AFF puts kick into Lao football administration

The Asian Football Federation (AFF) opened a five-day training course in Vientiane yesterday to develop football administration, management and coaching capacity within the Lao Football Federation (LFF).

Dato Sri Paul Mony Samuel speaks at the Asian Football Federation's training course in Vientiane .

Laos is hosting the regional course, which is part of the Futuro programme run by football's governing body, FIFA. It focuses on the instruction of coaches, referees, administrators and sports medicine practitioners, with a view to producing active, home-grown management talent, with the proactive effort of member associations.

The five-day training course, from April 6 to 10, will focus on administrative proficiency, FIFA development activities, general management and finance, as well as competition organisation, planning and marketing.

Attending the opening of the training course were Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) Vice President Somphou Vongsa, AFF Honorary General Secretary and FIFA Instructor Dato Sri Paul Mony Samuel, LFF President Phouvanh Vongsouthi, regional instructors and top Lao trainers.

Mr Somphou said the third phase of the Futuro programme was most important for Laos ahead of the 25th SEA Games, to be held in Vientiane this December. Provincial and capital-based football officials were particularly focused on this course as they understood its importance for successfully hosting the SEA Games.

Mr Phouvanh said the training course would allow the 24 trainees to gain more experience and knowledge of football administration from regional instructors. Everyone should pay attention to develop Lao football in the future.

“Lao football administrators should learn a lot from the Asian Football Federation instructors. I believe this course will really help us improve administration and management. I also request participants to ask questions if they don't understand any of the topics,” Mr Phouvanh said.

FIFA Instructor Dato Sri Paul Mony Samuel said he had visited Laos on many occasions and was confident lines of communication were open and the LFF had made clear what it needed ahead of the SEA Games.

“We promise to help in any way we can to support this sport in Laos . The federation needs only to ask,” he said.

FIFA launched Futuro I in 1991 and Futuro II in 1997. A total of 136 countries have profited from the first two phases of Futuro. Futuro III and IV will be conducted this year to impart the latest knowledge to national football federations.

Futuro III focuses on the education of member association instructors in the topics of coaching, refereeing, administration and management and sports medicine. Futuro III courses use a regional format, assembling and educating instructors selected by the member associations from neighbouring countries in a centralised venue.

According to the AFF, several education seminars will be held this year. Eight courses are planned, including the second and third Futuro III modules on marketing, media and communications in Vietnam from August 1-5, and event management and competition in Indonesia from August 12-16.

A course for futsal referees is to be held in Vietnam in June, and a course for newly registered FIFA referees will be organised in Cambodia the following month.

 

 

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
April 7, 2009

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