What is development in football for youth athletes?

We’ve all discussed and said things like this right?

·        This coach is great!

·        That coach isn’t because because because…

·        You coach players this way! Not that way…

·        This club is the best for youth development…that club is rubbish bla bla bla

·        Don’t sign for them… their manager is an idiot and club ethos is poor …

So what are the answers to it all? Do you send your son to a top premier league club with the best facilities and cash flow or send them to a lower league club knowing that the path to the first team is much easier to achieve and they play every week?

Depends what you think is “development” I suppose?

·        So do facilities create elite performers or the people?

·        Does a “strategy” produce and develop a footballer or is success in the game down to luck?

There are lots of questions above but I suppose it all comes down to personal preference for the player and families involved. If families think there are better coaches at the top clubs compared to lower leagues then they are wrong! A bit like a school I suppose!

·        Do the better schools have better teachers?  I’ll let you decide… (Little hint…I’ve got loads of answers for a big fat NO)

If families think facilities are the “be all and end all” as a sign to help improve their son then they are wrong. If families think facilities can help a player have a greater chance then then they could be right.

But remember the title of this chapter? What is development? It therefore depends what you see as development right? Do rubbish facilities and infrastructure stop the Brazilians from being great? Do the great facilities at St Georges Park, the home of English Football mean we will produce better players? Who knows, but I’m not sure.

And remember all this for a chance to be a professional footballer. There are 92 league clubs. There has only ever been 92 league clubs. That means about 3500 professionals in England and latest stats say 8 million people play the game. So on my reckoning the chances of being a professional football player for a living, from birth are 0.043%.

One thing where the game at academy and grass roots needs a re-vamp and to meet a middle ground is “competition strategy”. Academy players at 9-16 basically play friendlies for 7 years. What’s that all about? Complete nonsense. Now I’m not at any stage saying winning is everything but if I made the decisions it would be half a season friendlies and the other half a league. I would also introduce this same strategy to grass roots where I believe “winning” takes up too much emphasis and development is hindered over results. In summary, learning to win is development! (And learning to lose also may I add!)

So I’ll finish with the this…When staff approach me about advice on a player development pathway I pretty much always give the same answer.

“As long as you have a plan and a strategy (as the so-called experts) I don’t care what you do!”

 I just can’t stand it when I hear horror stories of how players have been coached, managed and developed with:

·        Made up rules

·        Poor thoughts about the long term effects… of… “short term decisions”

·        Coach emotion over powering the needs of the player

·        A narrow minded approach to development

I dont have all the answers but my advice would be to start... thinking about thinking being a better developer..

Thanks for reading

SS