A recent Sky News report uncovered the true scale of the funding crisis threatening the future of grassroots football in the UK. Between 2007 and 2013, spending on facilities by local councils fell from £5.9 million to £4.9 million, which represents a 17 percent cut in seven years. And while the fact that spending on pitch maintenance actually rose during...

The role of parents in the development of youth players has long been a contentious issue in British football. Head along to an under-12s match this weekend, and you are likely to witness pushy parents shouting advice and encouragement from the sidelines. But whilst most parents have the best of intentions, direct involvement of this nature may be doing more...

Despite decades of resistance, it seems that Premier League teams and the Football Association are finally coming to the conclusion that the continental approach to training and coaching delivers more rounded, technically gifted players. The European way has always involved a more holistic approach to the development of young players, and the recent domination of the World Cup and the...

The days of jumpers for goalposts and playing football on the streets until dusk are long gone. Our children are spending their formative years on gaming consoles and tablet computers, and they’re not getting the exercise they need. Obesity levels amongst kids are rising as a result, and technical skills at the very top of the professional game in Britain...

Why Are Huge Participation Levels in Grassroots Soccer Not Being Reflected in America’s Professional Game? Driving around the streets of a typical urban area in the United States is a sobering experience for an English football fan. This is because it’s not baseball and American football pitches that litter the landscape – but soccer pitches. So why is a country...

The road to becoming a professional coach is a long and arduous one, but it is a pathway that is open to everyone with the determination to succeed. Whether candidates have played the game professionally or simply admired it from afar, anyone willing to put in the hard work required can realise their dreams of managing a top side. The...

The game of futsal is enjoying a prolonged period of growth in Europe and most of the world’s footballing nations. This shortened, five-a-side version of the game is played indoors, with each half lasting only 20 minutes. Packed with action, incident and lots of goals, futsal matches are guaranteed to deliver entertainment and spectacular skills. But why has futsal become...

For anyone interested in forging a career in the world of football administration and business, there is now an exciting, new path to success. The University College of Football Business (UCFB) is offering a range of courses which are designed to give students the necessary skills in order to manage various aspects of the business side of football. Located in...

The heartbreaking images of Liverpool fans being crushed on the overcrowded terraces of Hillsborough Stadium in 1986 are engrained on the collective conscious of the entire English nation. This was a disaster that transcended sport, and it brought football fans of all persuasions together in a way that had never been seen before. The enormous scale and impact of the...

Being an England fan isn’t easy – especially when the likes of Spain, the Netherlands and Germany seem to have a perpetual supply of technically gifted players to pick from. Watching the Spanish win two European Championships and a World Cup in recent years has demonstrated just how far behind our young English talent really is on the world stage...