TD Series: Ian Knight

[Editor]

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TD Series: Ian Knight

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Ian, thank you so much for taking the time to allow us to conduct this interview – to start, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

It is my pleasure!

Originally from England, I moved to Canada (London, Ont.) in 2003. In 2005 I was appointed the first Head Coach of Chilliwack Youth Soccer Association (now Chilliwack FC) and in 2010, I was appointed into the Technical Director position at the Abbotsford Soccer Association.

Can you expand a bit on your playing and coaching background?

I was a young professional football (soccer) at Sheffield Wednesday FC (old Div 1, prior to Premier League).

I had played two games for the England U21 team, when at the age of 20 and playing in a FA Cup 4th round replay game, I suffered what was noted to be the worst leg break in football.

I had a compound, multi-fracture (7) of my right leg. Although it took me two years to recover, I did indeed make it back into the game and resumed my career.

I transferred to Grimsby Town FC (Div4), however following a couple of frustrating seasons, suffering additional breaks & ankle dislocations, I ultimately retired from playing at the age of 26.

I took up the position of Football in the Community Officer at GTFC and started on my coaching career by establishing school programs, camps and training programs within the local grassroots clubs. I was fortunate to take up the role of Director of Youth Development at GTFC, a position I held for 5 years prior to moving to Ontario.

How did you get into coaching – what was the defining moment that made you realise this is what you wanted to do?

See above….injury

Additionally, I would say that my playing experiences continue to inspire me to help/assist/guide the young players of today to have the same opportunity to experience the game and the various life lessons it affords us.

Who was / is your biggest influence?

I was very fortunate to be involved in the professional game, at the highest level and was offered the opportunity to work with some excellent coaches & managers throughout my brief career.

I would like to think I have taken some influence from many of those experiences but, would have to say that my greatest appreciation would be to youth coach, Mick Hennigan, who scouted me and brought me to Sheffield Wednesday, once I was released by Barnsley FC and to Howard Wilkinson...

Read more about this article here...

 

[Regs]

I had a compound, multi-fracture (7) of my right leg. Although it took me two years to recover, I did indeed make it back into the game and resumed my career.

I transferred to Grimsby Town FC (Div4), however following a couple of frustrating seasons, suffering additional breaks & ankle dislocations, I ultimately retired from playing at the age of 26.

Could you imagine going through that?!?!?

Wow!

 

[TKBC]

An excellent mentor for myself. Abby Soccer extremely lucky to have Ian as TD.

 

[Regs]

An excellent mentor for myself. Abby Soccer extremely lucky to have Ian as TD.

If you had to pin it to one single trait, what's the best thing that Ian does to help you be a better coach?

 

[Mike Meade]

Dunno, of all the TD articles I've read, I found this to be smug, actually.

Now, he didn't come right out and say it, but what he's implying is that if you haven't had pro experience, as a player or coach, in a true professional environment, you lack the aptitude. Am I the only one reading that?

Are you then telling me that a guy like Paul Bahia doesn't have the quality required to be a TD, because he's never been a professional?

Nobody argues that Canada is miles behind, but I think some guys come over w/ a pre-conceived notion that we are living in the stone ages here, and that couldn't be further from the truth.

Giving this one a solid C+ rating. If his players were shooting the lights out when matched against many other clubs, maybe my opinion would change.

 

[Mike Meade]

This:

"Additionally, a big difference is the players themselves… Players in the UK don’t need to be told to go to training, they are constantly playing/training themselves.
Pick-up games at the park, street or backyard are happening all the time.
Maybe it’s cultural, maybe it is comparable to the amount of street hockey games you see over here, but a certainty that unless players are training/coaching/developing themselves away from their two-three club training sessions each week, then they cannot expect to be compared to the kids in Europe."
​

Yes there is attrition- how can't there be- but you and I, Regs, both know plenty of guys who had the "misfortune" of being born on the wrong side of the water, who even continued to chase a non-existent goal well past the youth or University ranks, treating this game at it's highest levels here with the highest priority.

Sorry, this guy fancies himself, and even though he's here, earning money here coaching Canadians, he's clearly looking down his nose at us at the same time.

 

[Regs]

I think you are reading a bit more into it than what Ian really meant.

Even if he did mean it the way you read it, there is value and merit in stopping and thinking about it - which is one of the goals in the series.

The quote you refer to above - I personally agree with 100% from experience! No way would I have been able to reach the playing level I did if not for the time I spent in the backyard daily working on different skills, I constantly had a ball at my feet. Elementary school, every recess and lunch was spent playing soccer (well, some time might have been spent chasing the girls but those were later years )

I don't believe there is anything smug in saying/implying that Canadian kids are behind the eight-ball when it comes to an English lad and the game of footy. It would be no different if you were coaching hockey in the UK - culturally, Canadians have a hockey advantage.

 

[Regs]

BTW, indoors I was doing wall passes down the hall, off the couches, everywhere.

Best soccer tool ever for a youngster - can you even buy them anymore?

