The Talent Development Environment in a Norwegian top-level football club

Abstract

Because international elite football is concerned with talent identification, this has generated a great deal of knowledge about what it takes to become a professional footballer. This research has however primarily focused on individual development and how external factors affect athletic performance. In this article we sought to describe the characteristics of the developmental environment in the youth department of the Norwegian elite club Rosenborg BK. Our case study, using a holistic and ecological development perspective as a framework, we followed the club’s under-19 team for a total of 21 days, during 3 separate weeks in the 2014 season. The results showed that Rosenborg seems to offer an environment focusing on aspects highlighted by the ecological model athletic talent development environment (ATDE). The club seems to focus on giving players tools and resources both on and off the field, using a holistic and systematic methodology. Yet it appears that the club has a weak relationship between the youth department and its own senior team, even indicating a competitive relationship, also found in other elite academies. Furthermore, it may seem that the importance of developing players with local ties is downgraded because of the club’s need for short-term success.