Former Glory captain joins Football West

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Football West have announced former Perth Glory captain Gareth Naven as their new Youth Development Officer.

Naven went into coaching after his playing career, spending six years at the Glory and three-and-a-half years at Melbourne Victory.

In his new role, Naven will be involved in elite technical programs such as the Technical Support Program (TSP) and the Skill Acquisition Phase (SAP) for girls.

He will also help choose and coach many of the Gold Fields State Teams.

“This is a great opportunity to come back to Perth and work with the young players coming through,” Naven said.

“I am happiest when I am out there, on the training pitch. The biggest thing for me is – what are the kids good at and how can we make them great at it?

“It is about delivering quality content but also making sure the kids enjoy playing, so they want to come back to another session, another game.”

Naven added: “The focus changes for players as they get older. Between nine and 12, they are the foundation years where we get players to love playing and have fun. Then you get the 13 to 16-year-olds, where it is about game awareness and understanding. And 17 and over, it’s about finishing it off, the performance end of their development.”

Naven will be the third member to hold an AFC/FFA Pro Diploma in the Football West Development Department, alongside Head of Development Jamie Harnwell and Technical Manager Cris Ola.

“Yes, I played with Jamie at the back end of my career, for about two years,” Naven said.

“He’s also from Perth and followed a similar path to me coming through. We both understand the landscape very well.”

Harnwell is excited to reunite with Naven at Football West.

He said: “It is a fantastic coup for Football West to be able to bring someone of the calibre of Gareth Naven to the organisation as our Youth Development Officer.

“Gareth has worked at the highest level of development in this country during his time with Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory and I am looking forward to him sharing that knowledge, not only with the players through programs such as our Talent Support Program or Gold Fields Australia WA State teams, but also with club technical directors and coaches.

“This is another indication of the investment that Football West is making to raise the technical standards across the game in WA.”

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Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

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.

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