Cyprus Football DIY Part 2

Cyprus Football DIY Part 2

By Stephen Kountourou

If Iceland can do it, Why Can’t Cyprus?

Previously we had a look at the current state of Cypriot football at club and international level to see the problems currently affecting the game on the Mediterranean Island and how all these factors have led to why the national team have not qualified for a major competition. In this blog we will now take a look at some ideas on how to improve football, the coaching and the quality of players in the domestic league to give Cyprus a fighting chance to one day reach the Euros or the World Cup.

The first place to look at improving in my mind is coaching and facilities. To do this, as said at the end of part one I will be looking at a comparative country on which to base the model that could be used by Cyprus. To completely use a model from a huge country like Germany, France, Belgium or Spain just to name a few, I feel would be unrealistic as these countries dwarf Cyprus in population, resources and wealth. So instead, I will be comparing Cyprus to Iceland.

One of the success stories of the previous decade, Iceland began the decade outside in 79th in the FIFA Rankings. As of April 2020 they are 39th, reaching the heights of 18th in February 2018. Having narrowly missed out on the 2014 World Cup they reached the quarter finals of the Euro 2016, and their first World Cup, two years later, in Russia. Despite a population of only 340,000 people, just over a third of the population of Cyprus, how have they managed these incredible achievements?

To start with, Iceland have been clever with their investment in their facilities, creating fifteen 'football houses' either with full sized, or half sized football pitches dotted around the country, and they are publicly owned to give people more freedom of access and they are less expensive to run. Schools in particular are encouraged to have at least a five a side team.

Coaching is also a huge investment for Iceland accommodating coaches to gain a UEFA A or B license. To reduce the cost for participants and make the opportunity to become a professional football coach attractive, the Icelandic football association has made a cost effective system which is affordable for people pursuing their dream career. By doing this, the FA have seen a rise in coaches since 2016 with one in every 500 Icelanders being a UEFA qualified coach, something that football and Cyprus could try to emulate. 

Comparing both Iceland's and Cyprus domestic leagues is hard, there is a huge gulf in class when comparing both of them. The Cyprus First Division currently sit in 16th place in the UEFA coefficient rankings and Iceland are a lowly 46th place. In this sense Cyprus has been more successful for sure, but what Iceland have taken from this huge disadvantage of being a low league, is the promotion and development of youth to the first teams. With the consistent game time has led to scouts from bigger leagues arriving, seeing the players compete in a professional environment and then giving them the chance to compete in a bigger league to up the quality of the national team. This ultimately is how Iceland formed their golden generation of the last decade.

The likes of Gylfi Sigurðsson, Jóhann Guðmundsson, Alfreð Finnbogason and Aron Gunnarsson are just a few names who were discovered via the Icelandic league system, before they were brought to play in the top five leagues in UEFA. Something that has been extremely rare for Cypriot players. The likelihood of forming a golden generation of players is never guaranteed, but it is clear that Iceland gave themselves the best chance possible to produce a talented squad that could make huge strides for the sport in their nation, and inspire youngsters to continue their legacy.   

Putting It all Together 

So, after looking at the long term planning that Iceland has put in place to give them the best chance of producing top quality players, let's take a leaf out of their book.

Cyprus has four major towns and cities in Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos. These locations would be ideal for the Mediterranean Islanders to set up specialised facilities, like Iceland's Football houses. These football academies would be set on the edges of these major locations so that there is easy access for people liking in the cities and neighbouring villages within the reign. They would contain football pitches of varying size, modern, specialised facilities to train children from a young age and with the much better weather, they could be open air. They would be all inclusive for both boys and girls to progress in all football. 

The development of players for Cyprus, could also include courses for young people to become football managers, with the chance to gain a UEFA licence at all levels. This could give trainee managers the opportunity to then learn to coach trainee players and they would rise through the ranks together to senior level. These facilities could also leave a blueprint on how Cypriot clubs and the national team want to play football that would be embedded into youngsters all the way through their training so that by the time they start playing together at senior level, it will be second nature to them. 

The cost of these faculties would be substantial, but if the government and the FA were able to put the investment in with the understanding that this is a long term project, they eventually would be able reap the rewards, with more jobs created, managers in training eventually being paid as will the players once they reach a higher level. As well as making them public use, rather than an exclusive academy, clubs from all over the Island would be able to send their scouts to each of these faculties, to find players they would like to put into their youth systems or even straight into the squad. With a bigger turn production line of players and couches that are highly trained, it would hopefully lessen Cypriot clubs reliance on bringing in foreign exports and giving Cypriots the opportunity to play in a professional game, raising the quality and profile of the league and bringing with it players leaving Cyprus to play at an even higher level in a top five league.

A bigger talent pool would inevitably strengthen the national team, giving it a good blend of youngsters promoted from the youth squads. Players at their peak who are getting consistent playing time for their club, whether it be in Cyprus or abroad. Finally veterans, who know what it means to play for the national team and can give valuable experience for their fellow younger players alongside them. 

While all of these ideas might be wishful thinking, it would still give Cypriots inspiration on how to ditch this instant success mentality and start to move forward with football in the Island if they ever want to give themselves a fighting chance to one day reach an international tournament.  

What Cyprus is doing right

To finish this fantasy blog, I will be taking a look at what I personally think Cyprus as a whole have been doing right recently and the positives for the future. To begin, there is a way in which Cyprus, in their current state, has a better chance to qualify for a major tournament. With the introduction of the UEFA Nations League, this puts Cyprus in a group stage with two to three other teams that, arguably, are at a similar level. If Cyprus could finish in the top two of the group, or best third placed team, they would enter the playoffs semi finals and with a good run of games gives them a second chance of reaching the playoff finals and after that, a tournament place.  

Something I can give credit to the Cypriot FA for doing recently, is the hiring of current national team manager, Johan Walem. Having primarily coached youth teams in Italy and his home of Belgium, where he managed the Belgium under 21 side in two spells, this is a rather left field appointment. But in his time he helped develop a lot of Belgium's current crop of talented senior players and most recently, with the under 21s, qualified for the 2019 UEFA European U21 Championship. This is his first big senior management role, but if he is given time, hopefully he can help our current squad progress on the international scene. 

The Future of the game in Cyprus

There are still glimmers of life in both the league and in the national team. Outside of Cyprus there are Cypriot players who have recently gone leaps and bounds in their career already. Midfielder and big prospect Grigroris Kastanos is still a Juventus player, although he is out on loan at Pescara, and made his full senior debut for the old lady on the 13th of April 2019, a huge achievement for any Cypriot player. Striker Pieros Sotiriou has been a consistent goal scorer throughout his career, from his time at APOEL, his stint in Denmark with FC Copenhagen and recently when he joined Astana. Along with Laifis being a regular for Standard Liege in Belgium and most recently Kosti signing with Olympiakos in Greece these are all positive signs for Cypriot football. 

Cyprus, if they wanted to, could stay in their current bubble and poodle along at their own pace. Being an ok team but never really progressing from there. But if they truly want to become a footballing nation and bring the fans back to the stadium to watch as they reach the promised land, regardless of my suggestions, huge changes have to be made to the infrastructure at all levels of the sport on the Island. With change there are always finacial risks, but to me and for other Cypriots, I'd say they are risks worth taking. 

Hellas Football

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