From December 4th to 9th, JFA hosted Module 2 of the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma at the National Football Center "Yume Field" as the main venue.

The FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma aims to become the ‘globally recognized qualification’ for Technical Leaders working in the game and prepares participants for the distinct challenges and opportunities faced by a Technical Leader within a Member Association. Five core domain areas are covered:
• Technical Leadership
• High Performance
• Coach Education
• Amateur Football
• Management

All 25 participants listed below received a personal invite to join the programme:
RICARDO LEAO – BRAZIL FA
AABED ALANSARI – BAHRAIN FA
ROSS AWA – GUAM FA
INDRA SJAFRI – INDONESIA FA
MOHAMAD BASSEM – LEBANESE FA
CARLES ROMAGOSA – THAILAND FA
BHEKISISA BOY MKHONTA – ESWATINI FA
BENJAMIN KUMWENDA – MALAWI FA
JAQUELINE SHIPANGA – NAMIBIA FA
WALTER STEENBOK – SOUTH AFRICAN FA
ALI MWEBE – UGANDA FA
LYSON ZULU – ZAMBIA FF
IVÁN NOVELLA – COLOMBIAN FF
ANTON CORNEAL – TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FA
LUIS CASTRO – ARGENTINE FA
STIPE PLETIKOSA – CROATIA FF
KAY COSSINGTON – ENGLISH FA
JANNO KIVISILD – ESTONIAN FA
MARIANS PAHARS – LATVIAN FF
DIANA BULGARU – MOLDOVA FA
ANDREW GOULD – SCOTTISH FA
LILI BAI – ASIAN FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION
JAYNE LUDLOW – MANCHESTER CITY FC
PATRICIA GONZALEZ – FIFA
BUMAN-UCHRAL BOLD – MONGOLIAN FF
ALDI IQBAL – INDONESIA FA

This was the second module, after Brazil, of a course of four modules to be held over a period of about 18 months. Twenty-five technical leaders selected from Brazil, Argentina, Croatia, and other countries around the world, together with a team of FIFA experts, totaling about 40 people, visited Japan. From JFA, FIFA Technical Leadership Experts Takeshi Ono, Deputy Chairman of JFA Technical Committee, and Masanaga Kageyama, Director of Youth Development, participated in the module. They had workshops and discussions with other participants and gave presentations on the history of Japanese football and JFA, a broad pathway for player development, Japan's Way as a national football philosophy with a long-term vision as well.

In addition to lectures and workshops on five core domain areas, "Cultural Day" was set as a session to help participants gain a deeper understanding of Japan. On that day, the participants had a visit to a Sumo stable to observe practice, a presentation on corporate initiatives such as "Kaizen" by Toyota Motor Corporation, and interviews with Japanese football legends, JFA General Secretary Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and former Nadeshiko captain Homare Sawa, to learn about the factors that have supported the development of Japan's culture and traditions.

Many of the sessions were designed to fully incorporate elements of Japanese tradition and culture, such as "Kaizen," "Omotenashi," "WA,和わ" and "MA,間あいだ", and FIFA's will to maximize the significance of holding this module in Japan was strongly felt. The participants enjoyed very fulfilling six days and successfully completed this module by watching the Emperor's Cup final at the National Stadium on the last day.

“Japan has proved to be the perfect location for block two of the Technical Leadership Diploma and the focus on achieving excellence,” said Jamie Houchen, FIFA Head of Technical Leadership.

“The unique Japanese culture and tradition as well as the focus on long-term planning and total quality management allowed all participants to look at what excellence looks like in a different context. Most importantly, there has been a lot of planning and consideration with regards to transferring these lessons back into their own associations.”

The third module will take place in the Netherlands in coming May, and the final module will be held in the FIFA headquarters in Switzerland in next December.

Participant’s comment

ALI MWEBE, Technical Director (UGANDA FA)
Memories of Block 2 in Chiba, Japan will always remain memorable in the 18-months journey of our maiden FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma 2023/24. The best course tutors shared the best know-how of technical projects, management and leadership skills. The extended opportunity for group and peer-to-peer connections between the participants, ensured maximum knowledge exchange about football development.
In the spirit of “Omotenashi” (top notch hospitality), the Japanese Football Association leaders and staff welcomed us warmly and made our stay very exceptional.
I learnt a lot about the rich Japanese culture specifically the Kaizen philosophy (achievement through continuous improvement). It will be an immediate life and mentality take-home application in delivery of football development projects in my country.

Mauricio Marques, FIFA Expert (FIFA)
The experience in Japan was extremely enriching not just for the students, but also for us as tutors and presenters. Being able to witness the best practices of JFA, for example, was a unique educational opportunity. Specifically for coach education, which is my domain area, we could interact with Takeshi Ono and Kageyama Masanaga who were open to share their experiences with the TD students. This is a knowledge that cannot be found in books, and I am sure it was easily transferred to real life by students and tutors, giving us the chance to improve our professional skills and attitude as coach educators.

Dan Parnell, FIFA Expert (FIFA)
During our recent visit, we gained profound insights into the core tenets of Japanese culture, witnessing their unwavering commitment to excellence through service, teamwork, inclusivity, Kaizen, and a relentless pursuit of improvement. The Japanese Football Association, led by the esteemed Takeshi-san, Kage-san, and the entire team, provided an exceptional platform for our students to engage with diverse cultures and environments. This transformative experience prompted deep reflection on its significance and empowered them to consider how they can strategically integrate these invaluable lessons into their roles as Technical Leaders in the worldwide football community. We extend heartfelt gratitude to the entire Japan Football Association team for their gracious hospitality and for enriching this endeavor with honor and humility.

Participant’s comment from JFA

ONO Takeshi, FIFA Technical Leadership Expert, Deputy Technical Director (JFA)
It was a great pleasure and a meaningful experience to host this diploma course in Japan, inviting technical leaders from all over the world. I was so surprised that FIFA team researched our culture and traditions so thoroughly and reflected them in the program effectively. Also, in response to that, the leaders made their own development plans by learning from best practices without relying on copy and paste. I think this is the big proof of the success of this module.
I am convinced that what we have learned over the past week, as well as the bonds we have formed with leaders from around the world, will be invaluable assets to us.
I would like to thank the leaders who came to Japan, FIFA expert team, and the JFA staff who were involved in the operation as well.

KAGEYAMA Masanaga, Director of Youth Development (JFA)
It is wonderful that this diploma course was held in Japan, and I am grateful that I was able to participate as a member to this module with leaders from other countries. I was surprised and impressed by the respect from FIFA Team for Japanese culture and how it was reflected in the program content. I also felt the big respect from the technical leaders of each country for our Japanese football. It was an amazing week that made me think deeply about what strategy we should develop to move forward, while taking advantage of our unique strengths. Honestly, to get through this module was not easy task for me as there were some difficulties in terms of language and understanding but I felt gratitude and a sense of fulfillment for the intense days I spent with other participants along with some fatigue. I am grateful for all members involved in this module and would like to give what I learned and experienced back to Japanese football.