The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Mackay insists Project Brave will rely on common sense approach
Scottish FA performance director Malky Mackay insists a common sense approach to the implementation of Project Brave will allow clubs time to reach the criteria for elite academy status.
The former Cardiff City manager is tasked with overseeing a radical overhaul of the professional youth structure, with the existing 29 funded academies to be pared to 16.
The plans would represent a cut in around 3,000 players to 1,000, thus creating a best-v-best environment that the SFA hope would accelerate the development of the country’s most promising youngsters.
However, the qualifying requirements, particularly the demand to have six-full-time coaches focusing solely on development, has caused concern, with 13 clubs even holding a crisis meeting last month.
But Mackay insists the SFA are doing all they can to accommodate interested clubs, while ensuring standards are not compromised.
Mackay, speaking at the National Performance Centre in Edinburgh yesterday as he hosted the first in a series of coaching mentoring sessions said: “It’s about common sense, it’s not about manipulating how many people get in and can’t get in.
“It’s where a club’s finances are, that’s what you’ve got to look at. Where does a club sit in terms of having enough funds to do the top level or do something else?
“Ultimately there are a lot of good clubs in Scotland who are running small, efficient academies.
“Now they might not have the funds to do the elite level but do they have enough to do the performance level?
“So it’s not actually straight in there, there is a stepping stone to get there.
“It’s a variety of different aspects to how many people, how many coaches, how many support staff, what facilities, how long it takes to get a certain licence.”
The SFA plan to circulate a second document to clubs in the next few days, with the identity of those who achieve elite academy status expected to be known by October.