METHODOLOGY
The 12 Quality Areas
We have added new research methods to the existing concept of the 12 Quality Areas
development. These QAs serve as a useful framework for self-reflection and analysis in an area recognised for its complexity and randomness. The 12 QA framework was an early step towards attempting to recognise the patterns – or framework, it needs to be representative of the real facts, easily understandable, and represented in a simple way. However, one of the limitations of the Quality Areas framework is that each of the QAs merely represent a grouping of markers, which directly impact on the quality outcome (or success) of an individual youth academy. These groupings by themselves can be interpreted as objectives for each academy, such as delivering the best possible standards of physical or cognitive care. So, if we are to imagine a classic scatter plot with an X and Y axis, the 12 QAs would be only one of the axis, let’s say Y, and not informative on its own. ‘scientific law’ – of youth development in professional football. And, as with any such This is where our new research comes in. Our findings for 2022 stem from the recognition that the way each club or academy delivers these Quality Areas is by implementing certain processes within the organisation, which are tasked with reaching objectives, whether they are in cognitive care or productivity. So, by adding the X axis to our existing Y, we’re better able to recognise the relationship between QAs and processes.
The concept of the 12 Quality Areas in professional football academies and youth
Physical care 20-21
Cognitive care 22-23
development was created by a task force of the ECA Youth Working Group in 2016-17, and presented at the Youth Conference in Munich in 2017. This task force, which comprised a selected group of football youth development and club management experts, used a scientific process to come up with a shared position and an extensive list of factors that determined the success of an academy setting. This list was based on an analysis of existing academy licensing systems, plus the results of a specially prepared survey of youth academies. It was then aligned with the professional experience of members of the task force to provide a complete overview of the various factors comprising professional youth development in football. Once completed, the full list was analysed further in order to create a coherent group of Quality Areas that cover the entire scope of professional football youth
Finances 24-25
Facilities 26-27
Talent identification 28-29
Productivity 30-31
Strategic importance 32-33
Competition 34-35
Human capital 36-37
Club buy-in 38-39
Community connectivity 40-41
Systemic overview of professional football youth development environment
Professional connectivity 42-43
Quality markers
Analysis
“To do the best things in an academy normally costs money. By looking at this publication and its findings, academy leaders can get information on which key aspects they should focus on, and allocate their resources accordingly” Liam Brady, former Arsenal FC Academy Director
12 QUALITY AREAS
METHODOL OGY
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YOUTH FOOTBALL 2021-23
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