Scottish FA confirms Regional
Performance Coaches line-up
Mark Wotte, the Scottish FA’s Performance Director, today unveiled his Regional Performance School coaching team at Hampden Park.
Seven schools throughout the country have been selected to house the cream of Scotland’s talented young footballers. There, they will marry their football education with their normal curriculum as part of the Scottish FA’s commitment to elite player development.
The Scottish FA has appointed seven coaches to work in conjunction with the schools and the players’ clubs to enhance their technical skills at a key stage of their development.
Ray McKinnon, the former Dundee United midfielder, Brian McLaughlin, the former Celtic winger, and Ian Ross, the former St Mirren player, have each been assigned to an RPS. Ian Cathro, regarded as one of the most promising youth coaches in Scotland, has joined from Dundee United, and Gordon Craig, Greg Miller and Andrew Goldie bring a wealth of experience in youth coaching to complete the team.
They will each take up to 20 of the most talented under-12 players in their region – both boys and girls – and provide a minimum five extra coaching sessions focusing on skills development. Over a four-year period, this will provide the most talented young footballers throughout the country with an extra 800 sessions. This exciting new project is part of the Scottish FA’s £15m investment in the Performance Strategy over the next four years.
Led by Wotte, the Regional Performance Schools will be the crown jewels of the Performance Strategy and achieve another significant objective of the McLeish Review of Scottish Football.
A series of football festivals involving senior clubs, boys and girls clubs and school teams are currently under way to identify the best players eligible for each school in time for August enrolment. Wotte believes the new schools will help produce Scotland internationalists of the future and spoke enthusiastically of the relationship between the Scottish FA, education authorities, local authorities and the clubs.
“I believe today’s announcement will prove to be one of the most significant and positive developments for Scottish football in decades,” he said. “The Regional Performance Schools will enhance the coaching provided by the clubs by implementing an Individual Player Development Programme by our experienced teachers. Our young players need more contact time with the ball and must develop key skills like balance, agility, speed, movement and co-ordination.”
Stewart Regan, the Scottish FA chief executive, added: “This is another exciting development for Scottish football and one that shows our commitment to nurturing the country’s best players. Today’s announcement demonstrates the seriousness of our intention and also highlights our goal to work together with clubs, local authorities and schools to put football and sport at the forefront of a social and health revolution in this country.”
Regional Performance Schools and Coaches:
Braidhurst High School (Motherwell) - Gordon Craig
Broughton High School (Edinburgh) - Greg Miller
Graeme High School (Falkirk) - Ian Ross
Grange Academy (Kilmarnock) - Andrew Goldie
Hazelhead Academy (Aberdeen) - Ray McKinnon
Holyrood Secondary School (Glasgow) - Brian McLaughlin
St John’s High School (Dundee) Ian Cathro
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