The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the Premier League’s coaching and coach development provision and the progress made in the delivery of the Elite Coaching Plan (ECP) during Season 2023/24.
Executive Summary Introduction Our Vision Vision
The Premier League has been committed to developing the best coaches and players since the inception of the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) in 2012.
In Season 2020/2021, the Premier League launched a new long-term coaching strategy; the ECP, aimed at supporting the most competitive and compelling football competition by creating a world-leading coaching development system.
In Season 2023/24, significant progress has been made against the four priority areas, which include:
Academy Coach Development and Support
Providing the best development and support through our coach development programmes and the support we provide to coaches and clubs.
Integrated Coaching Strategy (ICS)
To deliver the four key projects agreed and developed by the professional game partners.
Equality, Inclusion and Diversity
As part of the No Room For Racism Action Plan, the ECP will continue to strive to normalise an inclusive and diverse coaching workforce.
First Team and Coaching Pathways
Engaging and supporting coaches working at the senior level of the professional game and highpotential coaches in the Academy who aspire to work at the this level.
Continued support for coaching and coach development remains central to our ongoing and future strategies. The investment in Academy coaching since 2012 has led to more and better Home-Grown Players with enhanced coach development by clubs, providing a variety of opportunities for their coaches to develop within their own environments through the appointment of Heads of Coach Development.
Sean Reed Head of Coaching
Ambitions And Goals
A World-Leading Coaching Development System
To create a coaching development system that provides development opportunities that are unmatched in sport and is recognised globally for consistently producing world-leading coaches for the professional game
Productive Role-Enhancing Inclusive and Diverse
Consistently developing and producing home-developed coaches for the highest level
Developing the skill and expertise of the coaching workforce through a greater understanding of the professional game
Normalise an inclusive and diverse coaching workforce
Identify, target and attract high-potential individuals
Engage with high-potential individuals from both inside and outside the coaching system
Elite Coach Accreditation Scheme and Future Coach Developers candidates have participated in the high-potential process
In Season 2020/21, the Premier League created a high-potential coaching model to help identify candidates with desirable characteristics and attitudes that could have a positive impact on the game.
During Season 2023/24, the highpotential process continued to be utilised across the coach development programmes for recruitment processes and as part of the needs-and-wants analysis for the coach’s individualised developmental journey.
Furthermore, the programme leads team have engaged in further training in this area and will be looking to explore a greater level of engagement in this space as they integrate further contact points with the coaches on our programmes.
HighPotential
To ensure the highest quality coaching and to increase credibility of the English coaching system
New candidates across EHOC and FCD participated in the high-potential process during Season 2023/24 for 2024/25 cohorts
Help individuals to realise their potential
Support and drive development based on the needs of individuals and the wider game
69
Heads of Coach Development have achieved a Post Graduate qualification to date
184
Days of mentoring received by EHOC candidates across Season 2023/24
Elite Head of Coaching (EHOC)
The purpose of the Elite Head of Coaching (EHOC) programme is to enhance the quality of coaching provision across the professional game by supporting a sustainable system and approach to club-owned coach development.
During Season 2023/24, the EHOC programme continued its support of 93 Heads of Coach Development, including Assistant Heads of Coach Development, via workshops, experiences, mentoring and webinars. In addition to several guest speakers across the season
101
Heads of Coach Development have achieved their European Mentoring Coaching Council (EMCC) Foundation Award
Best Development
Help coaches to fulfil their potential and reflect modern-day thinking
30 Coach developers supported 23
Unique Clubs and Stakeholders involved in FCD
5
FCD Candidates have transitioned into a Coach Developer role
the Heads of Coach Development experienced opportunities to engage in learning with high-performance practitioners and global experts in coach development.
