Three members of Colchester United Academy staff recently made a trip to Spain to visit Celta Vigo in hopes of expanding their horizons and gaining new inspiration for ideas that will benefit the U’s in the future.
Alex Bevens, the Head of Academy Sports Science, Hashim Ali, the Head of Academy Medicine, and Nicholas Wain, the Head of Performance Analysis, spent four days in Galicia learning about Spain’s academy set up and much more.
“It was a fantastic opportunity we couldn’t turn down,” Nicholas said after returning from the trip.
“We had the aim to learn and experience how a different country and culture at the top level operates within its academy. We planned to strengthen our contacts and relationships within the world of football, hoping to gain inspiration for future ideas we may be able to incorporate at Colchester.”
Celta Vigo is a club with plenty of history and encompasses three core values of passion, humility and sacrifice. The Sky Blues were founded over 100 years ago and currently compete in La Liga.
The club's name is derived from the Celts - people who once lived in the region. Their main rival is fellow Galician club Deportivo La Coruña, with whom they contest the Galician derby.
Despite competing at the highest level of Spanish football, Celta Vigo’s academy works and looks completely different compared to Colchester’s set up.
Nicholas explained: “We surprisingly learnt that Spain’s academy system at the top level doesn’t incorporate data, both physically and technically to the same standards as English football.”
He added that the Spaniards value what is done on the pitch visually much more.
Nicholas continued: “As you would expect the quality of football is very much comparable to what you see from top Spanish clubs on TV (Barcelona for example).
“The city and the club have a great passion for football, but I think this is common across Europe. You can see how much the club means to the city and how it is one community, with the use of art and murals, something I think is lacking in the majority of England and Colchester.”
Interestingly, Nicholas, Alex and Hashim noticed that Celta’s academy is very much separated from the first team.
Nicholas explained: “We almost got the impression that they are separate businesses/clubs. One day a month, they will gather all academy ages and essentially have a mixed session with everyone playing together, again I think this tells you about their values and ethos as a club.”
Overall, the excursion turned out to be a fantastic learning opportunity for the three members of Colchester’s academy staff.
“I believe this trip has made the three of us much more knowledgeable and aware when working in the academy environment,” Nicholas said. “We have been given new inspiration for ideas and activities that we believe will benefit the club going forward.”
He added: “The trip was very enjoyable and fulfilling, it has brought the three of us closer, also strengthening our relationship as part of the U21 MDT Department.”
