FA pumps extra £60 million into grassroots to tackle participation problems

The FA has announced it is increasing the amount of money it invests in grassroots football by £60 million over the next four years, but the “log jam” that prevents young players breaking into Premier League first teams continues to undermine efforts to improve the national team.

The news could not have been timed better after it emerged that the fewest number of English players started for Premier League teams on the opening weekend of the season – just 73 out of 220, barely a third.

FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn, speaking at the launch of the National Game Strategy for Participation and Development in Preston, said: “There are challenges facing grassroots football both in terms of facilities and coaching”.

“They go through the EPPP [Elite Player Performance Plan]”.

“That is a problem for the FA and the clubs because they don’t want to keep developing these talented players and not get them playing time”.

“It’s all about playing hours and the playing hours don’t have to be in the English Premier League”.

“I’ve met Richard several times”. We could do more of that for example.

“The more England starts there were, the higher number you can pick from but we’ve still got a pretty big pool”. “Think about it slightly differently, there is a log jam, but there are other ways of unblocking it. We could do more of that”.

The FA has, therefore decided to invest a total of £260million at the base of the English game from 2015-2019. Further funds have also been dedicated to building 30 new football hubs across key cities – with a pilot scheme already under way in Sheffield – with the Government committed to matching The FA’s contribution.

When asked how this new investment will help, he said: “In a way they are separated”.

“The FA has grown up doing a lot of things for a lot of people”, Glenn added. “I come from a world where that is done a lot so it is an obvious opportunity for us”.

“We will go into a formal consultation with our colleagues in a week’s time”.

There would also be a refinancing of the Wembley debt, he said.

“There is the quota system and that is something we will keep looking at”.

“It is an open question and one we are discussing with the leagues”.

The FA hopes women of all ages will benefit from the increased investment at grassroots level.

“Next year is the 50th anniversary of the men’s World Cup win”.

But the fact that there will be no British football team at the Rio Olympics because of wrangle with the other Home Nations, is a big source of disappointment.

While the National Game Strategy for Participation and Development focused on grassroots, the long-term benefits, which could be felt at the top of the game, were also on the agenda.

The issue is something the FA, the Premier League and the clubs are trying to improve.

Glenn suggested solutions such as English youngsters playing overseas could be tried, before attempts to force Premier League clubs to increase homegrown quotas.