Lectures, panel discussions, and conversations between participants from the 43 clubs were some of the key components of this year’s Academy Managers’ Conference, held in Borås.
The academy managers meet both physically and digitally once a year, in addition to other projects organized by Swedish Professional Football Leagues (SEF), where some of them are occasionally involved. Going forward, the popular Double Pass training programs will continue, and two reference trips are planned for the fall.
In Borås, SEF presented talks on sports data analysis, the ongoing certification process, and “player care.” Peter Wettergren, the technical director of the Swedish Football Association, was also present, sharing insights about his new role and the work being done there.
“I think the lectures were great, offering many useful tips, and there was a good balance between presentations and breaks for discussions,” said Martin Skogman, Academy Manager at Varbergs BoIS.
He was also keen to hear Anders Wahrnberg discuss BK Häcken’s strategy for recruiting coaches, which led to the hiring of the highly experienced Dutch coach Joop Oosterveld from PSV Eindhoven’s academy.
“It was valuable to hear how they built their process, all the way from strategy to determining the direction they wanted to take for hiring coaches. It’s not something that just happens; there’s a plan behind everything,” Skogman explained.
SEF had a strong presence at the event, with academy developer Thomas Hasselgren, sports director Svante Samuelsson, academy certifiers Jimmy Högberg and Stefan Olofsson, sports data coordinator Simon Andersson, and Anders Wikström, responsible for integrity matters.
‘Player care’ is a relatively new and growing field in the Premier League, both at the academy and senior levels, focused on how we care for players both on and off the field. When players feel better, they should also be able to perform better. It’s important for us to observe what’s happening in the world and embrace new ideas to continue developing player growth,” said Hasselgren.
He also reflected on the overall success of the conference:
“Academies are a crucial part of the future of Swedish football, and that means these days, where we gather, discuss, and exchange experiences, are significant. We conveyed our message, and it feels like the participants found it rewarding.”
