Sydney FC has continued to build its coaching stocks with the appointment of respected Coach Brian Dene as the Assistant Coach to Ian Crook for the 2011/12 National Youth League competition.
Sydney FC has continued to build its coaching stocks with the appointment of respected Coach Brian Dene as the Assistant Coach to Ian Crook for the 2011/12 National Youth League competition.
Dene, who holds an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) A Coaching Licence, has previously worked as an Assistant Coach at the NSW Institute of Sport and Head Coach at NSW Premier League side Parramatta FC will begin work immediately.
Dene will join the Sydney FC coaching staff in continuing to attend NSW Premier League matches to identify young players who are not only playing well in the NSW Premier League, but who the coaching staff believe can make the transition to the Hyundai A-League.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to work in a professional club with young talented players and assisting Ian Crook with the Youth Team,” Dene said. “Football fans love to see clubs identifying, developing and producing homegrown young players with the potential to break into the first team.
“Not only is it good for the competition of places, but also it is exciting for fans to know that local players are reaching and performing at the highest level in the country.”
Dene was welcomed to the Sydney FC coaching staff by CEO Dirk Melton, who pointed to Dene-s work in the Institute system (NSWIS) as well as his coaching credentials, in declaring he had an important role to play.
“Identifying and developing young players is important not only from a football perspective but it is a key to Sydney FC-s engagement with the football community and implementing a pathway for junior players from the grassroots to the A-League,” Melton said.
“Brian has worked with NSWIS as well as the schools system and the NSW Premier League so he is well suited to fulfil what we believe is a very important role in supporting Ian Crook and the A-league coaching staff.”
While his primary role is to assist Crook with the identification and development of the next generation of stars, Dene will also spend time working alongside the A-League squad under Vitezslav Lavicka as Sydney FC strives to align the coaching philosophies across all levels of the Club.
“I-m very excited to be working at Sydney FC,” he said. “I know the club very well and I am looking forward to working closely with Vitezslav Lavicka, Steve Corica and Ian Crook. To get the opportunity to learn of these three professionals is a really exciting thing for me.
“I-ve had the opportunity to observe the first team training and all the staff, coaching, medical, administration have made me feel very welcome.
“I am really looking forward to working with the young players. I worked with quite a few of the younger senior players at Sydney FC when I was at NSWIS. Guys like Rhyan Grant, Terry Antonis, Nathan Sherlock, and Dimi Petratos, so it-s great to get the chance to work with them again in a professional environment.”
As well as his former coaching experience at NSWIS and Parramatta FC, Dene is also currently employed as the Director of Football Coaching and Assistant Sportsmaster at Newington College in Sydney and has been the Head Coach of the Australian Schoolboys Team for the last two years.
