I have been asked many times, at the consultation events and via Twitter, why can't The FA just implement these changes straight away? For the purpose of clarity, I'll just outline some of the procedures in place and how we arrived at this destination. Things are never quite straight forward in terms of decision-making (both on the pitch and off it, it would appear) and there is a process to follow.
So, sit down and strap in, this could get political!
We started on this road about 18 months ago, with some early discussions with different football bodies; coaches, clubs, children, league administrators, internal FA staff, professional game etc. to find out if there actually was a requirement to develop children's football. The overwhelming feeling was yes. Since that point we have conducted meetings with 900+ youth clubs, 1000's of grassroots and professional coaches and well over 300 youth leagues. On top of this, we have completed 50 focus groups with 8-12 year old children (more on this in the next blog). Broad, wide and national.
This has shaped the proposal to date. None of the planned changes are my ideas from sitting in an Ivory Tower at Wembley (although I work from home so from rural Sussex), these proposals have been led, shaped, dissected and pulled back together by the grassroots infrastructure. My remit, in this role, is to pull all the evidence together and give it some shape and coherence. Personally, would I do something a little different, maybe, but the majority of the feedback has shaped to where we are today.
From this initial information-gathering, this was then taken to several FA Committees with the key messages and permission gained to 'formally consult' on the new proposals. Since this date we have completed 12 regional consultation events around the country with four more to come this month.
There are suggestions from a few that this is a 'fait-de-compli', a done deal in some's views and the consultation is pointless. Well, let me absolutely confirm, it is far from that and never has been. Where we are today and from where we started, the proposals have shifted and changed, fluidly moving to reflect the evidence, feelings and feedback from the grassroots world. The Roadshows have time for debate and discussion, input and answers. Controversially, I could actually say those that suggest this is fait-de-compli are those that disagree with the changes...
I've always said, right from the outset that if someone can provide the research and evidence that says the best thing for U8's should be to play 11v11 on full-size pitches in competitive leagues then we are more than happy to take it on-board. This is about building a player pathway that reflects the best possible development system for young people, not one built on gut feeling, tradition and what we have always done, but steeped in research, evidence, meaningful data and information. My role, as mentioned, is to shape this and I have painstakingly sought research to balance different views, to see if I can find something that supports, for example, the value of adult forms of competition on young people. No pre-determined agenda, no hidden desires. A clear, transparent, evidence-backed process.
So, we have four regional events to go. Once completed, we will pull all the evidence together and then start the internal process. This requires a variety of committees to hear the feedback through the next three months before going to FA Council in January 2012 and then FA AGM in May 2012. It has to go to the AGM because there are Rule Changes that need to be ratified, and this is the body that completes this. From this point, if successful, it becomes policy and the way forward for youth football in England.
How can you help? Well, we need the whole grassroots world to get behind this. To explain to people why we are doing this, how this is about the children and putting in place a modern, enhanced system to help them enjoy the game more, develop further and become better players.
Not everyone will agree with some of the fine details, whether we should have 9v9 at this age or another, or the pitch should be a little bigger or smaller, but the general consensus is we need to change. We need to move forwards for their benefit. Forget being adults and what we want, let's focus on making the game better for the players.
So please, influence your fellow club coaches and committees, fellow league volunteers and groundsmen and all those in the game and help them understand why we are seeking to invest in the children of the future, to help them become better players of the modern game and to help them fall in love with football.
