The Academy System: NPL AUS v UK

Now let’s talk about academy systems, because this is another big difference between football in the UK and Australia.

In the UK, academies, especially at professional clubs, are full-time setups. Young players train almost every day, with top-level coaching, strength and conditioning programs, nutrition plans, and a real professional environment. The idea is to develop players not just technically, but physically, tactically, and mentally, so they’re ready for the professional game.

I got a taste of this myself when I was in Aldershot Town’s Academy, which is a Step 1 club. I trained four times a week during the day, and honestly, it felt like I was a professional footballer. The environment, the expectations, the facilities, everything felt pro. And it’s not just Step 1 clubs. Even clubs in Step 2 and Step 3 often offer full-time academy setups, giving young players a professional environment even outside the very top tier.

In Australia, the academy system is a bit different. Most of it mirrors the NPL structure for men’s football. That means part-time or semi-professional setups, with training two to three times a week. While coaching is strong, and development is high-quality, it doesn’t match the intensity, structure, or daily professional environment of a UK academy. 

A huge disadvantage in Australia are NPL fees! 

Fees for the seasons range from 2-3k which many families with extremely talented players just can’t afford. Making it harder to nurture some of the biggest talents. Whereas in the UK it’s pretty much all free apart from Kits!

So the key takeaway is this: if you’re looking to experience a full-time, professional academy environment, the UK is where that’s really available. Australia’s system does a good job, but is still very far behind in coaching and costs!