Football
Fleetwood
Town has announced the launch of its very own International Football Academy
(FTIFA).
Based
at the English Football League (EFL) club’s £10m Poolfoot Farm training base,
the academy is open to aspiring players from around the world.
Through
a series of structured four, 12 and 24-week residential courses, FTIFA provides
players with an unrivalled platform to help realise their dreams of making it
as a professional footballer.
Players
not only receive expert UEFA-qualified coaching, bespoke training programmes –
all tailored to their individual skills and development needs – but the
opportunity to showcase their talents in front of scouts representing clubs in
the UK and abroad.
The
first players enrolled at FTIFA – who hail from as far afield as America,
Africa, India and the Middle East – are already experiencing the full range of
benefits this unique academy has to offer.
Fleetwood
Town chairman Andy Pilley said: “Football is a global game and we know there is
a huge amount of untapped talent out there.
“Our
sensational training facilities here at Poolfoot Farm are among the best in the
UK and so we want to open our doors to aspiring players, wherever they live,
and give them the opportunity to learn from our top coaches.
“They
will not only get the chance to train alongside our pro players and experience
Premier League-standard facilities, but they will be able to showcase their
talents to not only us but clubs here in the UK and around the world.
“Fleetwood
Town is perhaps most famous internationally as the place where Jamie Vardy cut
his teeth before becoming the Premier League star he is today. Who knows where
FTIFA will lead us, maybe we’ll discover the next Jamie Vardy!
“This
is a very exciting development for Fleetwood Town and the Fylde coast – it’s a
true global search for football talent and we cannot wait to see what we
discover.”
FTIFA
is now being marketed around the world and academy managers have just returned
from a promotional trip to Europe where they have been in talks with clubs and
agents.
Mick
Horsfall, FTIFA head of operations, said: “What makes this academy unique,
compared to others in the UK, is that it is based within a professional
football club.
“Every
player that comes here will be treated like a pro footballer and get a true pro
football experience. They will train alongside our first team, development and
academy squads and be coached and mentored by FTFC’s elite academy coaches.
“They
all get access to our stunning state-of-the art facilities which include top
class FIFA-grade training pitches, gym and physiotherapy suite, classrooms and
they eat in the same restaurant as the first team.
“Individual
development is key. Players will be constantly assessed and evaluated, and
their progress will be discussed with them throughout. Through bespoke training
programmes and in-depth analysis we can clearly track their development and
improvement.
“The
aim is to make them better players, and be better equipped to make it. Their
time at the academy really could be the start of these players’ pro careers.”
Among
the first to join FTIFA is 24-year-old Godswill Erbahor from Nigeria. He said:
“It’s extraordinary here. The facilities are amazing, the pitches, the physios,
the gym it has all been amazing.
“The
coaches work with us individually to look at our specific traits, our
weaknesses and strengths. They really care about us footballers. The football
is high quality. To see the elite players train here every day inspires you to
be like them. I can learn so much from them.”
Credit:
fcbusiness.co.uk
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