Almost 30 club academies from across Europe will be united this week as representatives embark on their ECA Academy Management Programme (AMP) learning journeys.
The ECA AMP, which is being delivered in collaboration with Johan Cruyff Institute, is a blended executive education programme designed to meet the specific needs and goals of its bespoke audience.
As a product of the ECA Youth Football Strategy and ECA Youth Working Group, and a brand-new initiative from ECA Campus, the programme aims to elevate and inspire the next generation of directors and those in management positions within European football club academies, helping them and their academies to realise their full potential.
After a successful “pre-season” of getting to know each other, Academy Directors, Managers and Strategy Chiefs alike will today gather online for the very first taught module of that will be a highly challenging but rewarding nine-month journey.
ECA Education & Knowledge Manager, Sara Williams said:
"At ECA, we are committed to providing learning platforms where participants can benefit from the knowledge and experience of some of the world's leading experts on the football scene. We are delighted to be kicking off this brand-new education programme, which will benefit representatives of European club academies committed to a united mission of youth football development. This nine-month programme is the result of a major investment undertaken by ECA and, in particular, the ECA Youth Working Group."
The hybrid programme runs to July 2024 and combines online courses with onsite face-to-face learning opportunities, hosted by top clubs such as AFC Ajax, Manchester City FC, and Club Brugge.
Online modules cover:
- Strategic and Operational management development
- Leading People
- Football Development
Whilst the onsite sessions will focus on:
- Talent Development
- Performance
- Sports Law
- Community Management
The programme prospectus can be downloaded here.
A further key element of the ECA AMP is mentoring and coaching, underlining the importance of self-leadership in enabling participants to excel in their roles. The coaching programme will focus on helping participants develop greater self-awareness, confidence, and resilience. By cultivating self-leadership skills, participants will be better equipped to drive their personal growth and navigate challenges effectively.
Participants represent: Shamrock Rovers, BK Hacken, SC Dnipro-1, FC Universitatea Cluj, Crusaders FC, VfL Bochum 1848, FC Dinamo Tbilisi, PAOK FC, AS Roma, Arsenal Women FC, SK Slavia Praha, FC Dynamo Kiyv, Riga FC, AGF Aarhus, RSC Anderlecht, FC Pyunik, KKS Lech Poznań, Parma Calcio 1913, Eintracht Frankfurt, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Clube Portugal, Larne FC, NK Maribor, Manchester United FC, Celtic FC, Romanian Football Federation (FRF) and European Club Association (ECA).
For further information on the ECA AMP, or any other ECA Campus education programmes, please contact campus@ecaeurope.com.
Johan Cruyff Institute
The ECA AMP is a collaboration with the Johan Cruyff Institute, where sport, management and social work are three key pillars of the Dutch great’s legacy. Cruyff’s own experience as a professional footballer, and later as a coach and advisor, led him to devise a plan to help athletes enter the working world at the end of their sports careers, leading to the founding of the Johan Cruyff Institute in 1999. Since then, it has trained athletes, sport managers and other professionals in sport management, marketing, sponsorship, football business, leadership and coaching. It now offers over 90 study programmes, In Company Training, Sport Xperiences and, besides it’s pioneer Online Platform, has teaching centres in Spain, the Netherlands, Peru and Mexico.