Promoted Bournemouth mark Premier League return with Dafabet deal

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AFC Bournemouth
Image via AFC Bournemouth

Having been promoted from the EFL Championship last season, Premier League returnees AFC Bournemouth have announced gambling brand Dafabet as their new main shirt sponsor for the upcoming 2022/23 Premier League season.

Dafabet has signed a deal for the next two seasons, replacing MSP Capital as the Cherries’ front of shirt sponsor. The local financial services firm will, however, remain a partner of the club, instead taking on the team’s training kit sponsor slot.

The betting brand is also currently the main sponsor of Scottish giants Celtic and have previously partnered with Premier League clubs Aston Villa and Everton.

Dafabet have a proud history of working prominently across a whole variety of sports, including influential partnerships with a number of county cricket clubs, in boxing and snooker, as well as a significant presence in football having worked with the likes of Celtic, Everton and Aston Villa in recent years.

“Signing this partnership with Dafabet is extremely important in providing us with crucial revenue as a football club,” AFC Bournemouth commercial director Rob Mitchell said in the club’s press release.

“The revenue will enable us to help with our club objectives of being competitive in the Premier League and our commercial goals that come with promotion.

“Dafabet have a huge presence in sport having worked with a whole host of clubs in different areas and we look forward to a successful partnership with them over the next two years.”

John Cruces, head of sponsorships at Dafabet, added via AFC Bournemouth:

“We’re very happy to announce the partnership and send congratulations to all at the club on the return to the Premier League. It’s no surprise to anyone, it’s the most watched league in football – so being on the front of the shirt gives us excellent branding worldwide.

“As with all our partners we will work closely with the club’s community sports trust, ensuring we support relevant fundraising events and offer tickets to all matches throughout the season.

“Finally, we look forward to the new season and are sure we’ll work together to achieve common goals.”

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More than 220 coaches attend Football South Australia’s second NOVA Youth Club Championship workshop

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Football South Australia drew more than 220 coaches to its second NOVA Youth Club Championship Coaches Workshop in late May, underlining the scale of engagement clubs are generating through the state’s restructured youth competition framework.

The online session was facilitated by Football SA Technical Director Michael Cooper, who also serves as Junior Matildas Head Coach. Cooper shared observations from the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup and Australia’s qualification for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, giving club-level coaches a window into the demands and standards of elite international football.

The presenter line-up extended that international lens further. Lachlan Tosh and Cristiano Dos Santos spoke to their experiences in national tournament environments, while legendary Australian coach Tom Sermanni addressed the fundamentals of youth coaching. Colin Sanctuary from the University of Newcastle examined coaching language and its direct influence on player learning.

Themes running across the session included the primacy of long-term player development over short-term results, with presenters consistently emphasising technique, ball mastery, individual improvement, and decision-making under pressure. Coaches were encouraged to expose players to varied styles of play, facilitate practice outside organised training, and help young players retain possession longer in match conditions.

Post-session feedback pointed to strong practical value, with coaches singling out clear communication, relationship-building, and age-appropriate feedback as key takeaways.

The workshop series sits within the broader transition from the Youth Premier League to the Club Championship model, which ties coaching participation to championship points for clubs and CPD credits toward individual coaching diplomas. Six workshops are scheduled across the season, with four still to come.

Premier League backs grassroots football in Singapore

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Image credit: Premier League

The NEXTGEN coach programme saw past legends and current coaches unite to deliver an activity intent on supporting grassroots football through high quality and inclusive coaching.

 

Creating new leaders

To reach the top in elite football requires tactical education, personal guidance and consistent support throughout the development journey.

Coaches therefore take on a great deal of responsibility for players seeking a top-flight dream.

Yet even for those who never make it to the top, there is always one coach who stands out. Not necessarily for the silverware achieved or results on the pitch, but for the way they helped build a person off the pitch to play better on it.

The Premier League’s NEXTGEN Coach programme in Singapore aims to equip coaches with the skills and knowledge to do exactly that: creating welcoming environments which nurture confidence and a love for the game.

“This will hugely benefit local coaches, providing them with expert training and skills that will cascade into the communities they coach in,” said Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, via media release.

“After opening the League’s first international office in Singapore more than seven years ago, we are now building on our commitment to the country with a structured coach development programme.”

 

What does the programme include?

The programme initially saw Premier League coaches deliver training sessions to coaches from StarHub – the League’s broadcast partner in Singapore who engage with local community football.

Furthermore, the training was consolidated through stakeholder engagement events and talks from 150 students at the Institute of Technical Education about their careers in the game.

In total, the programme saw 30 coaches take part – all from diverse backgrounds selected by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to maximise community reach and positively impact as many young individuals as possible.

“Youth development is a key priority for FAS, and it starts at the grassroots level,” explained FAS General Secretary, Badri Ghent via media release.

“Coaches play a central role in shaping not just how young players learn the game, but how they experience it, building confidence, character and a lifelong connection to football.”

Through high quality programmes like NEXTGEN, grassroots football can grow to ensure future coaches and players are confident in themselves and their future roles in the game.

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