Premier League plot a youth revolution in English football

[TheHitman]

The scheme aims to free up the movement of young players and will set up of an independent standards authority which will monitor and rank the academies of clubs across the country.

 

The Premier League is planning a radical overhaul of youth development that will see the end of reserve team football, a freeing up of the movement of young players and the setting up of an independent standards authority which will monitor and rank the academies of clubs across the country.

 

The Elite Player Performance Plan will be the most significant study of how to develop young footballers since Howard Wilkinson’s Charter for Quality 13 years ago.

 

With Uefa’s rules on Financial Fair Play coming into force in 2013 and the Premier League’s demand that each club have eight home-grown players in their squad, English clubs are investing in youth recruitment and coaching more than ever before, as they seek to create a sustainable long term model.

 

The EPPP will encourage clubs to develop their own players and seeks to raise the overall standard of players developed in the English system — which should have positive long-term effect on the England national team.

 

 

The idea is to create a competitive environment for young players that the reserve league does not currently provide. There will be dispensation for a restricted number of overage players to be part of the squad.

 

Participation in the league will be mandatory for Premier League clubs.

 

The second important development will be the creation of an independent authority to grade academies, much like the one that operates in the German Bundesliga.

 

The body will be created this summer and will, from next season, begin to grade academies with a mark of one to four, with grade one academies being the best.

 

Centre of Excellences will disappear. In the long term this would facilitate the movement of players up the academy food chain — a development that will doubtless meet resistance from the Football League.

 

There have also been discussions about the loosening of the rule that youth players must live within a 90 minute commute of their club.

 

Some Premier League executives have questioned if the rule would stand up to legal challenge and there have been talks about creating a new rule that would allow the best players to join the best academies, if they so choose.

 

The EPPP goes in front of the Premier League’s shareholders on Feb 3 and the new rules are expected to be voted through at the AGM in June, in time to be implemented next season.

 

The plan has been put together by the Premier League’s youth development group which is made up of Ged Roddy (Premier League director of youth), Ivan Gazidis (Arsenal chief executive), Brian McClair (Manchester United Academy director), Neil Bath (Chelsea Academy director), Jez Moxey (Wolves chief executive), Terry Westley (Birmingham Academy director), Duncan Riddle (Aston Villa’s Head of Community) and Mike Foster (Premier League General Secretary).

[lifetime fan]

A pile of wank.

 

Any club being promoted to the premier league should have to fieild a reserve side to play every other club home and away each season.

[Yossi15]

Why can't reserve sides play in League 1 and League 2 etc. just like in Spain?

[Iantn]

Why can't reserve sides play in League 1 and League 2 etc. just like in Spain?

 

I think mainly because no League 1 or 2 side will vote in favour of it. Turkey and Christmas come to mind on that score.

 

A reserve league that mirrors the current league system would be a far superior setup to the current pathetic one.

[Yossi15]

I think mainly because no League 1 or 2 side will vote in favour of it. Turkey and Christmas come to mind on that score.

 

A reserve league that mirrors the current league system would be a far superior setup to the current pathetic one.

 

Yes, I can't understand why it's 5 team in each group, and a part from the 10 games, you will have 5-6 games against teams from other groups. FA should rather fill up a group with 20 teams, either from Premier League or Championship, so 18 year old football players doesn't have to go months without playing a game.

[Cushty92]

I think mainly because no League 1 or 2 side will vote in favour of it. Turkey and Christmas come to mind on that score.

 

A reserve league that mirrors the current league system would be a far superior setup to the current pathetic one.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Problem is we'll never move forward if this doesn't happen, Prem/F.A need to grow a pair and enforce it. Also funny how Segura/Borrell weren't consulted :whatever: not like Spain are the best national side around or out...

[lifetime fan]

Any club coming into the premier league has the finances to run a 'proper' reserves side.

 

All twenty clubs play each other home and away. There needs to be a seriously competative edge to the games for them to mean anything.

[piscinin]

At least the PL has finally recognized the need for change. Whether this is enough or not only time will tell.

[Gym Beglin]

Good to see United, Arsenal and Chelsea representatives getting their way in 'youth development' once more.

