England enter dot.com age

Les Reed: Taking England into the computer age

England may not be leading the way on the field in international football - but under the guidance of one of Kevin Keegan's right-hand men, the national team is at the forefront of football's technological revolution.

By Pete Lansley at England's training camp in Burnham Beeches.

A new England manager usually comes in, names his captain, woos the media and then brings his biggest-name and best-trusted pals in as coaches.

Terry Venables called up Bryan Robson and Ray Wilkins; Glenn Hoddle had Peter Taylor and, erm, John Gorman; Kevin Keegan asked in his mentor Arthur Cox, his former Newcastle coach Derek Fazackerley. And Les Reed.

Les who? The average punter probably knows more about David Davies, the FA's executive director, than he does about this former Finchley manager.

We're breaking new ground in terms of off-field support - we are the leaders in the field

Les Reed

But within the game, Reed has established a reputation as one of the best coaches in English football, spending eight years as one of the FA's regional coaches before helping Alan Curbishley lead Charlton Athletic into the Premiership.

And since he was lured back to help his country two years ago, as director of technical development, Reed has bridged the gap between the key background duties at Lancaster Gate and the finishing class at Bisham Abbey.

Reed helped Charlton return to the top flight in 1998

This is no cobwebbed lecturer type, handing out biblically-proportioned dossiers to each England recruit - Reed is a computer-literate coach taking England into the dot.com age.

It's out with the chalk and talk and in with the internet.

Reed, 47, has acknowledged the truism that the 21st century footballer is being brought up on a staple diet of videos, websites and soundbites.

"We're breaking new ground in terms of off-field support," said Reed. "We are the leaders in the field.

"I've met coaches of European and World Cup winning teams and formulated a few ideas from their experience. But I haven't seen anything like what we do.

"The approach we use is an amalgam of ideas from travelling the world and feeding off the best elsewhere, with tuning in to modern technology.

We have a computerised video collection from every qualifying game of every other team in Euro 2000

Les Reed

"We introduced all the new technology ideas with the young teams first. My theory is that we're dealing with a generation of players who have not grown up with a teacher lecturing from a blackboard.

"Video and internet technology is all second nature to these young guys.

"Simple things like profiling the opposition," said Reed, "that used to be huge dossiers that bored players stiff we now get down to a computerised presentation on video and a couple of terminals.

"We have a computerised video collection from every qualifying game of every other team in Euro 2000.

Howard Wilkinson brought Reed into the England fold

"We've had it analysed, spliced, digitised and put on computer. For Brazil, I've prepared for one terminal a head shot with basic personal details on each player with bullet points on their strengths and weaknesses.

"On the other terminal, there'll be a three-minute clip of that player in action highlighting those points.

"Similarly we do a summary of the opposition as a whole, their attacking strategy, their defensive strategy and then the set-plays, which we can view from any angle."

Reed has gleaned these skills from increasing personal interest as his career progressed from playing centre-forward for Cambridge United, Watford and Wycombe Wanderers, to managing in the Southern League, coaching Wealdstone to major non-League honours and on to the FA and Charlton.

Howard Wilkinson called on his experience and help when putting together the Charter for Quality in 1998.

But for those who in the past might have asked for a show of his medals, he is comfortable with his response.

"Other people might say I was Howard Wilkinson's appointment, that I was here as a mole in the camp, but it's been good.

"A lot of the players, such as Sol Campbell and Michael Owen, I've trained closely with when they were at the National School at Lilleshall.

"So it's never been a problem for me. People see you in action and judge you on that."