UEFA Share: Guidi, Chiarabini and Arcangeli in Bucharest for a seminar on women’s football

The UEFA Share Women's Football Competence Framework seminar, dedicated to developing women’s football, concluded in Bucharest on Thursday 30 March. The football associations of Romania (host nation), England, Moldova, Estonia, Poland, Turkey, Greece, Belarus, Austria and San Marino took part. Representing the FSGC were Jessica Guidi, member of the Federal Council, Carlo Chiarabini, Head of the Coach Education Department, and Gionata Arcangeli, Head of the San Marino girls’ and women’s youth sector. There was also a strong female presence among the UEFA experts, including Anna Signeul and Sonia Kienzler, who led the seminar with conviction and determination. There was an insightful contribution from Kris Van der Hagen, Technical Director of the Royal Belgian FA and assistant coach of the Belgium Women’s National Team, who highlighted the common ground between the men’s and women’s game, underlining how the substantial differences that existed twenty years ago have narrowed considerably, especially from a technical and tactical point of view. The programme, combining theory and on‑field activities, aimed to underline the importance of the growth of a movement that is currently experiencing significant expansion across Europe. The topics of fitness and the role of the goalkeeper in women’s football were also addressed, both areas with their own specific characteristics. In this respect, the discussion focused on the need to adapt the content of coach education courses, so that new coaches are fully prepared to work with women’s teams as well – aware of certain specific dynamics. The panel of UEFA experts produced a document outlining the minimum competences to be included in the syllabuses of courses run by the various national associations. Coach education managers from the different countries present exchanged views, ideas and experiences, committing to move in this direction in order to standardise, as far as possible, the training pathways for new aspiring coaches in the modern game. It is a challenging and stimulating task, which San Marino will also be tackling in the coming months, starting with the UEFA B Goalkeeping course to be held shortly at the FSGC.

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