Christchurch United's football academy has pulled in some top class coaching talent as they looks to take their young footballers to higher levels of the game.
Barcelona-based coach Todd Beane has been working with the Academy’s coaches so they can develop smarter and more well-rounded players.
Beane, the son-in-law of the late Dutch footballing hero Johan Cryuff, says he wants youth understanding that football isn’t just running lines.
"I see the kids playing here very linearly, very direct," he said.
"But football in Europe, it’s more triangles and diamonds and geometric."
Beane is now spreading a style his father-in-law created.
"As he became ill, I really wanted to think about some of this wisdom from Johan and I wanted to bring it out to, let’s say, emerging countries."
Cryuff’s developed system is based on 'total football' where players can create and execute solutions for offence and defence – a plan now being taught to Christchurch coaches.
Christchurch United coaches had attended one of Beane's clinics in Wellington earlier this year and they were so impressed they brought him all the way back from Barcelona to evaluate their own structures.
"His main focus is on exercises and how you deliver them," academy director Colin Williamson said.
"that’s something I can believe we can improve on."
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