Former Al Jazira striker Ahmed Hamood has become the first UAE national coach to gain official accreditation at Manchester United …

Former Al Jazira striker Ahmed Hamood has become the first UAE national coach to gain official accreditation at Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) in Abu Dhabi.

The 42 year old, who worked with hundreds of youngsters during a 16-year career as a PE teacher, has successfully completed an intensive coach training programme under the guidance of MUSS coaches from the UK over the last six months.

He is now qualified to take charge of MUSS coaching sessions in Abu Dhabi, beginning with the ten-week course currently under way at the Dome@Rawdhat.

“It’s a great honour to be the first local coach officially recognised in this way by Manchester United Soccer Schools,” said Hamood. “I’m very happy because I like the Manchester United way of doing things.

“Working with the coaches here and the ones who visit from the UK teaches you a lot. You learn something new every day. I have seen how other soccer schools work and MUSS is the best because of the attention to detail in everything they do.

“They don’t just coach the children, they educate them and show them how to behave, on and off the field, and to set an example for other kids.”

Andy Dixon, MUSS head coach in Abu Dhabi, said: “We’re delighted to confirm Ahmed’s accreditation and hope he will be the first of many UAE nationals to earn their coaching credentials with us.

“Our football programmes attract players of all abilities and from different backgrounds, including a growing number of young Emiratis, so it’s important to have coaches like Ahmed to gain their confidence and get the best out of them.”

“He has shown that he understands the Manchester United way of doing things and has fully earned the chance to take charge of group coaching sessions. We currently have a number of other coaches in the development programme from Britain, Egypt, Holland, Morocco and Romania and expect more to graduate in the months ahead.”

Hamood joined Al Jazira as a 15-year-old and played for the club from 1978-1991. He was also a member of the UAE national Olympics squad. After later graduating from university he taught PE at a range of primary and secondary schools in Abu Dhabi before taking up his current position as a head of department in the academic health sport programme at the ADNOC Petroleum Institute.

The current MUSS programme, ‘Learn to finish with style the United way’, focuses on goal scoring, using Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov as model examples.

More details are available at  www.manutdsoccerschools.ae or by calling 02 449 8480.

First UAE National Coach makes the Grade with Manchester United Soccer Schools in Abu Dhabi

24TH MAY 2011

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