A passion for teaching the beautiful game
New Nelson Bays Football development officer Diarmuid Brazendale believes Tasman United’s emergence is already having a flow on effect at junior level. He spoke with reporter
Teaching is a great career but my real passion in life is football. I felt that I could use the skills and knowledge I have gained from teaching to help support the development of young players and create opportunities for them to improve. It is such an exciting time to be involved in football.
In some respects yes because the skills are transferable but the real challenge is to look at where we are now and say ‘how do I get us to where we need to be?’ and that is exciting but challenging. The best part of the transition is that every day I wake up and think ‘I’m being paid to do football!’
I played from when I was tiny but, sadly my greatest claim to fame is a (very) brief spell sitting on the bench for Waterside Karori during their National League days. I still love to play socially but the real buzz I get now is from coaching. The area I have chosen to focus my energies on is the junior/youth space, which I think goes back to my teaching background.
A huge question. I think that attitude-wise, the women’s game is still not treated with the respect
It’s huge. Not only does Nelson get the chance to experience live the highest standard of football in the country but having our own team creates a inspirational path- way for young players. At our academy we have several Tasman United players coaching and the kids love learning off someone who has, for instance played for the All Whites, as Cam Lindsay has, or been through the Liverpool Academy, like Robbie Pearson.
FTC is an excellent programme but we felt we could make it even better by using Tasman United. The idea behind TUA is that the very best players in our region will train and learn together under a coaching structure that is consistent and uses the NZF coaching model. Our intention is to create a talent pathway that is second to none. We will take players into the academy at 12 and help them create a pathway that passes through our National Youth League team, into our first teams (men and women) and then exits with scholarships, national selection and potentially professional contracts. It’s ambitious but things that are worth doing always are.
The easiest question to answer – there’s only ever Tottenham. The day I took my youngest daughter to her first game at White Hart Lane is one of the moments you never forget – and as a consequence she is now Spur’s second biggest fan in Nelson. Name: Diarmuid Brazendale
Sport: Football
Occupation: Football Development Officer with NBF
Date of birth: June 27 1968