LEAGUE COACHES ASSOCIATION.
Season Review 2023/24
682 LCA MEMBERS
INTRODUCTION.
The LCA is proud to present this review of the 2023/24 season, which reflects the significant growth of the association and increased engagement by LCA members, the coaches, analysts, scouts and technical directors, throughout men’s and women’s professional football.
Following the launch of the association in January 2023, the operations of the LCA were set up to support hundreds of members through its first full season. Over the course of the 2023/24 season, the LCA saw unprecedented levels of member engagement in all areas of the member services programme, including:
• Physical Health
• Mental Health
• Employment Advice
• Professional Development
The information contained within this review references top line statistics and actions covering past, present and future plans across the LCA’s projects and member services.
Whilst it has been a hugely positive start to the LCA, we recognise the potential of the association to expand and deliver world-class, holistic support services which enable members to fulfil their career ambitions.
With the support of the LMA and Premier League, we will remain ever-present in the professional lives of our members, as a consistent hub for support and development.
We are grateful for the support and engagement of our members and we look forward to an exciting 12 months ahead.
MEMBERSHIP
MEMBER AFFINITY & COMMUNICATIONS
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS
MEMBER SERVICES
EMPLOYMENT
PHYSICAL HEALTH
MENTAL HEALTH
LEARNING & CPD
MEMBERSHIP.
The LCA’s vision is to universally represent the collective interests of all football coaches, scouts, analysts and technical directors within the game.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Membership Growth - The current LCA Membership is 682, which has grown 63% since its launch in 2023. There is enormous potential for the LCA to grow, with circa. 3500 eligible members within the professional game.
Membership Efficiency - Through investment in its digital infrastructure, the LCA has implemented new registration and renewals processes including online payments and data collection forms to improve how members update their membership and personal information including professional qualifications, employment status and EDI data.
FUTURE PLANS:
Expansion of Services - The LCA has the ambition to expand its services across its breadth and depth. The more the LCA grows its membership, the greater the need to expand its resource to ensure high quality of services, delivered by expert specialists in employment law, mental health, physical health and coach education.
LCA Club Membership Pilot Scheme - The LCA is in conversation with a number of clubs to propose a new centralised approach to registering LCA members. It is hoped that the pilot scheme will become a fundamental approach to how the game supports the technical workforce and, we hope, lead to universal coverage of LCA support throughout the professional game in the future.
MEMBER AFFINITY & COMMUNICATIONS.
The relationship with our members is the foundation for the long-term success of the association. Through increased engagement, the LCA will build its affinity with its membership and be agile in how it supports the needs of its members in the future.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Communications - LCA members receive regular email communications from the LCA, including weekly newsletters and insights, notification of vacancies, invitations and the opportunity for other stakeholders to communicate with the membership.
Club Visits - The LCA has delivered 26 presentations in-situ at training grounds and relevant stakeholder meetings and courses.
FUTURE PLANS:
Vacancies - The LCA will be proactive in increasing the visibility of available roles in the professional game and promoting relevant vacancies to members in 2024/25.
Club Visits - The LCA will continue to attend training grounds and discuss the LCA’s services with first-team and academy staff at remaining clubs throughout the professional game.
RESEARCH & INSIGHTS.
The LCA recognises the importance of understanding the lived experiences of its members and aims to utilise the immense amount of knowledge within the membership to support and develop the LCA’s programmes.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Research - The LCA has an ongoing research programme which aims to better understand the roles in the game and specific challenges faced by the nuanced roles that fall under the LCA’s remit, enabling the development of its provision of services and programmes.
LCA Advisory Group - The LCA Advisory Group was established in 2023 to provide insight and guidance across LCA programmes and services. The LCA Advisory Group is a diverse cohort of members, operating across the wide breadth of roles under the LCA remit.
The LCA has engaged with its Advisory Group collectively and individually, ensuring the proposed growth into online short-courses meets the needs of the membership and that our education programmes are being supported by high-quality expert practitioners.
FUTURE PLANS:
Member Survey - In 2024/25, a comprehensive LCA member survey will be conducted to gather the collective insight of the membership to inform and guide the LCA with its future programme and service delivery.
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES.
The LCA advocates for an employment environment and employment terms and conditions in which all coaches and football technical staff are treated fairly and equally, without prejudice.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Member Cases - The LCA has provided employment advice to 265 LCA members (39% of LCA membership) across the following scenarios:
• Settlement Agreements
• Contract Reviews
• Redundancy Proceedings
• Termination Advice
• General Employment Advice
Expert Advice - An experienced legal team has been retained to provide employment advice and education to LCA members, including contracts, legal terminology and employment law in the UK.
Safeguarding Webinar - The LCA delivered a safeguarding webinar with LCA HR Expert Gillian Pickersgill, now available to all members on the LMA Online Learning Platform.
Employee Representatives - Employee representative service in place through ACAStrained LCA employee representatives.
FUTURE PLANS:
Game-wide Network - The LCA will continue to foster relationships with clubs and stakeholders to ensure a collegiate approach is adopted to employment services and regulation throughout the game.
