SOCIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Soccer is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the world, and subsequently an important aspect of popular culture. The need for professional clubs to operate as more of a business entity has never been greater. The soccer industry is one that embraces a service of performance, entertainment and financial profit (Bourke, 2003; Vaeyens, Coutts, and Philippaerts, 2005). At the highest level, soccer involves a frenzied environment more commonly associated with the entertainment business, while ensuring the continuation of the high financial rewards that success at, or progress to, the higher echelons of European competitions brings. At lesser levels, the game is about the continued delivery of a quality product to an audience with hope, aspiration and expectation. Both ends of the spectrum require the continual delivery of a team that can perform, remain financially stable, avoid relegation and possibly even progress through the leagues. The level and status of any of these professional clubs will dictate the aspirations and expectations of its supporters. Similarly, each club is a hostage to its own values, traditions and culture. Clubs will function at a particular level or operate in a particular way because it is an expected part of the club’s identity. However, a prerequisite of attaining all these aspirations is the need for the club to operate as effectively as possible. At this juncture it is pertinent to establish that soccer clubs, at whatever level, need to reflect on their purpose and function in order to establish clear organisational aims and subsequent (relative) success (De Knop, Van Hoecke and De Bosscher, 2004; Slack and Parent, 2006; Zink, 2005).