LONDON: English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur has announced a global football development partnership with the University of Wollongong.
The club has signed an agreement to create a player development programme which will consist of two FA and UEFA-qualified Tottenham Hotspur coaches working with the Australian university’s undergraduate and postgraduate students for 36 weeks a year over a period of five years.
The programme, which opens for applications in 2019, and will be delivered from 2020, will see students completing 16-20 hours of football training each week around their academic timetable and competing at local, national and international level. The programme will be open to applications from Australian and international students and undertaken in addition to students’ academic studies.
As well as developing players, the programme will provide opportunities for aspiring local coaches to be mentored by the Tottenham Hotspur coaches to enhance the university’s quality of delivery across its teams.
It becomes the latest in a number of player development programmes delivered by the club across the world – recently announced ones being with Florida Elite Soccer Academy and New England Futbol Club in the United States.
The University of Wollongong is one of Australia’s largest and most internationally diverse universities with more than 34,000 students across nine Australian campuses, two international campuses in Dubai and Hong Kong, and partner institutions in Singapore and Malaysia.
Andy Rogers, head of Global Football Development, said: “The club has a fantastic track record in developing young players through its academy, and we are delighted to be taking these authentic methods to the University of Wollongong. The university has a long history of sporting success and we look forward to working with them to help grow the game and identify the next generation of talented footballers in the region.”
Professor Alex Frino, deputy vice-chancellor (Global Strategy) at the University of Wollongong said: “As well as helping our students improve their playing ability and education, this unique programme will strengthen the place of football within our university and deepen our connection with this rapidly growing sporting code in Australia. It will attract young Australian and international players with tremendous potential who can enrich local competitions, while also providing opportunities for Australian coaches to be mentored by Tottenham Hotspur coaches, improving the standard of coaching for the university and Australian football.”
Professor Paul Wellings CBE, vice-chancellor at the University of Wollongong said: “We are delighted to be partnering with one of the best football clubs in the world, and particularly one that shares our personalised approach to helping students reach their full potential. This partnership continues the University of Wollongong’s long history of combining sport with a world-class education that prepares sportspeople for life after their playing careers.”
The club enjoys a strong and growing presence in Australia over the past five years and now has nine official supporters’ clubs in Australia including Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