PHYSICAL HEALTH.
The LCA believes that health and wellbeing are the foundation for optimum personal performance. We aim to help our members mitigate the risks of serious physical and mental health conditions.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Educational Resources - The LCA provides its members with the knowledge and encouragement to make health-conscious decisions and adopt habits which have a positive impact on health and wellbeing.
Vitality Healthcare - 16 LCA members and dependents have registered on the LMA & LCA Group Healthcare Scheme through Vitality for 2024/25.
HCA Health Screenings - 36 LCA members completed HCA Healthcare reAssure health screenings, assessing everything from lifestyle and wellbeing to advanced preventative screenings for cardiovascular disease, cancers, and diabetes.
FUTURE PLANS:
LCA Member Support - The LCA will provide ongoing, personal support to all LCA members who engage with the health programme, including all related enquiries regarding the LCA Group Healthcare Scheme and HCA Health Assessments.
Greater Awareness - We will continue to engage our network of medical experts to keep LCA members aware of the latest research and advice, through educational sessions, resources and content.
Club Engagement - Through the LCA’s relationships with clubs and game stakeholders, the LCA will encourage clubs to engage with its health programmes, in support of LCA members.
The terms staff
MENTAL HEALTH.
The LCA recognises the unique mental health needs of its members as a priority. Our aim is to provide all members with online access to confidential mental health support services and to help members deal with the inherent challenges that the football industry presents.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
Member Support - The LCA provided confidential mental health support to LCA Members during the 2023/24 season.
Mental Health Educator - 109 LCA members attended mental health performance psychology education sessions.
FUTURE PLANS:
In-Club Mental Health Education - The LCA and LMA have developed a mental health education programme, which is being delivered to all relevant staff in Premier League, EFL and WSL and Women’s Championship clubs.
Educational Resources - The LCA will deliver a programme of online webinars and resources to educate and guide the membership on psychology and mental health in the 2024/25 season.
LEARNING & CPD.
/ 24
LCA MEMBER
ENGAGEMENTS WITH LMA INSTITUTE EVENTS INPERSON & ONLINE TECHNICAL WEBINARS
1346 11 3 1 6
3
LMA & LCA MASTERCLASSES
78
368 HOURS OF ACCREDITED CPD ACROSS THE LMA INSTITUTE PROGRAMME
LCA MEMBERS HAVE ACCESSED THE LMA ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM
LEARNING & CPD.
The LCA is committed to supporting the development of coaches and football technical staff in the professional game throughout their careers. Our aim is to provide innovative, engaging and vocationallyrelevant career-long learning and personal development.
2023 / 24 SUMMARY:
LMA & LCA Annual Technical Performance Masterclass - Over 150 members attended the inaugural LMA & LCA Annual Technical Performance Masterclass at St. George’s Park on Wednesday 24th April 2024, bringing together the game’s elite coaching and management community to observe some of the game’s key technical and tactical trends.
LMA Online Learning Platform - The majority of online sessions were uploaded to the LMA Online Learning Platform for LCA members to watch on-demand.
Masterclasses - Three one-day CPD events were delivered in the North West, South and Midlands, with LMA and LCA members coming together to engage in facilitated discussions, led by expert practitioners and LCA & LMA members.
Webinar Programme - There were 22 one-hour webinars throughout the 2023/24 season, which offered members the opportunity to maximise their personal and professional development through the LCA, notably those who are unable to attend live in-person events.
CPD Accreditation - All LCA education events are accredited by The FA, with CPD hours going towards the validation of UEFA coaching licences.
LEARNING & CPD.
FUTURE PLANS:
New Online Education Programmes - Through consultation with the LCA Advisory Group and the Game Stakeholders, the LMA and LCA have identified a gap in the education pathway between one-day events and formal 12 to 18-month qualifications. The LMA and LCA is designing three 12-week short courses to provide its members with the opportunity to continue their career development in a flexible and vocationally relevant way:
• LMA Coach
• LMA Lead
• LMA Perform
LMA & LCA Annual Technical Performance Masterclass 2024/25This will take place on Wednesday 23rd April 2025 at St. George’s Park.
Data Analysis and Talent ID Masterclass - In February 2025, the LCA and LMA will deliver a one-day masterclass focused on the holistic personal and professional skills required to be successful as an analyst, scout or technical director in the modern professional game.
Career Development Resources - A suite of career development resources will be made available to LCA members to utilise, in addition to wider awareness of available roles within the English professional game and through the LMA and LCA International Development Project.
Skill Acquisition Guide - The LCA and LMA will publish the latest edition in the series of LMA Institute Professional Development Guides focused on the subject of Skill Acquisition, in partnership with Professor Keith Davids and the team at Sheffield Hallam University.
Digital Learning - Through access to the LMA Institute, the LCA will continue to provide its members with opportunities to engage with experts, elite practitioners and researchers from anywhere in the world.
LCA MEMBERS HAVE SUCH AN IMPORTANT IMPACT ACROSS THE GAME. IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL THAT THESE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP THEM IN THE YEARS TO COME.
MARTIN O’NEILL OBE
LMA CHAIR