 

[Mike Meade]

With all due respect, good sir, the smug comment especially irked mw w/ respect to questioning the quality of Canadian Professional Coaches who haven't had that true professional exposure. I'm calling complete BS on that, and we all also know coaches in the Professional Circles, whom have had that exposure, that aren't really quality coaches.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

And again, the smug part comes in in implying that the kids here aren't as motivated to go get it. I'd almost argue there is more motivation, hell, they have fewer opportunities to chase! On an athlete / opportunity ratio, they kids here are working just as hard for a far smaller piece of the pie.

Meh, it could also be the tone of the interview rubbed me the wrong way...and we all know how unpleasant that is.

 

[Mike Meade]

I had the old ball and net combo. Was talking w/ Dave H the other day at the shop...when we were kids, every Brad Higgs player got a ball and net. That thing came everywhere, and was confiscated more than a few times at school. Mrs. Ogurion didn't like me playing in the classroom. We called her Ogre. She earned it.

 

[TKBC]

If you had to pin it to one single trait, what's the best thing that Ian does to help you be a better coach?

Sorry wasn't following my email notifications.

Simple - provides clear concise feedback on message delivery for sessions. Second to that, provides excellent examples on how to communicate with players of different ages and abilities. Third, is willing to listen to any question and provide a thoughtful answer that teaches rather than directs.

 

[TKBC]

This:

"Additionally, a big difference is the players themselves… Players in the UK don’t need to be told to go to training, they are constantly playing/training themselves.
Pick-up games at the park, street or backyard are happening all the time.
Maybe it’s cultural, maybe it is comparable to the amount of street hockey games you see over here, but a certainty that unless players are training/coaching/developing themselves away from their two-three club training sessions each week, then they cannot expect to be compared to the kids in Europe."
​

Yes there is attrition- how can't there be- but you and I, Regs, both know plenty of guys who had the "misfortune" of being born on the wrong side of the water, who even continued to chase a non-existent goal well past the youth or University ranks, treating this game at it's highest levels here with the highest priority.

Sorry, this guy fancies himself, and even though he's here, earning money here coaching Canadians, he's clearly looking down his nose at us at the same time.

I am a born and bred, tried and true Canadian. This country will never get anywhere by patting itself on the back and trying to convince each other and ourselves that we have it right and we're on the right path. When we are charigng $2500+ to "elite" (it's not elite, not even close) soccer we are in the stone ages.

I know one kid who goes out and trains on his own, every day......And he's African. He can't comprehend why the kids here don't treat the game in the same way he does.

 

[easoccer]

As a coach, I think that to get better as a whole not only do we need kids to practice on their own, but we also need better mentoring of coaches. We need the club staff to come out and watch games, practices and give regular feedback. Hold more training sessions. I have coached for years, in a couple of different clubs and I have not had a single visit from the coaching staff. Especially when I started. I didnt play a minute of soccer as a kid and all of a sudden I was teaching kids to play. There was no one else. Yes, I was able to hire trainers and watch them train my team, attend my kids games and watch the coaches, view youtube, but a mentor would have been great. We have so many parents who are drafted who dont have a single idea what is right or wrong.

 

[TKBC]

As a coach, I think that to get better as a whole not only do we need kids to practice on their own, but we also need better mentoring of coaches. We need the club staff to come out and watch games, practices and give regular feedback. Hold more training sessions. I have coached for years, in a couple of different clubs and I have not had a single visit from the coaching staff. Especially when I started. I didnt play a minute of soccer as a kid and all of a sudden I was teaching kids to play. There was no one else. Yes, I was able to hire trainers and watch them train my team, attend my kids games and watch the coaches, view youtube, but a mentor would have been great. We have so many parents who are drafted who dont have a single idea what is right or wrong.

Well, this is one of the things that makes Mr. Knight such a good TD. He is very closely involved with all his teams and attends sessions on a regular basis and builds a personal relationship with each team and coach. He does this on his own, and the board supports him in using his time this way (I assume!). But other clubs don't believe it's a TD's role to be closely involved with every team on-field. I say that's exactly what should be the top requirement in Canadian soccer - TD's educating every player and coach.

 

[Regs]

My personal view is that TD's should be educating / mentoring coaches as much as possible - it is the coaches' job from there to educate the players (with help of course from staff hired to support the TD).

 

[LFC]

I remember Ian Knight as a upcoming centre back with Sheff Wed under Howard Wilkinson . He was a upcoming player & Sheff Wed had a good team.

 

[LFC]

I am a born and bred, tried and true Canadian. This country will never get anywhere by patting itself on the back and trying to convince each other and ourselves that we have it right and we're on the right path. When we are charigng $2500+ to "elite" (it's not elite, not even close) soccer we are in the stone ages.

I know one kid who goes out and trains on his own, every day......And he's African. He can't comprehend why the kids here don't treat the game in the same way he does.

TKBC - We used to play 24/7 before school , break , lunch time, after school and at the local park and in the narrow streets of West Brom/Smethwick. Goals were the 3ft brick walls on houses on both sides of the narrow st . I can,t ever remember us breaking any house windows or being run over by any cars.

 

[socceroo]

I remember Ian Knight as a upcoming centre back with Sheff Wed under Howard Wilkinson . He was a upcoming player & Sheff Wed had a good team.

Ian is a great man of soccer. I had opportunity to work with him.