Craig Levein says he had to overhaul Dundee United's youth system just to teach players basic skills.
Academy director Graeme Liveston has left the club with Brian Grant and Ian Cathro announced as senior and junior academy managers respectively.
"Twenty five years ago, there wasn't the same need to work on basic skills, as kids practiced all the time.
"Coaching emphasis therefore was quite rightly on team shape, tactics, set plays and so on," said manager Levein.
Levein has spent two years studying the Tannadice club's youth set-up in his capacity as director of football.
"I decided I had to scrap the entire existing structure," said Levein.
"We need to educate kids, rather than dictate to them, and focus on replacing all the hours of practice lost to a generation of young footballers.
"This isn't a criticism of what's gone before, it's simply a recognition that football - and society in general - has changed dramatically in the last quarter of a century and that we need to change with it.
"Nowadays, kids have so many distractions that they are rarely seen practicing with a ball in their spare time - if they have any - and we therefore need to compensate for this by teaching and encouraging basic skills only, particularly in the younger age groups.
"We need to ensure that young players coming through the system are equipped with all the tools and skills to become a good professional footballer in the modern era."
Former Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee midfielder Grant will oversee the development of players aged 15 and above to professional youth level.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Cathro's remit will be to implement a new coaching set-up for the age groups of under 11 to under 15. Both will report to youth director Stevie Campbell.
There will also be a network of coaches and scouts operating out of centres in Dundee and Stirling with director John Bennett overseeing the funding of the project.
Academy director Graeme Liveston has left the club with Brian Grant and Ian Cathro announced as senior and junior academy managers respectively.
"Twenty five years ago, there wasn't the same need to work on basic skills, as kids practiced all the time.
"Coaching emphasis therefore was quite rightly on team shape, tactics, set plays and so on," said manager Levein.
Levein has spent two years studying the Tannadice club's youth set-up in his capacity as director of football.
"I decided I had to scrap the entire existing structure," said Levein.
"We need to educate kids, rather than dictate to them, and focus on replacing all the hours of practice lost to a generation of young footballers.
"This isn't a criticism of what's gone before, it's simply a recognition that football - and society in general - has changed dramatically in the last quarter of a century and that we need to change with it.
"Nowadays, kids have so many distractions that they are rarely seen practicing with a ball in their spare time - if they have any - and we therefore need to compensate for this by teaching and encouraging basic skills only, particularly in the younger age groups.
"We need to ensure that young players coming through the system are equipped with all the tools and skills to become a good professional footballer in the modern era."
Former Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee midfielder Grant will oversee the development of players aged 15 and above to professional youth level.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Cathro's remit will be to implement a new coaching set-up for the age groups of under 11 to under 15. Both will report to youth director Stevie Campbell.
There will also be a network of coaches and scouts operating out of centres in Dundee and Stirling with director John Bennett overseeing the funding of the project.
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