Words by Michael O’Brien
WHAT'S
WOTTE
We talk with the SFA’s Director of Performance
about current coaching developments here
and in Europe.
WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING
FROM SCOTTISH YOUTH
PLAYERS COMING UP THE
RANKS?
The key things that I expect from a
young Scottish player are attitude,
ability, awareness and athleticism.
Over all these things though, they
have to be in love with football and
have a continuous drive to improve
themselves.
SINCE YOU STARTED IN THE
ROLE OF PERFORMANCE
DIRECTOR, WHAT POSITIVE
IMPROVEMENTS HAVE YOU
SEEN WITH REGARDS TO
COACHING AND THE STANDARD
OF YOUTH FOOTBALL?
I started my job as Performance
Director two and a half years ago and
since then we have been implementing
lots of initiatives. I have noticed some
improvements already but realistically
it will take six to ten years before we
really see the fruits of what we are
doing just now.
14 | YFS Magazine | Issue #1
HOW WOULD A PROMISING
YOUTH FOOTBALL PLAYER GET
NOTICED?
We have a talent ID pyramid at
the Scottish FA starting at 2020
centres to Performance School trials,
Regional Squad, Future Squads and
Development Squads, all the way up
to the National U21 team.
HOW HAVE YOU ENJOYED
YOUR TIME WITH THE SFA SO
FAR?
It is a fantastic job to influence
the Elite Youth Player Development
and work together with the clubs, to
ensure a better end product when the
youth players grow older.
HOW DOES THE YOUTH SETUP IN SCOTTISH FOOTBALL
COMPARE TO THAT OF OTHER
COUNTRIES IN EUROPE? WHAT
LESSONS CAN WE LEARN
FROM THESE COUNTRIES?
In a lot of countries the 6-11
pathway is much better structured
and facilitated, with 2 or 3 sessions a
week by a qualified coach using good
facilities. On the continent, training
sessions and matches are used to
develop and teach youngsters how to
play football to the best of their best
abilities. Scorelines come second and
that’s the message that we’d like to
get across to youngsters throughout
Scotland.
HOW LONG DO YOU THINK
IS NEED UNTIL WE CAN
EFFECTIVELY ASSESS
THE IMPACT OF THE
PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS?
The Performance Schools started
in 2012 with players who were 12
years old. Ideally we’d like to assess
its impact when the players turn 20 in
the year 2020.
WITH SCOTLAND’S NATIONAL
PERFORMANCE CENTRE
FOR SPORT DUE TO BE IN
OPERATION BY 2016, HOW
MUCH OF AN INCENTIVE IS
THIS FOR YOUNG SCOTTISH
PLAYERS COMING THROUGH
THE RANKS JUST NOW? WILL
THIS GIVE THEM SOMETHING
TO ASPIRE TO?
The National Performance Centre