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Chris Bart-Williams (Photo source: Quinnipiac Athletics) |
The 34-year-old began his professional career in 1991 with Leyton Orient before his prodigious talent brought him to the attention of bigger and more glamorous clubs. He was subsequently signed by Sheffield Wednesday for a then record fee of $436,000 for a teenager. His time with Wednesday included an appearance in the 1993 FA Cup and League Cup Finals and the same year he played for the England National Team at the World Youth Championships in Australia.
Two years later Bart-Williams was sold to Nottingham Forest for $3.9 million catapulting him into the upper echelons of English soccer earning fame and fortune in the process. After seven successful years with Forest he moved to Ipswich Town and subsequently to Charlton Athletic APOEL of Cyprus and Marsaxlokk of Malta before retiring in the fall of 2005.
Bart-Williams came to the United States in the summer of 2007 to work with Major League Soccer Camps, the official summer camp of America’s professional league. Andrew Farley, MLS’s United Kingdom based representative persuaded Bart-Williams to give the camp a try when he was seeking coaching opportunities abroad. He advised him that coaching in America would be an introduction to the U.S. market and could be used as a stepping stone to the professional game there. The camps and coaching program cater to the youth market, so was not the most logical career step for a former high profile professional. However, MLS Camps afforded Bart-Williams the chance to gain experience and the gateway to future possibilities in America.
Bart-Williams was assigned to work with MLS in Mystic, Conn. under the supervision of New England regional director, Roy Collins. With poor past experiences with pro players transitioning into a coaching career, Collins was initially apprehensive about having Bart-Williams on his staff. Collins placed him with teams in Southbury where his reservations were quickly eased.
“His personality, easy going nature and ‘nothing is too much’ attitude quickly endeared him to everyone,” said Collins. “He loves the game and was and is a credit to his profession.”
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(Photo source: BBC) |
Later that summer Bart-Williams met Tony DiCicco, the Connecticut native and owner of Farmington based FSA’s SoccerPlus at FSA’s tryouts for the 2007-08 season. This chance meeting with DiCicco, the former head coach of the US Women’s National Team led to Bart-Williams being offered coaching positions with FSA’s Under-12 boy’s team and the SoccerPlus Reds of the Women’s Professional Soccer League.
DiCicco was delighted to add someone with Bart-Williams experience to his already impressive staff that included Janusz Michalik, the former US National Team player and a respected soccer presenter for ESPN.
The two first met at the 1993 World Youth Championship in Australia when DiCicco was assistant coach with the USA and Bart-Williams was a player with England. Their two teams stayed in the same hotel ahead of a game against each other which England won 1-0 with Bart-Williams scoring the decisive goal.
“Chris is unique because he comes from an elite level soccer playing experience, but he has a tremendous commitment to coaching and teaching,” said DiCicco. “Even back then, I was impressed with how down to earth Chris was and his overall perspective of the game.”
Despite playing at a high level for most of his career the likeable Bart-Wiliams has remained grounded and does not display the air of arrogance and self importance usually associated with the modern English Premier League player.
“I wanted to go abroad and gain experience, said Bart-Williams.“If I was egotistical I would not have come here, I would have accepted a job with a club in England.”
This approach to the game and to coaching in America in particular is evident to those who work with him.
“His demeanor around the kids is fantastic, he always has a smile on his face,” said Shaun Kelly, a director of Soccer Plus. “He is a very affable, honest person, and very humble considering the fact he played top flight football in England for so long.”
When Bart-Williams was at Sheffield Wednesday, 30,000 fans used to watch him when he played against Sheffield United in the Sheffield derby. It is one of English soccer’s greatest club rivalries and exudes all the passion, competitiveness and flare for violence that enthralls fans around the around the world. Now as a coach Bart-Williams has to content himself with coaching against Connecticut Football Club in a more sedate rivalry that those he was used to back home.
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(Photo source: BBC) |
In a game between the two teams, Bart-Williams came head to head with Stephen Jarvis, an England native who is also the girl’s soccer coach at Farmington High School. Jarvis played for Rotherham United against Bart-Williams’ Sheffield Wednesday in a reserve team game when both were starting out their professional careers.
“He did nothing. He barely moved from the center circle, but when the ball came to him his first touch was class and he could ping a ball,” said Jarvis.
Jarvis grew up a Sheffield Wednesday supporter, watching Bart-Willimas play on a number of occasions and could have been forgiven for giving him the star treatment on the sideline.
“At first I was like a giddy school girl,” Jarvis said. “Should I ask him for his autograph? That type of thing. Eventually I did nothing and honestly more people knew who I was that day.”
That was not always the case when Bart-Williams was playing in England. He was a well-known player and even today he cannot walk the streets of Sheffield, Nottingham or Ipswich in anonymity. He is a fan favorite at his four English clubs and is still remembered fondly by them especially at Sheffield Wednesday where he became known as “Bartman.”
“He was unknown to us when he signed from Leyton Orient, but with suggestions that he was an exciting prospect which he backed up when he was given a place in the team,” said John Gath, a director of Wednesdayite.com, a supporter’s forum site. “It was a great disappointment to many of us when SWFC failed to hang on to him and he left the club.”
At 31, Bart-Williams is still young enough and possibly good enough to be playing with or against his former team mate, Bent at Tottenham. But he doesn’t see it that way.
“My time was up and I was emotionally tired,” said Bart-Williams reflecting on his premature retirement from the game. “I wasn’t as good as I used to be and I didn’t want to play on and just go down the leagues. I made a decision that was best for Chris Bart-Williams.”
