EFL BID TO BACK ENGLAND CAUSE
THE EFL has announced a new £2.25m financial incentive for their 72 clubs which aims to assist in revitalising the fortunes of the England national team.
EFL Futures will help clubs to develop more young players and provide direct financial rewards to clubs who regularly promote home-grown players from their academies into the first team.
A sum of £750,000 per season is being made available for the next three years to reward those clubs who provide starting opportunities in EFL fixtures for home-grown players under the age of 21 and are qualified for England (or Wales for Cardiff and Newport).
The announcement is part of the EFL’s multifaceted strategy that was created following the release of former FA chairman Greg Dyke’s England commission report in May 2014, which focused on the need to produce more and better home-grown the players.
The EFL already plays a big part in player development, with 14 of the Euro 2016 England squad at last summer’s tournament in France having once been registered at EFL academies.
However, this latest initiative is evidence of the ongoing work that is taking place to increase the opportunities available for young, up and coming players.
EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “We are acknowledging the fact that a high-performing England national team is good for the game as a whole in this country and we are therefore committed to doing everything we can to help the national team develop.
“I hope this announcement is further evidence of the EFL taking the initiative and trying to help find their part of the solution to what is a collective problem.
“There is still plenty of work to be done but the provision of these additional funds through EFL Futures ensures we are on track with our commitment to make a significant, valuable and lasting contribution to the future fortune of the England national team.”