 

Now they can recruit kids from all over the country, nothing left to stop them now. Cherry picking the best and brightest, even less money now going to find it's way to lower league clubs.

 

In that article I simply read 'legalised kidnapping of talent from around the UK', and in and around it were mentions of 'independant panels', 'competetiveness', and 'kids', just to try and make it sound kosha. I'm sure the independant panel will be impartial and well run, much like other independant bodies in football, like the LMA, and the referees association.

[piscinin]

I wish someone would have kidnapped me, paid me over 100K a year and gave me the finest education possible.

[Redshadow]

And Still we wait..........For them to recognise just WHAT is wrong with English Youth Development. It's NOT the 'competitiveness' of the system that's at fault - It's the Emphasis which should not and Never should have been on Winning - It NEEDS to be on passing and on-pitch movement/attacking runs - All of which England have been sorely deficient in now for more than 4 decades.

 

Look at the World Champions if you need further proof of what is Needed here. Spanish Academies Train Their youngsters in such arts from birth almost - The importance of winning is emphasised much Later to them once they've mastered and honed the basics and look just WHAT they've won with it in the last 3 years. Us? We do it the WRONG way around - We emphasise 'Winning' mentality first and try to tack on passing, movement etc later when it's to LATE to teach footballer's bodies all of the shapes required for certain types of manoeuvres that are vital to passing properly.

 

Basically, You can do it One Way (teaching players to pass from a young age and Then the importance of winning) - You cannot do it the other as we do by concentrating on all that 'winning' crap in academies and Then trying to teach players to pass.........by which time it is FAR to late. WHEN will the authorities in England LEARN that? Sadly, not any time soon it would seem................

[Gym Beglin]

I agree, and this very same neanderthal understanding of sport fucks us from a young age, forever.

Just playing Sunday League football is bad enough, people bleating on about 'heart' and winning 50/50's in no-mans land, or sprinting to try and keep in a ball that's going out in a harmless position, the entire football family in this country was turned into a twat factory by this bulldog spirit thing.

Nobody actually 'enjoying' the fucking ball, no ideas, just robotic dedication to win 3 points in leagues that don't actually mean a fucking thing, ever.

Our system of values is what's wrong. Which wankers are going to look back on a couple of Sunday League medals when they're 70 and shed a tear? Would you not rather have tried to enjoy those 90 minutes, bettered yourself, tried something different?

 

I get the same impression when watching the kids play these days. Idiots with loud voices seem to be the order of the day, and this is why we need good coaches, to tell these people to shut the fuck up and get the kids to start smiling and loving the game every time they put their boots on.

[piscinin]

And Still we wait..........For them to recognise just WHAT is wrong with English Youth Development. It's NOT the 'competitiveness' of the system that's at fault - It's the Emphasis which should not and Never should have been on Winning - It NEEDS to be on passing and on-pitch movement/attacking runs - All of which England have been sorely deficient in now for more than 4 decades.

 

Look at the World Champions if you need further proof of what is Needed here. Spanish Academies Train Their youngsters in such arts from birth almost - The importance of winning is emphasised much Later to them once they've mastered and honed the basics and look just WHAT they've won with it in the last 3 years. Us? We do it the WRONG way around - We emphasise 'Winning' mentality first and try to tack on passing, movement etc later when it's to LATE to teach footballer's bodies all of the shapes required for certain types of manoeuvres that are vital to passing properly.

 

Basically, You can do it One Way (teaching players to pass from a young age and Then the importance of winning) - You cannot do it the other as we do by concentrating on all that 'winning' crap in academies and Then trying to teach players to pass.........by which time it is FAR to late. WHEN will the authorities in England LEARN that? Sadly, not any time soon it would seem................

 

What you mention is only 1 problem though and teams like us and Chelsea have completely bypassed this problem by basing the academy programs on the continental approach. The root-cause is that the FA have been teaching coaches bollocks for the last 20 years and it takes time to reverse that. A lot of those coaches believe that bollocks and are entrenched in positions that make change difficult (see the whole Steve Heighway episode for details). It's bizarre but one of the things that Pep Segura had to do when he took over our academy was to put together a training program to re-train our coaches to be able to coach properly!!