“ The EHOC programme has been one of the best, if not best course I’ve done during my time coaching The support we have all received has been world class throughout and I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity”
Future Coach Developers (FCD)
The Premier League introduced the Future Coach Developer (FCD) programme in Season 2022/23 to increase the readiness of the future workforce, whilst driving greater diversity within the network. It provides additional opportunities for Academy coaches to enhance their coaching qualities. The programme focuses on self-awareness and the skills required to become an effective coach developer, including an opportunity to complete a European Mentoring and Coaching Council qualification. By empowering coaches with this knowledge and expertise, the programme aims to support the overall quality of coaching across the English professional game.
Seven aspiring coach developers completed a two-year development programme following 10 previous candidates from the pilot cohort. The coach developers explored workshop topics around skilful conversations, coach development in action and attended a study trip in central Europe.
“One of those courses that you will look back in 25 years’ time and thank yourself for putting yourself forward as it will stretch you, comfort you, but more importantly make you a better practitioner.”
Ebun Thomas - Head of Coach Development, Gillingham FC
Dan Reece – Head of Coach Development, Shrewsbury Town FC
31
Clubs have nominated coaches to be part of ECAS
26
Clubs have nominated coaches for two or more cohorts of ECAS
9
Candidates have achieved a HE Dip
Elite Coach Accreditation Scheme (ECAS)
The Elite Coach Accreditation Scheme (ECAS) seeks to identify high-potential Academy coaches working full-time in English Premier League or Category One clubs and help them achieve new levels of skill and expertise.
ECAS consists of a 24-month development programme that provides focused, accelerated, and individualised skill development, based on a detailed assessment of developmental need. Its goals are to provide an industry leading coach development programme, supercharge coaching craft, expertise, and innovation. The scheme will enhance the ability of coaches to find solutions and solve problems in their context.
“ The first year has been incredible. The transformation and change has been unfounded really in regards to how I see and do things.”
Rob Jones - U18 Coach, Middlesborough FC
Participants on the programme 8
Candidates
ECAS will support coaches to achieve this by fostering a culture of continuous improvement and strategic innovation, aligning coaches with the evolving demands of the modern game. 24 coaches are currently enrolled on ECAS, with another 14 coaches due to start in August 2024.
Since its inception in Season 2013/14, 150 coaches have graduated from ECAS and last season we saw nine coaches graduate with a HE Diploma (HE Dip) in professional football coaching from Leeds Beckett University with further 11 due to complete this season.
Football Leaders (FL)
The Football Leaders Programme (FL) , run in partnership with the LMA, is an individualised, personal development programme for homedeveloped coaches and Managers in English professional football that was launched in Season 2020/21.
The programme provides bespoke development, based on a detailed needs analysis, with assistance from industry-leading experts who also support as mentors where appropriate. The programme framework is based on the LMA learning and personal development model which places specific emphasis on the importance of the candidates understanding themselves, their team and their leadership roles; the technical aspects of football; and the wider industry.
During Season 2023/24 21 Managers/ Head Coaches and coaches across all four leagues of the men’s professional game and the WSL in the women’s professional game accessed support via FL. This included an extensive need and wants analysis for the new group to design a programme of support that was bespoke to the individual person. Ongoing support has been provided through workshops, visits to a range of high-performing environment and mentoring support, which has a been a critical and important part of the programme of support.
13
Total Candidates
2
Candidates achieved Head Coaching Roles in the EFL in Season 2023/24
3
Candidates are firstteam coaches at clubs competing in UEFA competitions
Premier League Next (PLN)
Premier League Next (PLN) is a 24-month programme of support that is available to coaches working in a Premier League Club. PLN is designed to support the development and the pathway for coaches who have been identified by clubs as having the potential to work at the first team level or have recently transitioned into the first team.
Six coaches engaged on the PLN pilot programme and are current entering their second and final year of support. This season we saw two of the six coaches moving into firstteam role, one into a Head Coach role in the Championship. Seven coaches have joined the second cohort and are currently completing their needs analysis before they begin their programme of support.
