Swans Sydney Visit Sparkes Interest

For many years there was a joke that teams in the lower reaches of the English football pyramid system would play in Europe at least once a season, provided Swansea or Cardiff City were in their respective divisions.

While both were the punchline to their opponent’s self-deprecation, the latter has capped an incredible ten year period for both clubs by joining their south Wales rivals in the Premier League.

However it is the former, under the guidance of the mercurial Dane Michael Laudrup, who, from next season, will be playing in Europe against some of the continent’s elite clubs.

The Swans don’t want to stop there though; the League Cup winners are casting their net far and wide in an attempt to spread the word of their evolving culture and recent history, a farfetched and unlikely tale which has the queuing film makers still adjusting to the real-life script.

“Bottom of the Football League to Premier League and League Cup winners in only 10 years is an unbelievable story and one which is now being made into a Hollywood Movie!” enthuses Swansea’s Head of Academy Goalkeeping, Andrew Sparkes.

Sparkes is relevant; he’s out there on the front line and recently headed to Sydney, Australia for a two week ‘keeper course which helped get the City message heard.

“The aim of the course was to give young talented Australian Goalkeepers the chance to be coached by Premier League Academy Goalkeeper Coaches and give them an insight to how we train the goalkeepers back in Swansea. If we came across a Goalkeeper with potential, that would be a bonus,” he said.

“At Swansea City we look for a certain type Goalkeeper which fits in with the philosophy of the club, playing attractive attacking football building from the back. Our Goalkeepers from under 9s to the first team all play the same way and must be comfortable on the ball, using right and left foot over various distances. We also look for Goalkeepers who have a solid technical and tactical base to work off, and have the mentality to train and play at the highest level.”

Any producer worth their salt would know to give Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers and Laudrup starring roles on the big screen, for they have forged a footballing culture – which could stand them in good stead in Europe – but it is people like Sparkes, who has experience of coaching abroad, who are chipping away at the coalface to help deliver the next Michel Vorm.

Sparkes said of the trip: “Soccer in Australia is very similar to soccer in USA; it’s one of the largest youth sports being played in the country. Both professional leagues are relatively young compared to the rest of the World and developing with some very good young talent playing alongside some experienced players who have played in the highest level.”

“The standard is also very similar to be honest. I’ve been lucky enough to work in the 3 of the best clubs in their respective countries (including New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Salzburg) and the standard has always been good, with one or two exceptional talents in each club. Currently at Swansea, we also have one or two talents who I believe have a bright future and I’m working hard every day with them to try and develop them to reach their potential and hopefully in to the Swans 1st team.”

There is an air of humbleness about Swansea, and while some may raise eyebrows at reports currently linking them with a £13M move for Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony, you get the sense the club is in safe hands, literally and in Sparkes’ case, metaphorically.

“As a club, we never forget where we came from. Swansea City is a very tight knit club. The Chairman and board is made up of Swansea City Fans, who bought the club in the difficult times and turned the club around. Without their commitment and vision we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Andrew Sparkes is the Head of Academy Goalkeeping at Swansea City AFC and can be found online at www.andrewsparkesgoalkeeping.com or @andrewsparkes1.