Laois Sports Partnership’s Post

Road To LEGACY

I was reading an old article regarding the use of football academies to build powerful teams with a unified culture that will be able to dominate domestic and international competitions. We all remember the Manchester United class of '92, the great 2008-2012 Pep Guardiola Barcelona, Johan Cruyff Ajax, and other teams who laid their foundations on youth systems. But in our days, with the huge pressure for immediate success that all big clubs face, how easy is it to trust young players to lead you to a Premier League or a Champions League title? Of course, there are always exceptional cases like Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, and Erling Haaland who have the talent and, most importantly, the personality to make a difference in a top-tier team and handle the pressure of professional football competitiveness. In modern football, the most reasonable rationale to establish an academy that operates on a professional level is to scout the best talents, train them, and potentially sell them for a profit. This approach can benefit especially teams from non-top leagues who aspire to compete in European competitions and dominate domestically. It allows them to identify exceptional talent that can contribute to the senior team, secure trophies domestically, compete internationally, and importantly, provide a valuable source of income to sustain operations at a top level. Teams like Sport Lisboa e Benfica, FC Porto, Olympiacos FC, AFC Ajax, GNK Dinamo, #FKPartizan, PSV and #SãoPaulo are just a few examples. Sport Lisboa e Benfica secured €335 million from academy graduates between 2018 and 2023. This amount enables them to build a strong squad annually, competing for domestic titles while also achieving success in European competitions. RSC Anderlecht is another example from a non-top-tier European league. The club, between 2018 and 2023, managed to sell academy players for €112 million. Despite top clubs like Manchester City Football Club, Chelsea Football Club, and FC Barcelona constantly producing elite graduates from their academies, in reality, only a few manage to break into the first team. The rest are often transferred to other clubs where they begin their professional careers. So, clubs can treat their academies from a business-related aspect as their most valuable source of income while simultaneously increasing their chances to incorporate players into the first team. Additionally, investing in academies helps build a strong foundation of team culture, enhancing their fan base. #ManchesterCity #Chelsea #Barcelona #SLBenfica #Porto, #OlympiacosPiraeus #arislimassol Aris Limassol F.C #Ajax APOEL FC PAFOS FC, #DinamoZagreb OMONOIA FC Apollon Limassol FC #omonoianicosia #FKPartizan #apoel #PSVEindhoven, #SãoPauloFC

As someone who is a passionate Manchester United fan and work with clients with sports market research data on a daily basis it is difficult for me to see my once great club fall so far in the last decade since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club! In both sports and client account management there are clear goals and expectations and when those targets aren't met unfortunately there are consequences for individual contributors such as Erik Ten Hag! Onwards and upwards for anyone in my network working in sales in Q4 or in sports management! #sportsresearch #marketresearch

🔵✨Bologna FC’s Journey to Champions League Glory: A 60-Year Dream Realised 🔴🔵 ⚽ What a story of transformation! Bologna FC’s return to the Champions League after six decades is a testament to the club’s strategic vision, shrewd recruitment, and unwavering persistence. Under the leadership of Giovanni Sartori, Bologna has built a team that not only competes but thrives on the biggest stages. Their rise has been methodical and inspiring—outperforming their wage bill to secure a top-five finish in Serie A last season. 🏆 💼 Bologna’s emphasis on youth development and their savvy transfer strategies have set them apart. Key signings like Sam Beukema and Jesper Karlsson were just the beginning, with an approach that seeks to find talent in lesser-known markets. This focus on future potential has allowed the club to punch above its weight and establish a solid foundation for success. 🔍 🌍 The club’s journey also highlights the importance of stability and values. Their support for former coach Sinisa Mihajlovic during his illness and their ongoing commitment to his family speak volumes about Bologna’s culture. With a new chapter underway under manager Vincenzo Italiano, the team is looking to sustain their impressive form and continue their European journey. 🚀 📈 Bologna’s story is a blueprint for how to build a winning team without compromising on identity or integrity. It’s an example that many clubs can learn from. With the support of fans, management, and ownership, the club is set for even greater achievements. Forza Bologna! 🔴🔵 #Football #ChampionsLeague #BolognaFC #SerieA #SportsBusiness #Leadership #TeamBuilding #SportsManagement

