Olympic FC Technical Director Gabor Ganczer believes a trio of new initiatives will provide professional-level opportunities for the club's talented youngsters.

As the National Premier Leagues system enters its second year, Olympic has moved to ensure the standard set in its debut NPL Queensland-winning season is improved upon in future years.

"I would highlight three things," Ganczer said.

"First, the appointment of [former AC Milan player] Stefano Salvatori at the game-training and performance phase age groups as a Director of Coaching. I think it is great to use his experience as a former Champions League player.”

"The second massive thing is in the NPL junior boys age groups where we are going with 18-man squads for most teams.”

"This means they are always able to put into practice what they learn throughout training because we can organise 8v8 games and set up proper game training.”

“It will help them to realise it's not only about game day, it's more important what we do midweek.”

"The third thing I would like to highlight is the football conditioning program for the U20-U15 ages.”

“We have a football conditioning coach taking the players on Mondays for a recovery session at the Yeronga pool, on Tuesdays we have a rehabilitation session for players coming back from injuries and on Wednesdays football conditioning training.”

"I think it is a professional setup at junior level which starts to remind you of a European academy. It is a massive commitment for the players but if you want to be a professional this is the only way."

Ganczer also pointed to the importance of Olympic FC's senior teams in growing the club's reputation, which he hopes will achieve greater national recognition in 2014.

"Our clear objective for the Senior Men's team is defend our titles, again reach the NPL Finals stage and to get through the FQ Cup," he said.

"Last year was about establishing our name in a higher respect at state level but a national domestic cup and hopefully another National Premier Leagues Finals Series appearance will further strengthen our reputation."

While the NPL Men prepare to defend their silverware, Olympic FC's Senior Women are similarly gearing up for the newly-created SEQ Women's Premier League, a joint venture between Football Queensland and Football Brisbane.

Ganczer believes the competition sets a promising platform for a transitional period of women's football in the state.

"I think it is the only reasonable option Football Queensland could find for senior women players," Ganczer said

"To me it makes sense to merge the existing competitions into the SEQ Women's Premier League. At the moment we have to say below the U15s level there are numbers and quality, but over that age there is quality but not the numbers.

"However, I do believe within a few years, with these 15, 14, 13 year old girls coming through, it won't be a problem to field an elite league and a community league where both could be strong and support each other.

"It is an exciting time for football in Queensland," Ganczer concluded.

 

Words: Matt Dorman (Olympic FC)
Image: Olympic FC