The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) conducted the eighth edition of the AFC Elite Club Coaches Forum 2023, providing an opportunity for the Continent's coaches to hear from some of the most renowned experts ahead of the AFC club competitions kicking off in less than two weeks' time.
Featuring a star-studded line-up comprising legends such as former Manchester United and current West Ham Head Coach David Moyes and Tottenham Hotspur Manager Ange Postecoglou, the forum was an excellent example of the Confederations resolve in working towards ensuring that Asian teams continue to excel on the world stage, the AFC website reported.
The highly informative workshop kicked off with AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburghs opening address following which the two English Premier League coaches shared their insights on subjects such as leadership and management, based on their experience of coaching in leagues across nations and continents.
In the second half of the program, the attention shifted to the latest developments in the Asian game where the participants received updates on the changes that will be incorporated in the upcoming AFC Champions League and AFC Cup 2023/24 editions, such as the shift to the Autumn-Spring calendar, and the removal of the away goal advantage.
Additionally, the discussion also touched upon the revamped three-tiered structure comprising the AFC Champions League Elite, the AFC Champions League 2, and AFC Challenge League, along with the pathbreaking AFC Womens Champions League that are all set to commence in the 2024/25 season.
In the final segment, the coaches revisited the performance of teams in the last edition of the AFC Champions League as well as the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup and exchanged notes to help identify trends that have become increasingly common, which include the affinity to build from the back, play a higher pressing game and score from counter attacks.
Furthermore, it was also noted that in the case of leagues in countries such as Australia and Japan, the persistent trends among teams depend heavily on the weather.
Source: Qatar News Agency