Blog

NEFA forms partnership with Notts County FC

Feb 2022 8

How can sporting organisations improve the well-being of athletes with sleep problems ?

Athletes performing in an elite environment experience more sleep related problems than the wider public. Performance can be reduced due to sleep deficit and disorders, and it may also lead to an increased risk of injury and illness (West 2018; De Sousa et al.,...

How can sporting organisations improve the well-being of athletes with sleep problems ?

Oct 2021 1

Sports Psychology – Are we missing a key component in delivering high performance?

By Spencer Fearn

There is no internationally accepted definition of ‘sports psychology’. However, it is documented that the practice should focus on the psychological foundations, processes and regulation of activities related to sport and that Sports Psychology is the study of...

Sports Psychology – Are we missing a key component in delivering high performance?

Mar 2021 10

Developing The Predator

By Ben Nicholson

It all comes down to having a plan Attacking players who can score goals have always come at a premium within the elite game. Following Burnley’s 0-2 defeat to Man City in February, Sean Dyche was quoted that “Scoring goals is the most difficult thing to do in the...

Feb 2021 5

Practice play not practice drills

By Ben Nicholson

Recent research from Roca and Ford (2020) analysed the active decision-making time in training sessions from coaches within football academies in Spain, Portugal, England and Germany (Roca and Ford, 2020). The research found that the training sessions in England...

Jan 2021 26

See the Pictures

By Spencer Fearn

Visual exploration is an area that has been subject to extensive research (Jordet, McGukian, Pulling) and a topic that I have explored over the years as a professional football coach. At an elite level, the focus of our coaching often revolves around helping...

Jan 2021 26

NEFA six key principles

By Ryan McKnight

Throughout NEFA, we use six key principles to deliver our education and football programme and which define our overall approach. Principle number One. Raise the bar. Begin with the end in mind, have high expectations of everyone in the organisation and keep your...