So when Eddy Etaeta, head coach of the Tahiti national side, received the opportunity to do just that at the 10th UEFA Conference for National Team Coaches, he did not hesitate to accept.
After leading the Toa Aito through a victorious OFC Nations Cup campaign, Etaeta has the daunting task of preparing his team for success on the world stage at the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, which is one reason he was chosen to represent the Oceania region at the conference.
Held over three days in Warsaw, Poland, the technical directors and national team coaches from all 53 UEFA member associations gathered to cover topics which included a review of EURO 2012 and the UEFA Champions League from a technical point-of-view.
The chance to pick the brains of some of the game’s greatest minds was a real highlight of the conference for Etaeta.
“To be with the best coaches in the world, like Vincent Del Bosque from Spain, Germany coach Joachim Löw and Italy’s Cesare Prandelli, and to share and hear them talk about their experience and philosophy of the game, gave me the chance to learn a lot about that side of the game,” Etaeta says.
“I was very impressed by all of the coaches who attended. But I was especially impressed by the humility and brotherly relationships of the Spanish, in particular, Vicente Del Bosque who, quite simply, is a great man, a gentleman.”
Etaeta says the discussions also covered how the selection of players for the national teams is fundamental for defining the game strategy, especially in short-term competitions.
“The examples used were Spain, Germany and Italy, in particular, as they didn’t hesitate to change their approach to the game for EURO 2012. I also learnt a lot about possession of the ball and it becoming a bigger feature in the evolution of the modern game.”
He says overall the conference was a great experience and he is looking forward to what the future will bring for his national side.
“What I have taken from this experience is that football reunites men of passion and sporting valour. Everything starts from a project, a philosophy, and I find that reassuring in the football that I want to develop.
“Following on from this experience I have just had, the most important thing for us is to continue building on the long-term with a better philosophy of the game, more adapted to Pacific Islanders.
“I will certainly use this experience to be better prepared for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches and the Confederations Cup and we will be able to progress players who are more professional.”
Amongst the celebrated coaches and football greats, Etaeta says his main highlight came down to one sentence.
“When UEFA Technical Director Andy Roxburg said: ‘Football is not a job, it is a life’. That was something that really meant a lot to me.”

Share