Interview with US U18 Coach Richie Williams

US Under-18 National Team Coach Richie Williams, was recently interviewed by Mike Woitalla of Soccer America.

Williams on what good youth players need to develop-

“When I’m working with the U-14s and U-15s, you see a lot of talented players,” Williams says. “Very skillful with good technique on the ball – dribbling, passing.

“I don’t know exactly when this happens, but when they start to get a little bit more mature and develop physically, you see them depending more on their physical abilities than their technical abilities. And that’s where you see sometimes the quality of their play decreasing because they’re relying more on their physical abilities.

“You have to have a balance. You can’t forget about your technical abilities. As these kids grow, you have send the message, 'Now that you’re physically fast or strong, don’t just rely on taking the ball and running past people. You still want to play the same way you did when you were younger. You weren’t developed physically then and you had to rely on your controlling the ball and your passing.'

“Encourage that. When kids are moving up the style of play is important and they have to continue developing their technique.”

Williams has been coached and coached with some of the biggest names in American soccer. His coach at the Union Lancers, who won two McGuire Cups, was Manny Schellscheidt, who has coached at all levels of the men’s national team program and served as U-14 national identification program head from 1998 until last month. Bob Bradley was Schellscheidt’s assistant with the Lancers.

Arena was Williams’ coach at Virginia, where Williams and Reyna played on the 1991 NCAA championship team, and for three years at D.C. United, where Williams played alongside Marco Etcheverry on what many still consider MLS's greatest team ever. (Williams won two MLS Cups with United under Arena and one under Coach Thomas Rongen.)

Williams on becoming a successful coach-

“The successful coaches, same as a player, you have to be a hard worker, you have to be organized,” says Williams. “Obviously, you have to know the game. And you also have to be fair and honest with people.

“There’s tough decisions to be made sometimes, but as long as you’re upfront and honest about them you'll stay on the right track. You’re dealing with a lot of different personalities. Being able to understand each individual -- and not just expecting them to be exactly like you are, because you need guys from different places and with different personalities. You have to know how to man-manage these guys and understand how they do things might not be the same way you do things – but that’s OK as long as you get them to play within the group.

“And especially with the young players, you need to be patient and help them to be better soccer players in whatever way they need it.”