5B040E - Talent Identification, Recruitment and Development: Managing the Player Journey 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2032 | Version 1
Associated Module Information
| Module Code: | 5B040E | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Module Title: | Talent Identification, Recruitment and Development: Managing the Player Journey | ||
| Faculty: | Faculty of Life Sciences and Education | ||
| Faculty Group: | Sport | ||
| Faculty Sub Group: | Football Coaching | ||
| Module Leader: | Liviu Cristea | ||
| Module Team: | Ioan Paval, Jayne Ludlow, Jonathan Jones | ||
| First Intended Intake: | SEP 2026 | Final Year of Intake: | 2031 |
| Date Closed: | |||
| Credit Value: | 30 | Credit Level: | 5 |
| Language: | English | ||
| Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: | 0 | ||
| Equivalent Module: | |||
| HECOS codes: | 100095 - sports coaching | ||
| HECOS Code Weighting: | 100 | ||
Document Version Information
| Version | 1 |
|---|---|
| Valid From | 01 Sep 2026 |
| Valid To | 31 Aug 2032 |
Module Aims
The main aims of the module are:
Analyse and apply key principles of managing the player journey within academy environments.
Enable students to design, implement, and evaluate Individual Development Plans using appropriate physical, psychological, and technical frameworks.
Develop ethical, reflective, and communication skills for working collaboratively with players, parents, and multidisciplinary teams
Content Summary
This module takes you inside the full academy talent journey, from first recruitment all the way to senior transition, and shows you how players are developed, supported, and progressed. Building on your Level 4 foundations, you’ll explore how individual differences, biological maturation, and psychological needs interact to shape each player’s pathway.
You’ll learn how to design and manage Individual Development Plans (IDPs), coordinate multidisciplinary input, and evaluate player progression using the systems and structures seen in FAW, FA, and UEFA overseen academies. The focus is on understanding how talent is actually managed: the decisions, processes, and support mechanisms that guide players through key stages of their development.
Through challenge-based and practice-driven learning, you will apply evidence and theory to map, monitor, and manage player journeys ethically and effectively. By the end, you’ll be equipped with the insight and confidence needed for roles in coaching, recruitment, and player development management across academy and wider performance environments.
Learning and Teaching Methods
| Activity Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 24 |
| Groupwork | 24 |
| Guided Study | 138 |
| Problem/Challenge based learning | 35 |
| Practical Classes and Workshops | 21 |
| Formative Assessment | 16 |
| Summative Assessment | 42 |
| Total Hours Selected | 300 |
Learning Outcomes
| # | Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Evaluate how growth, maturation, and psychosocial factors influence the management of player development across academy stages. |
| LO2 | Analyse how organisational frameworks (EPPP, FTEM, DMSP) inform selection, retention, and transition processes. |
Module Requisites
N/A
Assessment Criteria
| Assessment Category | Assessment Type | Description | Duration | Word Count | Weight (%) | Best of? | Pass Mark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asynchronous Assessment | Report 1 | Individual Written Report builds directly on insights generated through A1 and engages students in an authentic, challenge-based task requiring the design and critical evaluation of a long-term development plan for an under-16 player. Online and Onsite | 0 | 2500 | 50 | No | 40 |
| Asynchronous Assessment | Group Presentation (Asynchronous) | Group Presentation requires students, working in pairs, to collaboratively analyse a talent identification and development context and justify key developmental priorities for players. This assessment emphasises applied analysis, professional communication, and shared decision-making, mirroring interdisciplinary collaboration within academy and high-performance settings. | 10 | N/A | 50 | No | 40 |
Assessment Matrix
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcomes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LO1 | LO2 | ||
| Report 1 | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Group Presentation (Asynchronous) | ✔ | ✔ | |