Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal Volume 2 | Page 36

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 2
have the precise ‘key’ to support optimum talent
identification and subsequent development.
Following successful recruitment within an academy
setting, a coach acts as a key to support each
player’s holistic development through targeting
individual strengths and weaknesses that are
illustrated from a fully-integrated multidisciplinary
perspective. Within the LWNM, the environmental
factors surround the psychological, sociological,
physiological, technical and tactical disciplines, as
Figure 1 illustrates.
The LWNM has been developed through identifying
the discipline-specific characteristics, which
have been identified as influential factors in the
talent identification process in an English football
academy. Subsequently, within each of these
disciplines, there are characteristics and measures
for coaches and practitioners to consider when
identifying potential elite youth football players.
The four environmental factors might be viewed
as creating the foundation for the opportunity to
engage in higher-level football.
A ‘user friendly’ concept
There have been a number of attempts to
distinguish the talent identification and
development processes. The LWNM supports
MacNamara and Collins’ (2014) proposal of
moving beyond prescriptive models, through
providing a user-friendly framework relevant to
the applied environment. Additionally, the LWNM
also maintains Butler and Hardy’s (1992) early
theory and application of performance profiling
in sport, together with the support for coaches
and practitioners to understand their footballers’
attributes across several aspects.
Gulbin and Weissensteiner (2013) suggest that
there is a gap that is constantly growing between
theory and practice in talent identification and
development. They argue this is due to limitations,
inconsistencies and contradictory contentions from
literature, which result in stakeholders’ scepticism
regarding the usefulness of current research.
Additionally, Cushion et al. (2012) suggest that it
can take at least 10 years before research is applied
to coaching practice. They argue coach education
remains ‘fixed’ while research continues to evolve.
Similarly, researchers often fail to generate
clear guidelines for practitioners to simplify the
practical enactment. Pankhurst and Collins (2013)
also believe there is lack of coherence in the
understanding of talent development systems
and processes between key stakeholders and
researchers, and a deficiency of research into the
importance of this relationship.
Therefore, the aim of the LWNM is to adopt a
‘user friendly’ approach while implementing
contemporary data from reliable and valid
methodologies. Moreover, from a football
viewpoint, the LWNM contributes to the current
FA ‘four corner model’ that is commonly applied
within football organisations and academies in
England, which was initially created by Williams
and Reilly (2000) almost two decades ago.
Additionally, the model presented here also has
the advantage of incorporating influential talent
identification characteristics within each discipline.
Consequently, the LWNM may assist coaches and
practitioners alike regarding the significant factors
that support superior overall performance from
within each discipline, therefore creating a greater
Figure 2: The Locking Wheel Nut Model – example of
three different player profiles
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