Well, another season is about to end and the twice yearly player assessments are now upon us. Most clubs will have already done their final assessments resulting in most players finally discovering their fate. After all those training sessions, matches, and journeys up and down the motorway, its decision time for all the players across [...] Read more »
Have you been wondering what the rules actually mean regarding the new Elite Player Performance Plan? We’ve obtained a copy of the latest Football League Development rules that govern football academies from 2013. You can download a copy here. The document is over 300 pages long and covers everything from leadership and management of an [...] Read more »
The Elite Player Performance plan is now in full swing and most clubs have decided which category they would like to be in and many have now had their audits c9onfirmingwhich category they are going to be awarded. As the EPPP is all about player development, we would like to know what you think of [...] Read more »
The categorisation of football academies under the forthcoming Elite Player Performance Plan is still as clear as mud! Most clubs have decided which category they would like to be in and are now planning their own self-audits in anticipation of the forthcoming external audit programme by the governing body. The twenty Premier League clubs will [...] Read more »
What a great feeling it is when your son is scouted by your local football academy. All his Sunday League team mates look on with envy and the parents have that wonderful look of jealousy as the scout tentatively approaches you on the side lines as you watch your son on a Sunday morning. The [...] Read more »
A friend of mine recently travelled over to Spain on business whilst working with a sports goods manufacturer. Whilst he was over there, he spent some time in a number of club academies and training centres. Apart from the obvious differences between football academies in Spain and the UK, such as the glorious weather, immaculate [...] Read more »
Thinking of joining a Football Academy? If your son is an aspiring footballer and you are thinking about joining a football academy or centre of excellence you might want to read on before signing your footballing life away in a fit of excitement! When you join a football academy or centre of excellence you are [...] Read more »
With the new EPPP rules coming into force next season, many academies will be frantically looking at the details of the new proposals and trying to work out which tier they will be in next year. It should not be too hard to figure out which academies will be in tier 1. Manchester United, Manchester [...] Read more »
Newsflash – England has finally won the World Cup! Football fans from all over the UK partied early in to the night now England has finally won the Fifa World Cup again with a sensational last minute goal in extra time. The nation has gone into party mode and the Prime Minister has announced another [...] Read more »
Finally the Football League has voted to accept the new Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), with the full backing of the Premier League and Football Association. All 72 clubs voted in favour of the new rules which will completely change the structure of the current football academy system in the UK. The new scheme will [...] Read more »