The Japan Football Association invited five coaches each from Cambodia and Myanmar as part of a joint project with The Japan Foundation Asia Center and hosted a coaching study programme specialised for youth development. The youth coaches visited Japan from Friday 22 September to Sunday 1 October. Since both football associations have been focusing on youth development in recent years, they were keen to join the programmes arranged in corporation with JFA Academy and Omiya Ardija (J.League club in 1^st Div.). Two of the overseas dispatched coaches from Japan,  , OHARA Kazunori (Technical Director of Football Federation of Cambodia), and KOGA Takuma (Coach of Myanmar Academy) also joined the programme.

[Study Programme]
- Observing JFA Academy, Prince League and Tokai League.
- Workshop with JFA Academy on player development
- Coaching practice and discussions
- Visiting Omiya Ardija to participate in a workshop of club youth project and observe trainings of youth teams
- Stadium tour at NACK5 STADIUM, and observation of J.League match ( Omiya Ardija vs Shimizu S-Pulse)

Particpants' Comments

Kim Pheakdey, Assistant Coach of Cambodia Academy U-17.
I would like to say thank you very much for Japan Football Association and The Japan Foundation Asia Center, who has given us the opportunity to participate this study programme.
I have sevens perceptions of Japan’s football development
　1.Good vision
　2.There are specific plans
　3.Precise action (activities)
　4.Clear structure
　5.High responsibility
　6.High and high morality
　7.Good communication
On the pitch
I have three that strong football of Japan
　1.strong heart
　2.highly mentality
　3.the mind makes (try to do)
Being back home, I will try to take some of the things that Japan has, and Cambodia can do, I will share with the developing coaches, learn about the development of Japan football.

San San Thein, Coach of Myanmar Women's National Team.
I found out that Japanese players are very well in mental and their attitude is very good compared with our players.  I feel the need to train our players to be higher in EQ. I have learn a lot from Japan and we have to improve the standard of Myanmar football. I also got a chance to visit Japan women football academy. (TEIJIN) and gained many ideals to development women football in our country. Finally I make a promise I use this experience I got from this programme for our country's football development.

OHARA Kazunori (Technical Director of Football Federation of Cambodia)
JFA Academy gave a chance to the coaches from Cambodia and Myanmar for coaching practice. Director of Youth Development, Mr. SUDO Shigemitsu and Head Coach of JFA Academy Fukushima, Mr. NAKATA Yasuhito gave our coaches lots of advice, and they learned that it's important to observe their players and make sure to give plenty of playing times. At Omiya Ardija, we listened to a lecture of youth development and observed their trainings. They took us a stadium tour even though it was on their match day to experience the excitement of the J.League. The Cambodia coaches were inspired by their advanced football environment like facilities, clubs or academies with monthly tuitions, youth coaching system built based on the development of individual skills and attitude of coaches and players working on training. They also had a chance to spend time with the coaches from Myanmar and exchange their respective local football situations. We would like to utilise the lessons learned and keep working toward the development of football in Asia. From the bottom of our heart, we would like to show our appreciation to The Japan Foundation Asia Center and people who kindly supported this study programme.

KOGA Takuma, Coach of Myanmar Academy (Mandalay)
At the JFA Academy, it was very fruitful for the coaching staff from Myanmar to join in this whole process including experiencing Japanese facilities (dormitories for boys and girls), observing the second phase of selections of players, observing official matches (U-18 and U-15), presentations of development concepts and actual training sessions. Especially the coaching practice session gave them a valuable experience since it taught the idea on how to organise training and adjusting its intensity according to the players you coach at the time, which are necessary skills and traits for good coaches, and also the coaching styles they can follow in near future. I believe they can bring all the experience back home and take advantage of it for themselves as well as provide great influence on other coaches. Visiting Omiya Ardija was also a fantastic experience. On the last day of the programme, even though it was right before their official league match, they gave us a tour at the NACK5 Stadium. Then we watched their match against Shimizu S-Pulse which let us feel the highest level of Japanese football. Throughout the programme, we also were able to communicate with the coaches from Cambodia, exchanging information. We would like to thank very much to The Japan Foundation Asia Center and everyone who made this programme possible.