Terim: Education key to coaching revolution

Fatih Terim has shared his experiences with Pro Licence students in Nyon, emphasising that the key to "a revolution" in coaching is through education.

The football director of the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), as well as national coach, Terim attended the 18th gathering of aspiring coaches studying on a student exchange at UEFA's Swiss headquarters, from Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

"If we are to start a revolution, the most important factor is coaching," Terim said. "Therefore, it is very important that the coaches are trained properly. More importantly, the coaches that are supposed to train these coaches have to receive a good education themselves.

"I decided that we needed [in Turkey] technical people who are familiar with education. They need to be patient and to be experts in their field in order for our young people to be trained properly. Our coaches need to possess lots of information and have a modern, up-to-date structure in order to succeed."

Nicknamed the 'Emperor', Terim set sail on his coaching voyage at the age of 32 with MKE Ankaragücü and told students of the importance of learning every day since, using other coaches and his own experience as parallel frames of reference.

"I attended every course that was available. For several years, I was a player who participated the most in national-team matches but I still never thought that I could become a coach without educating myself.

"When people like us who come directly from the business believe in further education, this serves to create an ideal situation. I therefore attended every course UEFA ran in Turkey. I was keen for education, learning from the best around the world.

"In my last year at Galatasaray [as a player], a very important German coach was working with us, Jupp Derwall. He showed me the right path to take to become a coach. I trained with him and also with British coaches that Galatasaray worked with at the time such as Malcolm Allison, Arthur Cox and Brian Birch. I am someone who tries to achieve the best at everything he does."

Terim’s advice and inspiration brought the curtain down on the fourth season of the Student Exchange Pro Licence courses, which support the high level of qualifications for coaches across Europe.