The North’s football future is being under pinned by the introduction of North Queensland Fury FC’s High Performance Unit.

The Unit’s coaching structure has been developed in consultation with Football Queensland to ensure the region’s talent pool has a pathway into the Hyundai Qld State League, the National Youth League Competition and the Hyundai A-League.

This is a great opportunity for local players to develop without having to relocate to Brisbane or other metropolitan centres.

Fury Head Coach Ian Ferguson said the announcement of the High Performance Unit highlighted the commitment to football in North Queensland.

“We do want to have locally developed players in the Hyundai A-League and this is a start in achieving that,” Ferguson said.

“The Unit will target players in the 16-19 year-old age group who have impressed in the Centre of Excellence Program.”

The High Performance Unit will offer specialised coaching supervised by Football Queensland’s State Technical Director Peter De Roo. 

Ken Mitchell has been appointed Coaching Director of this North Queensland High Performance Unit and will provide guidance for local coaches in producing the next generation of High Performance Unit athletes. 

“This is really a co-operative approach from Football Queensland and the Fury to ensure players are much better prepared for a future in professional football than they have been in the past. 

“Ken has a remarkable record of achievement having coached players of the calibre of David Williams (NQ Fury), Michael Thwaite (Gold Coast United) , Mitchell  Langerak (Melbourne Victory) and Matthew Ham (Brisbane Roar),” Football Queensland President Dennis O’Brien said.  

While the HPU will initially be a coaching structure, there is also intent to develop a purpose-built facility.

The Fury is looking forward to driving the future of football in North Queensland.