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I hate football academies.

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    I hate football academies.

    What has happened with Barry Benell is, of course, at the terrible extreme of what has happened with kids at football. Also, it appears that what he did wasn't exclusively at professional clubs' youth teams. From what I have read, however, he got away with much and kept it secret because of what he promised the kids about their future and the clubs and that is definitely wrapped up in how many academies work and the system in general.

    Through my experience as a junior football coach myself, I have seen professional club's academies take interest in players often and players train with/sign up with professional club's academies. The first of those is an important phrase as this is how clubs get around the age limits allowed - they don't sign a contract with a player, they invite him to "train with" the clubs or with a feeder club. I won't name names but there is a the academy of Premiership club - renowned for bring young 'local' lads through their system - who took on a local kid at 9, had him play for them for a year and then dropped him and he eventually returned to his local club. I see him play now at 19 and it is only in the last couple of years that I have really seen him regain any confidence and enjoyment. I have also heard of other players who sign up for this academy who, at a young age, have to train separately at a satellite academy and then make their own way to meet up with the team on match days sometimes as far away as London. I warn parents of them and suggest, if they are going to go to a professional club's academy then, at least Bristol City or Rovers as they are nearer. They never listen though.

    Of course, what kids who sign up for these academies don't realise is that academies only really pinpoint one or two players from each age group that are really going to make the grade at the club but they need a team of other players around them of their own age. Once the players get to 16 (if not before), they dump the make weights and only keep the one or two they were interested in - if that. At present, something like 0.5% of kids who sign with academies get offered a professional contract with that club. Obviously, they could end up with lower league or non-league clubs. However, many at that age become disillusioned with playing. I am sure we have all seen guys down the pub who were "on (insert club name here)'s books as a kid".

    As a teacher, I have an issue with them as well because, although I haven't yet had to, I can imagine having to teach a less academic lad that is perhaps not that academic signed to a Premiership or Championship at 13 - formally, perhaps younger informally. There are enough kids with a "fuck you, I am not bothered" attitude. Thinking that they don't need an education because they are going to be paid thousands a week playing full time just would exacerbate that. Again many of the parents are just as bad and can only see the money or reflected glory. I remember when Scott Sinclair signed to Chelsea having gone through our local club, I had, at least, one parent quizzing me about how exactly he managed that.

    Of course, people will say it is just a reality of life but why do we expect it to be unquestioningly? No other professions (apart from, perhaps, acting or dance) would be allowed to effectively have children doing apprenticeships from 13 when they are still in full-time education. Clubs above a certain level should not be able to approach a child until he is 16. Up until then, they should only be allowed to play for their local amateur or, at most, semi-pro club. Obviously, clubs will get around it the way they do already in buying a child's family a house so that they are 'local' to them but not actually being able to sign them until they are out of full-time education will make it less worth their while to do this. They will probably still find ways around it and, obviously, to be brutally honest, this system is so entrenched in our culture that no-one would think of dismantling it. Too many vested interests: clubs: parents and children. Of course, the government and football associations should protecting the latter two who may not know better from the rapacious former but they aren't brave enough.
    Last edited by Bored Of Education; 20-02-2018, 18:54.

    #2
    Who is Barry Burnell?

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      #3
      Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post
      Who is Barry Burnell?
      Typo from Bored.

      Barry Bennell branded ‘sheer evil’ as he is sentenced to 31 years

      https://www.theguardian.com/football...y_to_clipboard

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        #4
        Sorry, I corrected it but it seems not to have saved or something.

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          #5
          No problem

          I just wanted to be sure that I hadn’t missed another set of atrocities and was mildly concerned that there are real people with that name.

          It’s a good post that raises important points.

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            #6
            Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post
            Who is Barry Burnell?

            Didn't he advertise carpet cleaner?

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              #7
              No, it's a good thing to highlight. There will be people who are called that. I have now edited it in the original post as well.

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                #8
                As someone who watches football at a level above the parks game, but somewhat distant to the upper echelons of non-league, the above scenarios had caused a massive shift in my enjoyment of watching the football itself.

                Previously, there were footballers of limited ability, using what they had to their own self developed greatest effect, in teams that were managed and organised to reflect this.

                Nowadays, it is obvious that anyone coaching that level, has gone through the same as sausage machine. They have coached the same players. All this is aimed at patient, passing build up from the back, carefully crafting out incisive attacking opportunities.

                Except they are playing at step 17. They are not good enough to do this, probably from step 7 down, yet the football is a broadbrush from the top. It is increasingly depressing to see footballers of a decent yet still slightly limited ability, trying to effect a pressing passing game.

                Th uptempo reoccurrence of ten passes between clogging central defenders and then a hoof upfront is not of any interest to the spectator.

                So for all the hysterical guff about the ubiquitous coaching structure that is being developed through the UK, the myopic nature of it, is certainly not welcomed throughout the game.

                Just to say, this isn't criticism of those that give up their free time to coach at a junior level. It is definitely a criticism of the FA (and the odd delusional sociopath) who thinks that everyone should be trained as though the have a realistic chance of making the Barcelona first team,
                Last edited by Big Boobs and FIRE!; 20-02-2018, 22:33.

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                  #9
                  I agree BB&F. I was watching Welsh third tier at the weekend and the pass it from the back, rapid recycling from the goalie just knackered the teams out.

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                    #10
                    Football needs to be fun to play or kids will just go do something else. It's not like the 70s where there were few alternative paths.

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                      #11
                      I share coaching duties for my eldest's under 8s team. The other coach recently completed his Level 1 qualification and it was reassuring to hear that one of the main messages for coaching this age group was 'just let them chase the ball, that's what they want to do and that's what is fun'.

                      By and large, a lot of what the FA is trying to do with the training of coaches appears to be positive. It's very British to scoff at the 'DNA' stuff, but there's value in it.

                      That said, I'm totally with Bordeaux in terms of the academies. Thousands of kids getting spat out of the premier league sausage machine. It's grim. I wouldn't want either of my boys anywhere near professional football. Fortunately, if they take after their dad, they have no chance anyway.

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                        #12
                        There appears to be two strands here - junior football coaching and professional academies.

                        I have spoken quite a lot on here about junior coaching in the past. To be honest, I have been out of it so long that I wouldn't really want to hold forth. It appears that the FA really is doing a lot more about small-sided games where children get more touches of the ball and the larger, faster players don't necessarily dominate. They paid lip service to child-centred training but I didn't see much evidence of it - outside of what I was doing. Hopefully, from what marsupialman is saying, this has now become more entrenched. Possibly, the rewards are the U17s (roughly the age I coached and the start of the FA getting more sensible about junior coaching) winning the World Cup. I hope that the child protection - with regards overbearing coaches and parents - is much better.
                        Last edited by Bored Of Education; 21-02-2018, 19:46.

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