In Scout7's website journal, we invite both Scout7 staff and influential figures and pioneers within the football industry to comment on wider issues in the game, whether it be evolution in business models, coaching or player recruitment.
All themes within the journal entries can be linked into the proactive use of the modules used within Scout7 technology or support services.
The November Journal is written by Simon Davies, who discusses how the recent emergence of development squads is benefitting both established players on the fringe of a club's first team, in addition to bridging the gap between youth and senior football for the benefit of their young professionals.
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Over the course of the past twelve months, I have been regularly scouting reserve team matches on behalf of Scout7 and it is interesting to compare the approach taken by some of today's clubs with my own experiences of reserve team football as a player during the 1990s.
As an apprentice, I was fortunate enough to be at Manchester United and as you can imagine, reserve team football was taken very seriously.
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As a young player, you would often find yourself being selected to play matches alongside established first team players such as Andy Cole or Dennis Irwin, who were outstanding professionals, which ensured that the matches were always competitive.
Today, whilst the various regional reserve leagues are in essence structured the same way, we are now seeing the emergence of development squads at a number of clubs in the country, which is resulting in additional matches being organized by the club for its young players and those on the fringes of the first team.
In most cases, the team selected for these matches will mirror the way the first team plays - which highlights how a specific philosophy is being adopted at all the various levels of the club.
There is no doubt that this type of initiative is instigated by the club's Manager, who will look to recruit the right development staff to oversee the squad's match programme, which in turn can ensure the player's get the necessary preparation they need to be ready when called upon for the first team.
In recent years, many scouts will have seen reserve team matches taking place where some of the older players, often returning from injury, would simply stroll through games as they return to full fitness. But I can say that on the evidence of the reserve matches I have watched so far this season, the current competition appears to be very competitive and of good quality.
This not only at Premier Reserve level, but also at Football League level too - if a player is not giving anything less than 100% the coaching staff will let them know about it.
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The introduction of development squads has undoubtedly played a part in this competitiveness, but speaking generally, you would have to say that the most successful clubs have a Manager who operates a hands-on policy when it comes to their reserve and youth teams. When they attend matches sitting in the stand, the players have nowhere to hide, they simply have to perform and prove they warrant a place in the first team squad.
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And although reserve team football plays in important part in a player's education, one of the key benefits of having a development group is that the club can arrange games behind closed doors and choose the opposition, based on the style they want their team to come up against. So for example, if you want to expose your young side to a physical challenge, you can arrange for them to play a senior team from lower league club. Alternatively, if you want to play against a young, technically strong team, you can invite an eleven from the likes of Liverpool or Arsenal instead.
Being selective with your opposition takes extra significance when you consider that the management of each player's individual development is crucial. Some player's progress quicker than others - and there is a danger that if a youth player is blooded into reserve team football too soon, it could have a negative impact on them.
The best example I can think of, where a player has been protected from being rushed into competitive football, was when I was a second year apprentice at Manchester United. Paul Scholes was in his first year at the time and whilst our team went on to win the FA Youth Cup, he was not even selected on the bench on most occasions, possibly because the coaches realized he was not ready due his size and strength at the time. It was not until Christmas in his second year that he established himself in the side.
In addition to their own internal programme, clubs are also now using the loan system to aid their players' development and expose them to senior football.
When they go out on loan, they will have to learn to acclimatize and come to terms with long spells in an alien environment. When I was a young apprentice living in Northwich, I had to make sure I got into training for 8:30 every day, using public transport. In comparison, today's emerging players are very well looked after by their club's welfare officers, who in a number of cases will ensure that they are picked up from home to the training ground and then returned home safely.
As a result, going out to another club will be a big test of character for them, where they will face situations outside of their comfort zone, including have to handle the pressure of playing in front of large crowds.
From a club's business perspective, the system is also important to promote those players, who for whatever reason, may struggle to break into the first team. A good recent example of this is Elliott Bennett, who was loaned out to Bury for the whole of last season by his development club Wolves.
His performances over the season attracted the attention of a number of clubs playing at a higher level and this summer he was sold to Brighton for a sizeable fee, despite never making a single appearance for his parent club.
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Of course, in an ideal world the development coach will want to assist every player in breaking into the first team, but if they are not quite at the level required, the loan experience will give them another opportunity to establish a career in professional football.
When you consider the future impact of development squads on nurturing young players and keeping fringe
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first-team players match fit, the most crucial aspect to their ultimate success will be establishing match programmes that result in players being given a sufficient challenge.
The last thing you will want your players to do is travel a long distance on a cold, wet night, then play a game on a poor surface against an unbalanced opposition. There is no way that any player is going to benefit from that.
By arranging your own games, with or without an additional reserve match programme, you can control the conditions you play in, utilize the best facilities available and ensure the team is exposed to a high-standard competitive game.
At the end of the day, these players have got to be in a position where they are ready to step into the first team and perform at a level where they are going to be sharp and familiar with the system preferred by the Manager.
If they go into such a game having spent previous weeks playing in sub-standard second string games, it is unlikely they are going to be in a position to do so.
Finally, from a young player's perspective, although the introduction of development squads is giving former apprentices the opportunity to continue their internal development beyond the age of 18, each player must still demonstrate the necessary application, desire and work in order to break into a very competitive industry.
These clubs and coaches are giving their players a fantastic environment to develop, but as with all previous generations, it is down to the player himself to prove they have got what it takes to be a professional footballer.
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