Hey there! Guess what happened last weekend? The awesome coaches from Benfica, the two-time European Cup winners, paid a visit to the Thurso Football Academy. And you know what? It was all to celebrate 10 incredible years of coaching at this amazing facility. How cool is that?
Representing the mighty Portuguese giants at the Naver pitch were coach Joao Rosmaniho and the talented former Benfica player and Ukraine international, Serguei Kandaurov. These guys were on a mission to share their expertise and knowledge with the local coaches. They ran a practical coach education course, where they went through all the awesome drills and techniques used by Benfica. Talk about learning from the best!
But wait, there’s more! Coerver Coaching, the experts in the field, were also there to lend a helping hand and make sure everything ran smoothly. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?
To make the occasion even more special, Alyn Gunn, the head of coaching at Thurso, and Richie Campbell presented the guest coaches with a super cool momento glass. And guess what else they got? A replica of the European Cup! How amazing is that?
Serguei Kandaurov couldn’t contain his excitement and said, “It was a great pleasure for us to travel around Scotland with Coerver and visit the likes of Thurso. We had a fantastic time. The hospitality from our host was very much appreciated, and we hope that as Benfica, we passed on some of our beliefs and methodology to everyone in what was a great experience.” Wow, what a humble and awesome guy!
Gordon Craig, a director at Coerver Coaching, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm either. He said, “It was great to have our guys and Benfica up with Thurso Football Academy. Despite the weather, the feedback has been fantastic.” Way to go, guys!
Alyn Gunn, the head of coaching at Thurso, was over the moon with the whole experience. He said, “It was a fantastic experience to have coaches from the two-time European champions in Thurso for the weekend. Football-wise, it was great seeing the kids adapt to new training drills and techniques. The coaches were of a really high standard and quite clearly believe in their methods. As this is our 10th year, it was important for me to have a high-profile club come north, and I’m delighted it went well.” What a proud moment for Thurso!
Let’s not forget to give a shoutout to the amazing sponsors who made this event possible. Robbie Fraser, the Caithness Drug and Alcohol Forum, Scottish Power, ID Swanson LTD Joiner Contractor, Blow Your Top Hairdressers, Eileen Manson, and Davie Smith Town and Country Groundworks. You guys rock!
So, there you have it, folks. Benfica’s visit to Thurso Football Academy was a celebration of a decade of coaching excellence. It was a weekend filled with learning, fun, and unforgettable memories. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll see some future stars from Thurso making their mark on the European stage, just like Benfica. Until then, keep kicking those goals and dreaming big!