The FA’s Director Of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking has been speaking at a prestigious UEFA meeting in London this week, along with a whole host of top names from the world of football, whilst The FA also showcased the latest developments in youth training in a practical session at Wembley Stadium.

Sir Trevor, on the new UEFA Technical Assistance Committee, spoke at the Grange City Hotel along with The FA’s Head Of Coaching John Peacock and the National Development Manager Les Howie about the future of coaching in England and beyond before the delegation headed for Wembley.

It was there that coaches from The FA and Tottenham Hotspur FC were able to demonstrate, as three sets of youth players from their Academy gave displays on coaching routines for their specific age groups.

The event, which took place over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, was all part of UEFA’s Symposium for Coach Education as well as the celebration of the tenth anniversary since the introduction of the European Coaching Licence.

Focusing on events that have taken place in the decade since UEFA introduced the Convention on the Mutual Recognition of Coaching Qualifications, the meeting also saw the introduction of the next phase in taking coaching standards forward which will include a specialised élite youth-level diploma.

Sir Trevor spoke of the coach education that is now available in England and Peacock was keen to illustrate how the aim is to improve coaching culture at all levels of football in England, whilst Howie added to that by explaining how the process can be applied to the grassroots of football.

"It is quite a challenging time for all countries to get that flow of quality players within their home network,” admitted Sir Trevor.

"In 1997 Howard Wilkinson introduced the Charter for Quality and we need to take that on to the next stage.”

UEFA President Michel Platini stated: "We must all strive for high quality, attractive football at all levels, and coach education within the national associations plays a key role in this context.

“At UEFA level, we will strive to maintain the high quality of our technical programmes, to develop, move with the times and to ensure the continuing success of European football.

“I realise the significance and importance of the technical side of our game and I believe that working together, meeting at events like this and sharing experience from all over the continent, brings us benefits that cannot be found elsewhere."

Other high-profile guests and speakers at the event included Gérard Houllier, Fabio Capello and UEFA’s Technical Director Andy Roxburgh.