PSV Eindhoven legend Ernest Faber has revealed his intention to improve the quality of youth football Australia-wide in his first interview as Adelaide United technical director.
Faber is set to officially begin his new role in July, and will join the Reds from PSV where he’s served as head of the club’s youth academy since 2013. The 52-year-old has spent the best part of 40 years at the Dutch powerhouse, and can split his four decades at the club in half: 20 as a player, 20 as a manager.
His imminent arrival at Adelaide United is a result of the strategic partnership forged between the two clubs in April; speaking to club media, Faber detailed what his day-to-day duties will look like at the Reds, the motivation behind joining the club, and his plan to lift the standard of football both in South Australia and around the country as a “specialist” in youth development.
You can watch the full interview here
“Why come to Adelaide United? To share my knowledge about developing young talents – it could be players and coaches as well,” Faber told AUFC Media.
“I was here for our partnership with PSV Eindhoven, and from the first moment, it felt like the same club as Eindhoven. You are a ‘People’s Club’. You are a family. It felt like coming into a family.
“Yes, I could come to help for football development, so that’s the reason I’m here now… just sharing my knowledge but also cooperation, it’s similar to (what) I did in Eindhoven. At that time I (was) academy director, then you are kind of a manager who is guiding the football development.
“You help the players, you help the coaches, you help the strategy for playing football, the way of playing, the way we’re working, the way we’re developing.”
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Faber’s PSV story is one of perfect symmetry: two decades as a player, then another two decades as a coach. Both halves of his life in football have involved stints away from Eindhoven but Faber, nicknamed “Mr PSV”, was never far from the club where he’s both played for and managed at every level, from the youth teams to the senior squad.
“I joined PSV in 1984 as a player,” Faber said. “Until 2004, I played in every team in our club. Every youth team, every first and senior team. Then in 2004, I had to stop (because of) a bad Achilles (injury).
“So then I became a coach – and as a coach I did every team also, from the youth department, the academy up to the first team, up to academy director and we’re sitting now here.
“My experiences, I did everything. Everything in the club as a player, as a coach, I played every competition in Holland, in Europe, but I also did as a coach the assistant of the national team, head coach of PSV, and head coach from Groningen, NEC and FC Eindhoven.
“My life experience of 40 years in football is 20 years as a player, 20 years as a coach.
“I’m more than a coach, I’m more a specialist in developing young players, young coaches, not only to coach young players but people around the organisation.
“Football is more than only the players on the pitch. You should see it as unity, as family, as a ‘People’s Club’. This is my speciality, and for 40 years now already.”
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Faber was first introduced to members of Adelaide’s coaching staff and a selection of young players when a touring group from the club visited PSV in May.
The trip, led by Adelaide head of football Marius Zanin and head of youth football Airton Andrioli began at the club’s esteemed youth academy Campus de Herdgang and included the opportunity for Adelaide players Bailey O’Neil, Amlani Tatu, Feyzo Kasumovic, and Malual Nichola to both train with and play for the PSV academy.
Faber says although the objective as Adelaide technical director is to enhance the quality of the club’s young players, he will also work with teams around the community to encourage better standards for youth development.
“I had some experience with a lot of good players from Australia (at) PSV,” Faber said. “They told me about the A-League, it’s a close league, there’s a lot of young players that get the chance to enter the first team – like similar (to what) we have in Holland in the second league. There’s great potential environment for young players to bring them in, so they’re already thinking of development.
“It’s a close competition so it’s easy to play the way of football, you can entertain your fans, show them your skills, show them an attacking way of football. We want to be dominant on the pitch, show you players around Adelaide joining us… so for me, great potential to create and develop but also have success together with the fans. That’s the job I’m now doing in Holland as well.
“Holland is not so big, but it’s not only PSV Eindhoven, it’s also working together with the whole of the Netherlands. Always, the strength is the unity. So also for Australia, we need a good, strong competition not only for the first teams but also for the youth departments.
“The stronger the competition, then the philosophy we have, and I have is: we play the best, with the best against the best in the best circumstances.
“So if you can create that not only here in Adelaide but also around all Australia, then you will see – and this is my experience in 40 years at PSV – then you will see the players become much better than they (are) now.”
