Released Academy Players
Many young players aspire to become professional footballers and academies are the main route to getting to this destination.
The UK football academy system provides a pathway for youngsters into professional football. Getting into the professional game is a hard and long path, but the UK football academy system is set up to develop talented youngsters. The UK football system is run by the Football Association (FA) and the English Football League (EFL). These bodies work closely with football clubs, alongside the English Premier League (EPL) and the Professional Football Association (PFA). The system saw a huge change in 2012 as the Premier League carried out their Elite Players’ Performance Plan (EPPP) across the professional game. The goal was to increase the numbers and quality of top home-grown players rising through the ranks. Of course, different clubs have their own way of carrying this out.
There are two parts to how the system is made up. First, the performance pathway, which forms the development stage of players’ football education. Secondly, academy rating (CAT1 = highest to CAT4 = lowest) based on the facilities and resources of the academy. In terms of the performance pathway, each phase has a different focus. For example, in the foundation phase the focus is usually on players’ enjoyment, whereas in the youth development phase, the football is usually more focussed on technical and tactical elements of play. The professional development phase aims to prepare players for the first team.
Released Academy Players
If you (your child) has been released from a professional football academy and wants new opportunities to continue playing at academy level, then SCOUTS CONNECT can help. SCOUTS CONNECT gives players the platform to attend various showcases and play in front of multiple scouts at once. Players registered with SCOUTS CONNECT can prepare for their next opportunity by getting advice from a professional scout before going for showcases, ID matches or trials (Platinum members only).
Becoming a member of SCOUTS CONNECT means players no longer have to rely on hopes of being in the right place at the right time for the opportunity to progress in their football journey.
SCOUTS CONNECT gives players the freedom to work on developing their ability and self-confidence, knowing that SCOUTS CONNECT will provide the opportunities they need to be seen at showcases and even to be scouted just by being on the database (Gold and Platinum members).