Coerver master coaching franchise available

Coerver Coaching teaches advanced soccer skills in 40 countries. Photo / Supplied

Coerver Coaching intends to establish a National Master Franchise, to roll out its globally-recognised soccer coaching method across New Zealand.

Having begun in 1984, Coerver Coaching now operates in 40 countries, says LINK business broker Tony Andrew. It has operated in New Zealand since 2001, last year setting up franchise operations in Auckland City and on Auckland's North Shore.

"The next step will be to negotiate the sale of the master franchise," Andrew points out. "The job of the master will be to recruit, train, mentor and support regional franchisees. Franchisees arrange classes, coach, do marketing and provide access to facilities; they pay a royalty and buy stock and uniforms from the master.

"The Coerver Coaching Franchising programme offers opportunities for business people who want to get into football and football people who want to get into business. The master franchisor will own the New Zealand rights to this premium coaching business providing support for franchisees, from a coaching and business perspective. The master franchisor will own a new interactive website based on the successfully implemented international Coerver on-line presence. This is expected to go live soon."

Andrew says comprehensive technical and business training is included, along with equipment and resources to support the business and there is an extensive database of existing customer contacts.

"Coerver international has conducted a pre-establishment mapping study in New Zealand. Key findings include that around 18 per cent of the population is under 15 years of age equating to 800,000 children. Based on patterns established elsewhere in the world that should support 18 franchise territories in New Zealand, each with similar numbers of target customers. Theoretically, this will deliver the same 'opportunity' for each franchise territory.

The anticipated territory spread will be: Auckland, six; Waikato, two; Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Whanganui and Otago, one each; Wellington and Canterbury, three each."

Coerver's stated mission is to professionally deliver the world's most exciting and effective soccer skills teaching system.

In the late 1970s Dutch European Championship winning coach Wiel Coerver led a revolution in soccer coaching. He was dissatisfied with the lack of over-emphasis on defensive play in the professional game; an emphasis many thought was stifling the exciting, attacking style necessary to score goals and attract fans.

In 1984, inspired by Coerver's philosophy, Alfred Galustian and Charlie Cooke founded what is now known as Coerver Coaching.

Little attention had been given to individual skill development, because no one knew quite how to teach these skills.

It was also widely assumed the great players of the game were innately gifted far beyond the capabilities of the average player.

Coerver's early focus was on teaching ball mastery and "one-versus-one skills", by encouraging players to emulate the moves of soccer's all-time greats, such as Stanley Matthews, Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Pele.

The programme developed "The Pyramid of Player Development" which consists of six building blocks. Each block combines games and training exercises for all ages and many have been featured in well-known Coerver publications and video series.

Exercises can be used by coaches planning team training sessions, and players practising on their own.

"The next Soccer World Cup is a little over a year away," says Andrew.

"This is a great opportunity to be involved in a business that presents opportunities on the back of interest that will again peak considerably as both international and local attention on soccer intensifies."