Riverside Stadium in Queanbeyan was the venue for Football Australia’s latest Talent Development Scheme match, for players born in 2005/06 (Girls) and 2006/07 (Boys).

Two teams of fourteen players each, led by local coaches, went head-to-head in front of talent scouts from the Capital Football and Football Australia technical departments respectively. Also in attendance was Debbie Fisher FA’s Pathways and Talent Development Manager.

“The TDS games at Riverside Stadium are a fantastic opportunity for our talented young players to be identified to take the next step towards potential international selection,” said Capital Football Technical Director, Phil Booth.

“This event offers our local coaches not only CPD hours to maintain their advanced accreditations, but to be part of a network.”

The workshop demonstrated to coaches how they can identify qualities in a group of players using the Six P’s of Football (Passing, Pressing, Patience, Possession, Penetration and Positioning), and calibrate their observations across different playing groups. In doing this, it creates a more consistent talent ID for coaches to apply in local competitions.

“Repeated observations in front of Football Australia TDS network and National Team coaches, helps to provides players with more opportunities to be identified for National Teams,” Booth revealed.

“With the expansion of the FA scouting network in the ACT through the Shiny app, I am confident local talent will have more opportunities to shine at the highest level.”

The next TDS match will take place on Wednesday 4 September for players born in Boys 2008 and 2009 with more details and invitations to players to be released shortly.