“Easily the best development I have been involved in as it is designed around you. It provides the opportunity to work with elite people in their field.”
Barry Lewtas - U21 Head Coach, Liverpool FC
86%(+1503)
Increase in page engagement in Season 2023/24 in comparison to Season 2022/23
67%(+746)
Increase in user log ins in Season 2023/24 in comparison to Season 2022/23
Digital Learning
The digital learning space has continued to grow season on season.
Season 2023/24 offered coaches the opportunity to access the brand-new video library which housed 1000’s of hours of content on personal development and professional development such as presentation skills, challenging conversations, being an authentic leader and more. Coaches can also use the Learning Management System (LMS) to
manage their project portfolios for their PG Dip qualifications, giving coaches accountability of their projects. The LMS also allows coaches to revisit their previous and upcoming workshops from their coaching programmes, register for workshops and access pre- and post-materials as recordings.
Optimise chances of career progression
Create better opportunities within the coaching system to enable progression at all levels across the player pathway
Better Opportunities
Support transition into the elite game and enhance careers in coaching
5 Editions of Coaching Insights
1150+ Staff receive Coaching Insights and Articles
5 Editions of the Professional Game Partnership Coaching Update
13
Coach engagement events put on across the Season 2023/24
384
Coaches attended coach engagement sessions
76
Clubs engaged with at least one coach engagement event in Season 2023/24
25
Clubs have attended 5+ coach engagement events across Season 2023/24
Enhancing Perceptions
During Season 2023/24, we continued with our bi-monthly Coaching Insights newsletter which is targeted at Academy coaches, first-team coaches and staff. This publication provides the latest insights into the first-team environment in addition to including focuses on specific roles and staff as well as those who are utlising our programmes as part of their developmental journey.
The Professional Game Partnership Coaching Update continues to be rolled out bi-monthly which provides updates on coaching and coach
development opportunities to those across the game and to align information across the six partners.
Coach Engagement
During Season 2023/24, the Coaching Team worked alongside the Games Programme Team, Academy Support Managers and colleagues from The FA to deliver a number of coach engagement sessions to coaching staff at all Premier League and EFL clubs.
Circa. 500 academy coaches have attended the engagement sessions delivered across the season. Three online engagement sessions were delivered throughout the season, with each session split into three phase specific sessions. The sessions included:
• A futsal coach development day at St. George’s Park
• An online workshop on ‘Embracing Player Ownership’
• An online workshop on ‘Focusing on Individual Development’
• An online workshop on ‘Creating a “Winning Matters” Games Programme’
17
Premier League Clubs had representation at the Coaching Summit
72
Coaches attended the in-person Coaching Summit, 14 more than last season
Coaching Summit
The second in-person Coaching Summit for Premier League and Category One first-team coaches, U21 coaches and staff, took place in London in November 2023, with over 72 delegates from 17 clubs in attendance.
The Summit included speakers, such as Dean Smith, Frank Lampard, and Giovanni Van Bronckhurst, as well as an interactive and immersive peerto-peer learning experience.
A further online event took place in June 2024 and included sessions with AFC Bournemouth Head Coach Andoni Iraola and interviews with home-developed Head Coaches who are now managing teams in Europe, North America and Australia.
Premier League Coach Development Experience (PLCDE)
72
Coaches attended 24
Premier League and Category 1 Academies were represented
The inaugural Academy Coach Development Experience took place in May 2024. Over 100 Category One coaches, and professional game partners attended the event, which was held at Villa Park, Aston Villa’s Brookvale Academy, and the Grand Hotel in Birmingham.
The Coach Development Experience was an immersive experience that enabled knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning by focusing
on developing matchday craft and dealing with challenging conversations. Jesse Dercksen, Head of Elite Performance Behaviour at PSV Eindhoven, also spoke on how they incorporate cognitive assessments into their coaching programme at PSV.
