Developing individuals whilst managing teams: perspectives of under 21 coaches within English Premier League football

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore under 21 Development coaches’ thoughts, perspectives, and approaches within this phase of development at English Premier League (EPL) football clubs. Data were collected via one-to-one semi-structured interviews with six under 21 development coaches from six different EPL clubs. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. Findings suggested that under 21 development coaches were situated, culturally and sometimes physically, in-between the academy and first team environments, trapped between two distinct cultures. Under 21 coaches also had contrasting views and approaches with regards to the development of under 21 players and the importance of winning at this stage of development. Participants appeared to favour creating environments that can replicate the first team environment to prepare under 21 players for the transition. The study concludes by proposing more support for under 21 development coaches is required from key stakeholders, regarding clarity of the role and players development.

Notes

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2. Littlewood, Mullen and Richardson, Football Labour Migration.

3. Green, “Every boy’s Dream”.

4. See note 1.

5. Premier League, “Elite Player Performance Plan”.

6. Bloom, “Developing Talent in Young People”.

7. See note 5.

8. Relvas et al., Organizational Structures and Working Practices; Richardson et al., “Sociological and Cultural Influences on Player Development”.

9. Premier League, “Elite Player Performance Plan”.

10. Ibid., 59.

11. See note 8.

12. Richardson et al., “Sociological and Cultural Influences on Player Development”.

13. Wylleman and Lavallee, A Developmental Perspective on Transitions Faced by Athletes.

14. See note 12.

15. Relvas et al., Organizational Structures and Working Practices.

16. Nesti and Littlewood, “Making Your Way in the Game”.

17. See note 12.

18. Balyi, “Sport System Building”.

19. Ibid.

20. See note 8.

21. Bloom, “Developing talent in Young People”; Côté, The Influence of Family; Durand-Bush and Samela, “The Development of Talent in Sport”; van Rossum, Talented in Dance.

22. See note 6.

23. van Rossum, Talented in Dance.

24. Bloom, “Developing Talent in Young People’; van Rossum, Talented in Dance.

25. Bloom, “Developing Talent in Young People”.

26. See note 23.

27. Ibid.

28. Nesti and Sulley, “Youth Development in Football”.

29. See note 12.

30. Nesti, “Existential Psychology and Sport: Theory and Application”.

31. See note 28.

32. Roderick, “The World of Professional Football”.

33. See note 16.

34. Cushion and Jones, Power, Discourse, and Symbolic Violence.

35. Ibid.

36. Ibid., 148.

37. Parker, “Chasing the ‘big-time’”; Cushion and Jones, Power, Discourse, and Symbolic Violence.

38. Bloom, “Developing Talent in Young People”; van Rossum, Talented in Dance.

39. Wylleman and Lavallee, “A Developmental Perspective on Transitions Faced by Athletes”.

40. Finn and McKenna, Coping with Academy-to-first-team Transitions; Mills et al., Identifying Factors Perceived to Influence the Development of Elite Youth Football Academy Players; Morris, Tod and Oliver, From Youth Team to First Team.

41. See note 5.

42. Hoepfl, Choosing Qualitative Research.

43. Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton, What is this Thing Called Mental Toughness.

44. See note 38.

45. Roderick, “The World of Professional Football’; Relvas et al., Organizational Structures and Working Practices; Potrac et al., “Handshakes, BBQs, and Bullets”; Richardson et al., An Examination of the Migratory Transition; Richardson et al., “Sociological and Cultural Influences on Player Development”.

46. Patton, “Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods”.

47. Noy, Sampling Knowledge.

48. Braun and Clarke, Using Thematic Analysis.

49. See note 46.

50. See note 48.

51. Sparkes and Smith, “Qualitative Research Methods in Sport”.

52. Ibid.

53. Biddle et al., Research Methods in Sport.

54. See note 48.

55. Ibid.

56. See note 51.

57. See note 8.

58. See note 5.

59. Finn and McKenna, Coping with Academy-to-first-team Transitions; Nesti and Littlewood, “Making Your Way in the Game”; Relvas et al., Organizational Structures and Working Practices.

60. See note 12.

61. See note 15.

62. Premier League, “Elite Player Performance Plan,” 59.

63. See note 18.

64. Ibid.

65. Ibid.

66. See note 12.

67. See note 5.

68. Burgess and Naughton, Talent Development in Adolescent Team Sports.

69. Cumming et al., Is Winning Everything?

70. Ibid.

71. Ibid., 330.

72. Smith, Smoll and Curtis, “Coaching Behaviors in Little League”.

73. See note 72.

74. Ibid.

75. Cumming et al., Is Winning Everything?; Smoll and Smith, “Coaching Behavior Research”.

76. See note 68.

77. Helsen, van Winkel and Williams, The Relative Age Effect.

78. See note 69.

79. Stratton et al., “Youth Soccer,” 201; Relvas et al., Organizational Structures and Working Practices.

80. Ames, Achievement Goals.

81. Duda and White, Goal Orientations and Beliefs.

82. See note 5.

83. See note 30.

84. Mills et al., Examining the Development Environments.

85. Henriksen, Stambulova and Roessler, Holistic Approach to Athletic talent.

86. Ibid.

87. See note 15.

88. Henriksen, Stambulova and Roessler, Holistic Approach to Athletic Talent, 220.

89. See note 85.

90. Nesti et al., Critical Moments.

91. Bar-Tal, “Siege Mentality”.

92. Wilson, Understanding Organisational Culture.

93. See note 12.

94. Premier League, “Elite player Performance Plan,” 42.

95. See note 38.

96. See note 6.