Fleetdown United appoint Indian star Jules Alberto Dias as their new coach

FLEETDOWN UNITED manager Martin McCarthy has unveiled former Indian international footballer Jules Alberto Dias has joined the coaching staff at the Dartford based club.

 

Known famously for scoring the biggest goal in the Indian national side’s history, Dias has been coaching youth football  in England since he arrived to the county in 2006.

As a huge advocator of coaching youth football (where he currently manages and coaches an under 16 team), Dias has never considered coaching adult football, however, has decided that now is the right time to enhance his  coaching potential.

“I have had many options to coach adult football from lots of clubs and with my background I have felt that some of them were interested to welcome me aboard to enhance the club name, rather than my coaching potential,” revealed Dias.

“However, at Fleetdown and working with Martin, it’s the first time I have actually felt and believed that a manager wants to coach the players, rather than just win, win, win, which as a coach gives you more time to work on things with players to the best of your ability.

“Higher league club’s have approached me over the past few years, however, as an ex-professional, I know how easy it is to just cherry pick from a talented group and my focus has always been to help develop all players to allow those not privileged enough, to have the same opportunity.

“Martin stated in the first conversation we had that he’s building a football club, which includes all players, rather than football teams and I have to be honest when I say that in every conversation I have had in the past, nobody has ever said that to me.

“Other manager’s and chairmen have always said they want me to progress their team, however Martin’s first words were that if we coach the players, and educate them, then the whole club will get better’’. ‘’It’s a positive outlook and one that really impressed me.”

Fleetdown, who enter their fifth season in the Andreas Carter Joma Kent County League Premier Division, made great statements last year with their league positioning and results (which finished with a 12 game unbeaten run, and a 10 game winning streak), are looking to build on that this year, and it’s obvious with the appointment of Dias, that things are heading in a positive direction.

“In the first training session I took back in June, Martin allowed me complete freedom to show my beliefs with the players that football is more than just run, run, run,” said Dias.

“With 60 players at the first session, I could tell that they all want to get better, and the way Martin spoke, and the players listened, shows that there has been a huge mutual respect built between Martin and the lads, which I know is based on equal guidance for all.”

On the appointment, manager McCarthy added: “Jules was a genuine person who can coach at the highest level.

“I was introduced to Jules a good while back and we shared some good conversations on football. Were both at the same stage of our coaching pathways and Jules and I have the same understanding on how we believe players should be coached.

“It was only a week after his appointment that Jules made me aware of his past playing highlights and that shows the character of the man in that the reputation he wants to portray is through his coaching rather than past achievements.

“I’m only interested in having coaches working with me that want the same outcome and that is to develop from within.

“It’s safe to say that wherever you go in football and whatever level, there will always be clubs that have more incentives than you, and so unless you coach your players to get better in every aspect, then you will always be starting again.

“As an ex professional, Jules is in a fantastic position to mentor my lads in every aspect of football and is the reason why from day one, we formed a great bond. We want our players to progress higher and higher, and so if we can help them with all aspects along the way, then were doing our jobs.”

Visit Fleetdown United’s website: www.fleetdownunitedfc.org.uk