Ferguson has 'concerns' over IFA youth football plan

Ferguson now works with Linfield's academy after a hugely successful spell at the club as a player

Former Northern Ireland striker Glenn Ferguson says he is concerned that players could "drift out of the game" as the Irish Football Association [IFA] launched its new youth football strategy.

The Youth Football Framework project will be rolled out in boy's and girl's football in Northern Ireland in the next five years.

The plan has been introduced after a 15-month consultation process led by director of the IFA Foundation James Thompson and IFA technical director Aaron Hughes.

But Ferguson, who now works as Linfield's head of youth development, says he is unsure about some of the recommendations proposed.

"A lot of work has been put in and fundamentally, a lot of the ideas sound good, but I would have some concerns about the numbers of players who could drift out of the game," he told BBC Sport NI.

"There’s a lot of things that need looked into [in youth football] beyond what’s been said today."

While the plan has been met with scepticism, Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill said it was a "very important day for youth football".

"I understand the work that has gone into this and it’s an exciting time."

'We’re changing something that might not be broken'

Smyth and Ferguson were speaking at the launch of the Youth Football Framework at Windsor Park on Thursday

The IFA say there will be a phased introduction of a number of recommendations of the project, starting with the youngest players first.

One of the proposals is that from 2026, there will be a restructuring of the format of games depending on age which will see:

• Players will not be allowed to play full-sized 11 v 11 games until they turn 14

• Under-8s will play 3 v 3, under-9s will take part in five-a-side games

• Under-12s will play seven-a-side, with under-14s limited to nine-a-side with teams playing on bigger pitches as they get older

Another recommendation is that players selected for a matchday squad must play at least 50% of their team's game with proposals also coming for minimum coach education requirements.

The IFA say the aim of these measures is to bring uniformity across all youth football in Northern Ireland

"It’s okay saying make the squad smaller but where do the players go?," Ferguson told BBC Sport NI.

"They also want coaches more qualified, are the association going to fund the coaching badges?"

Cliftonville's head of youth development Marc Smyth felt that the strategy failed to take into consideration proposals from clubs within the Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL] who are preparing 16-18-year-olds for moves across the water.

"We as elite clubs, had next to no consultation about elite football," said Smyth.

"It looks like we’re changing something that might not be broken, especially at the top end."

'Professional players don’t train in 11 v 11'

O'Neill did not feel a later introduced to 11 v 11 football would hamper a player's development

According to the framework set out on Thursday, the IFA will "triple" annual financial investment into the youth game and whilst refusing to disclose a figure, the foundation's director Thompson said that it was a "significant" amount.

And although the IFA has not banned heading like the English FA - who announced plans to do so for under-11s earlier this year, there is an emphasis on honing skills like passing and dribbling.

"The purpose is to maximise enjoyment and technical development for every child, it’s about having a consistent and aligned approach to youth football," Thompson added.

That technical development at younger ages is to key to the progression of the senior team, with men's national team manager O'Neill not concerned about the late introduction for players to full-size games.

"Nine v nine to 11 v 11 is not going to be that big a jump," he said.

"Professional players don’t train in 11 v 11 and 9 v 9 will create more versatile players."

Former NI captain Hughes hopes that the introduction of the project can help regulate all aspects of youth football across the country and better prepare players for senior international football.

"I think it’s a big moment for youth football because for the first time we’re all trying to get on the same page," he explained.

"We weren’t looking at the game and saying something is broken, we want to improve and evolve.

"If we get it right at grassroots level, the elite side will take care of itself."