RedWine
11-04-2005, 06:27 PM
The Impact of Foreign Football Coaches in National Teams .
Like Iran, many countries that have qualified or have played in the recent world cups use foreign coaches. Worldwide, foreign coaches are primarily used by Asian and African countries but this concept is not limited to these continents.
Looking over the countries participating in world cups 94, 98, and 2002, as well as those that have already qualified for the 2006 world cup, interesting trends could be discovered.
52 countries have played or qualified between the four world cups from 1994 – 2006. Note that as of this writing, 27 of the 32 countries for world Cup 2006 have been determined.
78% of the African countries that have been involved in these four world cups used foreign coaches.
57% of the Asian countries that have been involved in these four world cups reviewed have used foreign coaches.
European countries don’t use foreign coaches that often. Only 9% of them in the study have used foreign coaches. This is surely due to the high level of football quality in these countries and abundance of coaching talents there. Surprisingly, of the 5 cases where European countries have used a foreign coach, England leads the way with her Swiss coach in two appearances.
Coaches from France led the way in terms of the number of appearances in these four world cups. Brazil, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Serbia (including former Yugoslavia) are all tied next. Here is how the results come together: o France – 11 appearances or 9.7% of all the coaches appeared in the four world cup. Only three of the eleven managed their own national teams and the 8 managed national teams of other countries. o Brazil, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Serbia each had 6 appearances or 5.3% each of all cases.
Although France had 11 coaches, between Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, we find 11 appearances by head coaches from these nations. In 5 of these 11 cases, the coaches managed other nations.
The best placement a foreign coach has managed with any team over these world cups is when Korea finished 4th with a Dutch head coach in the 2002 world cup.
AFRICA
In Africa, teams that play in the world cups mostly use foreign coaches. 11 different countries have represented the African continent 18 times in the past four world cups and in 14 cases, the coaches have been foreigners. For the World Cup 2006, all 5 head coaches for the African nations are foreign coaches.
Interestingly, African countries like to use French coaches. In half of the cases mentioned above, 7 times, the head coach of the world cup bound team has been French. This year, Ivory Coast and Tunisia are bringing French coaches with them to the world cup.
ASIA
Asian countries also like to use foreign coaches. Since 1994, only five countries have represented Asia in the world cup. Bahrain could be the sixth one this time around. Of the 14 appearances by the Asian countries in the past four world cups, in 8 cases, we find a foreign head coach sitting on the bench.
This number should have been 9 had Iviich not been fired from the Iran’s national team prior to the 1998 world cup. Foreign coaches come from different places to lead the national teams in Asia. Argentina, Netherlands, Brazil, France, Croatia and Serbia have all coaches in Asia.
LAST WORDS
Countries select head coaches based on a variety of criteria. It seems that once a nation feels comfortable with a style of a coach, there is a good chance that the future coaches also come from the same region.
- Korea has used three Dutch coaches over the last four years.
- Iran has used Iviich, Belozovich and now Ivankovich in the national team level over the last 8 years.
- African countries like to use French coaches.
- Paraguay has used Italian coaches for two world cups.
- Ecuador has used Columbian coaches in her last two appearances.
In the case of Korea, the national team needs a style that fits the speedy nature of the players. The fast flow of the Koreans game with strong shots behind the box is a good match for the Dutch coaches.
How come Croatians have found a match with our football? There is more in solving this puzzle than the common belief of attributing it to less expensive Balkan coaches. In the future articles, the style of Croats and how that fits the current Iran football style and culture would be reviewed.
Like Iran, many countries that have qualified or have played in the recent world cups use foreign coaches. Worldwide, foreign coaches are primarily used by Asian and African countries but this concept is not limited to these continents.
Looking over the countries participating in world cups 94, 98, and 2002, as well as those that have already qualified for the 2006 world cup, interesting trends could be discovered.
52 countries have played or qualified between the four world cups from 1994 – 2006. Note that as of this writing, 27 of the 32 countries for world Cup 2006 have been determined.
78% of the African countries that have been involved in these four world cups used foreign coaches.
57% of the Asian countries that have been involved in these four world cups reviewed have used foreign coaches.
European countries don’t use foreign coaches that often. Only 9% of them in the study have used foreign coaches. This is surely due to the high level of football quality in these countries and abundance of coaching talents there. Surprisingly, of the 5 cases where European countries have used a foreign coach, England leads the way with her Swiss coach in two appearances.
Coaches from France led the way in terms of the number of appearances in these four world cups. Brazil, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Serbia (including former Yugoslavia) are all tied next. Here is how the results come together: o France – 11 appearances or 9.7% of all the coaches appeared in the four world cup. Only three of the eleven managed their own national teams and the 8 managed national teams of other countries. o Brazil, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy and Serbia each had 6 appearances or 5.3% each of all cases.
Although France had 11 coaches, between Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, we find 11 appearances by head coaches from these nations. In 5 of these 11 cases, the coaches managed other nations.
The best placement a foreign coach has managed with any team over these world cups is when Korea finished 4th with a Dutch head coach in the 2002 world cup.
AFRICA
In Africa, teams that play in the world cups mostly use foreign coaches. 11 different countries have represented the African continent 18 times in the past four world cups and in 14 cases, the coaches have been foreigners. For the World Cup 2006, all 5 head coaches for the African nations are foreign coaches.
Interestingly, African countries like to use French coaches. In half of the cases mentioned above, 7 times, the head coach of the world cup bound team has been French. This year, Ivory Coast and Tunisia are bringing French coaches with them to the world cup.
ASIA
Asian countries also like to use foreign coaches. Since 1994, only five countries have represented Asia in the world cup. Bahrain could be the sixth one this time around. Of the 14 appearances by the Asian countries in the past four world cups, in 8 cases, we find a foreign head coach sitting on the bench.
This number should have been 9 had Iviich not been fired from the Iran’s national team prior to the 1998 world cup. Foreign coaches come from different places to lead the national teams in Asia. Argentina, Netherlands, Brazil, France, Croatia and Serbia have all coaches in Asia.
LAST WORDS
Countries select head coaches based on a variety of criteria. It seems that once a nation feels comfortable with a style of a coach, there is a good chance that the future coaches also come from the same region.
- Korea has used three Dutch coaches over the last four years.
- Iran has used Iviich, Belozovich and now Ivankovich in the national team level over the last 8 years.
- African countries like to use French coaches.
- Paraguay has used Italian coaches for two world cups.
- Ecuador has used Columbian coaches in her last two appearances.
In the case of Korea, the national team needs a style that fits the speedy nature of the players. The fast flow of the Koreans game with strong shots behind the box is a good match for the Dutch coaches.
How come Croatians have found a match with our football? There is more in solving this puzzle than the common belief of attributing it to less expensive Balkan coaches. In the future articles, the style of Croats and how that fits the current Iran football style and culture would be reviewed.