Fencibles Centre for Excellence

The Fencibles Centre for Excellence

As you would be aware Fencibles United have recently appointed Roger Wilkinson to the role of Youth Academy Director of the Fencibles Centre for Excellence, based out of the newly re-developed William Green Reserve.

Roger has had an extensive football career, with time divided between the UK and New Zealand. As a player he spent time in the midfield at St Albans, Luton Town and Stevenage Town. But is in the coaching field that Roger has truly made his mark. Roger holds a full FA Coaching badge a UEFA “A” Licence and the FIFA Diploma.  In New Zealand he has been Manager of Napier City from 1978 – 1985 taking them from Division 2 through to the then National League, he was the coach of the NZ U20 and U17 sides and Manager of both Waikato and Auckland in the NZFC. On top of this he was NZF’s Football Director for 12 years. In the UK he has been Academy Coach of Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion’s U21 Development Coach.

Most significantly for Fencibles Roger is the founding Director of Premier Skills, alongside John Cartwright the former Arsenal First Team Coach and FA Technical Director. This gives Fencibles access to some of the top youth coaches in the UK as well as providing opportunities for local footballers to try their talents in the UK. Premier Skills will run regular clinics in NZ with Fencibles as their NZ partner.

Rogers’s primary role with Fencibles will be in the area of youth development and coach education. While he will take a number of one on one sessions with individual teams, he will not be the coach of a specific team, rather he will work to ensure that all Fencibles coaches, no matter the grade they are in, have the skills necessary to the develop the players they are responsible for. Part of this will be the development of a style of play across the club and the integration of the club and the Whole of Football Plan. Our goal is to ensure that all players are able to develop their footballing skills to their full potential and Roger will be integral to that.

Also as part of the Community use of WGR, Roger will be offering coaching programmes for local schools to develop football and to create linkages with the community and with players who may not have consider joining a local club.

Max Christiansen

Youth Director