Focus: The foundation of future world-class players

Talent development in New Zealand will provide more players with more opportunities to maximise their own football potential through effective coaching and development structures.

It will involve creating, maintaining and developing a wide base of talented players from which the highest performers will be selected to take part in more specialised training programmes to help them achieve world-class standards. The programme is also underpinned by the need to develop the person and not just the player.

Therefore the development of talent will be seen as a holistic process and the foundation of all future world-class players will be the individual qualities of each person. The development of talented players needs to be seen as a holistic approach.

The area of personal development requires preparing young players, not only for the demands of worldclass football, but also for life.

Self esteem, self criticism, motivation and above all willpower are important for the individual’s future in daily life as well as success as a footballer. The area of football development is linked to optimised and innovative training throughout all age groups.

This will form the basis for fulfilling tomorrow’s continuously increasing demand for technical-tactical, physical and psychological capability. Systematic, individualised longterm player development needs to be present throughout the player’s football development. A focus on developing the individual’s football specific strengths and weaknesses is core to the talent development programme.

Focussed on world-class standards

Technical and tactical skills, the fitness level and commitment of the All Whites and Football Ferns, have been the foundation of New Zealand’s recent successes on the world’s stage.

However, in order to close the gap between football in New Zealand and the world leading nations, we need to focus on the ultimate benchmarks for future national players of New Zealand. These consist of:

The focus for football is based on constantly striving to achieve world standards and is aimed at providing all coaches with clear guidelines for developing players in New Zealand. New Zealand Football technical staff will continue to attend pinnacle FIFA events to conduct research and gap analysis between New Zealand players and the best in the world across the four corners of player development:

- Technical/Tactical
- Football Fitness
- Mental
- Social/Emotional 

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this framework is to guide the best, most gifted and committed players in New Zealand, as well as key educators (the national body, federations and clubs) with a long term plan. This becomes effective from the time of specialisation into football at the age of 10+ (girls) or 12+ (boys), to better identify, develop and retain players in the game.

Objective 1: Widen and improve the talent base

- Establishment of a comprehensize scouting system in all regions for the consistent identification of talent

- Introduction of Federation Talent Centres (FTCs), creating good geographical coverage to provide comprehensive development of New Zealand's talented players.

Objective 2: Retain more talented players for longer

- Creating a progressive programme of football development focussed on improving the individual

- Providing opportunities to gain recognition at regional and federation representative levels

- A structured plan to display pathways and opportunities for players to achieve higher level football opportunities

Objective 3: National approach for the development of young talented players

- Focus for Football clearly outlined and fostered by Talent Development providers

- Introduction of the National Talent Development Framework and supporting curriculum

- Agreed minimum operating requirements for Talent Development providers

- Consistent updating of the curriculum framework to ensure players are prepared for the future game

For more information please read the National Player Development Framework (E-Book) and the National Talent Development Framework (PDF).

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