Season › 2019-20 › News Blues launch new International Academy Affiliate Programme Saturday, 23 May, 2020 5comments | Jump to most recent Everton have launched an International Academy Affiliate Programme, expanding the knowledge and expertise of their player development processes to new territories across the world. The affiliate programme, a key part of the club's international growth strategy, will provide clubs with access not only to the finest coaching knowledge but also sporting and business best practice to improve their sustainability and aid growth — a level of support that sets the Everton international Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP) apart from more traditional football camp models. The first clubs to join the programme are Joondalup City FC (Perth, Australia), Columbus United (Ohio, USA) and Schulz Academy (Florida, USA). Coaching staff and players of all ages from each club will benefit from year-round assistance and guidance from coaches at Everton's world-renowned Academy — which has produced a host of elite international players including Wayne Rooney, the English national team's record goalscorer. Article continues below video content Everton coaches will travel to Joondalup City FC, Columbus United and Schulz Academy to assist in implementing the Everton Academy curriculum, while players and coaches from each club will make annual visits to the UK to train at Everton's state-of-the-art USM Finch Farm complex. Reader Comments (5) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Alan J Thompson 1 Posted 24/05/2020 at 05:47:31 Joondalup City, that might be a Mick Lyons connection. Anyone know if there is a connection with the other two? Dick Fearon 2 Posted 24/05/2020 at 07:54:47 I was president of Country Coastal JSA, a fledgling association of 8 junior clubs spread over a rural zone that would encompass Blackpool Manchester and Chester within its boundaries.A mutual friend told me that Mike Lyons was coming to our town to watch his Perth club vs Bunbury City. I asked the mutual friend if Mick would visit our local park as a much-needed promotion for our game? He came and did far more than say a few words. He did a 2-hour session for the girls teams, a 2-hour session for U14 boys, a 1-hour session for older boys, some of whom are pictured, plus a short seminar for local coaches and interested parents.All this at no cost to us. What shone through was his fantastic enthusiasm and abiding love for Everton. Michael Kenrick 3 Posted 24/05/2020 at 18:53:39 Back in the dim and distant, I recall possibly similar initiatives with Home Farm in Ireland... at least that gave us Richard Dunne. Then there was a big push for Everton to be the Soccer Academy of Excellence in the USA. Maybe Landon Donovan was suitably impressed? Was that how we got the long-forgotten pairing of Cory Arnoux and Anton Peterlin? Whatever did become of them? I think I know the answer...These things appear to wither and perish without continuous attention, but the story must be a hard one to perpetulate unless there is some end-product. Justin Doone 4 Posted 26/05/2020 at 16:07:21 The group that own Man City own several other clubs in global leagues and can benefit from loaning or acquiring players first.The Red Bull group do similar. It's the only way to make it work so both clubs can take advantage of player development, first refusal, financial rules etc. Otherwise it's just a nice trip away for a team and a pat on the back to the club.I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just a more formal scouting network. Craig Harrison 5 Posted 26/05/2020 at 17:04:29 https://www.columbusunited.org/ didn't take long for the website to be updated. Didn't we try something like this in 2007 in Ontario? Add Your Comments In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site. » Log in now Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site. About these ads