NF SPRING TRAINING
Get coached by experienced Portuguese coaches with background from the world-famous academies of SL Benfica, Sporting CP and other top clubs in Portugal. Our training sessions are conducted with high intensity, and we invite motivated players with an eager to learn to register for our development camps in the spring and Easter vacation.
During the camp players will get a unique opportunity to show off their skills, that could lead to tryouts at Euroean academies of top quality and invitations to play in our teams in international tournaments.
WHO IS IT FOR?
NF Spring Training is a camp for both boys and girls in the age of 8 to 16 years, that wants to develop their skills and to get a better understanding of the game. We recommend that all participating players have good basic skills for their age and that they are receptive for learning. To ensure that all participants get challenged at their own level, we create training groups where we differentiate both on level and age.
GOALS WITH THE PROGRAM
NF Academy’s mission is to help develop more international top-level players. Through our local training camps, we provide players with valuable learning experiences that they can take back into their everyday training environment. NF Spring Training is a specialised and intensive programme designed to elevate a player’s tactical IQ. Unlike traditional camps that separate positions, this programme focuses on a holistic understanding of all positions.
The core principle is simple: to beat your opponent, you must understand them. By mastering the key behaviours of each position on the pitch, players develop a superior understanding of the game, enabling them to anticipate play, exploit weaknesses, and perform at a level above their competition.
We develop each player’s full potential through the key actions of their position – as well as the ability to read, anticipate, and exploit other positions in realistic match situations.
- Decision-making under pressure
- Tactical awareness
- Match-winning actions
- Match-intensity performance
SCOUTING FOR
in nordic countries
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Our coaches does an internal evaluation of all participating players. Based on evaluation and the level of the player, we give invitations to train with European academies of top quality, our scholarship program, participation in international elite tournaments with our elite teams, or participation in international training camps. Throughout the last year, many players has participated at a local camp, and has been chosen and invited to train with academies of top quality.
Packages
PLAYER
• 1 theory lesson every day
• 1 experienced Portuguese head coach for each training group
• The opportunity of getting invited to international programs
• Diploma to all participants
• Possibilty to win “Player of the camp”
GOALKEEPER
• 1 experienced Portuguese goalkeeper coach
• 2 daily training sessions
• Combination of specialized goalkeeper training and exercises with the players
• 1 theory lesson every day
• Diploma to all participants
PLAYER OF THE CAMP
We want to inspire players to work hard at our training camps and will announce a «Player of the Camp» in the age segment 13 to 16. Players who win the award will receive a gift certificate for local training and a photo on our «Wall of Fame».
PLAYER OF THE CAMP
We want to inspire players to work hard at our training camps and will announce a «Player of the Camp» in the age segment 13 to 16. Players who win the award will receive a gift certificate for local training and a photo on our «Wall of Fame».
QUALITY TRAINING AND INSPIRATION
The participants in our programs will get to experience the training methods of the leading academies in Portugal, such as our partner Sporting CP.
These are highly effective methods, perhaps best illustrated by the fact that on the national team of Portugal that won the European Championship in 2016, as many as 10 of the 14 players who played the final had a background from Sporting CP’s academy.
Annen Informasjon
Methodology
We work according to the principle of “learning the game by playing it.” Our training exercises are therefore designed to recreate the intensity and complexity that players experience in different game situations. The sessions are high-intensity, with many ball involvements, a strong focus on decision-making, and an emphasis on giving players a deeper understanding of the game.
In all our activities, our primary objective is player development. For players who wish to train regularly with NF Academy, we focus on the following:
- Intensive training designed for player development
- Individual follow-up over time
- Training adapted to the player’s level and learning objectives
- Playing matches against teams that provide sufficient challenge to raise the player’s level
Our NF Spring Training methodology breaks away from the traditional view that “forwards train finishing and defenders train tackling.” Instead, all players take part in every position-specific training session.
Why this method?
- Exploiting weaknesses: A forward who understands the defensive mechanics of a centre-back knows exactly how to exploit them.
- Anticipation: A midfielder who understands a winger’s movement triggers can play a better through ball than one who does not.
- Tactical flexibility: Modern football demands adaptable players. This camp develops complete footballers.
Every training session integrates the ball and active opposition. There are no static lines. We learn behaviours through opposition and competition, recreating match intensity.
Training groups
At our local training camps, we differentiate both level and ages to create homogeneous training groups. Each training group normally consist of 12 to 20 players + goalkeepers. Every training group is being coached by an experienced Portuguese head coach, and will normally also be assisted by a local coach who speaks the local language.
NF ACADEMY COACHES
NF Academy uses skilled and experienced coaches with backgrounds from European big clubs. We want a profile with ambitious coaches great academic weight for our projects. The coaches are carefully selected from applications we receive and our existing contact network.
You can see all our coaches here.