Develop and enhance strategic investment and partnerships
Partnerships
To influence more coaches, improve quality through expertise and improve return of investment and efficiency
Working in collaboration with clubs and other professional game partners has been, and remains, an important part of our strategy for the Premier League and the success of the ECP. During Season 2023/24 this included:
• Professional game partnership agreements with the League Managers Association (LMA), League Coach Association (LCA) and Professional Footballers Association (PFA)
• Football Leaders Programme in collaboration with the LMA
• Premier League Next (PLN) with participating Premier League Clubs
• Elite Coach Accreditation Scheme (ECAS) with participating Premier League and Category One clubs
• Professional Player to Coach Scheme (PPCS) in collaboration with the PFA and (EFL) English Football League, and participating clubs. PPCS was previously only available to EFL clubs but is now available to all Premier League and EFL clubs
• Coach Inclusion and Diversity Scheme (CIDS) with participating clubs which previously included Premier League and Category One clubs, but now includes all EFL clubs
• Elite Heads of Coaching (EHOC) with all Category One, Two, and Three clubs
• Future Coach Developers (FCD) with participating clubs and other professional game partners in developing and preparing future coach developers
• Working with The FA to identify and provide specific, effective support to the coaches on our development programmes and coaching club support to all Premier League Clubs
• The Coach Index with the EFL, LMA, LCA, PFA and The FA
Integrated Coaching Strategy (ICS)
Clubs
The Integrated Coaching Strategy (ICS), established in 2017, is a multistakeholder partnership between the Premier League, The FA, the EFL, LMA and PFA; with the aim of delivering a ‘World-Leading Coach, Manager Education and Development System’ for Academy and senior coaches in the professional game.
Season 2023/24 saw progress being made on the agreed four key priorities. They include:
Workforce Data and Insights Project
To have a clear understanding and insight into all segment of the professional coaching workforce to help inform future decisions.
Coaching Expertise Framework
To produce a comprehensive map of how ICS supports the coaching expertise framework.
Build and normalise an inclusive and diverse professional workforce
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Review effectiveness of club placement schemes in supporting lack of employment of coaches from historically under-represented groups and agree future strategy for Season 2024/25.
Pro Coach App
To launch and deliver the Pro Coach App for the professional game. Providing access to all the relevant information to support the development of the coaching workforce.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Grow the talent pool, deliver better performance and increase the number of inclusive and diverse environments
24
Clubs involved in PPCS
9
Candidates have achieved a HE Dip
15
Unique clubs have applied to be part of the 2024/25 Cohort
Professional Player to Coach Scheme (PPCS)
The Professional Player to Coach Scheme (PPCS) is a joint programme, in collaboration with the PFA and EFL, aimed at increasing the number of former players from under-represented populations (namely Black, South Asian and mixed heritage) transitioning into full-time coaching roles, within the professional game.
The scheme, which started in Season 2020/21, provides coaches with a 23-month intensive paid work placement at EFL clubs. Additionally, PPCS coaches who successfully complete the course will achieve a Diploma in Higher Education in Professional Football Coaching from Leeds Beckett University.
Season 2023/24 saw six new candidates join EFL clubs to embark on their coaching journey. Starting with a visit to the Premier League office in August 2023, the coaches were then fully inducted in September in the Lake District. Now one year in cohort four will be looking to further develop their coaching craft and workplace skills during the forthcoming season.
25
Clubs have been involved in CIDS
37
Coaches have been involved in CIDS
20
Unique clubs have applied to be part of the 2024/25 Cohort
15
Candidates have achieved a HE Dip
“ The PPCS has been fundamental in providing me with both the coaching opportunities, and the academic support, to aid my transition from professional playing into coaching. I am extremely grateful for the PPCS and cannot thank the Premier League enough for investing in such schemes.”
