Youth football was on the agenda as the first day of ECA Working Group Week kicked off in Vienna, Austria.

Twenty-five strong working group members, convened in the Austrian capital to discuss a wide range of issues currently affecting the youth game.

Most of the attention of the meeting centered on the idea of a collaboration charter between national associations and clubs. The discussion focused on how to best protect youth players and allow greater cooperation between clubs and youth national teams.

The group also suggested more competitive club international games, a move which would aid youth players in their successful transition to first-team football. In addition, further working groups were formed to brainstorm and create ideas around youth competitions.

A concept of an academy health check was also mentioned. An international system which can be used by academies with the aim to develop and optimise the academy development environments in the clubs which will aid them in securing talent for the club.

To conclude the group suggested the implementation of a talent development guide which would ensure all academies can benefit from sharing best practice which in turn would encourage other clubs to develop and their own youth academy methodologies.

Manfred Pamminger, Academy Director, FC Salzburg was pleased that the issue of competitive club international games was raised. "The number of competitive games in a league or in a nation is very important because as we all know young and talented players can only develop with top competition every week and this is one of the topics here at ECA that we work on."

ECA working week continues tomorrow with Men’s Football, Legal & Regulatory and the Commercial & Innovation Working Groups all set to meet.