Football Coaches Australia (FCA) extend support for PFA Past Players Program members

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Former Australian professional footballers wishing to pursue a career in coaching will be provided additional support through the PFA’s partnership with Football Coaches Australia (FCA).

Members of the PFA’s Past Players Program will have their joining fee for FCA waived, providing developing coaches with access to coaching-specific resources and services such as professional coach development, contracting standards and legal advocacy.

The initiative is a result of the partnership between FCA and PFA established in 2018 and built on a commitment to driving the highest standards of professionalism in Australian football and collaborating on professional development opportunities for elite players and coaches.

FCA is the official association for Australia’s qualified football coaches which represents and prepares professional coaches.

Key benefits of the FCA membership are access to the FCAXV Essential Skills program, encompassing modules on leadership, resilience, communication, emotional intelligence and culture, in addition to PD programs, which attract FA Licence CPD points, a comprehensive national psychology service and financial guidance.

A standard contract and independent grievance procedure for coaches is currently being pursued in discussions with Football Australia.

FCA’s Executive Committee member, former A-League Men’s player and PFA Alumni, Terry McFlynn, said:

“There is a common purpose across the PFA and the FCA, with many of our members being former players occupying or pursuing opportunities within coaching in Australia.

“Given this common ground, and our shared desire to support those entering the next phase of their lives, it is a natural fit for us to work together to support the next generation of Australian coaches, alongside the PFA.”

PFA Co-Chief Executive Beau Busch said:

“There is one certainty in our members’ lives and careers; that their playing days will eventually come to an end. Our responsibility is to ensure they are not only supported during their careers but have developed adequate skills in areas of interest and that there are opportunities available to them after they hang up the boots.

“We know that transitioning into any new field or profession is challenging so having a partnership with the FCA ensures that our past players know they will be supported by both the PFA and the FCA if they choose to embark on a career in coaching.”

Since 2018, the PFA and FCA have maintained a close working relationship between players and licensed coaches, with the latest offer demonstrating a commitment to ensuring players are supported after their playing careers. The organisations cooperate on a range of issues impacting Australia football including:

  • collaborating on professional development opportunities for elite players and coaches at all levels of the game from grassroots to professional competitions;
  • seeking solutions to challenges and barriers to football through collaboration and consultation;
  • working with stakeholders to protect children and youth footballers within an elite sporting environment; and
  • ensuring that elite training environments across the country provide a positive experience and give due regard to the holistic development of coaches of players
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FCA to Host Elite Goalkeeping Workshop with FA Goalkeeper Instructor Neil Tate

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Image Credit: Fotokostic / Shutterstock.com

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) will continue its strong run of coach education events on Monday 18 May with a specialised session led by highly respected FA Goalkeeper Instructor Neil Tate.

Titled “Developing Goalkeepers to Fit the Team Playing Style,” the workshop will explore one of the modern game’s most important tactical evolutions: the goalkeeper as an active component of a team’s overall identity and playing philosophy.

Elite football is increasingly demanding goalkeepers who can influence build-up play, transitions, defensive structure and decision-making under pressure. Tate’s session is designed to help coaches better understand how goalkeeper development must align with a team’s tactical framework.

Tate brings significant high-performance experience to the session through his role as an FA Goalkeeper Instructor. He has worked extensively in coach development and modern goalkeeping methodology. His expertise spans the technical, tactical and psychological demands placed on goalkeepers within elite football environments.

The session will break down the goalkeeper attributes required across differing systems and styles, including possession-based football and counter-attacking models, while providing practical examples from the modern game.

Coaches attending the workshop will gain insights into:

  • Goalkeeping attributes required in different tactical systems
  • Real-world examples of goalkeepers fitting team playing styles
  • Goalkeeper-specific practices to develop modern skill sets
  • Team training exercises integrating goalkeepers into tactical frameworks
  • Downloadable PDF session plans for practical implementation

The workshop follows FCA’s recent HEADSAFE education session, which attracted more than 140 coaches from across the Australian football landscape, highlighting the growing appetite for high-level coach education and professional development opportunities.

As the game continues to evolve tactically, FCA remains committed to providing coaches with access to industry-leading expertise and contemporary football knowledge.

The session will take place online on Monday 18 May at 7:30pm Melbourne time. You can sign up here.

Football NSW Targets Female Coaching Gap with Twin Programs

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced two new initiatives targeting the development of female coaches and coach education tutors, backed by federal and state government funding, as the governing body moves to address the longstanding structural absence of women across all levels of coaching in the sport.

The Future Female Coaches Mentoring Program, funded through the NSW Office of Sport’s Empower Her program, will select six female coaches holding a minimum AFC B Diploma for a structured mentoring program beginning mid-year. Participants will be paired with experienced mentors and receive three in-person visits including real-time observation and feedback, alongside regular online development sessions throughout the season.

Separately, Football NSW has opened expressions of interest for its 2026/27 Female Coach Education Tutor (CET) Program, supported by the Australian Federal Government’s Play Our Way investment, targeting C Diploma holders who want to move into coach education delivery.

Together, the programs address two distinct but connected gaps in the women’s football coaching pipeline- the progression from active coach to elite-level practitioner, and the transition from practitioner to the tutors who shape how coaching is taught.

The Pipeline Problem

The structural underrepresentation of women in football coaching isn’t a new observation. It is a documented and persistent feature of the game at every level, from community clubs to national team environments. Female coaches remain a minority in pathway competitions, and female coach education tutors are even more so.

One current tutor in the program described the environment she encountered when she came through the system. “My experience coming through as a coach, there was no females on the courses as participants and there was no females running the courses either,” she said. “That kind of inspires me to be someone that can hopefully make other females feel comfortable and confident to want to become coaches.”

“It is really important to have female role models because it shows that there is an opportunity or pathway for females,” said one program participant. “Traditionally it has been a male-dominated area and to know that yes, you can do it as a passion or a side thing, or you can actually make a career of it if you want.”

Removing barriers at the point of entry

The mentoring program’s design reflects an understanding that formal accreditation alone is insufficient to retain and develop female coaches in high-performance environments. Access to experienced mentors, observation in live coaching contexts and ongoing reflective practice address the informal development gaps that credentials cannot fill.

“Learning happens through coaching in real environments, and we recognise our role in providing both stretch and support to high-potential coaches,” said Edward Ferguson, Football NSW Head of Football Development. “This program offers tailored mentoring that complements formal coach education and enhances effectiveness in practice.”

Hayley Todd, Football NSW Head of Womens and Schools Football, framed the initiative in terms of long-term system building rather than individual development. “Creating sustainable pathways for female coaches is a key priority,” she said. “This program supports their development while also providing valuable insight into what is required to progress from state competitions into national and international environments.”

The barriers the programs are designed to remove are clear. The cost of accreditation, lack of access to mentoring networks, the absence of welcoming environments in coaching courses and the scarcity of female role models at senior levels all compound one another in ways that make progression difficult regardless of ability or commitment.

“You want to try and remove as many barriers as possible,” said one tutor involved in the program. “If you can start to remove those barriers, you actually get to engage with the females more consistently and build their confidence and competence in that space.”

A system investing in itself

The timing of both announcements sits within a broader national moment for women’s football. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup, currently underway in Australia, has delivered record crowds and sustained visibility for the female game at the elite level. The programs announced this week operate at the other end of the pipeline – building the coaching infrastructure that will determine whether the players inspired by that visibility have qualified, experienced and representative coaches to develop them.

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