On the occasion of Soccerex US, held in Miami (Florida), David Hernández gave an interview to Soccerex.com. The interview addressed two fundamental issues: his experience as Director of Methodology at Paris Saint-Germain, and the main characteristics of Ekkono Identity, the new version of the method developed together with Carles Romagosa.

In relation to the time he spent implementing the Ekkono method in Paris, Hernández not only highlighted the victories achieved by the academy sides at PSG, but also, especially, the fact that 85% of the players who followed the Individual Player Performance Plan ended up making their first team debut.

With regard to the Ekkono Identity method, he highlighted that the aim of the method is to provide, via its implementation at each club that requests it, a model that defines aspects such as the style of play and training methods, but also, for example, the values to promote on a priority basis. The objective is to seek an overall and unique identity for each club.

After six consecutive years of dominance from Olympique Lyonnais, PSG has been selected by the French Football Federation as the best professional club for work on player training and promotion. And, indeed, this is the main objective of its Methodology Department, which has worked for 3 years using the Ekkono Identity method.

This prize is awarded taking into consideration aspects such as:

• Number of professional contracts signed by players trained at the club
• Number of first team matches played
• Number of national team matches played
• School grades obtained by players trained at the club

This prestigious award is the result of months of work. Also, it is a clear indication that when the club works to build an identity, it obtains results sooner than expected.

IFK Göteborg and Soccer Services Barcelona (SSB) reach agreement to use the Ekkono Identity method at the Swedish club. During the 3 years of the project, the main objective will be to create a club identity that will make it possible to produce professional players, and improve the competition results of the 1st team. 

In a statement, Mr Max Markusson, Club Director, said the following:

“Last autumn, the club carried out important work to define its strategy for the coming years. It is very important for us to attain this collaboration […] which will offer great potential for our players to develop.

This collaboration is one of the most important pillars of our sporting strategy. We are very happy that SSB wants to join forces with IFK Göteborg”.

Albirex Niigata and Soccer Services Barcelona reach agreement to use the Ekkono Identity method. The Japanese Club has announced the creation of a Methodology Department that will be responsible for leading the definition and implementation of a footballing identity.

The main focuses of the project will be:

• Construction of a unified playing model.
• Definition of a training plan based on age groups.
• Creation of an “Elite Group” focused on the best players at the academy.
• Standardisation of the training method.

Another step forward in Japan, a country that has seen the Ekkono method grow for more than 10 years.

After just two seasons using the Ekkono Identity method, GIF Sundsvall has become a club of renowned prestige. Despite being the club with the smallest budget in Sweden´s first division, GIF Sundsvall has developed a very powerful identity, based on a sophisticated playing style.

In addition to the special support provided to the first team, the collaboration also encompassed the entire academy, using the four basic pillars of the Ekkono Identity method to strengthen the club´s identity.

Joel Cedergren, the first team manager, has publicly acknowledged that “the Ekkono method has helped him and provided him with the tools to achieve his full potential as a manager”

During the pre-season, PSG beat all of its records in terms of the use of young academy players in first team matches. In its first two matches, 80% of the players who got match time came from the Parisian team´s Training Centre.

The number of academy players used in the first team has doubled over the last three seasons, since the Ekkono Identity method was first used in 2015 to develop identity at PSG. Its all-time record was achieved in a Ligue 1 match against Caen, in which seven young players from the academy sides participated, with five in the starting line-up.

With these figures, PSG is the leading team in Europe in relation to the promotion of young talent. The gratifying job of defining and implementing an identity throughout the entire Club is now bearing its first fruit.