MEMORIES FROM OSLO (1)

I begin here a series of posts about my trip to Oslo to attend the 10th "UEFA Grassroots Workshop". For those who do not know, "Grassroots" for UEFA, means all the football that is not elite. That is, youth football, women, disabled, etc. It is important to make this distinction, because many people think that "Grassroots" means only, "Football for young".

One important thing to say is that you will not find, now, a collection of exercises and activities that were made. There, yes, but very few and well known by most. What I can say nos, is that the focus of Norway and, in general, the Nordic countries, is changing. Until recently, football was played in that area was quite similar to the British: that is, direct play, long balls, second plays, etc.. This is changing. Now, they are facing south, very to the south. Barca and the Spanish National Team have become reference points and everybody wants to play "possession football". And here also. Everything we saw and explained applied to football for children applied is based on possession: Rondos, possession games, etc.. The only problem I see (or saw) is that their culture tactic regarding this way of playing is still very low, which makes them look many misconceptions regarding its application, from building up with the "lavolpiana" with centre-backs wide, but no one among them or not applying the exchange of positions. But, I guess, as they are intelligent people, that they will know soon how to solve it.

The course has had exhibitions of programs for different groups of people (women, homeless, disabled, etc.,always in the more social aspect), seminars, discussion groups, etc.. It has participating people as Per Omdal (one of the greatest in the field of Grassroots in Europe), Fernando Hierro (ex-Real Madrid player), or Willi Hink (Director of Amateur Football in the German Federation), with guests from Oceania or Africa, in addition to the technical staff of UEFA, with Ioan Lupescu (Chief Technical Officer) or Frank Ludolph (Head of Education).

In the next entries I'll speak of what has been done daily.