Henk Mariman has finished his first years as the Head of Youth training at Club Brugge. His first feat was establishing the Club Academy, an ambitious project which should allow Club's youth training to produce some top talents in days to come. With a two-episode interview, Mariman explains what he has established so far and what is set to change in a later stage. Today you'll be able to read the second episode.

Text by: Steven FLOIN

When do you expect Club's youth coaching to be top notch in Belgium? At the start of last season you were talking about a three-year plan. Do you still stick to this date?

“Within a timeframe of three years, the conditions will have to be created in order to coach our players in the best way possible, and we're pretty much on schedule. The next step will be to maintain this process and create a path along which talented players can take the road towards the first team. From what I've learned in my previous jobs I learned that you can't just set time limits: whether and how a player takes the following steps is not only contributable to a coaching process. Positions opening up in the first team, the belief in players and a number of small coincidences are also of importance. It might just as well happen tomorrow. In coaching, you need to make a maximum analysis and reach maximum development in every individual player, no matter how good or weak certain years are. You just need to keep in mind that there's always the possibility that one might make it later. This way of thinking, together with a big focus on training, creates an open path. When you start thinking too oblique when it comes to assessing young players it's easy to make mistakes in judgment. Often you see young players making it in other teams just because they were considered "insufficient". Different opinions, lots of discussion on a technical level and a good deal of patience should avoid this. It's very important for coaching to be self-critical, and only a very strict self-reflex will allow us to form players for the first team. We will do everything it takes in order to concretely create a path allowing young players to make it to the first team.”

At an internation U14 tournament in Bassevelde, Anderlecht claimed first place with its team (other opponents were a.o. Club and Real Madrid and Tottenham). Can we say that Anderlecht's youth has made a lot more progress than Club's youth? Or is this too narrow-minded thinking?

“That's a typically Belgian problem: we take part in a tournament like this in order to further develop and to try and get as far as possible with that philosophy. The development process of a player is only completed when he's about 19 years old, that's the time when he needs to be completely ready. Below that age you need to try and use all your resources to develop those players in depth. A tournament is an excellent opportunity. Unfortunately there are too few teams who think like this. Our boys, under the direction of Wim Tafte did a great job in Bassevelde: a solid build-up from defence, lots of creativity and football with initiative. They have clearly taken a step forward. On the other hand, I thought that the coaching level at several tournaments was disappointing. That's a pity, because that's the perfect moment to develop each other. Coaches often go for results in football: no build-up, sending balls deep quickly, ... Tournament organisers could go against this trend and have a cup in store for the team showing the best football or for the best coach,… You can hear them talking about development a lot off the pitch, but once that whistle gets blown you can see a completely different approach. This also goes for the big teams from abroad. I did not see a clearly individual philosphy in Tottenham nor in Real Madrid. There are only few teams that have an elaborate coaching philosophy which is actually also developed and put into practice. This is also the first aspect we want to offer the teams that have joined the "regional academy": how do you set up a coaching plan, and how can you put it to good use?”

The line-up of our U21s often featured very young players this season, and the same will go for next season. Don't you get the risk that players will be skipping certain important steps?

“The physical follow-up of our U21 players was up for improvement. We have added a number of vital impulses at the top of this coaching department under the impulse of Nicky Keirsmaekers, Joost Desender and Jan Van Winckel: next season, the workload of every single player will be followed. Each and every training session or game will get a quotation of 1 to 10. At the end of the week, the players are not allowed to go over 65 points. In case they do, their training schedules will be adjusted. All players in our first team and U21s have been tested on different physical parameters. We know their strongsuits and their flaws. Starting August, our players will be re-evaluated. A more severe follow-up should avoid too large a physical workload. Shifting players towards a higher age group is like a good bottle fo wine: you first let it ripe and you open it at the right moment.”

Often taking the step from the U21s to the first team seems quite big. Wouldn't it be better to try and find a satellite club where our U21s can get the necessary experience before getting a go at the first team? It might help avoid losing out on top talents the likes of Geraerts, Cornelis, Lombaerts, etc.

“I don't think it's that big a step: our head coach is open to youngsters taking the next step. Jacky Mathijssen even encourages it. However, we must be able to admit that we were wrong as well: our first intention should be to bring players that have the necessary qualities. And there's still some ground to cover there, both on the structural side as on the player's individual talent. It might be that some players did not make it to the first team because they just weren't good enough (yet). As I already pointed out: we need to create a larger focus in our coaching. Forming players that can stand up for themselves and that have made good progress in their development should be our goals. I have to meet the first head coach he is blind to taking up talented players in his team. Only when players are plainly barred from the first team, there is a need for a satellite club. But you should also not overestimate the benefits.”

Our web site will be refurbished soon, with a separate web site for Club's youth, which will undoubtedly leave room for a great deal of information. What can we expect in this respect?

“There's still room for improvement in our communication, and the new web site should correct this situation. Our first goal is to keep shorter lines of communication with our players.  For instance, there will be a forum for all teams, which will allow the coach to communicate directly with his own players. We are also thinking of sending out newsletters to the upper, middle and lower sections, which will be sent directly to the parents and players, and which can be consulted on the web site. A chat box will be available to the younger groups. Aside from the necessary information furnished to the parents, there will be a section on our web site where clubs can obtain more information about our way of coaching and training. Through the web site, our coaches will also be able to log in to our player follow-up system, developed by your colleagues from the web team, Quinten, Arne and Dieter. The system works as follows: a player who is consulting a doctor, physio or revalidation coach will automatically receive an e-mail at home holding his injury file and the necessary recommendations. As such, his trainer will also be able to follow up on the player more closely. It's a truly unique system in Belgium!”