Introducción
The development of potential within a multi club enviroment requires a structured, long-term vision that goes beyond the limits of a single team. Within such environments, potential is maximized when clubs work together under a common philosophy. This ensures that players are not just moving between teams but progressing along a carefully designed pathway.
A player’s technical, tactical, physiological and mental growth can be supported by clear vision and specific goals that defines action plans for future pathway. This should create a supportive ecosystem where players feel both challenged and safe to experiment. The balance between performance and development is delicate; while wiining remains important, the ultimate goal is long-term development.
In conclusion, developing potential in a multi-club environment means aligning vision, resources and people to serve one purpose: the holistic growth of potential for reaching a level of quality to compete for Deportivo Alaves in La Liga.
Baskonia Group was found in 2011 upon successful management of basketball club Saski Baskonia. In 2014 group got current name Baskonia-Alaves group after group acquired the majority of the shared of football club Deportivo Alaves. In the summer 2018 Baskonia-Alaves group acquired 85% of the NK Istra 1961. The idea behind buying a club in Republic of Croatia was to create a developmental club which will serve as a platform for talented football players from broader Balkan region to get a proper development potentially move to Spain – Deportivo Alaves.
Important part of creating successful developmental environment was to align vision and goals of developmental program of NK Istra 1961 to those of Deportivo Alaves and Baskonia-Alaves Group. Deportivo Alaves inside Baskonia-Alaves Group serves as a “mother-club” for football side of a sports program. Meaning that Deportivo is a highest and biggest club in football hierarchy among all existing football clubs and potentially those that will be acquired in future. Therefore, goals of Deportivo Alaves inside Baskonia-Alaves vision are:
1. Compete successfully in La Liga
2. Create a global brand
3. Dominate “Balkan” market of potential
4. “Spend less, Win more”
Aligning to this, vision of a NK Istra 1961 is created as “To become an organization that, through its qualities and conditions, continuously develops the maximum POTENTIAL of its players and professional staff” with goals listed by importance:
1. Develop players for Deportivo Alaves
2. Develop players and staff for NK Istra 1961
3. Develop player for local clubs
4. Develop human beings and future football fan
Philosophy
To move itself from everyday emotional instability of football result, it’s important to pre-define guideline for a strategical decision. Two philosophical frameworks are used in creating a clear and simple guideline for development staff to follow:
1. Potential, Talent and Quality
In professional football term “quality” is one that defines playing time and status of individual football players. Unfortunately, a lot of times of times this same term defines status of youth players in developmental phases. Therefore “quality” is important term in football, but it is least important one when it comes to football development. Second term we use is “talent”, which defines number of trainings or time needed for a player to adapt to new level or circumstances. “Talent” is usually term that is highly used by football public. Problem with this term is that usually people use it in conversations and public debates, but rarely two people has same definition of it. Therefore, definition of term “talent” is important when talking to various stakeholders inside the same club or multi club group.
Last and most important term is “potential” which is defined as future maximum quality that can be achieved by individual player. This term is most important in developmental phase of football as its trying to structure and predict who can and who cannot reach elite level of football.
Furthermore, after understanding given terms it is important to define current quality and future potential for each individual player. Idea is to use as many possible objective variables, while using previous experience and subjective idea of predicting future football. Players are ranked in five categories for easier future organization of work.
2. Development Flow
The theory of “development flow” starts from understanding each player skill level. If you understand a skill level of a player, you as a coach can be aware of level of challenge that is needed to place player in “development flow” between anxiety and boredom.If player skills is low and you stress high challenge, player will be in anxiety. If player skill level is high and you stress low challenge, player will be bored. In both cases, if anxiety or boredom lasts long, player will burn out or give up on football. Therefore, art of coaching is to keep a player in development flow by understanding his skill level and balance level of challenge.
Players are developed through small-sided games and implementation of “development flow” theory throughout different age groups. Individuals should be placed through different challenges according to their age and skill level.
Development of Potential and Football Market
To develop a player who has a potential for a “mother club” Deportivo Alaves, it is important to have a clear understanding of a football market. The football market has its rules which are usually pre-defined by budget, level of player quality and level of competition. If a player holds a potential to reach best clubs at the peak of his career (26-28 yrs old) it is important to make a right steps in his career before that.
Therefore, someone who could reach clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester City at the age of 26-28, should already be participating at NK Istra 1961 senior team with age of 17-19. By moving through career, that individual should reach level of Deportivo Alaves between 22-24 years old. These steps are crucial in a multi-club environment and are looking for us in near future.
