Junior Technical Director – Peter Perdijk
Question time with Junior Technical Director Peter Perdijk
Can you tell us about your football journey, and how it led you to this role?
I grew up in the Netherlands and started playing at the age of eight, in a country where the football culture is everywhere — on the streets, in the parks, and deeply embedded in the community. That environment shaped how I see football: creative, intelligent, expressive, and always centred around people coming together. I also coached juniors in the Netherlands, which gave me an early understanding of how young players learn and how powerful a strong, connected club community can be.
When I moved to Australia at in late 2007, Fulham United quickly became my football home. I first joined as a player, and later stepped into coaching roles across the junior program. Those experiences — being part of the club as both a player and a coach — eventually led me into this td role.
A big part of my motivation now, is trying to bring in the community spirit I grew up with in the Netherlands. That sense of togetherness, belonging, and shared responsibility was a huge part of my experience with my Dutch football club, and it’s something I sometimes find harder to see in Australian football. My goal is to help Fulham United become a place where families feel connected, coaches support each other, and players feel they belong to something bigger than just a team.
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How do we balance skill development with fun and enjoyment?
Fun and development go hand in hand. Kids learn more, try more, and stay in the game longer when they enjoy what they’re doing.
At Fulham United, our sessions are designed to:
• Be game‑based and full of decisions
• Encourage creativity and experimentation
• Include challenge, competition, and laughter
• Match the developmental stage of each age group
• Give players ownership and freedom
When players are smiling, working hard, and trying new things without fear, that’s when development is at its best.
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What does “long term player development” look like at Fulham United?
Long‑term development means we’re not judging a 10‑year‑old by the standards of a 16‑year‑old, and we’re not making decisions based on next weekend’s result.
Our approach focuses on:
• Equal opportunity and meaningful playing time
• A clear playing identity that grows with the age groups
• Coaches who prioritise confidence, bravery, and decision‑making
• A pathway that values late bloomers as much as early maturers
• Developing people first — resilience, teamwork, humility, joy
We’re building players who love the game, understand it, and stay in it — not just teams that win in the short term.
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What makes a good junior coach?
A great junior coach is defined more by their character than their qualifications. The best coaches:
• Stay calm, humble, and player‑centred
• Create environments where kids feel safe to try and fail
• Understand child development, not just football
• Communicate clearly with parents and players
• Celebrate effort, bravery, and small improvements
• Model the behaviours we want our players to learn
• Keep learning, keep reflecting, and keep enjoying it
• Focus on developing the players they have, rather than wishing for “better” ones
Junior football isn’t about recruiting talent — it’s about growing it. The best coaches take pride in helping every child improve, no matter their starting point.
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Who was your favourite team, and favourite players when you were growing up?
Growing up in the Netherlands, my team was AFC Ajax Amsterdam — a club built on youth development, creativity, and bravery on the ball. Those values still shape how I coach today.
My favourite player was Ruud Krol, a leader, a thinker, and a defender who played the game with intelligence and elegance. Players like him showed me that football is as much about expression and understanding as it is about physical ability.
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Any final thoughts?
Fulham United is at its best when coaches, parents, players, and volunteers all pull in the same direction. Everything we aim to achieve — from long‑term development to community spirit — is only possible with the support of both the main and junior committees, our volunteers, our parents, and our players. A positive attitude from everyone involved is what turns a club into a community.
And when we build that kind of environment together, the wins — on and off the field — will follow.
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I also would like to thank everyone that has supported and helped me along the journey and those that continue to do so.