Members of the 2020/21 Club Placement Programme welcomed to St. George’s Park
We were delighted to welcome back coaches from last season’s FA’s Club Placement Programme to St George’s Park on Friday 30th July, to celebrate their success and continued achievements in the game.
Now going into its third year, the Club Placement Programme gives individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds the opportunity to develop their coaching skills at academies across the professional game and take strides towards pursuing a career in football.
In providing this unique learning and development programme, The FA and its partners from the Premier League and EFL aim to create more opportunities for Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and female coaches as part of our wider goal to create an equal game for all.
The programme itself gives successful applications an expenses-paid, season-long placement which includes on-the-pitch support in delivering practices and evaluating player performances, as well as career development events focused on the skills required to succeed at a professional academy.
The 2020/21 programme consisted of coaches from 13 clubs across the English football pyramid.
During their return to St. George’s Park, the coaches took part in Q&A sessions with FA Technical Director John McDermott and England U21s coach Michael Johnson, as well as sharing their experiences of the programme and how it’s helped them, with some incredible success stories:
It has been an unbelievable experience to share our journeys and stories, and also to present to The FA’s Technical Director. As a coach who also happens to be South Asian, this programme has instilled hope that there is pathway and my goal is achievable. (Nadim Akhtar, Luton Town FC club placement)
Listening to the other coaches' journeys was a humbling experience and I have learnt a lot about myself. The programme itself has helped me secure a coaching role at Birmingham City. I have not only developed as a coach through this programme but also as a future leader. (Georgie Van Dijk, Birmingham City FC)
Travelling up to St George's Park and listening to my colleagues share their coaching journeys was so inspiring. It was a great event and listening to presentations from John McDermott and a practical session from Michael Johnson was something I will never forget. Such a great experience. (Elliot Whitely, club placement West Ham United FC)
Also present on Friday was The FA’s Coach Inclusion and Diversity Manager and programme lead Butch Fazal, who paid testament to the coaches of 2020/21:
What an inspiring day! Hearing from the coaches and their stories was truly humbling and the progress they have made at their placement clubs has been outstanding. I’d like to say a massive thank you to the host clubs for their support in making this programme a success. (Butch Fazal, Coach Inclusion and Diversity Manager, England Football Learning)
The FA’s Technical Director John McDermott also took the opportunity to praise the coaches who completed the programme this season:
I fully enjoyed my day and learned a lot about the placement scheme. It was also inspiring listening to the different journeys that our coaches are currently undertaking under the guidance of some outstanding mentors in our clubs. It was great to meet old acquaintances and be introduced to new faces who I know I will be meeting again as they embark upon their careers as coaches within the game. (John McDermott, FA Technical Director)
If you’re interested in joining The FA’s Club Placement Programme for the 2021/22 season, we are delighted to announce that applications will be open from Monday 16 August 2021.
Please note that this programme is primarily aimed at applicants from the historically underrepresented Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and female backgrounds. You must already have achieved The FA Level 3 (UEFA B) in Coaching Football to be successful.
