Review of Virtual Soccer Academy

Introduction

Similar to `training` programmes on video games such as `Pro Evolution Soccer`, `Virtual Soccer Academy` takes the viewer through the fundamentals of soccer, including skills, fitness and tips on diet and nutrition, then tests you on your knowledge of the game and checks that you`ve remembered what you`ve been `taught`. Presented by Teddy Sheringham and with Paul Merson as a training adviser.

Video

This interactive DVD works on a system of menus and sub-menus which are all presented clearly and the training footage is blemish-free.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack does a good job with Paul Merson`s instructions in the `training sessions` but unfortunately ensures that the appalling and repetitive background music to each menu (of which there are many) is given a prominence that no right-minded individual would find anything other than annoying.

Features

The interview with presenter Teddy Sheringham is only brief and far from informative, he is only asked 5 questions and the interview itself lasts three and a half minutes. He fails either to answer the questions posed or to expand over and above reaffirming the obvious answer; I didn`t learn any more about either him or the sport than I knew before.

The other `special feature` is the `Crossbar Challenge` which viewers may have seen on the Sky TV show `Soccer AM` although in this case the challenge is not from the halfway line and there are only four examples.

Conclusion

I have no idea what the target audience of this DVD is as many of the test questions seemed overly simple and would probably seem so to a schoolchild with more than a passing interest in the sport. Other aspects of the DVD such as diet and fitness seemed to be aimed at professional or semi-professional footballers/soccer players. My interest in the game is limited at best, yet I was able to complete the progress section of the DVD in less than half an hour whilst suffering with a migraine!

The children taking part in the brief training sessions and showing their skills in the `Showboat` feature seemed to be between the ages of 13 and 16 and were probably in an academy of some sort prior to being picked to appear in the training sessions on this DVD.

This DVD may be of interest to a coach of a youth team, if only to pick up ideas for a training session, but I can`t imagine too many youngsters putting the DVD on, watching the section on `Agility` and then running out into the garden to try it. This will probably be because the training sessions are too brief, superficial and uninformative to actually teach the viewer `soccer skills`. Graphics, diagrams, close ups, slow motion replays with narration would be far more use than watching already skilled youngsters performing the skills a few times.

The choice of Teddy Sheringham as presenter is a strange one, as he is not exactly a wit and raconteur and his stone-faced, monotonous and uninspiring delivery is one of the many weak points of this DVD. Nike are obviously heavily involved in the DVD as they provide all the kit, both real and virtual, but the fact that neither the F.A., UK Sport or any clubs have lent their name to the DVD speaks for itself. In addition, the DVD cover features two quotes espousing the virtues of the disc, one of which is from co-presenter Paul Merson!