Vince Rugari published a piece in the SMH during the week in which he talked about the Australian-born coach, Roberto Venturato who is making a strong statement in Italy with the minnow club Cittadella.
In an ancient walled city, around an hour's drive north-east of Venice, a born and bred Aussie is on the cusp of an Italian football miracle.
Roberto Venturato doesn't have an Australian passport, citizenship papers, or anything close to a public profile. What he has is much more important: a spiritual and emotional connection to the country where he first fell in love with football, which has shaped him in a way that sets him apart from the crazed, often chaotic sporting universe he now belongs to.
It got us thinking about a possible lack of focus on coaching in the historical records.
I approached Vince about coming on to discuss the piece and he said: "Dunno mate, I'm not a historian". But he did text me the following:
Not sure what more I could add except for that I was astounded nobody had done the work to tell his story before. When Cittadella were in the playoffs last year his name did the rounds on twitter but all anyone knew was that he was born in Atherton. Nothing else.
I emailed the club many months ago asking for an interview, got no response, but tried again post-COVID because I figured it’d be half a chance with everyone stuck at home. Turns out I was right. Story was written in early April from memory — SMH only ran it yesterday [May 25]!
Sure, we all know about Ange Postecoglu and maybe even have a thought for the code-hopping Darren Burgess (conditioning coach with Liverpool, PAFC, Arsenal, now Melbourne Demons). But who are the other great Australian coaching exports?
But before that we probably need to look at a history of the the imports:
Who are some of the biggies?
- Puskas
- Dockerty
- Venables?
- Hiddink?
I went off to trove to start a search using the search terms soccer and coach. (Rider here is that the story I'm about to tell is speculative and impressionistic)
As usual, the impressions vary from location to location. Perth for example seems more aware of coaching in the early 20C given that the game is very much focused on development through schoolboys.
pre 1900
Coaching is a term used across sports. It seems to involve a combination of mentoring/organising/selecting -- a little like a club captain in a contemporary cricket club.
1900/1910s
In this period many of the references to soccer coach were to the mode of transport. Some instances of coaching were found, sometimes to an active captain coaching on the field.
Coaching - training
During the war . . .
1920s
Judy Masters coaching juveniles in 1921. Stays 'coaching' with Balgownie for 20 years. Interestingly he's also club secretary during that time.
Seems in the early 1920s many of the coaching references are to bringing young players up to speed.
After the English tour in 1925 . . .
Truth, Sunday 4 April 1926, page 4
SOCCER.AFTER having seen the last English side in action, club officials would do well to go into the matter of getting hold of good coaches for their players. Such men as Alick Mill, Alf Gallagher, Bert Moore, Billy Carroll, and others, who learned to play football almost before they could talk, areof them would be only too willing to give his services free of all charge. It has been proved time and again that we have the individual players, and they only want moulding together to introduce the keynote of all football success, which is combination, and efficient coaches are the ones to do the moulding.
Coaches are seen to have a new role in moulding and shaping good teams into better teams.
1930s
The beginning of the professionalisation of coaching. Coaches are imported from elsewhere.
Just before ww2
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate , Monday 3 April 1939, page 11
Coach From England
Australia will have its first professional Soccer coach from overseas this week. Gladesville Ryde Club carried out negotiations during the summer, and secured a prominent English goal keeper to coach the team. He will arrive during the week, and will take up his duties immediately. Club officials refuse to divulge his name, or the amount he is to be paid. Alan Ward, who has kept goal for Gladesville-Ryde, and who played brilliantly at Wallsend on Saturday, has been anxious to retire for Some time.
WW2
1950s
Argus, Tuesday 17 June 1952, page 8
SOCCER COUNCIL WILL IMPORT COACH
By BILL FLEMING
Victorian Soccer Association will seek permission from the English and Scottish Football Association to appoint a coach at a salary of £ 1,000 a year, to boost junior interest.This was decided at a special meeting between the Soccer Council and members of the junior executive last night.The successful applicant must hold an "A" grade coaching certifícate from the F.A., and must not be over 32. He will be paid £1000 a year, plus cost of living adjustments. Accommodation will be provided. Mr. N. Rothfield said the coach would take up his duties on January 1 next year. The committee, also appointed Mr. V. J. M. Dixon to organise soccer in schools. He will begin his campaign on Monday, and will tour Victoria to sell soccer to the juniors.The association decided to present l8 soccer balls for distribution in schools where soccer is played.The council accepted applications from six country teams to enter for the Dockerty Cup. They are: Pucka Rovers (Army), Maryvale, Upper Yarra Dam, Albury City, O.C.C. Morwell, and Morwell.To overcome transport difficulties it was decided all clubs outside the league would play in the metropolitan area.Entries arc a record. Play in the first round will begin on August 9.
[Len Young arrives in 1954]
A few months later, NSW went through the same process.
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