'Football Academies - A side of football no-one talks about'

[eddieskyclad]

Originally Posted by CPFC_DAVE77

Plays for Bishops Stortford now.

And it sounds like he only got that gig because Nick Haycock (who's one of the few people that Dad mentions in a positive fashion) is Assistant Manager and used to work with him at West Ham...

Still he looks ok on the obligatory highlight video...

[meee]

Originally Posted by Billyd

I can fully appreciated the frustration. A parent might have potentially given up 10 years of their life shipping their child around, being promised the world by the club, then at 16/17 suddenly is released, often without too much warning. It must be a huge blow. But its not political. Its the fact its cut throat sport where everyone wants to make it and only a very few can.

I think it's a bit of both.I have absolutely no experience with football academies apart from meeting 1 or 2 people who have played in them,but I do know what agents are like and how political football can be.It can be a case of "it's who you know."

Originally Posted by firesign

As a slight aside… only ten managers have been in their current job for more than three years and 50 have been in situ for less than a year. With that kind of turnover is it no wonder that there is little incentive to play youngsters from your academy. For most managers, logically, it is not worth the risk.

This could be true but then the same would probably happen in the rest of the world where managerial sackings are also common.Germany and Brazil, for example,are still able to produce a lot of top players.

[davematt]

Originally Posted by CharlieCPFC

The academy structure in this nation is an absolute shambles. Coaching sessions for 9 year olds are treated more like military training.

Have to disagree here from what I know (and see).

At AFC Wimbledon, our sessions for our foundation phase age groups are superb. We stick to our core beliefs and principles but structure our sessions to allow as much player ownership as possible to enhance our players decision making at a young age.

[Golf Boy]

Are we actually producing better footballers from these acadamies? The England teams performances would suggest otherwise.

[cantspell]

I am with Billyd on the travelling aspect - it is too much at those early ages and staying in a local house as such a young age - Bollocks to that.

So the acedemy guy blamed Allardyce - that looks a smokescreen as recommendations would have come from the academy I would expect.

Getting agents at such a young age is poor - unfortunately the structure and pressure for teams to be perform that is in place means that youn talent is mostly overlooked and established players from other countries are purchased instead.

[Billyd]

Originally Posted by davematt

Have to disagree here from what I know (and see).

At AFC Wimbledon, our sessions for our foundation phase age groups are superb. We stick to our core beliefs and principles but structure our sessions to allow as much player ownership as possible to enhance our players decision making at a young age.

Completely agree. The only problem on that front would be from parents on match days!

What do you do at Wimbledon? Assume you have b licence what fa did you do yours?

[davematt]

Originally Posted by Billyd

Completely agree. The only problem on that front would be from parents on match days!

What do you do at Wimbledon? Assume you have b licence what fa did you do yours?

Head Coach of the Under 11's; I hold my B; did it through the London FA two years ago.