Walking away from the game at an early age when he could still make a lot of money was not an issue for him. He managed his finances conservatively throughout his career, so had the financial security to turn his back on extending his playing days and the money it offered. This financial security allowed Bart-Williams to be selective in planning his career in coaching – he didn’t have to accept a position for the sake of a pay check.
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(Photo source: BBC) |
Unlike many of his contemporaries, he planned for his future in coaching by studying for his UEFA Coaching Qualifications while he is presently working towards his American coaching licenses. He hopes to return to Europe to further his coaching career at the professional level, but for now is content to develop as a coach in America, at least for the next year or so.
“I would consider the professional ranks in MLS, but ultimately I would like to coach with a lower league team in England as a manager or as an assistant coach,” said Bart-Williams.
He has played for among others John Gorman, Frank Clark, Pat Holland, Graham Taylor and Dave Bassett, all respected coaches in the English game. The firsthand experience Bart-Williams garnered from them coupled with his own playing career will give him immediate credibility in any dressing room. Playing over 450 professional games, representing England and playing in major cup finals will command respect and stand to him as he pursues his coaching career.
That respect is evident at Quinnipiac, where Bart-Williams is a volunteer coach. Last spring, head coach, Eric DaCosta had a vacancy for an assistant when he received an application from Bart-Williams. He jumped at the chance to add his experience and professionalism to his staff and was excited at the thought of the impact he would have on the program.
“The players feed off of Chris’s energy. They know where he has been as a player and give him automatic respect, focus and great work rate,” said DaCosta.
At a recent practice the youthful Bart-Williams was dressed in navy Adidas Capri’s and the same yellow and navy shirts as the players. He looked fit, his muscles still displaying the tone required of a full time athlete. He was very sharp on the ball and displayed the technical proficiency that defined his career as a creative midfield player. He looked as if he should still be playing. He looked like one of the players. The only thing that betrayed his status and age was the large, gleaming Rolex on his left wrist.
While DaCosta led the practice, Bart-Williams looked on with arms folded and intently focused on the play or the point being made. When needed he made coaching points of his own. “Stop, stop, stop, stop,” yelled Bart-Williams, his voice increasing in tone with each “stop” as a player made a poor decision. His high pitched Cockney accent contrasted with the American twang of DaCosta. “Just do it simple, play a simple ball, pass a simple ball.”
When Bart-Williams made a point, the body language of the players was one of respect. When he spoke everyone looked up, everyone looked at him and no one moved until he finished speaking. At times even the younger DaCosta deferred to his more experienced assistant. The American college game is far removed from the English professional game that Bart-Williams played, but he has embraced it as part of his overall coaching education.
“I have found the experience fascinating,” said Bart-Williams. “I am still getting used to the players mentality and learning how to provide them with insight into the game and the mentality required of a professional player.”
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Graciano Brito, a senior from Cape Verde is one of the Quinnipiac players that Bart-Williams has identified as having the potential to play in England. Brito was the leading scorer and Player of the Year in the Northeast Conference and a potential All-America candidate who may attract interest from clubs in America and Europe.
“I have high expectations for him if he keeps working and keeps improving,” said Bart-Williams. “I keep telling him and the other players to give everything that they have got day in and day out at practice.”
It is advice that Brito has tried to heed during his final year at Quinnipiac.
“I respect him as a player and as a coach because he has been there and done that” said Brito. “I listen to everything he says to me and I try to absorb all his points because I know he has played at the highest level of the game.”
On Oct. 26 when Quinnipiac played local rival Central Connecticut State, Bart-Williams sat calmly on the back of the blue team bench while all around him were emotionally involved in the game. The match was very physical and at times was close to getting out of control due to some questionable tackles from both teams. DaCosta and his Central counterpart, Shaun Green yelled at, cajoled and encouraged their players all the while working the referee for favorable decisions. Meanwhile Bart-Williams sat passively on the bench as if enjoying the late autumn sun.
Quinnipiac led after an early goal, but Central equalized against the run of play with a penalty kick 60 seconds before halftime. For 20 minutes after the break Central dominated play and should have taken the lead on a number of occasions. This prompted Bart-Williams to finally leave his seat, walk over to the sideline and make some hand signals and coaching points to Brito.
“He kept talking to me about the runs I should make, and how to position myself between the defenders,” said Brito. “He was helping me to realize that a lot of my running was dumb work, rather than productive effort.”
The advice paid off when Brito scored twice in the final 20 minutes to give Quinnipiac a hard-fought and hard-earned 3-1 victory. The win for the Bobcats all but mathematically ended Central’s hopes of the playoffs and a chance at defending the championship they had won a year previous. But more importantly for DaCosta and Bart-Williams, it kept alive Quinnipiac’s own hopes of qualifying for the Northeast Conference Tournament and a possible first championship in the programs history. (Editor’s note: The Bobcats lost, 2-0, to Fairliegh Dickinson in the NEC Semis.)
The players celebrated, soaking up the applause and praise from their supporters. As they did DaCosta conducted interviews for Quinnipiac’s television and radio stations before returning to the dressing room to speak to his players. As DaCosta attended to his media duties, Bart-Williams put on his large navy bench jacket and walked slowly across the field toward the parking lot and his luxurious SUV. Nobody spoke to him, nobody interviewed him and nobody asked for his autograph.
At about the same time, thousands of miles away, Darren Bent left to a standing ovation at White Hart Lane, the home of Tottenham Hotspur with the sound and adulation of 40,000 fans ringing in his ears.
Dave Clarke is the head coach of the Quinnipiac women's soccer team. Check for Dave’s insights in the “Coach’s Corner” periodically at Soccer-New-England.com
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