Mental strength and resilience are more important than natural talent when young footballers move into first-team football, new research led by the University of the West of Scotland has found.
The study was carried out at Celtic FC and led by UWS Sports Coaching lecturer and former professional footballer Dr Mark McGuigan.
Researchers interviewed four academy graduates who had established themselves as first-team players and the club’s head coach.
All five participants said having the right attitude and a desire to work hard were fundamental to reaching the first team and remaining there.
They viewed these qualities as more important than natural talent and technical ability alone.
Dr McGuigan said: “The journey from academy to first team football is often a highly challenging and turbulent time.
“Our findings suggest that while natural talent and technical ability are highly important, those traits alone are not enough to survive this transition.
“Clubs therefore have an important role to play in supporting young players through this process, not only through developing technical ability, but in building mental strength and resilience to overcome the initial shock and pressures that come with elite football.”
The research also found that young players must quickly adapt to the pressures of a results-driven first-team environment.
The increased demands during the early stages left some players feeling inadequate and doubting whether they could compete at first-team level.
Researchers identified three main themes. These were mentality over talent, adapting to the first team and bridging the gap between academy and senior football.
Dr McGuigan previously worked as a fitness coach at Celtic. He also played professionally for Partick Thistle, Albion Rovers, Stranraer and Stenhousemuir.
The study, titled Academy prospect to first team regular: Elite head coach and player experiences of youth to first team transition in football, was published in the Journal of Sports Sciences.