WEST HAM UNITED FOUNDATION

THE ACADEMY OF FOOTBALL

WORLD-LEADING METHODOLOGY

As a leading team within the UK Premier League – the most competitive league in the world- West Ham United Academy applies the same standards to all its players. Our elite high-performance approach integrates the latest sports-technology advances with Premier League training techniques to provide an intensive training programme that will test and optimise the performance of our players. The coaches and members of the technical staff are experienced professionals from West Ham United Foundation with the highest official UEFA certifications and support all West Ham United Foundation youth players.

The West Ham United methodology utilises the same principles and practice that have made West Ham United a force in the UK Premier League and recognised as ‘The Academy of Football’. Incorporating the principles of England Soccer DNA, It is designed to develop all-round players capable of playing at the highest professional levels.

METHODOLOGY | KEY ELEMENTS

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER FOCUS TEAM FOCUS ATHLETE HEALTH & FITNESS SPORTS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL ASSESSMENT & MONITORING COMPETITIVE MATCH-PLAY & TALENT ID OPPORTUNITIES

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER FOCUS

Technical analysis on the field by West Ham United professional scouting/screening team
Technical skills Development: passing, dribbling, finishing
Analysis of strengths & weaknesses
Physical development & strengthening
Recovery sessions
Sport psychology development
Introduction to professional athlete nutrition

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TEAM FOCUS

Tactical setup & position–specific training
Formation implementation
Offensive / defensive transitions
Position -specific training sessions
Set pieces

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ATHLETE HEALTH & FITNESS

Personalized Training incorporating complementary field work and gym routines
Nutritional plan adapted to the players according to their needs and processes
Individual mentoring off the field

Apply Now

SPORTS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Use of digital tools for areas of analysis and daily
Performance
Video Analysis | GPS performance vest
On-Session heart monitoring

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MEDICAL ASSESSMENT & MONITORING

Opening of an individual medical record where the players’ progress is analysed monthly, as well as the treatment of injuries and record of their sessions with our medical staff

Apply Now

COMPETITIVE MATCH-PLAY & TALENT ID OPPORTUNITIES

Provision of Talent ID clinics to allow you to be seen by some of the best scouts in the UK. Learn to excel in a showcase environment and produce your best results
Friendly games: national and international teams
Tournament preparation

Apply Now

TRAINING & COACHING

The Coaching Team is led by Sam Taylor with a professional football career spanning 15 years and 10 years’ experience in professional coaching roles; including managing West Ham United Academy and elite Player Development programmes. Sam understands the demanding requirements on professional players and the qualities needed to succeed. He and his team are passionate about ensuring every player achieves their best playing ability, with all of the coaches being experienced deliverers within the West Ham United Elite Player Development programmes, holding UEFA A or B licenses and FA Level 3 or 4 licenses.

“Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.”

John Wooden

COMPETITION

The programme incorporates an integrated schedule of competitive matchplay. Programme participants will have the opportunity for competitive match-play against leading Academies affiliated to Premiership and League clubs in the UK. Participants will be tested against West Ham United Academy and Foundation teams.

In addition, there will be opportunities for participation in match-play tours in Europe, during Study-breaks, against rival European academies to gain a broader experience of competitive match-play and create a well-rounded player experience. These take place outside of the study curriculum; during term-breaks.

“Playing to keep it isn’t the same as having it to play.”

Juanma Lillo

TALENT ID

Talent ID Sessions are scheduled at key points throughout the programme. Building on the work you will have put in during your intensive training sessions and lessons learnt through your match-play experience, you will participate in a formal West Ham United showcase fixture at the beginning of Term 2. This is an ideal opportunity for the West Ham United scouts to observe and identify players.

In Term 3, the Talent ID session incorporates a wider range of scouts from our network of clubs within the Premier League and other leagues. This provides a platform for you to be seen by a wide range of talent scouts from clubs throughout the UK.

In addition, you should be aware that during the course of the programme, participants are monitored and informal scouting will take place on an ad-hoc basis.

ELITE PRO-EXPERIENCE

UNIQUE | INTEGRATED | COMPREHENSIVE

YOUR PATHWAY TO PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS

ELITE ACADEMY PROGRAMME

PROGRESSION PATHWAY

CAREER PATHWAY

INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION DIPLOMA

Professional / Semi- Professional Contract

Professional Footballer Professional Soccer Coach

Coaching FA Level 1
Coaching FA Level 2

US Sports Scholarship
IFD | UK Degree Pathway
Sports Science
Coaching
Sports Business Management

Professional Soccer Coach
Manager
Soccer Business
Management
Professional
Coaching FA Level 2

Scouting FA Level 1

Higher National Certificate/ Degree – Other Subject

Non-Football Profession

“The ball is round, the game lasts ninety minutes and everything else is just theory.”

Josef Herberger

SESSION DESIGN EXAMPLES

SESSION DESIGN 01

FA 4-CornerRainbow

• Technical

W/U

• Physical

ABC/SAQ

• Psychological

Problem-Solving/ Decision Making

• Social

GroupChallenge

Built with the aim of adhering to the FA’s 4-corner model, the session time is split into four practices, each one centred around 1 of the 4-corners. Technical practice would look at the skill requirements of the topic in isolation or with passive opposition to determine the topic-specific strengths and weaknesses of the group, before a short consideration of the physical components required to successfully execute the topic. A practice based around overcoming a predetermined challenge incorporating the psych-social requirements, before ending with a group challenge (typically a game practice) to address the social delivery of coaching for the given topic.

The four practices can be reordered to suit and timings of each segement can be adjusted depending on the needs of the topic.

“Teams don’t learn – individuals within a team learn. Development is a personal process even if conducted in a team environment.”

Johan Cruyff

Pre-Registration

Apply Now

WEST HAM UNITED FOUNDATION

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER FOCUS

Technical analysis on the field by West Ham United professional scouting/screening team

Technical skills Development: passing, dribbling, finishing

Analysis of strengths & weaknesses

Physical development & strengthening

Recovery sessions

Sport psychology development

Introduction to professional athlete nutrition

TEAM FOCUS

Tactical setup & position–specific training

Formation implementation

Offensive / defensive transitions

Position -specific training sessions

Set pieces

ATHLETE HEALTH & FITNESS

Personalized Training incorporating complementary field work and gym routines

Nutritional plan adapted to the players according to their needs and processes

Individual mentoring off the field

SPORTS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Use of digital tools for areas of analysis and daily

Performance

Video Analysis | GPS performance vest

On-Session heart monitoring

MEDICAL ASSESSMENT & MONITORING

Opening of an individual medical record where the players’ progress is analysed monthly, as well as the treatment of injuries and record of their sessions with our medical staff

COMPETITIVE MATCH-PLAY & TALENT ID OPPORTUNITIES

Provision of Talent ID clinics to allow you to be seen by some of the best scouts in the UK. Learn to excel in a showcase environment and produce your best results

Friendly games: national and international teams

Tournament preparation

PROFESSIONAL

OPPORTUNITY

WINNERS

RESPECT

ELITE PRO-EXPERIENCE

Frequently Asked Questions

Choices International