Academy players at three EFL clubs will travel to Italy and Spain tomorrow as part of a pre-season trip organised by League Football Education.
The initiative – fully subsidised by the UK’s Turing Scheme – provides a fantastic opportunity for LFE apprentices to learn new skills and gain a real insight into life within a European club, while also facilitating the exchange of ideas between EFL and European coaches and staff members.
Approximately 55 under-18 apprentices and 15 Academy staff from Sheffield Wednesday, Grimsby Town and Millwall will experience the 11-day trip abroad, which includes language lessons, city and stadium tours, cultural activities and guest speaker sessions, all designed to broaden personal and professional horizons.
On the pitch, they will experience training sessions led by European coaches to prepare for testing fixtures against the likes of Granada, Santa Fe, Sampdoria, Atalanta and Torino.
Project Coordinator Elaine Brand said: “The pre-season trips provide players and staff with the opportunity to experience a different culture, play against foreign opposition and learn about European methods for developing young footballers.
“Players with the determination to make the most of each opportunity can really benefit from this trip abroad. Partner coaching sessions will help to develop the apprentices as players, and the range of cultural activities will allow them to gain life skills, expose them to a new language and hopefully open their minds to life in a new environment.”