 

Trevor Brooking has been in charge of youth football for over 10 years, has preached exactly what you are and yet his list of accomplishments is empty.

 

The biggest problem WE have is that even with all this fine coaching we are now providing is that there is no efficient way to help players bridge the gap in quality between U18s and the first team. This is supposed to address that problem. The problem that you mention has already been addressed by clubs that are serious about youth development.

[Gym Beglin]

 

It's moments like this why I play football. His team mates hug him like he's scored a scuffed winner in a Sunday League Cup Final in England.

It's this type of creativity and enjoyment that we need to rekindle in this country. Physically there's no difference between us and the Brazilians or Spanish, it's just that they weren't bawled at from an early age to 'keep the facking ball'.

[Redshadow]

Piscinin - You're right about Brooking being in charge and 'preaching' this "we must change our youth coaching to catch up with the rest of the world" mantra as you say and you're right about the 'hoof/launch it' culture in this country holding him up but you're wrong in one respect and that is thus. Do you Really think that someone of Brooking's stature/ranking COULDN"T do something about the thus far appaling state of affairs re our coaching mantras being ALL about winning rather than passing if he REALLY wanted to? I don't.

 

Consider For a start he could reduce the size of practice pitches for youngsters up until around the age of 10 or so. That would FORCE them to learn to pass as you can't "knock it long" on short pitches no? For seconds he could Ban or at least restrict both parents And over-pushy/under technical coaches (i.e bawlers and triers) from being anywhere Near youngsters at such impressionable ages and finally? He could introduce some sort of mantra from the FA - at which he seems to hold a Busby/Shankly like status at of Demigod (as the above mentioned 2 did here and at OT after they retired) - Said mantra could state something like the Aim of Youth football is Enjoyment and Learning to PLAY the game properly NOT to win at all costs when winning doesn't really matter at such ages anyway backed up by the proviso that coaches who continue to defy this emphasis by stating the opposite during their training - continuing to overstate the importance of winning ahead of all else? Will not remain coaches for long; In short that such coaches can and Will be removed immediately if they carry on ignoring the FA's new wishes were such rules to be put in place.

 

If such changes were carried through? THAT would all go a Long way towards rectifying the ills in English football by curing the root causes of the poison that has contaminated our youngsters' footballing education since the Fifties yet NONE of it is implemented and Brooking hasn't even TRIED to force it through - Why is that do you think? Just maybe Brooking is what he proclaims he is so strongly against perhaps? Have you considered that He might be one of the 'old school' style dinosaurs who whilst overtly against coaching via emphasising winning at all costs/using strength above skill etc might Just be secretly Afraid of changing that method of doing things as it is all he's ever known?

 

I have considered this as being the case and the chances that Brooking really is like that and I don't really like the answer I come to which is that mayhap Brooking is indeed advocating change but only in the same manner that the England Cricket Team who were THRASHED without mercy in every Ashes series from 1989 - 2005 advocated change without really Meaning it and which continued thus until they said "we'll change everything about ourselves" and MEANT it after which? Change soon followed. Regarding Brooking and the 'old' viewpoint I describe him as representing? What I mean is I believe he says he's FOR change but actually? He's afraid of it as the current way of doing things is all we've had since at least his father's time when Ramsey was in charge of the National Side.

 

Basically he is symptomatic of the whole English Football establishment in that they say yes, a leap forward Is required, we DO need to change our methods but actually? You go first if that's alright thank you - We will do many things, say we're this and that, that we need many things but when it comes to DELIVERING? To actually leaping into the unknown? Well that's another matter entirely and we're quite happy with the devil we know rather than the great unknown that REAL change represents so we'll sit here on our hands and do nothing if that's alright since as long as we stick with what we know?

 

In short he stands for the "We might not win but at least we won't have to change our WHOLE way of thinking" Point of view when it comes to changing England's football coaching permanently - rather like the politicians in that they stumble from disaster to catastrophe and constantly chant utter crap like "lessons must be/have (delete as appropriate) learned" and Do they learn? Do they thump; The tragedy in all of this being? That for England to EVER stand a chance in World Football? They need to do precisely This. Brooking is in my eyes symptomatic of this viewpoint and if we Are going to have Real change? He is very far from the man to lead such a revolution, very far indeed precisely because of this. I think England WILL find the right man one day to do such a thing to their football - But it might not be for a while just yet...........

