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A bioecological perspective on talent identification in junior-elite soccer: A Pan-European perspective.
- Source :
- Journal of Sports Sciences; 2020, Vol. 38 Issue 11/12, p1259-1268, 10p, 2 Diagrams
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Elite soccer clubs across Europe spend ever-increasing sums of money on transfers and salaries for world-class players. Consequently, clubs' talent identification and development processes for junior players have become more professionalised. Based on a holistic ecological approach, this study presents an analysis of talent identification practices across some of the most productive soccer academies in Europe (N = 11). Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 11 heads of academy recruitment from clubs in the "big five" European leagues. Clubs were purposively sampled based on their player productivity ranking. Interviews ranged from 52:26 minutes to 114:06 minutes in length (m = 87:53 ± 20.10 minutes). This study argues that holistic ecological approaches the environments were characterised through the interplay of factors that ranged from high-level internal to international level relationships. This resulted in the identification and recruitment of players from local and international environments. The purpose of recruitment was suggested to have a dual purpose: recruitment of players for the first team; recruitment of players for further development/monitoring and/or selling to another club. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 02640414
- Volume :
- 38
- Issue :
- 11/12
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Sports Sciences
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 144667210
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1702282