Harrison Gilkes - U18 Assistant Coach, Reading FC
Coach Inclusion and Diversity Scheme
The Coach Inclusion and Diversity Scheme (CIDS) aims to improve equality, diversity and inclusion across English professional football, by supporting the transition of individuals from currently underrepresented groups (namely coaches from black, South Asian, and mixed heritage backgrounds and women) into full-time coaching roles within English professional football. This scheme was introduced in Season 2020/21 to build upon a previous programme named the BAME and
Female Initiative programme, run by the Premier League since 2015/16, which, over its four-year duration, placed 34 individuals on funded roles at a Premier League or Category One club.
The Scheme is now in its fifth season and has been expanded to support Premier League and EFL clubs to have more diverse coaching teams and continues to provide pathways for coaches at various levels of the professional game.
“My time on CIDS accelerated my journey in a way I could have never imagined. It allowed me to explore and develop different areas of my personality and coaching craft in creative and innovative ways.”
390
Coaches currently registered on the Coach Index
61
Unique coaches on the index attended development events over the 2023/24 Season
260+
Coaches with UEFA B Licence or higher
78
Clubs have access to the Coach Index to post vacancies and signpost coaches
Coach Index
The Coach Index was launched in December 2021 and developed with our partners (The FA, the EFL, LMA, PFA) to support the Football Leadership Diversity Code (FLDC) and the coaching pathways workstream in the Premier League’s No Room For Racism Action Plan. The Coach Index is a tool that will be used by clubs and professional game partners to achieve the following:
To support clubs in their commitment to improve the diversity of their coaching staff.
To enhance the visibility of the talent pool of coaches from currently under-represented groups.
To identify high-potential coaches in order to offer further learning and development opportunities
During Season 2023/24, we further evolved our developmental offering to the Coach Index. In addition to offering several online engagement sessions, we extended our face to face club development sessions, which began at Crystal Palace in Season 2022/23, to a further
two clubs in Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. One noteworthy introduction this season was the hosting of our own workshops to provide direct CPD to coaches on the Index. Two workshops held across June and July in Brentford and Birmingham respectively, focussed on developing prospective coaches’ employability skills including session design, coaching craft, presentation skills and mock interview scenarios. Across Season 2023/24, over 50 unique coaches on the Index attended these face to face events with ambitions to expand this further in future seasons.
“Extremely grateful for this opportunity. Will
100% be looking out for more in the future.”
Expand rigorous quality assurance across the professional game
6
CrossStakeholder observations of development provision across The FA and the Premier League
950+
Attendees across all our events this season
8.5/10
Average rating for all our workshops delivered in Season 2023/24
60+
Events delivered across Season 2023/24
Quality Assurance (QA) is essential to our work in the professional game to ensure that our developmental offerings are consistently performed to the highest standard.
During Season 2023/24, the Premier League continued to consolidate the mechanisms of its quality assurance framework, embedding and evolving new processes to evaluate our development provision.
A key aim this season was to ensure that candidates were becoming familiarised with the process and workshops were achieving high completion rates across the “Check In”, “Check Out” and “Reflection” phase of our Slido evaluations. This coincided with further development provision observation work, established last season with the ICS, to observe over half a dozen events across Coaching and partner departments like Leadership and Workforce Development. This
particular aspect was expanded beyond just reviewing content to looking at developmental provision in an operational format and reviewing our ways of working when designing and establishing our learning environment.
Finally, the introduction of standardised programme reviews to build on the previous impact review carried out in Season 2021/22 was essential in order to understand the longitudinal effect of our programmes and provide rich, detailed feedback from departing candidates on the quality of our development programmes.
