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
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.
PROFESSIONAL
Arrive correctly, prepare correctly, compete correctly, leave correctly.
• Commitment
• Punctuality
• Presentation
• Conduct
OPPORTUNITY
Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss. Seize the moment.
• Confidence
• Inspiration
• Communication
• Excite
WINNERS
Winning against personal targets and team challenges allows the match result to take care of itself.
• Resilience
• Desire
• Perseverance
• Efficiency
RESPECT
Developing the human being aswell as the athlete.
• Equality
• Positivity
• Humilty
• Composure
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.
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
