ECNL appoints Ceri Bowley as league’s new Technical Advisor

RICHMOND, Va. – The ECNL announced the appointment of Ceri Bowley as the league’s new Technical Advisor.

Most recently, Bowley worked as a first team assistant for Rangers FC in the Scottish Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Prior to that, he worked for many years for City Football Group (CFG) where he led the creation and implementation of the City Football Methodology, which remains in place at CFG clubs across the globe.  Bowley holds a PhD in Sports Psychology and Coaching Science, and has worked with Barry Town, the English FA, Swansea City and Merthyr Town in various roles.

“I am really excited to be working with the ECNL, as I have become very familiar with the league over the last several years and have discussed this role and its possible scope for some time now,” said Bowley.  “The ECNL is leading the way in youth sport and has seen exponential growth over recent years.  I hope to support its development further by helping enhance the learning environments at the clubs which will in turn enrich the experience for staff, players, and everyone associated with the league.”

“Ceri is one of the world’s leading experts in coaching and in creating methodology to help consistently maximize the development of both players and coaches,” said ECNL President Christian Lavers.  “His knowledge and experience will help coaches across the ECNL grow as leaders and as developers of talent, and will help clubs formalize the methods, plans, and processes necessary for consistent, long-term success.”

“Coaches play a fundamental role in the growth of young people on and off the pitch and the commitment of the ECNL to focus on education, development and raising the bar in youth sport is what made this such an appealing opportunity for me,” continued Bowley. “I can’t wait to get started.”

As ECNL Technical Advisor, Bowley will help create and implement a variety of club and coach development projects to help further raise the standards and quality of the coaching and play within the ECNL. These projects will include seminars, workshops, and courses related to: (i) the development of club methodology, (ii) creation and execution of talent development plans, (iii) creating a psychologically informed training environment, and (iv) club and organizational development.