Edited January 23, 2011 by Redshadow

[Maldini]

Getting rid of the 90/60 minute rule is a great move as is getting rid of reserve football. It doesn't really go into anymore detail about what will replace it though. Anyone got a link to a more detailed article about it?

[Gym Beglin]

I would love England to spend £5m a season on a brilliant footballing director, rather than yet another expensive twat to manage the national team.

If we offered proper money on someone to replace Brooking, then England could be a mine of world class players within the next decade.

 

Can't stand Brooking, he's much like Hodgson, just another nice English gent who likes the sound of his own voice.

It's symptomatic of the joke that English football has become when these two gentlemen are elevated to positions of such magnitude within the English game. Until the FA (otherwise known as the Twat Factory) take the matter seriously, then we're going to suffer yet more 'gents' being given prestige positions and seriously damaging our national game for another generation.

 

You want a proper low-down on the state of youth football? Read 'The Italian Job' by Vialli and Marcotti, also includes plenty of little interviews with the likes of Ferguson, Guardiola, Mourinho and Wenger on what's gone wrong in this country.

[piscinin]

The issue is that our footballing culture needs to change. Brooking has no idea how to make that happen. He doesn't control pitch sizes the PL control the academies. He's caught in the middle of a turf battle between the FA, EPL, Football League etc and has no idea how to synthesize a solution to move them all forward. He's a guy who kicked a ball for 20 years, why would he?

 

The PL told Brooking years ago, stop trying to tell us how to run our academies and fix your own shit. Train us some coaches who will come in and say "you need to use smaller pitches", instead of the ones you are churning out now who are still being indoctrinated with Hughes and Wade POMO shite and telling kids to jog around pitches really fast. So there you have the genesis of Burton, a center of excellence where modern coaches can be developed, share modern developments, a real community of practice. And then what? The FA sits on their hands and does NOTHING for years. Why would anyone listen to them? That's exactly why they don't. Would you let them near anything that could affect your bottom line?

[piscinin]

Getting rid of the 90/60 minute rule is a great move as is getting rid of reserve football. It doesn't really go into anymore detail about what will replace it though. Anyone got a link to a more detailed article about it?

 

Couldn't find anything. If you come across something please share. I'll do likewise.

[piscinin]

Getting rid of the 90/60 minute rule is a great move as is getting rid of reserve football. It doesn't really go into anymore detail about what will replace it though. Anyone got a link to a more detailed article about it?

 

Pretty vague. Reads like a political manifesto rather than an action plan.

 

TheFA.com - Young Player Development Review

 

Young Player Development Review

 

Friday, 28 January, 2011

 

Recommendations to improve the game at every level.

The FA today released details of its extensive Young Player Development Review, including proposals for grassroots football and coaching.

 

Presented to The FA Board and Council, General Secretary Alex Horne and Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking, delivered a total of 25 recommendations to improve the game at every level, from grassroots mini-soccer teams to the Club England set-up.

 

Included are proposals to change formats and facilities within grassroots youth football, to enhance the professionalisation of coaching within England, and to strengthen international team development.

 

New format for young footballers

 

Changes to the programme of youth football delivered in England are core to the proposals and are central to The FA’s philosophy that better development of players comes from increased and quality contact time with the ball, in an environment that is tailored to young player development.

 

Building on The FA’s Future Game plans for professional and grassroots level, the proposals are designed to further encourage a new approach to youth development in England consistent with The FA’s philosophies.

 

A new era of coach development

 

The second major theme centres on coach development and highlights the critical role they play in the progression of young players, in tandem with the increased need for age-appropriate coaching.

 

The FA’s investment in coach education will be coupled with the development of St George’s Park, which will be a world-class hub for the delivery of coach education in England.

 

Backing success at international level

 

Combining these two elements together, The FA will also focus on building stronger relationships between its representative international teams and professional clubs.

 

This includes a recommendation for mandatory player release for all England teams, alongside an intention to rationalise the international fixture calendar and a pledge to be pragmatic in the use of players alongside closer working with clubs. This arrangement is an attempt to establish a clear and consistent approach to the issue of player release.

