A career as a Professional Footballer is one of the most glamorous and attractive a young person can hope to enter after leaving school. Unlike many careers the road to becoming a professional footballer starts as young as 9 years old and may continue to 18 years old with many obstacles in the way. However the vast majority of boys suffer the disappointment of being released along the way. Parents/guardians and boys need to be realistic and appreciate the extremely small chance of successfully overcoming all the obstacles. A key part of their involvement should be to enjoy and learn from the experience of being associated with a professional club and playing against the best players around the country. Some boys released will come back and develop at a later stage, while others take with them experiences and good habits to fulfill their potential at youth football and non-league level.
RELEASING OF PLAYERS
All players at some time will experience being released. Nobody can play forever at the highest standard. Professional Clubs have a duty to provide a wide ranging approach to nurturing talented players with a focus on continuing education. Parents/Guardians too must equally have realistic expectations, support the boys.
RECRUITMENT AND PATHWAYS
How does a young player step on the ladder of a professional club?
All F.A. Premier League and Football League clubs have thorough networks whereby talent scouts watch games at both youth and senior level. Their role is to recruit potential talent, Scouts develop their own contacts and are generally accountable to Youth Development Officers or Academy Directors for young players and chief Scouts for senior players. The vast majority of young players of the future will join Football Academies or Centers of Excellence at their local professional club.
THE PLAYING PATHWAY
Within this flow chart, grass roots football includes all participation not associated with Professional Football Clubs. It includes, boys, girls, men's’ and women’s football and accounts for 99% of participation. The vast majority of players who step out of this category will return.
CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE
Centers of Excellence cater for young players (Girls & Boys) from 9 to 16 years old and are based at Football League Clubs. The purpose of the Centers is to improve and develop young players through coaching and matches.
YOUTH TRAINING SCHEME
Boys entering football from school can be registered as a trainee and will follow a programme of education and football development. This traineeship lasts for three years, however, players can be signed as full contract players from 17 years of age.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER
From the 1% of boys who attend Centers of Excellence, Academies and YT Schemes, only a minority attain the status of being a professional footballer. Even then football is a very short career averaging less than 10 years, hence the emphasis on boys at school and professional clubs preparing for a second career. Education and welfare form an important part of the approach at the Academies and the considerable support of the Footballers Further Education and Vocational Training Society allows every opportunity for players to follow both academic and vocational courses.
GIRLS’ FOOTBALL
There are currently opportunities to play from grassroots up to international level. Although full professionalism in England in terms of money is not yet possible, the game is run in a professional manner. There are Girls’ Centers of Excellence all over England. Girls and Women can play in an F.A. Cup Final, a Premier League and for their country in European Championships and World Cups. Women’s football is the fastest growing sport in the country and professionalism will come. GET NOTICED! By playing consistently well at the highest standard of football a player can attain. Write to Clubs to establish if they operate a trial system.
FOOTBALL ACADEMIES
Football Academies are based on the example of good practice established by the F.A. National School at Lilleshall. Football Academies are based with F.A. Premier League clubs and some Football League clubs and operate to the highest standards regarding youth development, broad academic and technical learning programme in the finest facilities with fully qualified coaching, medical, development, educational and welfare staff.
ATTRIBUTES OF THE ELITE PLAYER
Coaches, Scouts and Managers have differing preferences and will place different emphasis on particular attributes according to their personal beliefs and the needs of the Club. Generally these attributes can be placed into four categories:
01 Athleticism Technical Ability
02 Speed, Strength, Power, Flexibility, Stamina Passing, Shooting, Tackling, Dribbling etc...
03 Mentality' Football Intelligence' Not necessarily the IQ of a player but the intelligence towards playing the games, the ability to perform the techniques in a game situation
04 Attitude, Confidence