Quality Assurance
To elevate to elite standards, increase professional recognition and increase accountability
To promote a culture of world-leading, research-informed and innovative practice
Research Projects undertaken during Season 2023/24
41
Attendees across two ARC Pilot Workshops
In Season 2023/24 the coaching team undertook several new research projects and evolved previous ones to shape and support the professional game:
Anti-Racist Coaching (ARC)
Insights, Research and Innovation
To influence clubs and stakeholders, build confidence in our decisions and shape the future game
21
Dashboards created on PowerBI to store data on each of our projects and focus areas
Building upon the research conducted in Season 2022/23 (in collaboration with Leeds Beckett University) that looked to identify best practice for coaches and staff working with players from diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, an Anti-Racist Coaching workshop was established in late 2023. The workshop was then shared in a pilot format with two Premier League Clubs (Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur) and received some great feedback that indicates the need and value of such resources for the professional game.
Coach Developer Research
The Head of Coach Development Research Project aims to reimagine the role of the Head of Coaching (HoC) as a coach developer. The purpose of this re-imagination is to accelerate coach learning and development in professional football academies to facilitate consistent and explicit improvements in academy coaches’ skill and expertise. The initial phase of the project was completed this season where interviews were conducted with a purposively selected sample of academy coaches, Academy Managers and HoC (45 participants in total). These interviews aimed to explore the impact of the HoC role with emphasis placed on understanding how HoC have facilitated coach learning and development across EPPP academy categories. Phase two and three will be completed in Season 2024/25.
Coaching Expertise
The purpose of the project is to develop a coaching expertise framework that will identify, track and develop the skill and expertise required to excel within professional academy football coaching. This was motivated by a shift away from traditional competency frameworks, which enumerate desirable but
basic skills or ‘nice to haves’, that often fail to account for the complex challenges coaches face or the nuanced decision-making required in varied contexts. This approach overlooks the critical elements of when, how, and why behind coaching strategies that are essential for enhancing player learning, development and performance. To truly embrace coaching expertise, we must differentiate it from competence. Season 2023/24 (Year one of two) included completing the following milestones: Desktop Study, Questionnaire, Biography Interviews, Task Analysis. Season 2024/25 will include observations and debriefs of coaches and the development of the framework.
Coaching Interactions
The purpose of the project is the development of a planning and reflection tool designed to positively impact the coaching craft/skill of the academy coaching workforce. The Interactions project has developed an interactive tool (shared via ISSUU) to support coaches with their training session craft. More specifically, supporting coaches with their noticing, decision making and interaction whilst the training session is moving. Within this project we are interested in improving coaches’ skill in stretching and supporting the decision making and problem solving of the players they are coaching. We are looking forward to the implementation of this tool across Season 2024/25.
Data Insights
This increase in work regarding research coincided with an evolution in our data collection and insights. This involved a successful migration of project metrics to a more databased software achieved, allowing greater understanding, journey and potential impact of each of our projects. It also saw the next evolution of comprehending our influence, identifying data sources that greater aid us to determine the narrative of English and Home-Developed Coaches across the Professional Game since the inception of the ECP.
Coaching Landscape
Eight things to know about the coaching landscape over
the last six years
Of Premier League Managers/ Head Coaches in the last six seasons have been British/ Northern Irish (22) with 25% being English (15)
Only three Managers/Head Coaches from the Premier League and EFL have remained in post at the same club in the Seasons 2018/19 – end of 2023/24 – two of which are English
Premier League Teams since 2018/19 have employed a home-developed First-Team Coach with 28 employing an English First-Team Coach
In the last six seasons, homedeveloped Managers/Head Coaches in the Premier League have lasted 17% (four months) longer in their jobs than non home-developed Managers/ Head Coaches
17of 18 29of 29 17%
Major trophies (Premier League, FA Cup and EFL Cup) across the last six seasons have been won by an International Manager/Head Coach
Of First-Team Coaches across the Premier League in the last six seasons are British/ Northern Irish (169) with 42% being English (126) 2023/24 Season
Was the only season since 2018/19 where English was not the highest represented nationality amongst Head Coaches/Managers in the Premier League
Of all Managers/Head Coach appointments in the English Professional Game in the last five seasons have been British/ Northern Irish (207) and 53% have been English (145)
