Part 1. Steve Murray
PSA Academy Director
As the Premier Soccer Academy Squad count down the days before they depart for the UK tour. I caught up with PSA Academy Director Steve Murray to get his views on this years squad and with what’s been happening over the past 6 months.
JH. Shane Huke has just reported back to Peterborough United for pre season training. How is he going?
SM. I speak to Gaffa (John Morling, Posh reserve team coach) every 2 or 3 weeks and by all accounts Hukey is doing great. While he was over here he trained twice a week with us as part of his closed season program and I was impressed with the improvement in his passing and vision.
JH.What do you think Hukey’s chances are of making it as a pro at Peterborough United?
SM. I honestly believe he will be asked to sign professional terms with Peterborough United within the next six months, if they think enough of him to put him on the bench the other week in the impressive 1 – 0 win over Arsenal he has got to be getting close.
JH. How is this years touring squad looking?
SM. Very impressive. I have been very pleased with the quality of players we have been able to bring over to the UK in the past 5 years. I had intended to limit this years squad to 15 players, however with 42 players requesting a place in this years squad I and the quality of some of these players I decided to open it up again.
JH. How are you recruiting the players for the PSA Tours?
SM. We are no longer recruiting players. Over the years it has just grown through word of mouth and now that the web site is up and running, thanks to you! We have been inundated with requests from all corners of the world. I have just tried to keep it real, I don’t make promises to players that I can’t keep and be as professional as possible, basically players come to us through word of mouth.
JH. Since living back in the UK, What has been happening over in Australia with regards to football? Are things on the up?
SM. Are you having a laugh! It is still rotten from the top down and you know I am not talking about the players, The players are here but as always so many get lost and disheartened by the system. As you know, coach education here is a joke that’s why we went over and did our UEFA Licence…. nothing has changed.
JH. I visited John Paul College October last year. The facilities and the quality of the players were very impressive, how did you come about getting that gig?
SM. I was coaching Rochedale Rovers U17s and was approached at the beginning of the 2001 season to take a look at 3 players who where attending the International college at JPC. 2 weeks later I was invited to put on a few coaching sessions at JPC for the newly formed Brain Soccer Program, The company is run by Tony Kim who has played in 2 world cup’s and Captained South Korea, Tony is a national sporting hero in
South Korea however he has very little coaching experience and was looking for someone to organise the day to day coaching. I have been with them from the start, 18 months now.
JH. I understand that the players couldn’t speak English when you started coaching them. How difficult did that make things for you?
SM. It was a bit of a problem at first. Out of 38 players only 3 could speak English, Ki, Charles and Beck’s, these 3 lads helped me a lot. I found that I was doing more demo’s than talking as I found I was getting my point across quicker and as they say, action speaks loader than words. I have also learned a few phrases and stick to keywords when I want something done quick. Now most of the lads have been here for
over a year they understand English pretty good even if some of them don’t speak it that well.
JH. With 13 Korean players and 11 Australian players making up the 24-player squad how do you think we will go with regards to understanding each other on the park?
SM. The language barrier is no longer a problem as all of the lads who are coming speak English now and 3 of the Australian lads are playing for JPC with the Korean anyway. One thing I have made my mind up about over the past 18 months is that no mater where you come from sport is a great way to break down barriers and once respect is established you don’t even need to speak the same language.
We are going to have a lot of fun on this tour as the Korean’s have a great sense of humour.
JH. Can you confirm that Kieran Cooper from Rochedale Rovers is coming over with the squad this year?
SM. Yes, Brian Cheesman from JPC is coming and Kieran has joined us. Kieran wants to take a look at the Academy system in the UK. We are also looking at setting up an Elite academy back here that would incorporate Rovers and John Paul College with PSA as the coaching arm, we are currently in negotiations and I will keep you informed of our progress.
JH. I know you are not too concerned about results when on tour, however we came close to upsetting Peterborough last year. Do you think we maybe able to take a scalp from the pro academies this time?
SM. For sure! Last year was great! 2-2 against the Posh and that was down to a moody penalty in the dyeing minutes and one month later they beat Nottingham Forest in the FA youth cup. We only lost 3 – 2 against Ipswich Town and that was partly due to Gareth Musson an ex PSA player scoring all three goals for them, It would be great to get one over on the big boys but the most important thing is to play well and keep
up the respect we get from these clubs. Every year I am told by the likes of Peterborough, West ham and Ipswich that the players have conducted themselves very professionally on and off the field and the quality of players that we are bringing over is getting higher and higher.
JH. As always we work hard to provide as much football in the itinerary as possible & this year is no different but looking at the final itinerary the lads don’t look like they are going to be doing much sight seeing?
SM. That’s correct. If they want to go sight seeing their are other people in Brisbane who have set up tours and have their players going up and down the motorways and meeting all kinds of minor dignitaries who have nothing to do with football. There are people taking over 7 or 8 players and linking up with junior clubs in the UK and then playing pro academies, that’s up to them but for me if you don’t have a
squad of 15 or more you don’t play matches. In the past I have taken over 4 players at a time and have arranged for these players to work in with the pro academy teams, That’s how Musson got picked up. If players want to visit stadiums and biggest shopping centres in Europe the PSA is not for them. One day in London sight seeing for us. SOME GO SIGHT SEEING, SOME CATCH THE VIBE… ENOUGH
SAID!
JH. Have you managed to work the 4 sessions a week, 18 months continually with the Koreans?
SM. More or less. I took 3 weeks off for the 2002 tour and 4 weeks over Christmas but apart from that we have been going hard at it for 18 months. I have been working with the under 14 /15/ and 17s. I am looking forward to the tour so I can sit back and observe while you do some Coaching. You will enjoy working with these players I feel the tours are getting better each year, so we are in for a great time.