🚀 Help us reach 20k subscribers by hitting the subscribe button and joining our community dedicated to youth football development! In this episode, Marcelo and I speak to Richard Allen, the Ex - Head of Talent ID for the FA as well as the Ex-head of Recruitment for Tottenham and Academy Director for QPR. He was responsible for creating the original Talent ID courses that govern how we scout in England today. These courses range from teaching scouts at the grassroots level what they should look for and how academy directors should manage their heads of recruitment and their scouting departments. We ask the question have academies in England got this right? He discusses the importance of technical skills and game intelligence to the psychosocial factors that separate good players from great ones, Richard offers a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed in football. He also discusses the critical role of scouts, the complexities of overcoming biases, and the power of long-term development strategies. Join us as we explore the inspiring journeys of players like Harry Kane and Andros Townsend, and learn how persistence, patience, and the right environment can make all the difference. Whether you're an aspiring footballer, a coach, or simply a fan of the beautiful game, this episode is packed with valuable lessons and stories from one of the industry's most respected figures. Expect to learn how English recruitment works, the English talent ID model,the psychological and social factors which helped Harry Kane get scouted and much much more 🔔 Subscribe and hit the notification bell for more insights on what parents must know about academy signings! Could you develop your child into a footballer if you followed the 'perfect' formula? Sean Conlon, the founder of We Make Footballers and a Scout with Chelsea believes some people can. Follow our journey to discovering what it really takes to become a footballer. How much is down to luck, genetics or being born into a football family. 🎧 Listen to the full podcast on: https://open.spotify.com/show/2hHiSvpzpc6S50Jn6Hu69e Follow us on social platforms for more exclusive content and updates! 🌟 https://www.instagram.com/projectfootballer/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 01:24 - Current Role in Football 06:37 - Success Stories at Tottenham 11:50 - Harry Kane's Impact 16:56 - Andros Townsend's Journey 19:30 - QPR Insights 22:45 - Football Association Overview 28:58 - Changes at the FA Explained 33:07 - We Make Footballers Initiative 33:41 - Creating a Footballing Philosophy 36:14 - England DNA Development 40:31 - Recruiting Players for England 43:38 - Player Attributes to Look For 47:15 - Lack of Controllers in England 49:30 - Development Time for Players 51:40 - What Would Kroos Be Like at 7 55:50 - Coaching Philosophy Explained 57:50 - Understanding Technical Ability 01:00:14 - Importance of Football IQ 01:01:33 - We Make Footballers Franchising 01:03:58 - Communicating with Heads of Recruitment 01:06:20 - Trust in Scouting 01:07:10 - Technical Player Development in England 01:09:04 - Academy Business Models 01:12:44 - Talent ID Course Overview 01:14:31 - Educating Beyond Technical Directors 01:15:36 - Player Assessment Environments 01:19:15 - Teaching Talent ID Course Content 01:22:28 - Data Influence in Scouting 01:27:45 - Work with FIFA 01:31:20 - Weak Soccer Programs Discussion 01:32:45 - Role of Genetics in Football 01:37:55 - Raising a Future Footballer 01:42:00 - Proudest Moment in Football 01:44:38 - End #FootballPassion #KidsFootballTraining #DevelopFootballSkills #RaisingFootballer #YoungFootballers