New Look Stallion Academy Is The Best Place For Youth Players

Dennis Dokas is the new Youth Development Officer for Stallion Laguna FC and with his experience comes hope for the youth academy.

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New Stallion Laguna FC’s Academy Youth Development Officer Dennis Dokas said, “Stallion Academy is the best place for young Filipinos interested in becoming professional footballers.”

On the UEFA A-License coach’s resume is a wealth of 8 years experience as a player. First as a youth playing with Belgium club FC Anderlecht, and thereafter a semi professional in Greece with FC Panathinaikos. He became a full professional with FC Pierikos, also in Greece.

After Pierikos, Dennis joined another Greece club Apollon Thessaloniki, before moving out to FC Berwick Rangers in Scotland and FC MVV Maastricht in the Nederlands. He played for both the Greece U17 and U20 teams.

However, due to an unfortunate car accident and serious knee injury, Dennis stopped playing football early and moved into coaching.

Photo credited to Dennis Dokas

Dennis’ appointment as Stallion Laguna’s Academy Development Officer comes with different challenges– but the European coach is not new to the youth team. In his rich 19 years full of coaching experience, he has been either a head coach, assistant coach, or a technical director with many renown clubs and youth teams around the world.

He started coaching in 1998 as the head coach of FC Swartberg u17 in Belgium. Since then, he has coached the likes of FC Hellas u19 in Belgium, WVV Maastricht FC u19 team in Nederland, Olympiakos SC’s Athens Academy in Greece, Al Ahli SC’s Jeddah u19 in Saudi Arabia, Dibba Al Hisn in United Arab Emirates, FC Shabab Al Ordon youth teams in Jordan, Al Ittihad sc Tripoli in Libya, Al Nasr sc Dubai u14, Makati FC Philippines, Metro Manila FC, Philippines.

Dennis knows the importance of winning titles, but he believes that when working with youth teams, development comes first and winning comes the second.

The 44 year coach is trying to develop Stallion Academy players to stand out among the best in the Philippines–And he is working closely with the Stallion Laguna FC owner and head coach, Ernest Nierras, to achieve this.

Featuring in my program “D-QASM, Football a decision game, ” Dennis talked why he joined Stallion Laguna FC Academy.

“I had offers from abroad and in the Philippines but I joined Stallion because of the owner. Ernest Nierras gave me the power to implement my philosophy that tallied with his plan for the academy’s youth team. I believe in development and he believes in development too for the Academy.”

I went on to ask several questions, and here are the answers:

Q: What makes Stallion’s Academy different from other clubs?

A: First is the facilities. Stallion Laguna has the facility in Binan apart from training in other places. Second, they have serious plans for the youth teams, nothing is taken for granted. Third, they believe in the youth and want to produce top players that will move on to play in Stallion first team.

Q: What is your top priority in Stallion Academy?

A: First is to build trust in my work and philosophy. Then let the people understand that football in the youth teams is not just for the medal but development. And to try to change the mind set, the mentality that in football nothing happen by luck but hard work.

Q: School football or club football?

A: This is the biggest problem in the Philippines. The system between schools and clubs is a big problem. But they need each other. Almost all of us played in the school. The difference is that in other places there is a great

collaboration between clubs and schools. From clubs, you can become professional if that is your interest, school is education, after your school period you are no longer needed even if you were Messi.

The Philippines is losing football talents every year because of the focus in the scholarship program in schools. A lot could not fulfill their potential in schools. When they return to clubs, they have already passed the development period and clubs no longer need them.

I understand football is business and schools are also in the football business. I support them but Saturdays and Sundays should be given to club football.

Q: How connected is Stallion’s first team and academy?

A: It’s very connected. Most coaches come from the first team to pass the experiences to the youth teams.

Our development plan is to have players in the youth teams to know who is in first teams and the first teams to be familiar with the youth players and what is going on there.

Very good Stallion players from U17, U19 and WFL Elite teams train with the first team occasionally.

Q: What do you say to the parents of kids that want to join Stallion Academy?

A: Like in every clubs, the parent has different plans for their kids. In Stallion, when a player wants to join, first we have to know the purpose, this is what determines what they do in training.

However, we have a plan in Stallion for the beginners, experienced and talented players.

Q: With your development plan, how will you be able keep young players until they become professional’s at Stallion?

A: Not possible at this moment. It is the hope of all the clubs to be able to keep players and develop in their club. What I’m hoping for is a policy that permits us to keep youth players in the club for at least 1 year. Especially for the PFL clubs.

We will try our best to keep our best players but it’s a dream for now.

Q: What do you think about youth league? A: Every player wants to play in the National league. There are a lot of players playing football all over the Philippines but we don’t know them because leagues have always been around Metro Manila.

The 2017 YFL season one was really very organized. The second season will start in September. This is really very good for the youth. As a first step, I want to congratulate the organizers. I believe it will be the best thing in the Philippine football to have the National youth league as it is expected next year.