Coaches
João Plantier is the Academy director of our local programs and is a UEFA PRO certified coach. He is responsible for choosing the skilled coaches that will represent NF academy at our camps. With more than 20 years of experience developing players, and 7 years of experience as an academy coach at Sporting CP Plantier does have the perfect competence and network to put together a team of coaches that will take the skills of the players to the next level.
JOÃO PLANTIER
- Master of Physiology
- 7 years as headcoach of academy-teams at Sporting CP
- 10 years as a scout for Sporting CP
- 1 year experience from Manchester United Soccer Schools
- 4 years as headcoach for youth teams at Associação Desportiva de Oeiras
- 4 years as headcoach for youth teams at Casa Pia Atlético Club
WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT COACHING?
“Bringing players to their maximum skill level is something that pleases me very much.”
WHY SHOULD PLAYERS JOIN NF ACADEMY?
“I see great potential among the NF Academy players. The players who join our programs have a strong focus on learning when they come here. Technically they are good with the ball and are in line with the Portuguese of the same age. The challenge, for example, is that many young players experience lack of competition and training with good players. It causes problems with playing comprehension, and the fact that competition is about winning or losing. Game understanding is something we can work to improve in our programs.”
ORGANIZER AND COLLABORATIONS
NF Academy collaborates with local clubs and partners to execute local training camps. If you click on “Read more” for the event you wish to attend, you will receive information about which person/club who is the responsible organizer and find their contact details. Do you want NF academy to come to your city? We have a base of experienced Portuguese coaches located in Portugal that is available to execute local training camps in different cities all around the world. For us to come to your city you can become a local partner or connect us with a club that want to do an event in collaboration with us.
Become a partner
In each country, we have regional partners who organize local training camp using our expertise and experienced Portuguese youth developers. If you want to have more training camps in your region you can apply to become a partner.
Testimonials
«I participated with NF Academy’s U13 team, which was great! Vi got to the quarter final, where we lost to Sporting CP on penalties. It’s not the best way to go out of a competition, but the whole setup is great with some very good coaches!”
Niklas Haugland, Leeds U23 and Norway U17 national team
“I would say my time with NF Academy has helped take away the challenging aspect that new situations can produce, such as getting national team callups, changing clubs or taking further steps as a player. Their programs are on a high level, with good coaches, and there are players from different nationalities who seek the same as you. It really makes you develop both as a person and a player.”
Oscar Fuglesang, Silkeborg and Denmark U17 national team
«João Plantier has played an important part in my career for several reasons. He gave me freedom and believed in me. We had a close relationship, and he monitored me the whole way. João gave me feedback on what I needed to improve during matches, and last but not least, he was very good at constantly providing me with new challenges.”
Zeca, Captain of FC Copenhagen and Greece national team
“I played together with same very good players and trained under very competent coaches. First and foremost, it was a great experience, and I got a good reference on what level the best teams in Europe were on. Such programs carry a lot of worth, because they later on make the transition to new teams and levels easier.”
Kristian Arnstad, RSC Anderlecht and captain of Norway U16
“The training sessions are on a very high level, and there are exercises I have never participated in before. I have learned a lot, which I take with me to my training back home in Norway”
Dylan Ryan Murugesapilla, Lillestrøm and captain of Norway U15
“My boys (born 2004 and 2007) are really excited to come to the IberCup Cascais tournament. Not only to play against top teams but also to see where their current level is and to train and meet other good players around Scandinavia. To have programs like NF Academy is fantastic. When you train with top-level coaches and other same age players you really see where the international football level is.»
Bjørn Helge Riise, former Fulham and Norwegian National team player
«It wasn’t until we came home that we saw the huge improvements in Kevin as a player. He has a new authority about him now, and his decision making is better. The reason for this is good experiences and good coaches at NF Academy. We won’t for a second regret we chose a team with the competence that NF Academy has.”
Thomas Hansvoll, former professional boxer and national champion
“The stay with NF Academy gave me a taste of everyday life as a professional. Very competent coaches and good players around me. The days were good, and I learned a lot. It was after this stay that I dared to visit foreign clubs to show what I can do.”
Lucas Kåhed, IFK Gøteborg and Sweden U17
“I am very happy with last year’s NF Academy participation in IberCup. It was very exciting and inspiring to get to play in a team with so many good players from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. I got motivated to give even more after having played against and seen how good oponents from countries such as Portugal, Spain and Mexico were.”
Fredrik Oppegård, Vålerenga and Norway U17
«During the easter of 2018, I was in Cascais, Portugal with NF Academy to participate in IberCup Cascais 2018. It was my first time with NF Academy, and a great experience. I got a lot from the trip. The training, matches, coaches and players were a fantastic mix of both fun and serious football.”
Filip Mellbin, Denmark U16
FIND YOUR EVENT
- Choose one option - You will be automatically redirected to the selected option results -
