Coerver® Coaching are delighted to announce a two year elite development partnership with Premier League™ club Stoke City FC.
The partnership will see Coerver® Coaching Co-Founder Alf Galustian and England & Wales director, Scott Wright working closely with both the coaches (see below image) and players at Stoke City. The partnership is a key component in the clubs development plan towards achieving category 1 academy status under the new Elite Player Performance Plan which is being introduced by the Premier League™ to improve standards in youth development in this country.
There is already a strong historical link between Coerver® Coaching and Stoke City, through the friendship of Stoke City legend, Sir Stanley Mathew and Alf Galustian which began 30 years ago and saw them work together in Canada, USA, South Africa and England (see below image).
It was Sir Stanley Matthews who first gave the quote that Coerver® Coaching was “The World’s Number One Soccer Skills Teaching Method”. He was known as the World’s Best 1 v 1 player of his time and one of the most famous Coerver® Moves, “The Drag Push” Set is dedicated to his memory.
Sir Stanley played for Stoke City for many years, and when in his 80’s, a statue was built in Stoke, he invited Alfred as his special guest who said “Sir Stan was very special in my life; he guided my football career to a great extent; when I was invited by Stoke City, who have established themselves in the Premier League, it was an honour to accept”.
The Coerver® partnership was initially suggested by Stoke City FC First Team manager Tony Pulis.
Stoke City FC Academy manager Dave Wright said: “I am a believer in this coaching and when the manager said he was keen on it, then we decided to go ahead. “We were doing a lot of Coerver-type work, but now we will have a full syllabus”.
The Stoke deal includes the innovative Coerver® Coaching Homestudy website which will be available to all academy players and coaches. The site includes video clips of skills for the players to practice at home, and will also enable each age group coach to provide feedback and personal development analysis to each individual player.
The partnership was officially launched at the Britannia Stadium (see below image) where Coerver® Coaching Director Scott Wright and Stoke City FC Academy director Dave Wright presented to over 400 players, parents and members of staff.
Scott Wright said “We are delighted to agree this new partnership with Stoke City FC who are fully committed to implementing and delivering a world class coach and player development programme. The ultimate objective of the partnership is to lay the foundations for this vision and in the long term for the club to produce more young, local, technically excellent players that have all the attributes to play for the club at first team level in the Premier League”.
