As we start the new year Dave Bailey the Bolton Wanderers Football Club International Soccer School's Manager answers a few questions on the season so far and what lies ahead.
Q. What a first half to the season for the ISS can you sum it up?
A. Yes what a good first half to the season it has been, I could not agree more. From July to December the BWFCISS team have worked hard, we broke new ground with new countries such as South Korea and have continued with the long term strategy with our International Clubs and Partners not forgetting that we also had our most successful Grand Skills Final here in the UK.
Q. Do you think the second half will follow the trend set already before Christmas?
A. To be honest I think its going to get a lot busier, this month alone we are visiting Marbella, Egypt and Estonia and recently have confirmed dates for India and South Africa. It looks like the ISS will continue to grow at a rate to which I am positive we can sustain the high quality service we provide to clubs, academies, players and coaches already. We aim this second half to break new ground with South East Asia being one we are aiming at and then to branching out further within the countries we established already.
Q. In your role you have traveled all over the world how do you find this opportunity?
A. I pinch myself sometimes to make sure it’s real, working for Bolton Wanderers Football Club has been fantastic. I have been here now for 10 years in various roles and this is for a coach a dream job, traveling the world representing an English Premier League Club. The responsibility is great and one which you cannot underestimate, the role has taken me to places you could only dream about the Taj Mahal and Niagara Fall are two of them. I have been to Australia, USA, Canada, Norway, India plus many more, the job has really allowed me to experience cultures.
Q. Any interesting stories to tell of your travels, anything funny you can tell?
A. Recently I was flying back home from Canada when an announcement came over the tannoy;
"Could Dave Bailey please go to the cockpit?"
As I walked to the cock pit I had this image of a film called Airplane and they were going to ask me to fly the plane. I knocked on the door and it opened and there were the pilots sat there looking at me and then one said;
“You have just coached my son on the camp you did and I saw you getting on the plane, I just wanted to say great job my son loved it.”
I was so relieved not to have to fly the plane but what an experience that was to go in the cockpit.
Q. The Year Long Football Studies seems to be going very well this season, is that the case?
A. Yes that is for sure the quality of players this season is very high and the attitude and athleticism is the best I have known it in 3 years. I think the reputation worldwide of this unique program is growing and I can only see this moving forward, our club Chairman (Mr Phil Gartside) even commented just how well we had done at the ISS and how much he wanted this programme to expand.
Q. What would you say has been the highlights so far this season?
A. We have had 2 teams in the USA winning their State competitions, 1 team in Canada coming second in Nationals, a Canadian girls team winning the USA Cup plus other numerous teams winning local leagues and cups that we have been involved with. A big highlight has to be 3 students from the Football Studies Programme getting called up for International Duty, 2 for African Youth Cup of Nations at Under 17's and 1 boy called up to USA Under 18's training camp. We wish those boys and all our International Partners the success their hard work and dedication deserves and thank them for continued support and belief in what we are trying to achieve here at BWFCISS.
Myself and my team are looking forward to the rest of the season and what the future holds for us all here at BWFC.