Talent Identification
Pitch2Podium
Pitch2Podium is a talent transfer programme that has been created by the UK talent team
and their partners within the football and rugby authorities, such as Football Association( The
FA), Professional Footballer’ Association (PFA), the Premier League, The Football League,
League football Education, Scottish PFA, Premier Rugby, The Rugby Players Association
and the Rugby Football Union.
The aim of this talent transfer programme is to provide young football and rugby players who
have been unsuccessful with securing a professional contract. The young players will have
picked up excellent skills, abilities and athletic qualities from previous sports which can then
be used in the Olympic Sport.
There are several athletes that have been transferred from one to another including Darren
Campbell who played for Plymouth Argyle, he returned to athletics in 1995 and went on to
win an Olympic Gold.
We can see that the programme works, it shows that they’re not just participating in the sport
but actually winning medals for it. It’s a good programme, because it gives hope for the
rejected footballers and rugby players, this can motivate them that they can still succeed,
however, in a different sport. As they are already on the verge of being elite athletes that
means their skills are to a high level, as well as their fitness levels and the fact that they are
used to being put under high pressure. On the other hand, there’s only one negative of this
programme, it only gives the second chance to people from football and rugby, not any other
sport.
Task 2
Aim - Find 3 players from the UK who have had experience in an academy, to help them
sign a professional contract abroad.
Purpose - To persuade more players to play overseas and help grow in other countries such
as Poland for example. It will help teams abroad in their youth set up and give players
another chance in the game.
Structure and Format - Use scouts to research and find released or dropped out players
from UK academies. Watch matches and identify the most prolific players and invite them for
trials. Advertise the open trials online, using our website and social media. Contact and invite
scouts from abroad to watch these players.
Phases and stages - There are 5 centres around the UK which we have and there is roughly
50 players per centre. The first day of trials will consist of 4 phases. Phase 1 - everyone will
be split into small teams and have small sided games. Phase 2 - Specific drills will be set up
to test technical ability such as, shooting, dribbling, short passing, heading, defending and
long passing. Phase 3 - will involve physical testing, 6x40m sprints, bleep test, agility test
and standing long jump. Phase 4 - 11v11 match to end the day.
Pitch2Podium
Pitch2Podium is a talent transfer programme that has been created by the UK talent team
and their partners within the football and rugby authorities, such as Football Association( The
FA), Professional Footballer’ Association (PFA), the Premier League, The Football League,
League football Education, Scottish PFA, Premier Rugby, The Rugby Players Association
and the Rugby Football Union.
The aim of this talent transfer programme is to provide young football and rugby players who
have been unsuccessful with securing a professional contract. The young players will have
picked up excellent skills, abilities and athletic qualities from previous sports which can then
be used in the Olympic Sport.
There are several athletes that have been transferred from one to another including Darren
Campbell who played for Plymouth Argyle, he returned to athletics in 1995 and went on to
win an Olympic Gold.
We can see that the programme works, it shows that they’re not just participating in the sport
but actually winning medals for it. It’s a good programme, because it gives hope for the
rejected footballers and rugby players, this can motivate them that they can still succeed,
however, in a different sport. As they are already on the verge of being elite athletes that
means their skills are to a high level, as well as their fitness levels and the fact that they are
used to being put under high pressure. On the other hand, there’s only one negative of this
programme, it only gives the second chance to people from football and rugby, not any other
sport.
Task 2
Aim - Find 3 players from the UK who have had experience in an academy, to help them
sign a professional contract abroad.
Purpose - To persuade more players to play overseas and help grow in other countries such
as Poland for example. It will help teams abroad in their youth set up and give players
another chance in the game.
Structure and Format - Use scouts to research and find released or dropped out players
from UK academies. Watch matches and identify the most prolific players and invite them for
trials. Advertise the open trials online, using our website and social media. Contact and invite
scouts from abroad to watch these players.
Phases and stages - There are 5 centres around the UK which we have and there is roughly
50 players per centre. The first day of trials will consist of 4 phases. Phase 1 - everyone will
be split into small teams and have small sided games. Phase 2 - Specific drills will be set up
to test technical ability such as, shooting, dribbling, short passing, heading, defending and
long passing. Phase 3 - will involve physical testing, 6x40m sprints, bleep test, agility test
and standing long jump. Phase 4 - 11v11 match to end the day.
