Preparing for the Future

Marcello Lippi once said that "Coverciano doesn’t give you truths, it gives you possibilites."

This was very true when a delegation from the Welsh Football Trust and Football Association of Wales recently visited the Italian FA’s National Training Centre. Technical Director Osian Roberts expands.

"We didn’t get many answers whilst in Coverciano and that’s how it should be, but what we did get were many things to consider and assess, for example their methods, their structure and most importantly their belief in having a National Training Centre where they can develop a philosophy for the future. "

Ian Rush MBE, Elite Performance Director for the Welsh Football Trust admits that Wales may never have a facility to match Coverciano, but insists a National Training Centre is a must for Wales. "We’ve got to invest in the future of Welsh football, in our youngsters. Other small nations are catching up and moving forward, and despite all the great strides we’ve taken in the last few years a National Centre would really move us in the right direction" said the former Wales legend.

Left to Right: K Tucker Vice President FAW; D Griffiths Treasurer FAW; A Bickerstaff, G John WFT, Osian Roberts, Ian Rush, T Boyle, N Ward, D Adams, P Lee Chairman WFT, M Bishop
Front: Vanni Sartini, Faranco Ferrari (both Italian FA)