Aitor Karanka conducts coach training session, featuring 120 male and female participants

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council organised a theoretical and practical training session for more than 120 male and female coaches, which was held at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi, led by former football star and current Spanish coach Aitor Karanka.

During the session, Karanka explained the training and preparation methodology behind matches, which included the tasks of the work team, and how to prepare the team in all technical aspects. He touched on analysis and how to use the data available from the players’ statistical programmes in the training sessions. Karanka also ran a special operation that included the tactical aspects of the team's offensive and defensive principles during the match.

The training session falls within the The Coach incubator programme, which aims to prepare a new training base, as part of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s ambitious initiatives to empower training cadres in the emirate and qualify them to obtain approved licenses and certificates, in accordance with international best practices.

Abdullah Al Wahaibi, Director of the Club Development Department at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said: “Through The Coach programme, we seek to develop the technical system in Abu Dhabi clubs, and provide them with professional experiences that contribute to developing the skills of our training cadres in Abu Dhabi clubs, academies and schools.”

He added: “The training session falls within the Abu Dhabi Sports Council’s ongoing plans to develop training cadres and enhance the professional work base in Abu Dhabi clubs and academies, based on the keenness to present and adopt initiatives aimed at achieving more gains for Abu Dhabi sports and contributing to raising the performance levels of training cadres, which leads us to achieve many positive goals and outcomes from the training sessions from The Coach’s supportive programme."

Aitor Karanka began his career as a player in the Spain's Athletic Club in Bilbao, before moving to Real Madrid in 1997. He returned to the Athletic Club in 2002 and then moved to the American Colorado Rapids. He has coached Middlesbrough, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Granada.

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council launched the The Coach programme in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the National Anti-Doping Committee, and the National Ambulance, in addition to sports federations. The programme aims to prepare a new administrative training base in Abu Dhabi clubs and rehabilitation centres to practice the profession of coach and administrator in Abu Dhabi clubs and their affiliated academies.