ade_edmondsonDespite some talented young players, it's fair to say that in the last two years Adelaide United has struggled in the Westfield W-League. Now under the administration of Football Federation South Australia, the club, and women's football in the state, are looking to turn it all around.  The man charged with that task is David Edmondson as English born New Zealander takes up the reigns as the Adelaide United Head Coach and the Head of Women's Football.  

We spoke with Edmondson to learn a little more about his background and plans to rejuvinate the women's game in South Australia.  

Congratulations on your appointments.  Tell us a little bit about how it all come to be?

It was all very quick actually.  I was actually talking to Alen Stajcic over another matter, some girls from America who were looking to play in the W-League,  and I was sort of passing details onto him.  We just got chatting and he mentioned that Adelaide were looking for somebody.  He put me in contact with Michael Carter from the FFSA and it just went from there really.

Can you tell us a little about your playing and coaching background?

I played semi-professionally in the UK for 15-16 years and then in 2003 I moved over to New Zealand.  I had started some coaching in the UK before I left but on arrival in New Zealand I got much more heavily involved in coaching the women's game.

It kind of progressed quite quickly and ended up with me with the New Zealand U17s Women's side.  We were fortunate enough to qualify and play in the FIFA World Cup in 2010 over in Trinidad and Tobago.

I have worked at club and national league level in both the men's and women's game in NZ and then obviously I now find myself in Adelaide.

Adelaide United have had a tough couple of years in the W-League.  What were your initial thoughts upon landing at the club?

As you say it has been a tough couple of years and probably the most pleasing aspect of it was seeing the girls at the first training and seeing how excited they were and how positive they were.  That was obviously an initial worry or fear that maybe those couple of years of bad results had affected them negatively.

But they are a fantastic bunch and they've worked really hard over the last three or four weeks and are continuing to work hard at the moment.  Everything is very positive at the moment.  We are looking to move forward and we are hopeful of starting off the season positively and developing from there.  

David, you have also come in to head the women's football program in South Australia.  The state has a proud history of developing young players so in terms of development, where are South Australia positioned and how can you assist in bringing along those players?

As you say there is a proud history and in the women's game in the last couple of years, maybe those players have either not been produced or been able to take that final step.  I think hopefully that's where I am going be able to assist and really just provide the extra support that those talented young players need to take that next step up.

We are looking at the pathway that we have currently and how we can develop that and provide those talented players that extra little push that they need to be able to take the next step to national team selection.

From what I have seen so far there are players with real potential in this region and that includes the three girls that are away in New Zealand at the moment with the U16s (Emma Checker, Grace Henry and Ebony Philcox).  All three of them will play a part in the W-League this season.  Just above them there are some very good players and I think with just a bit of extra year round support, they may be able to make that step up.  

Structurally what needs to change in South Australia to support that players?

I think the big thing really is getting a year round program for all the girls, which is certainly something we are looking to put into place.  There will be an NTC team that trains year round.  Whilst it will be aligned to the W-League, its focus will definitely be on those younger players and trying to help them progress.  Providing them with physical training will help but also giving them competitive fixtures throughout the year.  

At grassroots, what can be done to produce those quality players?

At the lower base, we need to get as many girls playing the game as possible and exposing them to quality coaching as youngsters.  Not just putting the best coaches with the top teams.  It is really important that we get some skill acquisition programs running for the younger players and get more girls and women coaching.  I am very keen to have as many of the W-League players possible involved with younger players, maybe in those skill acquisition programs, and working within their own clubs.  

If we want the best players or as many good players as possible at the top of the pyramid then the base of the pyramid needs to be as wide as possible.  The more girls we can attract to the game, the better in the long run.