Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP)
All clubs understand the crucial role of building a solid recruitment network to ensure long-term success. Talent identification and recruitment, spanning all age groups, are at the heart of a club’s future prosperity. From 5-year-olds in Development Centres to senior first-team professionals, recruitment is a vital aspect of the Academy’s mission.
Under current Rules and Regulations, clubs must register all Scouts, a move largely driven by child safeguarding requirements. Yet, while talent identification is a cornerstone of any youth development system, the role of recruiters—those essential players behind the scenes—has often been overlooked. Unlike Academy Managers, coaches, and support staff, whose responsibilities are clearly defined, recruiters lack this recognition, despite their invaluable contributions to the Academy’s success.
What’s more, there’s no mandatory CPD (continuous professional development) for recruitment staff and no formal qualifications beyond a basic attendance-based talent identification course offered by the PFA. Most recruiters learn on the job, relying on peer guidance and hands-on experience. However, some forward-thinking Academies are tackling this gap head-on, creating their own in-house education and training programs to better equip their recruitment teams.
New rules are set to transform Academy Recruitment by formally recognising key roles like “Recruiter” and “Scout” and introducing a “Head of Recruitment” as part of the Academy Management Team. Talent identification will now focus on specialist knowledge in areas like athletic potential, psychological profiling, and motivation, ensuring young players have what it takes to thrive in elite environments.
To enhance recruitment, clubs are encouraged to develop strategies for better engagement with parents and players, support late developers, and expand the talent pool through initiatives like school leagues and development centers. Collaboration across disciplines, led by Heads of Sports Science, Medicine, and Coaching, will strengthen recruitment efforts and player assessments. The future of Academy recruitment is set to be smarter, more cohesive, and impactful.
Recruitment and retention are the cornerstones of any successful football club. To thrive, clubs must bring in fresh talent while holding onto their best players to build a lasting legacy. Yet, these goals often clash, creating tension within the Academy System. The fear of so-called “predator clubs” looms large, as every club can find itself either hunting for talent or on the defensive, trying to protect its own.
This competitive landscape has led some clubs to restrict rival scouts from attending matches, creating a growing divide. But shutting out scouts entirely isn’t the solution—it risks driving recruitment into unregulated territory, which ultimately harms clubs and players alike.
To modernise the Academy System, a balanced approach is needed. One solution could be granting registered scouts access to Academy games, provided they apply in advance through the Academy Manager. By maintaining transparency and professionalism, clubs can foster a fair environment that benefits everyone—players, scouts, and clubs alike. The alternative? A fragmented process that serves no one in the long run.
Creating an open and transparent registration system is key to developing elite players. All U9 to U18 Academy players, including trialists, must be registered to access Academy services and facilities. Registrations can be set up for trials, student programs, scholarships, or professional contracts, starting from U9.
Entry & Exit Points:
When signing with a club, players and their families must receive clear information about their commitments. A proposed “cooling-off” period allows families to fully understand the registration before it’s finalised. A Parents’/Guardians’ Charter and Trial Information Guide, managed by the Leagues, will offer impartial details about commitments and procedures. Academies will also provide formal inductions for new players.
Players can leave or be released at set stages in the Performance Pathway. To prepare for this, Academies must inform players and families during induction and update the player’s Performance Clock upon exit. Released players will receive career guidance, and the Leagues will track their progress.
For Category 1 Academies, national recruitment of players outside the usual travel limits will require clubs to guarantee support until the player completes secondary education (U16). This ensures long-term development and stability for young talent.
Big changes are coming to the recruitment of Academy players! The existing time and distance rules are being modernised to create a more flexible system.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Foundation Phase: Category 1, 2, and 3 Academies can recruit players within an hour of their main training venue.
- Youth Development Phase: Recruitment expands to 1.5 hours from the training venue for all categories. Plus, Category 1 Academies can recruit nationally.
- National Recruitment: Since the 2012/13 season, Category 1 Academies have been able to recruit U15 and U16 players nationally, and since 2014/15 this has extended to U12 and above.
Recruitment is also open nationally for all Academies at U17 level and above. These rules aim to give Academies greater flexibility while identifying and nurturing top talent across the country. Exciting times ahead for youth development!
- Appoint a Head of Recruitment in every Academy to lead the charge in finding top talent.
- Align talent scouting with the club’s Football Philosophy, ensuring a clear and consistent approach to identifying future stars.
- Invest in the growth of your recruitment team with training and development, ensuring their work reflects the club’s goals and values.
- Track and analyse data on relative age bias in player recruitment across England, with leagues and clubs working together to address imbalances.
- Implement systems to seamlessly monitor players transitioning between amateur football and the Academy, keeping every move accounted for.
- Support players released from the Academy System through tailored programmes run by the leagues, ensuring no one is left behind.
- Fully integrate talent identification with coaching, education, sports science, medicine, and the Games Programme for a holistic approach to player development.
- Establish clear access guidelines for scouts and recruiters to the Games Programme, creating a fair and transparent system.
- Introduce a ‘cooling off’ period between signing and the start of a player’s registration, giving families and players time to reflect.
- Publish a Parents/Guardians Charter and Information Guide for trialists, offering clarity and confidence to families on the journey ahead.
- Roll out a structured induction process for every player joining the Academy—because first impressions matter!
The Youth Development Plan was implemented to improve the enjoyment, fun, and development of young players. These are set rules and regulations and changes to the system of youth development. We strongly advise you to be aware of all changes set out in the Youth Development Plan but if you want to read on topics specifically related to football scouting, please refer to pages 73-90.
