New Zealand Football Appoints Technical Director

From stuff.  Anyone know anything about this guy?  The bit in bold is quite a claim, I would quite like to see that backed up!!

"New Zealand Football has appointed Rob Sherman as its technical director for the community game.

Sherman - NZF's high performance manager in 2007-08 - will be tasked with increasing participation numbers and developing the ability of players and coaches in the domestic game.

He will have responsibility and ownership for NZF's player and coach development programmes and asked to provide a co-ordinated link between high performance and community football.

Sherman - who holds the world's highest coaching qualification in the UEFA Pro Licence - joins NZF from his current role of head of coach education at Football Federation Australia.

"Rob's experience in creating and delivering player and coach development pathways for several national associations around the world saw him as the ideal fit for this position," said NZF community football director Cameron Mitchell.

"He has played a hands-on role in shaping the careers of some of the world's best players and coaches and our ability to tap into that experience will be a key driver in our capability to move into the next phase of our delivery of the Whole of Football Plan...

"With [All Whites coach] Anthony [Hudson] and Rob now confirmed in their respective positions, along with Football Ferns coach Tony Readings, we have secured key roles in a structure linking the strong base of our pyramid with the top.

"Rob shares a similar football philosophy to both Anthony and Tony and they will all play an important part in creating a pathway connecting the grassroots to the elite game which gives everyone an opportunity to reach their full potential."

Heard through a couple of people that he is very good and they were surpirsed NZF managed to get him

One word - Gareth Bale - Sherman coached him in the Wales u-16's.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/r...

I remember Mr Sherman being very well respected by football folk when he was last working for NZF - heard good things from some coaches in Christchurch etc.

I think that quote comes from his time at the Welsh FA where he was technical director and coached their u-16's for seven years  - he would have guided the best young Welsh players. Hyperbole though of course!

A Welshman, he played for Cardiff, Swansea and Hull Cities before becoming a player-coach.

Worked as High Performance Manager NZ Football 2007-8.

Designed and implemented the coaching program at the Asia-Pacific Football Academy,.Lincoln, Christchurch 2008-10.

Has his own website: http://robshermanfootballconsultant.com/Rob_Sherma...

"At the Football Association of Wales, he introduced a national structure for the development of players, directed and delivered the Coach Education program including the UEFA Pro and A licenses. He also coached the Welsh U16 Men’s team for 7 years, during which time they secured the Victory Shield for the first time since the 1950’s. As part of his role, he represented the FAW within UEFA’s coach and youth development initiatives.

...2 years acting as Assistant Coach to the Canadian Women’s National Team where he again experienced success when the Canadian’s secured a Bronze medal at the London Olympic."

As a Charlton supporter, anyone recommended by the legendary Lennie Lawrence is okay by me:

“Having worked closely with Rob during his time with the FAW, I know first-hand the level of professionalism and skill he brings to all projects he is involved with” -Lennie Lawrence (Ex Middlesborough, Charlton, Cardiff City, Luton Manager)

Mr Sherman was a keynote instructor at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Convention earlier this year:

http://www.nscaa.com/news/2013/10/clinician-featur...

Since Hudson's appointment I have been getting flack from some of my kiwi sports friends who say the whole of NZ male football is run by Brits...then you add the CEO Martin as well and there is an element of truth in this. Now we have Sherman...another Brit appointed as technical director of the community game. 

I personally have no problem with Hudson or Emblen as they appear to have a "non traditionally English" view of football. I don't know anything about Sherman so I can't comment on him but I know I will be getting some more flack about him soon.

Considering how the debate in the UK is going about Englands poor performance at the WC (again) and the general feeling that the coaching of UK coaches is generally of a low standard and not up to modern international methods then you wonder if NZF should cast their nets a little wider when searching for coaches to work in NZ.

You could also ask why does NZ not produce its own homegrown products that can step into these roles.....perhaps we need to look at the way we develop our local coaches as well.

Perhaps some of the problem in British football is who they appoint to these roles, rather than the coaching ethos they apply. Maybe we are getting theses guys because they see no pathway in UK football and we (& other countries) are reaping the benefit.

ineresting Intel. Not sure coaching Bale at u16 really counts as shaping his career. Think the Southampton academy probably claims that one!

Fred seems to have bumped a few roles down the pecking order. He seems to be being squeezed in all directions

Yes, same here.

Also, I think that the language and culture in New Zealand make it easier to attract Brits than say, South Americans to come here and coach. As for our local coaches struggling to break through, part of that is simply because we're too small and there's no real pathway to develop here. Emblen is effectively a local coach though even if he is English, and he seems to have come along nicely.

Personally I'm really excited about the state of New Zealand football at the moment. A hungry young coach, a CEO who's not part of the old boys network, a technical director with good experience, and most importantly a bunch of young, skillful players coming through the ranks. I'm painfully aware it could be a false dawn but it does make me think that the future is bright.

Keeping it inthe family

Rob Sherman NZF Technical Director has quit:

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/sherman-steps-down/

Reading between the lines, it seems to be because of health issues.

"Sherman will retain his connection to New Zealand Football in a coach education capacity."

"Sherman, who began in the role last October, said it was not an easy decision to walk away from a position he has thoroughly enjoyed.

“I find myself in a situation where I need to focus on myself,” he said. “I am however extremely disappointed that I am not in a position to see the work initiated over the past few years come to fruition.

“I know that the technical direction is in good hands and the momentum will be maintained and developed. I look forward to returning to football in due course.”

Will be interesting to see who his replacement will be - probably somebody from overseas?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/87820580/departing-new-zealand-football-technical-director-believes-organisation-is-performing-really-well

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/boyens-appointed-acting-technical-director/

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/heraf-confirmed-as-tec...

Looks like a good appointment, definitely got a lot of experience and the right qualifications

wtf. not a pom?

This could be a game changing appointment. This guy seems to be a serious big hitter.

Lots of age group experience. But, it seems like its a case of him wanting to come here rather than NZF head hunting him.

Still, a lot of experience.

Great signing. Hopefully he sticks around NZF for a few years, perhaps next all whites coach?

Secretly here to be the next Nix coach as well!

A ready-made replacement when Hudson moves on?

does seem like a very credible appointment!

This is great news.

The guy has great experience coaching all of Austria's youth teams since 2008 with good success. Since 2010, he has lead Austrian age group sides to qualify for five out of six UEFA and FIFA final tournaments.

He had a good playing career with Austria Vienna, including the 1996 UEFA Cup-Winners Cup Final vs. PSG

11 caps for Austria including being in the squad for 1998 World Cup Finals in France.

I remember him being very enthusiastic about NZ when he coached Austria at the u-20 World Cup here - he spent several weeks travelling around NZ in a motorhome before the tournament.

Andreas is also a TV football commentator back home in Austria on Sky Austria.

So he could also take over that role on Sky here from Fred.

His German Wikipedia is much more detailed than his English one:

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Heraf

Apparently, Heraf was famous for his big hair in the 1980's and 90's:

Andreas Heraf 10.09.1967 S.K. Rapid, Wien

Yeah, great news. I remember him from when the Austria U-20's played warm-up match at East Coast Bays. Bit of a charmer - and does NZF need a bit of charm!

This post has not aged well ;-)

Shame we didn't have it together enough in NZ to retain Rob Sherman at NZ Football (High Performance Manager 2007-8, Technical Director 2014-16).

He's been snapped up by the Aussies as their new Technical Director at the FFA:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/114924668/australias-technical-director-rob-sherman-warns-of-world-cup-qualification-failure

Worked for them in the past as their Head of Coach Education.