FA Buggering up junior football

FA Buggering up junior football

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craig1912

3,273 posts

111 months

Sunday 7th May 2017
quotequote all
sjc said:
Craig1912 many congrats on your lad.
My son was in the Academy system for 5 years ...Now given up the game at 14 .. This article has rung true ... Thoughts ?
https://inews.co.uk/essentials/sport/football/foot...
It's a difficult one - I'll get the book and see what's said. My lad was at one of the better academies (maybe the best in the way they treat them) but there were still some issues , although fairly minor- He did have issues (could be described as bullying) with one coach (who I found out bet one of the other coaches my lad wouldn't make it!) and I had to make a complaint, but generally he was treated pretty well.
A lot is down to the parents and trying to get a balance. We always have tried to keep him level headed and even now he is well balanced, but I've seen some parents continually "big" their kids up and give them a real hard time (even a ex pro who I thought was totally out of order with their lad). We also insisted on four days a week school from 14 instead of three. They are taking them out of school from the age of 12 now which I find ludicrous.
Even if they get their first pro contract (my lad is on his second and still hasn't "made it") there is till no guarantee they will have a career. Some lads/parents have completely the wrong attitude and believe they've made it on a scholars contract at 16.
I can see the pressure particularly from those from let's say a less privileged background. We never assumed anything and even looked round colleges for potential A levels.
All I can say is nothing is easy and to reach the pinnacle in sport takes something special -we've always tried to keep his feet on the ground and taken time as a family (I have a younger son too) to holiday together and spend time together- it's a bonus that he now treats us for lunch/dinner etc.!!

That stat in the article is meaningless as there aren't 1.5 mil kids trying to make a career out of football.

I'm also not sure in doubling up,the age groups- my lad was always smaller and would have suffered being a lower age in a mixed age group.

All in all was the journey worth it- undoubtedly yes but I feel for some of the lads that were released over the years and parents need to understand that it is a brutal business and their lad is (at a lot of places just a commodity) and at a lot of places gets treated as such!
So yes reforms need to be made ,particularly with the money floating around in the game now.

sjc

13,883 posts

269 months

Monday 8th May 2017
quotequote all
What I found the most surprising was how generally crap the people skills of the coaches were , whether that be with the kids or the parents. And that was at a Cat 1 with what you might call a world renowned academy. The lack of common sense in dealing with issues and the rampant favouritism in front of the squad towards one or two was beyond belief.

craig1912

3,273 posts

111 months

Monday 8th May 2017
quotequote all
sjc said:
What I found the most surprising was how generally crap the people skills of the coaches were , whether that be with the kids or the parents. And that was at a Cat 1 with what you might call a world renowned academy. The lack of common sense in dealing with issues and the rampant favouritism in front of the squad towards one or two was beyond belief.
Couldn't agree more with both those comments - parents were a nuisance (as far as the club were concerned)and kept in the dark as much as possible- it did improve but even so the people skills bit was terrible. There were always 2/3 favourites (my lad wasn't one and actually felt it when one of the favourites was picked out for the same position. As it happens one of the favourites is doing well albeit in league 2 and the others contract runs out next month after a couple of bad injuries. It's much better age 16+ but younger ages are a minefield.

pincher

8,497 posts

216 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
Just read this article and it reminded me of this thread......

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/f...

sjc

13,883 posts

269 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
pincher said:
Just read this article and it reminded me of this thread......

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/f...
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.

craig1912

3,273 posts

111 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
sjc said:
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.
Agree- some parents can be worse than the clubs and it is obvious that some lads aren’t really enjoying it.

pincher

8,497 posts

216 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
sjc said:
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.
I remember you talking about it before Andy - such a shame that he is that out of love with the game frown

Hope you are well beer

Black can man

31,816 posts

167 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
pincher said:
sjc said:
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.
I remember you talking about it before Andy - such a shame that he is that out of love with the game frown

Hope you are well beer
I think a lot of young boys fall out with the game when maybe they discover things like Girls & stuff.


I bet he goes back to playing in a few years or so playing with his mates. I did.

sjc

13,883 posts

269 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
pincher said:
sjc said:
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.
I remember you talking about it before Andy - such a shame that he is that out of love with the game frown

Hope you are well beer
Cheers Sir, and likewise hope things are good with you.He still loves the game, just no interest in playing at any level. The two year misdiagnosed injury didn't help either unfortunately. Bout time we saw you at the Bicknacre meet again ?

sjc

13,883 posts

269 months

Saturday 7th October 2017
quotequote all
Black can man said:
pincher said:
sjc said:
All very true, I speak from experience with my son who doesn't play at all now at only 15.Hes simply had a gutful, having been at Cat 1 and Cat 2 academies.
However I've seen just as much pressure put on kids by parents as by the clubs.
It's a mentally brutal business at that level unfortunately.
I remember you talking about it before Andy - such a shame that he is that out of love with the game frown

Hope you are well beer
I think a lot of young boys fall out with the game when maybe they discover things like Girls & stuff.


I bet he goes back to playing in a few years or so playing with his mates. I did.
Be nice to think so just for the memories made and banter given.

pincher

8,497 posts

216 months

Sunday 8th October 2017
quotequote all
sjc said:
Cheers Sir, and likewise hope things are good with you.He still loves the game, just no interest in playing at any level. The two year misdiagnosed injury didn't help either unfortunately. Bout time we saw you at the Bicknacre meet again ?
I’ll make an appearance again sometime soon wink