PREMIER LEAGUE

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RULES
COACHING
Coaching Programme
99. Each Club which operates an Academy shall prepare (and make available to the League and to
the ISO on request) a Coaching Programme which shall have regard to:
99.1. the Club’s Football Philosophy;
99.2. the Club’s Academy Performance Plan;
99.3. sections 6.6 – 6.8 of the Elite Player Performance Plan (save as regards the reference to
minimum hours of coaching, as to which see Rule 104); and
99.4. these Rules.
100. The Club’s Coaching Programme shall be drawn up by the Academy Manager (or, in the
circumstances set out in Rule 56, the Head of Academy Coaching) who shall consult with all
appropriate Club Officials (which may include the Manager, the Chief Executive, coaching staff,
the Academy Management Team and the Technical Director if the Club has appointed one).
101. The Club’s Technical Board shall approve the Club’s Coaching Programme.
Guidance
Reference is made in the Rule to sections 6.6 to 6.8 of the Elite Player Performance Plan, which set out further detail about
the Coaching Programme in the Foundation Phase, Youth Development Phase, and Professional Development Phase.
It is recommended that the Coaching Programme gives particular consideration to desired outcomes and the coaching
strategies needed to achieve them at each of the Development Phases.
See also Rule 54.6 (role of Academy Manager in the Coaching Programme) and Rule 60.2 (role of the Head of
Academy Coaching).
Coaching Hours
102. The coaching of age groups Under 15 and older in Category 1 and Category 2 Academies shall
take place over 46 weeks of each year, such weeks to be determined by reference to the Games
Programme Schedule (including the two periods set out therein during which no matches in
the Foundation Phase and Youth Development Phase Games Programmes shall take place).
103. All other coaching in Academies shall take place over 40 weeks of each year.
104. The minimum hours of coaching to be delivered by Academies each week to each Academy Player
(subject to his fitness) and the permitted Training Model per Category and per Development
Phase are as follows:
316
Category 1 Coaching hours
per week
Permitted
Training Model
Foundation
Phase (Under 9
to Under 11)
4 rising to 8 for
older Academy
Players
Part Time,
Hybrid
Youth
Development
Phase
10 rising to 12 for
older Academy
Players
Part Time,
Hybrid, Full Time
Professional
Development
Phase
14 reducing to 12 for
Academy Players
who have
commitments to
the professional
squad during
the Professional
Development Phase
Full Time