Participation in football at grassroots level is declining in England, and children in particular simply aren’t playing the game anything like as often as they used to. One of the reasons for this decline has been the increasingly competitive nature of youth football. Pushy, aggressive parents and an unhealthy obsession with winning can cause stress and fear amongst kids, and...

As England faces at least another decade in the second tier of international football, the footballing authorities continue their search for answers. In January 2015, this search led to the PFA visiting Brazil. Although the South American country has major social and economic problems to deal with, the conveyor belt of talent it produces is regarded as the driving force...

Faced with continuing criticism with regard to player development and the standards set by the England national team, the Football Association has been busy introducing a series of standards-based initiatives. One of the most high-profile schemes to be announced under Greg Dyke’s leadership is the 2020 vision – a six-year plan to boost grassroots football across England. What is the...

Football has become increasingly physical and fast over the years, so the modern player must work on core-body strength and power in order to compete at the highest levels. Toned and conditioned muscles can aid acceleration, balance and the ability to tussle opponents off the ball, which is why these five resistance workouts should be part of any team’s weekly...

The modern footballer needs to take a comprehensive approach to fitness and conditioning, which is why resistance training is fast becoming an intrinsic part of the game. However, there are some widely held misconceptions about the benefits of resistance training, and about the various techniques involved. With a sensible schedule in place, and the right techniques, footballers can improve their...

The start of a new year can be a great time for grassroots footballers to assess where they are in terms of their progression, skills and mindset. Whether you play in a local league, for your local pub team or in a Premier League academy set-up, focussing your mind on some very specific goals could be the key to making...

Whether you play for a local pub team or for your county, the festive season represents a time of temptation and bad lifestyle choices. Christmas parties usually mean alcohol and tasty treats are never far away, but that can spell disaster for your performance levels if you have a busy festive period of match action ahead. Too many footballers attempt...

Following a calamitous 2014 World Cup campaign, the FA and those at the very top of English football realised that something needed to change. In all fairness to the game’s authorities, there have already been some major changes to the grassroots game and the developmental pathway in England, but the FA’s new DNA programme has been launched with the clear...

At a time when obesity levels in the UK are rising, and when the effects of sedentary lifestyles are costing the NHS millions of pounds every year, the FA is driving forward with its plan to get adults playing football in their local communities. Imagine you’ve just finished work, and you’re doing what you do every night of the week...

Young English footballers have been criticised for their lack of technical ability for decades now, and it’s clearly evident that a new approach to the way we coach our kids is required. For too long, kids have been placed under too much pressure to win at all costs, and that has been to the detriment of learning. Moreover, too much...