Methodology Department

Christchurch United FC. One Club. One Dream.

+64 21 446 212

9am-7pm closed Sunday

Unity - Respect - Discipline - Intelligence - Responsibility - Passion

OUR METHODOLOGY DEPARTMENT

The team that ensures that everything we do, and every contact with the player,
is structured well, scientifically sound, and fits with our purpose, objectives, and values.

Danny Halligan

First Team Coach

Danny Halligan is the current First Team coach, having returned to the Club in 2019. Danny played for Christchurch United for five very successful seasons in the National League in 1987-1991 winning 3 League Champion titles and

2 Chatham Cups.

He represented The All Whites from 1987-1993 earning 53 caps. Danny was an inaugural coach of Canterbury United in 2004 and has been heavily involved in youth player development at Mainland Football.

NZF Senior C License.
27 years coaching experience at senior, junior and youth levels - National League and Club.
Danny became our First Team Coach after completing five successful seasons coaching Ferrymead Bays, winning the title in 2017, as well as the English Cup in 2016.
Danny initially joined the star-studded, all-conquering Christchurch United team in 1987 to win three National League titles and two Chatham Cups, before embarking on a professional career with Brisbane United in the Australian League.
He played as Central Midfield.
Hobby: watching and learning from all sports played at a high level.

Danny

I began my coaching career as a player/coach as I enjoyed the extra responsibility and the impact I could have on the team. Now that I no longer play, coaching was the natural fit for me to continue to be involved and to help players learn and develop.

Michiel Buursma

Head of Coaching and Methodology

Michiel has developed a special coaching approach which is different from everyone else and he invests a lot of effort in each player’s development. As a result, players trust he is doing the best for them and are willing to put more effort in development themselves.

Bachelor in Sports, Health and Management
UEFA B, MBP Master in high performance coaching
15 years coach experience
lifelong student of Johan Cruyff, Professional Scout and TOVO coach (Barcelona)
Michiel studied the Master Class Academy Management by Double Pass

He started coaching in the Netherlands, where he also coordinated the youth scouting department and the development program of a professional club.

After many years coaching in the Netherlands, he started his international adventure moving to the US to coach at Houston Dutch Lions F.C. in Texas.

He then studied High Performance Coaching and worked with the TOVO Academy in Barcelona before moving to the Cayman Islands for 6 month assignment. He then moved to Christchurch and joined Christchurch United as Head of Coaching and Methodology.

Michiel

For me football is more then just a game, it is a shared passion which I share with many people and through that connection I am giving my utmost best to help myself and others get closer to achieving goals.

When I was younger my father asked me if I wanted to help him coach and after I decided that I wanted that I have done a lot.

March 2021 NEWS

Michiel Buursma, Christchurch United
Head of Coaching and Methodology
is taking Double Pass Masterclass.

Double Pass is a Belgian company with worldwide football experts in talent development with 15-years of experience. This Master Class is designed to help gain insights into the challenges and opportunities of running an elite football academy and optimising its football technical management. Learn More

Rob Sherman

Consultant

UEFA-Pro Coach and Consultant.
Prior Technical Director of both the New Zealand Football Federation and the Australian Football Federation.
Rob has extensive experience in Coaching at all levels allied to an in-depth understanding and proven background in Player and Coach Development, Strategic planning and Football Development within a National Association.

“We are incredibly honoured that Rob has agreed to join our Academy on

our journey to improve," says Christchurch United Head of Coaching Michiel Buursma.

Joe Cole

Smartabase

Joe has been in many roles in sport from coach, strength and conditioning, performance analyst, data scientist and sports scientist.

He wrote the software now known as Smartabase which is the worlds leading athlete management system now used globally by professional and Olympic teams to track, manage and analyse the performance of world class athletes.

Along this journey he has worked with some of the best in the game, and uses information from best practice to help enhance the structure and delivery of the CUFC program.

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