England FA launches women’s football coaching initiative

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The English Football Association (FA) has launched the Coaching Excellence Initiative, a women’s football coaching development programme.

The 18-month programme has been designed to develop and connect high-performance coaches in elite women’s football.

14 coaches have been selected for the inaugural programme. Between 14 to 18 coaches will participate in the programme each season with 75 per cent of participants to be female.

The FA said that the Coaching Excellence Initiative would provide a bespoke and high-quality coach development experience.

“The Coaching Excellence Initiative is central to our commitment to see the top coaches in the women’s game become the very best they can, providing them with the development and learning opportunities to achieve their potential and fulfil their ambitions,” Head of Women’s Coach Development at FA, Audrey Cooper said.

“Living well beyond the 18-month course, it will provide the coaches with a support network to share their experiences as they continue in their career.”

“This programme will also support our broader ambition to normalise women in football coaching, shining a light each year on aspirational, relatable and credible female role models for future generations to be inspired by.”

“Whether you are female or male, it’s my belief that there’s never been a more exciting time to be a coach in the women’s game.”

The first edition of the programme began in August 2020 and has featured virtual small group meet-ups and one-to-one mentoring.

Australian football coach and Bristol City manager, Tanya Oxtoby is among the Coaching Excellence Initiative participants.

“I applied to The FA’s CEI programme to continue to develop myself as a manager, network with likeminded people within the women’s game and to challenge my way of thinking,” Oxtoby said.

“The programme has been extremely useful as its focused on skills and qualities which do not normally feature within technical coaching courses.”

“It’s provided me with a network of support in very strange times and it’s changed the way I think about my way of working and how I can reach my own potential moving forward.”

Other participants include England U17 Women’s National Head Coach, Gemma Grainger, Manchester United WSL Academy Manager, Charlotte Healy and Aston Villa WFC Head Coach, Gemma Davies.

 

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Manchester City Begins Work on New Women’s Training Facility

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Image Credit: Manchester City website

Manchester City is in the development stage of building the Manchester City Women’s team a new purpose-built training facility at the City Football Academy, known as the club’s training centre.

The project, valued at up to $20.5 million, is set to open next season and marks the latest chapter in the club’s ongoing investment in top-tier facilities for the team.

Once completed, the facility will include a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym, and a circular dressing room designed to enhance player development.

In addition to their purpose-built facility, the Women’s First Team will continue to benefit from being an integral part of the $409 million City Football Academy, allowing them to utilise the organisation’s extensive resources and expertise.

To mark the beginning of construction, club captain Alex Greenwood was joined by Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, Director of Football Therese Sjögran, and Director of Performance Services Emma Deakin for the official groundbreaking ceremony.

Club Captain Alex Greenwood reflects on the current facilities at the club and her excitement for the new development that is on the rise.

“Right from the start we’ve been involved quite a lot so we could discuss what’s going to be in there and what’s necessary. From what I know the facilities are going to be the best, which is nothing short of what I expect. I’m excited to see how it’s going to look,” she said via press release.

The facility has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the team, with extensive consultation undertaken during the planning phase, including input from First Team Multi-Disciplinary experts and members of the playing squad.

The 17,000-square-foot building has also been designed with future expansion in mind as the team continues to grow.

Managing Director at Manchester City Women Charlotte O’Neill commented on the new facility and the beginning of its construction.

“Over the past decade, the team has benefited from being a part of the high-performance environment here, working with some of the very coaches, practitioners and support staff, as well as accessing some of the best facilities,” she said via press release.

“But the time feels right for the team to move into our own purpose-built home, and we think we’ve designed something really special that will help us in our efforts to consistently challenge for major titles.”

The new facility reaffirms Manchester City’s commitment to women’s football, aiming for success and growth through providing an environment to support the team’s future ambitions.

AFC Youth Panel discusses future of player development in Asia

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Image Credit: AFC

Representatives of the Asian Football Confederation met online on Thursday for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Panel. Through the virtual event, Member Association’s (MAs) shared their experiences of their youth systems for the 2024-25 term.

The panel was hosted with a key focus on identifying how to improve the developmental programmes of the 16–19-year-old age group. The meeting discussed ways to not just improve technical skill but also strengthen the mental resilience of players and increase the number of competitive matches they are playing.

 AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh explained why the confederation was focusing on the 16-19 age group.
“This age group is a formative stage where we are dealing with players in national youth teams and it’s a crucial stepping stone for talented youngsters who are at the threshold of pursuing the sport professionally,” he said via press release.
“We must be able to help them master techniques under pressure and develop a winning mentality, so it is imperative to provide them with expert guidance.”
Through the panel representatives also explored conversations on the need to properly prepare coaches for training developing professional youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge required to excel.
Additionally, the meeting presented updates on several high-profile AFC developmental programmes for participants. In particular, the panel highlighted the Triple-A Project, a programme designed to provide tailored support to MAs via continual summits, and the AFC’s ongoing research partnership with the University of Tsukuba, which aims to study elite youth systems across Asia.
To finalise the session, participants were informed of the AFC’s other technical programmes, especially the recent publication of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin. The Bulletin presents a major step forward for youth development within the Confederation, as it stands as a handbook for MAs to use, highlighting the best initiatives and programmes other MAs across Asia have used to great effect.

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