Young footballers from across the Bay of Plenty are learning tips and tricks from football royalty.

From September 27 to October 2, Waipuna Football Club is hosting The Mac Allister Methodology – a high-performance camp run by Patricio and Nicolas Mac Allister, Fifa Pro Licence coaches from Argentina.

Local Fifa-licensed coach Alejandro Lioret and Sebastián Ciganda, goalkeeper for Auckland City Football Club, also make up the leadership team.

One hundred kids aged 9 to 15 are involved, with some travelling from Auckland and Waikato.

Patricio started The Mac Allister Campus in 1996 – the same year Waipuna Football Club was founded, said Justin Maunsell, president of Waipuna FC.

“The camp introduces players to The Mac Allister Methodology of training and gives them an insight into how the professionals train. The kids are having an absolute ball.”

Maunsell said the Mac Allisters are teaching players tactical positioning – how to position themselves on the field, how to move and how to defend.

Patricio and Nicolas are related to Alexis Mac Allister, midfielder for the Argentina national team and Premier League club Liverpool.

Alexis will make a brief appearance at the camp through video chat, allowing players to learn from a Fifa World Cup winner.

Maunsell said “it’s huge” to be hosting professional footballers at Waipuna FC.

“A lot of the kids just see these players on TV. To have professionals come in and work with them, it’s a real treat for the players and their parents.”

Nicolas said New Zealand has the infrastructure to support the next generation of footballers.

“Good families and a good economy help the development of players. It’s easier for players to see a future in football if their country has a professional league.”

Football players training at The Mac Allister Methodology training camp, hosted by Waipuna Football Club. Photo / Bijou Johnson

The coaches are also scouting for talent. Nicolas said they’re trying to identify the better players in the camp and give them an opportunity in Argentina next year.

The Mac Allister Methodology runs worldwide. Patricio has led the camp in Venezuela, Guatemala, America and now New Zealand.

Although the Mac Allisters are bringing international football here, New Zealand has also made a mark on the world stage.

Auckland City FC recently competed at the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup in the US last June.

“This was a very big tournament around the world,” said Ciganda. “All the kids here told me they watched the games.”

Football players training at The Mac Allister Methodology training camp, hosted by Waipuna Football Club. Photo / Bijou Johnson

Ciganda said a tournament like the Fifa Club World Cup helps young players and fans envision a professional career for themselves.

“When you are a kid, you are like a sponge, so they soak up all the information we can give them. A few players have quality, but they need development. That’s why the Mac Allisters are here to see them: to scout them and try to create a path to be a professional.”

“I’ve improved a lot training with Sebastián these past few days,” said trainee goalkeeper Reynhardt Duplessis.

Lucas De Jong, one of the young footballers, said, “We’re learning from the top level and what we can do to get there.”

Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. A passionate writer and reader, she grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies from Massey University.