Eleven local coaches accredited at leading UAE soccer school
Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) in Abu Dhabi has underlined its commitment to the development of local talent by accrediting eleven UAE-based football coaches through its rigorous coaching programme.
The coaches who support the MUSS team of Andy Dixon and Craig Taylor all hail from sporting backgrounds and have proved their commitment to developing young football talent in the UAE.
A true blend of nationalities and cultures, reflecting the population of Abu Dhabi and of the children who take part in the MUSS programmes, the 11-strong team of local coaches include UAE national Ahmed Hamoud, a former Al Jazira striker and former professional Dutch footballer with AFC Ajax, Khalid Hamdaoui.
Leading the UAE’s first girls-only football programme is local coach Stela Samuela, a physical education teacher with GEMS American Academy in Khalifa City who is originally from Romania and has lived in the UAE for eight years.
Andy Dixon, MUSS head coach in Abu Dhabi, said, “We have trained these coaches to fully understand how to deliver fantastic soccer programmes the Manchester United way and make a difference in the lives of the children who take part in our programmes.
“We attract players of all abilities, from many different backgrounds, and with different learning abilities, and we develop our coaches so that they are able to get the best out of every individual they work with.”
Gavin Rhodes, head of Coaching for Manchester United Soccer Schools based in Old Trafford who oversees all local coach development in the UK and abroad visited the UAE capital to formally accredit the Abu Dhabi team.
“Our commitment to work with and be part of the local community in a city like Abu Dhabi is so important,” he said. “Having seen the coaches in their sessions, watching the way they teach the art of football to children from all over the world underlines to me the vital role our local coaches play in delivering the very best teaching methods to our MUSS children.
“We are very proud of our coaching team in Abu Dhabi. They continue to represent Manchester United Soccer Schools in a very professional and positive way, delivering against our key coaching philosophies. To see such a development across the last 12 months is great testimony to everyone concerned with the Abu Dhabi programme”.
Manchester United Soccer Schools in Abu Dhabi Local Coaches
- Adil Bentafrit, Morocco
- Ahmed Hamood, UAE
- Brett Dickerson, USA
- Khalid Hamdaoui, Holland
- Khalid Al Maflahi, UAE
- Llion Thomas, UK
- Marc Evans, UK
- Paul Walker, UK
- Reda El Hammouni, Morocco
- Seth Amoafo, Ghana
- Stela Samuela, Romania
The MUSS Abu Dhabi coaching team is now teaching more than 350 children signed up to the latest soccer school programme which focuses on the skills and attitude of three Manchester United legends, Ryan Giggs, Nani and Antonio Valencia. The new girls-only sessions are now fully booked, emphasising the popularity of football among girls in the UAE.
Registration is now open for the April 2012 programme, ‘Learn to attack with flair the United way’, which features 12.5 hours of on-field coaching by the certified MUSS coaches. The cost of AED 1,650 includes an exclusive Nike Manchester United training kit of shirt, shorts and socks, MUSS drawstring bag, water bottle and skills ball as well as catch-up sessions and individual player evaluation.
All players enrolled in the programme in Abu Dhabi will take part in the MUSS series of skills challenges with the top two point scorers receiving an all expenses paid trip to Manchester to represent Abu Dhabi in the World Skills Final at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground as well as the world famous Old Trafford stadium in 2012.
Abu Dhabi based developer Reem Investments, which signed a partnership agreement with MUSS, built the Dome@Rawdhat to create a vibrant sporting community in the area. More than 12,000 people use the facilities every month.
To learn more about the MUSS programme visit www.manutdsoccerschools.ae or call 02 449 8480.