The First Matildas - controversial or correcting an historical omission? When Football Australia announced this past week it was recognising the 1975 team of Australian women who played in an international tournament in Hong Kong, thereby changing the historical record of Australia's national Matildas team, there was understandably some confusion, anger, and a lot of questions. A moment of celebration for the women of 1975 has been tempered by those who disagree with the recognition. History is never a straight path - it has twists and turns, it inspires debates and disagreements, it is often challenged. So why did Football Australia feel the need to make the change, and what was the criteria used? Chairman Anter Isaac told The Sports Ambassador podcast there was precedent, and the now established criteria will be used to gauge any future challenges to recognition of national players and teams. Matildas Alumni spokesperson, Renaye Iserief, speaks about the confusion that remains and the impact on Matildas players; the newly recognised first captain of the Matildas, Pat O'Connor, details the specifics around the 1975 tournament which was the precursor to today's Asian Cup; and Dr Karen Menzies, who has been recognised for almost four decades as Australia's first Indigenous Matildas representative shares her story of the importance of football and handing over the 'first Indigenous player' title to Aunty Tarita Yvonne Peters. #governance #ethics #transparency #matildas #football #soccer #FIFA #AFC #footballaustralia #politics #sport https://lnkd.in/g7GdM-Rr

Origin histories, especially those surrounding national team selection, are to me kind of arbitrary but this historiographical debate is significant. As Tracey Holmes so nicely captures: "History is never a straight path- it has twists and turns, it inspires debates and disagreements, it is often challenged". While the origins of men's sport and team selections have inspired rigorous and vigorous debate and discussion in Australia for decades, women's sport has not received the same treatment. For example, despite the popularity and success of netball in Australia its origins have only been studied by a handful of historians. There are no real twists and turns in that history because not all that many people have cared to argue over it. That is not to suggest women's sport histories haven't been written but when they are they are rarely challenged. The truth of women's sport history is largely uncontested. I have said elsewhere we need to be cautious about claiming the 'Matildas effect' as evidence of a gender revolution in sport but there is something in this historical disagreement. This is about more than just naming and celebrating a national team. The arguments surrounding the first Matildas reveal that there is something at stake, something worth arguing over. So for what it's worth I'm following the to and fro with optimistic interest.

Great reminder post from Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu below. Here's my re-write for underestimated founders: Continually overlooked and underestimated - the hurt goes on. But let's not forget the immense growth and resilience underestimated founders continue to show. Diversity-X has a community of underestimated founders, who, despite the challenges, strap on the boots and climb the mountain daily. Underestimated founders do break through and reach remarkable milestones and created incredible impact - which in itself is awe-inspiring. To all underestimated founders and their teams - congratulations on everything you have achieved to date. Keep 🧗🏾♂️! You’ve faced criticism from those who have never walked in your shoes, or are just overlooked and underestimated. When you realise that what doesn’t break you makes you stronger, this journey will help shape your future success. 🏆 Keep your heads held high… the best is yet to come 🙏 Have a great day! #founders #startups #angelinvestors #vc #ecosystem

Why Participation Trophies Are Ruining Sports We dive into the issue of participation trophies in sports and why they do more harm than good. Discover how instant gratification affects competition and motivation, and why winning should be celebrated rather than everyone receiving a trophy. #ParticipationTrophies #SportsDebate #WinningMatters #MotivationInSports #InstantGratification #SportsCulture #CompetitiveSpirit #YouthSports #TrophyControversy #AthleticExcellence

After its recent move to award prize money for winning golds at this years #Olympics, World Athletics ups the ante in terms of rewarding it athletes with the announcement of their new #UltimateChampionship. Given the importance of athlete #fandom in driving future relevance of the sport it can only be a good thing that they are starting to be rewarded a bigger slice of the commercial pie. With other initiates such Michael Johnson's new track league and the Athletic Ventures JV in the UK, #Athletics is starting to show green shoots of going in the right direction. It may also set a path for other Olympic sports, in terms of disruption from within, to attempt to fill the 4-year commercial and media void between respective Games. Although, seeing some of the comments from the IOC ecosystem on the question of prize money, don't hold your breath! Interestingly, the end-of-season biannual Ultimate Championship will be staged in #Olympic and #Commonwealth Games years. The Olympic brand is more than strong enough to cope. However, for the Commonwealth Games, it further erodes its relevance in a cluttered sporting calendar, where economics, cultural relevance and sporting significance are providing it with an existential threat for its very survival. After the #Melbourne debacle and still yet to confirm a venue for 2026, it might be time for the Commonwealth Games Federation to just, "Let it go!" #WorldAthletics #IOC #MajorEvents #SportsEconomy International Olympic Committee – IOC ASOIF BBC

The key objective of this study conducted by the European Club Association (ECA) was to understand the first team transition process in Europe and provide a starting “toolkit” for clubs of all sizes that would like to improve their performance in this crucial area.   Here is the link to the study: https://rb.gy/s62lbg From a young player perspective, it is possibly the most challenging step during his entire career, which starts from the players’ initial interactions with the first team and concludes when they become established members of the squad.   How can clubs make the transition to first team football process more successful and efficient? Which clubs perform best in this area in Europe, and what can be learned from them? What is the most suitable domestic competition model to support transition goals? One could think that Portuguese clubs are doing a god job. This study shows a completely different scenario! We should look at England. Premier League and Championship on the top 3. Outstanding! Also, Italy's Serie A and Serie B performances are remarkable. #footballindustry