 

“The recommendations are fundamental in helping us to ensure that we produce more and better English players, and that everything possible is being done to help ensure their transition into successful international teams," said Horne.

 

“The FA must ensure that the highest quality coaches are available to the game, and that these coaches are trained with the right skills to specifically work with young players at every age across clubs from grassroots to elite level.

 

“We must ensure that the clubs and our international teams are working together in the interest of the individual player’s development, and towards the ultimate success of our England teams.

 

“I believe that the development of future generations of the highest quality young English players is the central challenge facing English football today. The good news is that the game is willing, and as I have experienced during the consultation, is at its best working together.

 

“I am confident that with the unanimous support of The FA Board, alongside the hard work of Sir Trevor Brooking and his Development team, they will be delivered.”

 

Brooking added: “Following on from the release of The Future Game document last year these recommendations form the basis for the outlook of our national game for years to come.

 

“A rigorous consultation with the whole game informed the process, which was followed up with a number of workshops, reviews and technical expertise.”

 

The recommendations are made in response to the request of The FA Board in July 2010. The consultation process with stakeholders will now continue, combined with further Board discussion in the coming months. Recommendations will be phased in over a period of time in line with a suggested implementation plan to be presented to The FA Board in April.

 

 

TheFA.com - YPD: Summary of recommendations

 

YPD: Summary of recommendations

 

Friday, 28 January, 2011

 

25 recommendations to help improve the game at every level.

 

1. Agreed mandatory pathway for grassroots youth football playing formats

2. Promotion of The Future Game as a best practice guide to player development

3. Public communications campaign to target teachers, parents and volunteers about the importance of player development

4. The FA to continue work with the other football authorities on whole game youth development issues, and to consider how youth development could be given greater prominence in the game’s governance

5. Expansion of The FA Tesco Skills Programme nationwide

6. Work with policy makers to ensure the protection of football provision in primary education sector

7. Work with the professional game to understand the impact of the ‘relative age effect’ and what solutions might be developed

8. Identify opportunities for grassroots clubs to provide talent identification and development support to the professional clubs

9. Update The FA coaching strategy and promote The FA’s coaching philosophy across the whole game, including the development on an online resource

10. Ensure that age-appropriate qualifications are included in rules and regulations for the appointment of coaches

11. Establish a Coaches Academy network to bring together outstanding coaches of different levels and experiences on a regular basis for coach education opportunities

12. The FA to launch the Licensed Club for Coaches to kite-mark qualified and up-to-date coaches in the grassroots and professional coaching workforce

13. Work with the professional game and grassroots to ensure The FA supply of coach education staff is in tune with the demand across all levels of the game (seniors)

14. Work with the professional game and grassroots to ensure The FA supply of coach education staff is in tune with the demand across all levels of the game (youth)

15. The FA should undertake to report on an annual basis the latest available research on coaching techniques as well as an assessment of performance in terms of coach education, retention and development

16. Develop further opportunities to ensure that England international development team coaches work closely with clubs on the identification, development and transition of young England players into the U16 England development set-up

17. Expand and coordinate club visit programmes for the international to ensure that the international programme for individuals players is appropriate and consistent with their club-based development programmes

18. Encourage England teams at all developmental age groups to play with a consistent playing philosophy to ensure transition amongst teams is consistent

19. Overlay the transition of coaching staff individuals across age groups to provide continuity to young players progressing through the international teams

20. Require future England senior team coaches to have significant input into exposure to the national development team structure

21. Work with the professional game to consider ways to support the U17 - Under-21 age groups of developing young English players to ensure they maximise their opportunities for playing elite level football and their chances to experience the Club England environment

22. Agreement between The FA and the professional game on the mandatory release of players for international duty

23. Agreement to work with the professional game to collect and collate match performance, fitness and medical testing data to consider the impact of the English football calendar on pre-tournament fitness levels

24. Undertake research to better understand the ‘player experience’ of international tournaments to inform future decisions on preparation and environment

25. Formally engage with the leading professional clubs to share their experience on establishing the optimal preparation and environments to encourage player performance.