PUBLISHED
12:32 15 February 2012
By Latics Staff
Youth Development in English Football and Wigan Athletic - The Elite Player Performance Plan
“Significant changes to football youth development rules at professional clubs were made last season which affects all 92 League clubs and which are intended to ensure that young players in this country are given the best possible opportunity to develop into world class performers.
The Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) was developed by the Premier League during 2010 and 2011 with a broad vision to enable English Football to create the world’s leading Academy System and to increase the efficiency of investment in youth football.”
Last season both the Premier League clubs and Football League clubs agreed to adopt new rules and regulations that ensure that the principles of the EPPP would be introduced by the start of the 2012-13 season covering the 3 phases of development:
| Foundation | Ages 4-11 |
| Youth Development | Ages 11-16 |
| Professional | Ages 16-21 |
The implications for football clubs in general and for Wigan Athletic in particular are wide-ranging.
A summary of the main changes are listed below:
Existing Academy and Centre of Excellence rules are replaced with new criteria and new grading system. Clubs with youth development programmes with be assessed during 2012 and awarded an Academy Status as follows:
Category 1
The optimum development model | Demonstrating regular graduation of Premier League players. Regular access to players during school hours. |
Category 2
The Development Model | Demonstrating occasional graduation of Premier League players and regular professional players in general. Some access to players during school hours. |
Category 3
Entry Level Development Model | Demonstrating graduation of professional players and players capable at playing in Cat 1&2 Academies. |
Category 4
Late Development Model | Demonstrating graduation of professional players |
Clubs are being assessed and awarded classification based on a broad spectrum of criteria such as:
| | - Strategy | |
| | - Facilities | |
| | - Coaching | |
| | - Budget | |
| | - Education | |
| | - Sports science and medicine | |
| | - Talent identification | |
| | - Player progression | |
“For season 2012-13 clubs have been invited to apply for the classification that is considered appropriate based on self assessment. Based on these applications clubs will be placed in categories 1 to 4 for matches until the full audit and assessment is completed. Clubs will then be awarded category status for 3 years until the process is repeated.
As at August 2012 over 20 clubs have applied for Category 1 status but will be subjected to rigorous independent auditing of academy before being granted elite status. A similar number have applied for Category 2 status. Some lower league clubs have chosen to close u16 programmes to concentrate on late developer players.”
Category status will affect the following:
Matches programme – clubs will play matches against similar level academies at all age groups
Recruitment – Category 1 clubs will be able to sign u16 players from anywhere. Currently clubs are only permitted to sign players who live 90 minutes from the Club
Registration ages – only Category 1-3 clubs may sign players u16
Compensation – compensation structure to award clubs whose players who leave to join other clubs (higher for higher Category clubs)
“It is anticipated that, over time, the effect of the changes will ensure that the best players in the country will be developed by the best coaches with more coaching hours at the best facilities resulting in more home-grown players for English football and better elite players for England. “
So what does this mean for Wigan Athletic......? [Click here] to read more