Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal Volume 2 | Page 33

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 2
Traditionally, talent identification environments
within academies would perform player selection
and progression verdicts based on subjective
analysis. However, it is now widely accepted
that the use of opinions alone can result in
misjudgements and inaccurate decisions. Thus,
over the recent years, the use of science-based
support systems offering a greater multi-
dimensional approach to talent identification have
been implemented within elite youth football. For
example, tools and specialist practitioners, such as
sport scientists, strength and conditioning coaches,
performance analysts, sports psychologists, and
nutritionists, have been developed and employed
to support technical coaching staff to identify and
develop talented individuals that have potential to
progress into professional football players.
Early research surrounding talent identification
in youth football involved a multidisciplinary
methodology to assess what distinguished elite
and sub-elite youth football players. For instance,
Williams and Franks (1998) revealed potential
predictors of talent in youth football by breaking
down sport science strands including physical,
physiological, psychological and sociological
characteristics. During further investigation, Reilly
et al. (2000b) used 31 (16 elite and 15 sub-elite)
young players matched for chronological age (aged
15 to 16 years) where physiological, psychological
and technical variables were assessed. These tests
included anthropometric and physical fitness,
psychology questionnaires, and anticipation and
football-specific skill tests. They revealed the most
influential discriminating factors in favour of elite
players included agility, sprint time, ego orientation,
anticipation skill, leaner, possessed greater power,
and were more tolerant to fatigue.
Holt and Dunn (2004) advanced knowledge
regarding player development following an initial
investigation with English and Canadian youth
players. They produced a qualitatively derived
theoretical model that indicates characteristics
including discipline, commitment and resilience,
which, together with positive social support,
facilitates the successful transition from youth to
professional level. In a supplemental investigation,
Holt and Mitchell (2006) enhanced the model
through integrating hope theory, which revealed
players with high hope had a greater chance of
achieving professional status. Toering et al. (2009)
support the role of self-efficacy when discriminating
elite and non-elite players in a study of elite youth
Dutch players. Van Yperen (2009) also attempted
to distinguish elite and non-elite players, revealing
goal commitment, engagement in problem-focused
coping behaviours, and social support seeking
successfully differentiated players who reached
professional level and those who did not. Similarly,
presented through Gagne’s (2009) Differentiating
Model of Giftedness and Talent, Mills et al. (2012)
transcribed interviews with 10 expert development
coaches, who were qualified at UEFA ‘A’ or UEFA
‘Pro’ Licence level, to attempt to identify factors
perceived to influence the development of elite
youth football academy players. Interestingly,
drawing from the six interrelated higher-order
categories that represented the characteristics
perceived to manipulate player development, Mills
et al. (2012) revealed psychological characteristics
have a significant influence. For instance, four of the
six categories were psychological qualities including
resilience, goal-directed attributes, intelligence and
awareness, together with sport-specific attributes
and environmental factors.
programme and philosophy. Football academies
in England provide specialist training programmes
established and funded by professional football
clubs, with the primary objective of developing
players towards the professional level. Between
the ages of 8 and 16 years, young players join an
academy part-time. Then at aged 16 years, those
players who show continued progress are selected
to undertake a two year full-time youth training
scheme known as an academy scholarship. In the
elite youth football development pathway, upon
completion of the scholarship, players either sign
a professional contract or are released. Over 90%
of players who join an academy fail to make it as
a professional. Theref ore, it is in each individual
academy’s interests and responsibility to provide
their elite youth football players the maximum
opportunity to develop and reach their potential.
33