Debate - Future of Youth Development in Irish Football

[legendz]

"Average coaching contact time for under-17 boys at League of Ireland clubs is 260 minutes per week... 24 academies having only 10 full-time staff...
A category three English academy like Rochdale or Accrington Stanley spends up to 720 minutes on youth development."

The Irish Times are reporting that the ETP money is to be spent on the best 14-to-18-year-olds footballers in the country. This approach will treble the training hours of boys and girls with the greatest potential to make it as professionals. The sessions will take place at the FAI’s HQ in Abbotstown from next year.

[tetsujin1979]

As the FAI and League of Ireland clubs squabble, our talented young players are moulded into professionals abroad

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soc...ionals-abroad/

[tetsujin1979]

Very good first episode for this on rte

[tetsujin1979]

The FAI's 2026-2029 strategy was launched yesterday - https://www.fai.ie/latest/fai-launch...2029-strategy/
You can view it here - https://www.fai.ie/strategy/
Stark admission from the FAI here

Ireland is the third most underperforming nation in UEFA, when population, participation and resources are taken into account.

[Buckett]

Or, the FAI is the third worst association in UEFA

[EalingGreen]

The FAI's 2026-2029 strategy was launched yesterday - https://www.fai.ie/latest/fai-launch...2029-strategy/
You can view it here - https://www.fai.ie/strategy/
Stark admission from the FAI here

Can anyone track down the UEFA benchmarking report from which the "Third worst in Europe" rating was derived? I'd have liked to see where NI finished, but on second thoughts, maybe not!