The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) selected Ian Greenwood as their new Technical Director following public advertisements and a competitive and comprehensive selection process.
According to a press release from the GFF, Greenwood is an English UEFA-Qualified Coach, with over 10 years of coaching/management experience at various levels of the sport including the U-14, U-15, U-16, U-18 and U-21 teams at Leeds United Football Club and seven years’ experience in coach education.
Former Technical Director Claude Bolton
Greenwood will officially begin his tenure on the October 8, 2016 and as per FIFA, the Technical Director is in charge of defining and leading the national technical development programmes, and developing long-term strategies in this regard for all aspects of the game, be it grassroots, women’s football, coach education or youth football, and to bring them together in synergy according to the development pyramid.
Greenwood replaces Canadian national, Claude Bolton, who served as Technical Director from 2015 but abruptly resigned with effect on March 1, 2016.
The General Responsibilities of the Technical Director are: to develop, and implement a clear and thorough Technical Development plan with a Technical Chart aimed at continually promoting and improving the game of football in Guyana at all levels, from Grassroots to Elite football including Youth football, Women’s football, Futsal, Beach Soccer, and Coaching Education.
The TD is also expected to advise the GFF on all matters related to the effective development of football in Guyana and be accountable for the development of a strategy and policy for the performance of football programmes.
The specific responsibilities include training and development of coaches including: design and updating of coaches manuals, facilitating licensing courses, developing a coaches Code of Conduct, arranging for expert and specialist coaches to deliver training clinics along with education on rules of the game, amongst other related duties.
It is revealed that the new Technical Director has functioned as Development Coach, Head Coach and Academy Coach for a number of English Football Clubs including Huddersfield Town Football Club of the English Championship, 2007 – 2014 (Academy Coach); Leeds City College Football Academy, 2010 – 2012 (Head Coach); and Leeds United Football Club (English Championship) – his last place of employment – as a Development Coach (2004 – 2007) and as Academy Coach (2014 – 2016) respectively. As part of his job, he designed club curriculum and technical programmes. He also supported squad and team management at various levels of the academy to progress players to the first team and youth international squads.
Greenwood is qualified with a Masters Degree in Sports Coaching, has also been involved in coach education in the capacity of Club / Professional Coach Mentor as well as Lecturer at the following institutions – Leeds City College, Huddersfield Town Football Club, The Football Association and Leeds Beckett University.
Leeds United’s Academy is renowned for producing England internationals such as James Milner, Fabian Delph, Aaron Lennon, Paul Robinson, Alan Smith, Jonathan Woodgate and Scott Carson. The Academy also produced Premier League players such as Harry Kewell, Ian Harte, Gary Kelly, Danny Rose, Jonny Howson, Sam Byram and Lewis Cook.
The Federation received 13 applications from eight countries including Guyana, England, Scotland, Portugal and the Philippines. Of the total received, six were shortlisted. The interview was done in two-parts; the first beginning in July and the final in August 2016.
