thorough understanding of this football methodology and philosophy,” said Okon.

The scholarships are valid for up to three years.