Redefining Talent Development for the Global Football Market

Wednesday, March 13 | 12:30 PM ET

Redefining Talent Development for the Global Football Market

The price and market for talent on the global football pitch has never been richer - or more competitive - than it is today. It’s become clear that the deployment and execution of a contemporary, data-led talent development strategy has quickly become critical to sustained competitiveness and growth. These leaders will discuss the talent strategy, player development, and coaching trends shaping modern talent development. They’ll also share how they are adapting their programs and leveraging data and technology to identify talent quicker and more efficiently.

Related topics:

• Systemizing a talent development pipeline
• Identifying new player pathways
• Supporting the holistic development of athletes.

Featured Speakers

Matt Wade - Matt is the Head of Sporting Strategy at Feyenoord, the current Eredivisie champions. In this role he is responsible for closing the gap between club objectives and operational reality through sporting project delivery and process improvement across the First Team, Women's Team and Academy, ultimately serving the Board of Directors and collaborating with Sporting Department Heads. As well as leading the process of creating and managing the club’s Vision & Strategy 2023-2026, and the annual sporting strategy plan, he also takes a leading role in sporting department hiring processes and organizational developments.

Jonathan Hunter-Barrett - Jonathan started his career at Walsall Football Club as a community coach at the age of 15. He went on to spend 6 seasons at the club working in a joint role across the club's centre of excellence and community programme. During this period he completed his UEFA A & B licence certificates. After leaving Walsall, Jonathan was part of setting up a community interest company that used sport as a tool to engage young people across the West Midlands in physical activity. Academically he completed an undergraduate degree in Sports Coaching at the University of Wolverhampton. In 2011, Jonathan joined Wolves in a part-time role working in the club's development centre programme. During his time at Wolves, he has held several different roles across the programme, such as Phase Lead Coach, Head of Coaching and Development, and Head of Coaching and Football Operations. Due to the variety of positions held and future aspirations within sport and development, he enrolled on the Masters in Sporting Directorship programme at Manchester Metropolitan University and completed the course in 2020. His current position as Academy Manager for Football sees him oversee all areas of performance across the Academy programme, working closely with department leads to ensure that the club continue its strong tradition of developing both players and staff.

Ian Buckman - Ian is Academy Manager at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. He joined Brighton in 2013 following his role as assistant academy manager at Portsmouth FC having previously coached across all phases of the academy programme. Ian joined Albion as a coach in the youth development phase before transitioning to U18 lead coach, assistant academy manager and head of academy coaching. During a decade at the club Ian has witnessed Albion develop from a Category 2 to Category 1 academy, move into the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre and has proudly been part of the department during a period in which academy graduates including Robert Sanchez, Ben White, Evan Ferguson and most recently Jack Hinshelwood have made Premier League debuts. He is passionate about youth development and the department has a huge focus on education, player care and holistic support for the young people in both football and non-football pathways aligned to the club’s philosophy and values. Ian’s role is to oversee the academy programme and pathway from pre-academy to Under 21 working closely with the academy management team and multidisciplinary departments. He holds a UEFA A licence and is a graduate of the Premier League Elite Coach Apprenticeship Scheme and Elite Heads of Coaching pathway and has an MSc in Elite Coaching Practice.

Stephen Smith founded Kitman Labs in 2012 to help professional and elite sports teams reduce injury risk and increase player availability. He previously served as Senior Injury Rehabilitation and Conditioning Coach at Leinster Rugby Club in Ireland for six years. Kitman Labs, headquartered in Dublin, opened its first US office in Menlo Park, California, in 2014. Stephen holds an undergraduate degree from Carlow Institute of Technology and a master's degree in Football Rehabilitation from Edgehill University. He is a self-professed sports science and athletic performance nerd.

Registration is free. All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar following the event.

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**This episode of SBJ Live is sponsored and produced in coordination with a sponsor. The SBJ editorial team was not involved in the production of this episode.