Exploring practitioner decision making in talent development environments: A multidisciplinary case study of an English Premier League football academy.

This article examines multidisciplinary decision-making and communication within an English Premier League (EPL) football academy, focusing on how diverse practitioners collaborate when making key decisions about academy players' retention, loan, or release. Using semi-structured interviews with ten experienced multidisciplinary team (MDT) members, the study identifies challenges in interpreting and contextualizing performance data, the importance of including player care staff in decision-making, and the need to build trust and credibility among departments. It also highlights the complexities of non-linear player development and the influence of personal biases and agendas on decision outcomes. The findings underscore the significance of effective communication, professional qualities such as assertiveness and positivity, and the impact of remote or hybrid working on team dynamics, offering implications for enhancing multidisciplinary practices in elite football academies.