ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9963-000X
Current Organisation
Liverpool John Moores University
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Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date: 06-2014
Abstract: This study examined the factors perceived by successful coaches to underpin optimal development environments within elite English soccer academies. A semistructured interview guide was developed to interview 10 expert coaches about the environments they create for players at a key stage in their development. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively content analyzed. The results identified a wide range of factors resulting in a conceptual framework that explained how these factors interact to underpin an optimal environment. Subcomponents of this framework included organizational core (e.g., advocate a player-driven ideology), adaptability (e.g., embrace novel ideas & approaches), player welfare (e.g., understand players’ world-view), key stakeholder relationships (e.g., build trust with parents), involvement (e.g., encourage players’ ideas/feedback), and achievement oriented (e.g., establish an explicit pathway to senior level). Collectively, the findings highlight the importance of establishing strong, dynamic, organizational cultures at elite youth soccer academies. Ways that academies might be helped to establish such environments are discussed.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-2012
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2012.710753
Abstract: Based on the developmental theory presented by Gagné (2009), we examined the factors perceived to influence the development of elite youth football players at a critical stage in their progression to the professional level. Transcribed interviews with ten expert development coaches were inductively and deductively content analysed. Conceptualisation of the data revealed six interrelated higher-order categories that represented the factors perceived to either positively or negatively influence player development. These were: awareness (e.g. self-awareness, awareness of others) resilience (e.g. coping with setbacks, optimistic attitude) goal-directed attributes (e.g. passion, professional attitude) intelligence (e.g. sport intelligence, emotional competence) sport-specific attributes (e.g. coachability, competitiveness) and environmental factors (e.g. significant others, culture of game). In this investigation, awareness emerged as a fundamental and mediating element for understanding how young players are able to transition to the professional level. Collectively, the findings underline the multidimensional nature of talent development and suggest that an intricate combination of stage-specific factors must manifest for gifted young players to translate their potential into excellence. Mechanisms by which academies could be helped to shape the characteristics and conditions associated with effective development are discussed.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 09-2014
DOI: 10.1260/1747-9541.9.4.637
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed, large-scale retrospective analysis of the number of English footballers that have been developed to play in the English Premier League (EPL) over twenty seasons. Unlike previous research, we examined appearance data as opposed to percentage of squad data enabling a more accurate representation of English players appearing in the EPL. The findings revealed a steady decline in the number and proportion of appearances made by English players in the EPL throughout the twenty season period. However, the results also indicated that the rate of decline had abated since the inception of UEFA's home-grown rule. The results support the view that opportunities for indigenous players have diminished since the EPL's inception. Given the short-term, results-focused culture that prevails in the EPL, this would appear to present a major challenge for governing bodies, particularly those working in elite player development. Discussion surrounding how these challenges might be met is presented.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 27-11-2022
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 12-2014
DOI: 10.1260/1747-9541.9.6.1457
Abstract: As a preliminary investigation, we examined elite youth football academy players' perceptions of the quality of their development environment, at a crucial stage in their progression to the professional level. With institutional ethics approval, the Talent Development Environment Questionnaire (TDEQ) [1] was used to survey 50 elite players aged 16–18 (m 17.1, ± s = 0.6 years) recruited from the academies of Premier League and Ch ionship clubs in England. Overall, the results suggest that elite player development environments are perceived to be of a good quality. However, while academies appeared strong in areas related to coaching, organisation, and sport-related support they were somewhat deficient in areas related to athlete understanding, links to senior progression, and key stakeholder relationships. In addition to the importance of establishing well-integrated youth and senior teams and positive working relationships with parents the findings underline the necessity for academies to pay close attention to the psychosocial environments they create for developing players. Theoretical considerations and applied implications for those involved in elite player development are discussed.
Publisher: Routledge
Date: 15-07-2016
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Dr. Andrew Mills.