Player Development

[CJ]

are the acadamies set up to produce skillfull players?

[cream]

Rafa once suggested that clubs should be allowed to have B teams playing in the lower leagues. The suggestion was ridiculed and the British went on to produce some amazing young footballers...

[CJ]

we have too many football clubs dont we.

[el matador]

are the acadamies set up to produce skillfull players?

the ones that are 'enlightened' are set up to produce technically sound player be they in defence, midfield or attack.

Yes, in our country the physical side of the game inhibits the development of good technique and skills. Just go and watch sunday league football, the mentality there is that anyone doing a stepover will get his legs broken for being a fancy dan.

The physical side of the game at the lower levels means that the more skillful players are brushed off the ball easily and may lose confidence because the coaches and parents start getting on their backs.

The other thing is that in the middle of a slugfest, its usually the skilfull players that are never seen and usually its the older lads getting stuck in. This is why unless a player is both technically outstanding and physically imposing its very difficult for him / her to make inroads into the pro game. Usually its the players with the most physical strengths ie speed, fitness and determination make it through.

This is why the academies have to change from being results orientated to being player developing because they arent normally compatible.

Someone mentioned ngog and because he came from french football the attitude is more like spain but they are slightly more aggressive because of the amount of north african / black players playing from a young age. They are somewhere in the middle of us and spain.

In our leagues technically good players with no physical abilities struggle to make the grade. Take a look at gerardo bruna for example, very good technically but doesnt like the rough stuff and consequently has never stood out for the reserves unless its from dead balls and no one is trying to break his legs. He has young and hopefully can add a bit of steel to his play otherwise he's just not going to make the grade here.

[red g]

we have too many football clubs dont we.

we do but history is history.....you try getting the bristol clubs to make one big one, or for barnsley and rotherham to join together etc etc....

the problem is a lot of clubs even the lower league ones have had some sort of success in past, even if its just in top division....therefore they cling to the hope they may arise once more!

[Roboklopp]

Interesting reading. Have heard similar stuff from mates that coach kids too.

Thing that most surprises me is how late the Germans learn tactics cos you obviously associate them with being a really discplined side. Is this a recent development there or an illustration of how efficiently tactics canbe taught at a later age?

[el matador]

i think people are starting to realise that learning to control a ball and pass it properly are more important than telling kids who to pick up set pieces and how the 4231 works.

we have probably lost an entire generation of footballers because of rubbish coaching and you will only be able to see a real difference in the next player cycle which is about 10 years or so from now.

[CJ]

you have to believe it and stick with it.

must be hard to sell to chairmen etc?

[CJ]

we do but history is history.....you try getting the bristol clubs to make one big one, or for barnsley and rotherham to join together etc etc....

the problem is a lot of clubs even the lower league ones have had some sort of success in past, even if its just in top division....therefore they cling to the hope they may arise once more!

i go and watch southport who where last in the league in 76-77 i think i was born in 77. so nothing there but i think they should exist.

but far too many clubs really

[el matador]

you have to believe it and stick with it.

must be hard to sell to chairmen etc?

the new ones into the academies from the age of 8 - 10 onwards will receive proper coaching until the age of 18 and will benefit.

But it will take approx 10 years for the next generation of technically sound players to come through.