Dutch side Feyenoord opened their doors for the first ECA Academy visit of the season yesterday. The two-day event saw 63 participants from 44 clubs come together at the academy of the 16-time Eredivisie champions to get some hands-on experience. The specially-curated programme included a blend of dynamic workshops, engaging discussions, and practical on-pitch sessions, complemented by insightful classroom presentations.
Attendees participated in the two-day event which was split into two distinct areas focusing on football methodology at the Varkenoord academy and performance methodology at the De Kuip Stadium. Staff from the Feyenoord Academy led the discussions and offered real-life examples for participants.
Day one saw participants welcomed and given a general overview of the Feyenoord academy. Small groups then broke off for an in-depth tour of the training facility. The afternoon session saw a workshop focusing on Feyenoord’s vision on football which was led by Koen Stam head of methodology at the club. The final session of the day focused on individual development plans for players.
Attention on the second day turned to the impressive De Kuip Stadium as participants toured the facilities before youth team coach Marc Jansen led a session focusing on the Periodasation techniques used on youth players at the club. The two busy days in Rotterdam ended with lectures looking at the use of data and innovation and the top-down, down-top coaching philosophy used across the age groups at the academy.
Reflecting on the event, Zeb Jacobs, Head of the Feyenoord Academy, said, “It’s been an honor to host ECA at our academy over the past few days. We hope that what we’ve shared has provided valuable insights and inspired fresh ideas to elevate the youth game. Collaboration is crucial in youth development, and we’re thrilled that Feyenoord could play a role in advancing this process by hosting the first academy visit of the season.”
Pouya Yaghoubinia, ECA Football Development Manager added; “Our first academy visit of the season, has been a great opportunity for our ECA Member Clubs to connect with their peers and learn best practices firsthand at the Feyenoord Academy. The informative and practical sessions have fostered an environment of collaboration between participants, and I would like to thank Zeb Jacobs, Head of the Feyenoord Academy, and his team for welcoming us.
Participants will be able to go home with new ideas that will enable them to rethink their structure and processes and draw inspiration from best practices. We are convinced that the only way to progress is to share and collaborate, and we are delighted that Feyenoord is setting an example in this respect.”
ECA Academy Visits are set to continue into the 2024/25 season, with the next event taking place at Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion from 26-27 November.