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There remains limited understanding of the processes and factors which contribute to young footballers being identified as talented. Talent identification is imperative for the development of future elite performers. However, the underlying issue is most studies conflate talent identification and talent development. Moreover, within the literature there is a lack of operational or procedural distinction for talent identification, causing issues for those researching and working within applied contexts. This paper sought to clarify issues related to talent identification in junior-elite football, offering a review of the extant literature and proposing future directions for applied research. There are unanswered questions associated with how scouts, recruitment staff, and coaches decide what constitutes talent and the importance placed on particular attributes during that process. By developing a greater understanding of this process, we may be able to evidence that talent identification is a case of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right eye watching.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the understanding and perceptions of professional football academy staff, youth players and parents/carers in the use of 'bio-banding' during a seven week, pre-season training period. Data included a series of one-to-one semi-structured interviews and semi-structured focus groups with the three participant groups. Data were collected at three distinct times: 1) pre-bio-banded training; 2) during-bio-banded training; and 3) post-bio-banded training. Data were analysed qualitatively using a constant comparative approach. Results suggested that there are six key themes associated with biobanding pre-season training: 1) interpretation of bio-banding; 2) perceived disadvantages; 3) perceived advantages; 4) changes to coaching planning and practice; 5) educating stakeholders; and 6) logistical issues. This study concludes by proposing applied practitioners consider the findings as a framework to guide operationalising bio-banding in their environment.

2Purpose: To construct a valid and reliable methodology for the development of position-3 specific predictors deemed appropriate for talent identification purposes within elite 4 youth soccer in England. Method: N = 10 panel experts participated in a three-step 5 modified e-Delphi poll to generate consensus on a series of generic youth player 6 attributes. A follow up electronic survey completed by coaches, scouts and recruitment 7 staff (n = 99) ranked these attributes to specific player-positions. Results: A final list of 8 44 player attributes found consensus using the three-step modified e-Delphi poll. 9Findings indicated that player-positional attributes considered most important at the 10 youth phase are more psychological and technical than physiological or anthropometric. 11 Despite 'hidden' attributes (e.g. coachability, flair, versatility, vision, etc.) finding 12 consensus on the e-Delphi poll, there was no evidence to support these traits when 13 associated with a specific playing position. Conclusion: For those practitioners 14 responsible for talent recruitment, our findings may provide greater understanding of the 15 multiple attributes required for some playing positions. However, further ecological 16 research is required to assess the veracity of our claims. 17

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine factors associated with the identification of talented junior-elite footballers. Three data collection methods were employed: (1) document analysis (4 documents, 222 pages), (2) overt observation (~105 hours), and (3) 12 semi-structured one-to-one interviews with staff responsible for player recruitment (M=70 minutes). Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach, meaning newly collected data were compared with previously collected data, allowing flexibility and reflexivity throughout the data collection period. Two core themes associated with the identification of talented junior-elite footballers at this academy emerged: "structural issues", and "current performance and potential talent". "Structural issues" were further categorised as: (1) financial; (2) educational; (3) philosophical or cultural; (4) competition amongst clubs; and (5) hours in practice. "Current performance and potential talent" covered issues around growth, maturation and development and psycho-social attributes of players. The paper concludes by suggesting that clubs should be more proactive in understanding the structural issues that affect their talent identification processes, and better educating and supporting staff in their understanding of growth, maturation, and development.

MACEs and MAPEs occur at similar frequencies and affect survival to a similar degree. All 3 types of postoperative troponin elevation in this analysis were associated, to varying degrees, with increased risk of death and disability.

Recent evidence suggests that the majority of the adult population fails to achieve the recommended target of 30-minutes moderate intensity exercise, days a week. This includes university students who often have the time to engage in physical activity. The aim of this study was to determine exercise motives for a UK-based student population. The motives of 736 participants (± 20.45 years of age, SD=3.50) regarding participation or non-participation in free-time exercise, sport and physical activity were measured using the Exercise Motivation Inventory-2 (EMI-2). Significant main effects were reported for age (P = 0.1) and gender (P = 0.1). Students over 23 years of age reported higher levels of motivation than the other age groups (i.e. for stress, revitalisation and avoidance of ill health). The results of this study indicate that the motivation of UK university students to engage in physical activity or exercise demonstrates gender and age differences. These findings should enable health professionals and health educators in university environments to design preventative programmes aimed at reducing multiple risk behaviours among university populations. These could include gender-specific exercise programmes underpinned by appearance motives for female university populations.