I have listed below the recent announcement by Sir Trevor Brooking recently, I would be very interested to hear everyone's views on this 25 point action plan, and if you believe this will improve our game, which point will have the biggest impact and do you think any are just unrealistic.
1. Agreed mandatory pathway for grassroots youth football playing formats
2. Promotion of The Future Game as a best practice guide to player development
3. Public communications campaign to target teachers, parents and volunteers about the importance of player development
4. The FA to continue work with the other football authorities on whole game youth development issues, and to consider how youth development could be given greater prominence in the game’s governance
5. Expansion of The FA Tesco Skills Programme nationwide
6. Work with policy makers to ensure the protection of football provision in primary education sector
7. Work with the professional game to understand the impact of the ‘relative age effect’ and what solutions might be developed
8. Identify opportunities for grassroots clubs to provide talent identification and development support to the professional clubs
9. Update The FA coaching strategy and promote The FA’s coaching philosophy across the whole game, including the development on an online resource
10. Ensure that age-appropriate qualifications are included in rules and regulations for the appointment of coaches
11. Establish a Coaches Academy network to bring together outstanding coaches of different levels and experiences on a regular basis for coach education opportunities
12. The FA to launch the Licensed Club for Coaches to kite-mark qualified and up-to-date coaches in the grassroots and professional coaching workforce
13. Work with the professional game and grassroots to ensure The FA supply of coach education staff is in tune with the demand across all levels of the game (seniors)
14. Work with the professional game and grassroots to ensure The FA supply of coach education staff is in tune with the demand across all levels of the game (youth)
15. The FA should undertake to report on an annual basis the latest available research on coaching techniques as well as an assessment of performance in terms of coach education, retention and development
16. Develop further opportunities to ensure that England international development team coaches work closely with clubs on the identification, development and transition of young England players into the U16 England development set-up
17. Expand and coordinate club visit programmes for the international to ensure that the international programme for individuals players is appropriate and consistent with their club-based development programmes
18. Encourage England teams at all developmental age groups to play with a consistent playing philosophy to ensure transition amongst teams is consistent
19. Overlay the transition of coaching staff individuals across age groups to provide continuity to young players progressing through the international teams
20. Require future England senior team coaches to have significant input into exposure to the national development team structure
21. Work with the professional game to consider ways to support the U17 – Under-21 age groups of developing young English players to ensure they maximise their opportunities for playing elite level football and their chances to experience the Club England environment
22. Agreement between The FA and the professional game on the mandatory release of players for international duty
23. Agreement to work with the professional game to collect and collate match performance, fitness and medical testing data to consider the impact of the English football calendar on pre-tournament fitness levels
24. Undertake research to better understand the ‘player experience’ of international tournaments to inform future decisions on preparation and environment
25. Formally engage with the leading professional clubs to share their experience on establishing the optimal preparation and environments to encourage player performance.
