You need a style that suits players – Dokter
THE FAI’S high performance director Ruud Dokter has admitted that he would one day like the Irish senior team’s playing style to reflect the philosophy of sides that are being coached to play out from the back at underage level.
But he is reluctant to put a timeframe on when that might happen, acknowledging that Martin O’Neill’s primary job is to find the best way to deliver results.
Dokter’s role gives him responsibility for all men’s age-group sides up to U-21 level, while his brief with women’s football includes a role in decision-making with the senior team. The exception to the rule is the men’s senior team, where he has no input.
A criticism of the Irish side at the moment is that their style of play is completely different to what players are learning coming through the ranks.
Flexibility
Dokter said yesterday that the FAI’s plan also encourages flexibility with regard to tactics, yet he acknowledged that an ideal-world scenario would involve the senior team mirroring the model on the production line.
“Of course that’s what you want to do. But it’s not rigid,” said Dokter.
“Yes, the U-13s and U-15s need a fixed system and the 4-3-3 is recognised as the system to allow player development. There are little variations.
“At the very end, at the top (senior level), you need a style of play and system that suits the players.
“Obviously, playing out from the back, through the thirds – it is very important that players have that confidence.
“It is becoming more competitive (as players get older) and we have to know how the opposition play – how do they press? It’s broader than just a system or style.
“Nowadays, the trend at the top is that the systems are flexible. We’ve to see how to implement that in the learning of the kids.”
When pressed on the suggestion that there is a disconnect between O’Neill’s approach and the style of the underage sides, Dokter said: “Yes, there’s a difference, but also that’s the responsibility of Martin and the management staff.
“Their decisions are based on what’s best to get the result. I totally understand that. In the meantime, Martin is very much involved with the underage now. He’s attending matches and our managers’ meeting. We have a lot of discussions on that.”
Dokter was appointed in 2013 and the main change in the intervening period has been the introduction of national leagues at U-15 and U-17 level to join the U-19 level. A new U-13 league is also on the way.
The plan that has been met with some opposition as the responsibility has been handed over to League of Ireland sides – it will also be compulsory that they enter a team in the U-13 league.
Traditional schoolboy nurseries have not been allowed to take part, and have instead been urged to form partnerships with the senior sides.
A criticism of the U-13 plan is that it will leave players in limbo when they hit U-14 level as they might not be physically strong enough to jump up to U-15 level straight away.
He also wants to address the issue with players who reach U-19 level and then have nowhere to go if they are not ready to make the jump.
Expanded
Dokter is keen on an expanded First Division consisting of second teams from leading Premier Division sides, yet he conceded that Shamrock Rovers tried that already and it didn’t work.
Dokter referenced the Belgian and German models in a press briefing at Abbotstown, highlighting how those countries used Euro 2000 as a wake-up call for changing their approach.
He cited their success since 2014 as evidence of a plan coming to fruition.
The 63-year-old did not wish to make predictions on when the FAI’s current strategies will impact on senior level showings.
“We are a small country with a small population but we have talent,” he said.
“People say we don’t have talent but we do. They say we don’t have strikers, but we do. It’s about identifying them and developing them.
“We have to be creative and, given the population that we have, I think that we do a good job and that the future is bright for us.”