With all the recent press reporting and gossip regarding SCFC's spending of millions to improve our squad, I was wondering about the possible investment (sooner rather than later hopefully) in our long proposed academy. I'm sure I previously heard or read that the costs would be 1 million to build and 200,000 grand annual running costs, and was being proposed to be built on the old RTB Landore site. We've recently seen Swansea lad Adam Matthews sold by Cardiff to Celtic, and had a great prospect in the form of Emyr Huws snaffled by Man City, how many more can we let slip? An Academy must be a priority with the relatively small financial outlay. Anyone heard anything? Any thoughts?
Well both Jager and myself have been banging on about this for years, the last technical issue was the Landore cricket club of all people being pedantic! Not cricket if you ask me................ please log in to view this image Link: http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Cricket-club-land-wrangle-Swans/story-12388594-detail/story.html
Yep phil been going on about this for years, the academy is a vital part of the club, for us to progress as club we be able to bring on local talent, and must ensure that all players with ability are not pinched by other clubs, Cardiff has rich pickings down here, and it must stop .
Even if we lack the ideas at the moment , this is the time for money to be put away for the ideas when they do surface . I'm thinking 33% of all incoming money from the Premier League should be put away till serious action is taken toward an academy .
Also for gods sake let's get rid of pennock he only goes for his little favourites, we must be losing loads of players because of his blinkered way of doing things, let's get a top man in , and get trunds to partner him
One thing that really, really bugs me about the Swansea Schoolboys setup (when I was younger anyway) is their apparent assumption that unless you play for one of the "east side" teams, you´re not tough enough... or whatever else the reason is. I´ve seen so many quality players come through and simply get bored of playing for their local team, and I guarantee when we get an academy in place the intake of youth players will increase dramatically from all quarters of South West Wales.
You noticed have you Jager?? He was the same at the School boys, useless! not sure who is the most inept him or Moss, but it shows the measure of how serious we are with youth! .............. please log in to view this image
I have seen it phil going back a while ago, a couple if friends of mine had kids in the youth, and whilst their kids may not have been good enough, but because of pennock and the way he is they pulled the kids out, these kids could have been the next John Charles who knows ? But this pillock shatters the dreams because he doesn't like the kids! I know this is a little defamatory, but speaking to some staff in Llandarcy they think the guy is a prick, and make fun of him behind his back
I've also heard some very critical comments from parents claiming such poor organisation that they've removed their kids from the set up. Not very professional eh? We need to be professional at every level, sort it out!
Like I say, having mostly grown up in "the west" of Swansea I can honestly say I know of not one youth being picked for Swansea youth, at any level. There´s a massive east side presence, but anyone west of the Tawe doesn´t get a look in. Maybe their right, but there´s such a vast pool of talent they need to get more involved in local scouting etc.
Jager even the Kids talk amongst themselves of the joke of the school boys and the links to Swansea city, when our club just puts they're eggs in one basket (schoolboys) then it shows how lazy they are, I could give you a list of names of young youth players over the last three years that have been released by our club to Llanelli, who are quite frankly shocking, and have not lasted 2 minutes at the Reds, my sons words are often, "Dad how the hell did these get into the Swansea youth setup?" I always answer, makes you think doesn't it, then we laugh, but sadly we are a laughing stock amongst the youngsters in the FA youth setup!................... please log in to view this image There are three players that have been of some quality over the last few years, from the Swansea school of excellence, and that's the sum total, one of these I will name, Adam Orme, all the others have been released a few months after by Llanelli, it seems that Llanelli have some agreement to look at what Swansea City release, but I have to say the standard is poor, and a reflection on Pennock, I agree by the way of your opinion of him, he was never any better in the schoolboys. I can only dream that one day we will start to professionally develop, and harness the talented young lads in our area, to see us produce like Cardiff or better would please me no end. All this can be summed up in Adam Mathews!............. please log in to view this image Link: http://www.welshpremier.com/PlayerDisplay.ink?season=10/11&squadno=16685&type=p
well if cardiff have done better with their academy then they dont have much to show for it they keep going out for loan players....cardiff's academy is a joke and we should never go about ours the way they do. swans youngsters are doing fantastic under penn and co. they have won three trophies in 4 years which to me is that they are doing something right, lets get this academy up and running and bring in freestone and trundle to run it...
Cardiff have sold on some of their youth players, or they have gone onto bigger things, Ramsey came through there I believe , that lad who went to Celtic I think went through their academy, and I am sure some bluebirds fans will have more details. We had joe allen come through , who else? Pennock is a complete and utter shambles, it's not about winning some cup, it's about progressing players up to a pro level, I can't think of one that has come on through him, I have spoken with people involved, and the parents of the kids, they can't be all wrong, the fact is phil is right, we are a joke in this regards, Cardiff through all their recent troubles have done well, and that is with little money going into the academy!
99 if Cardiff Academy is useless, where do we get a look in?? The Truth is that at least Cardiff have had an Academy over these last 7, or 8 years, and if you talk to any Bluebird they can produce a list of players that have come through, to top flight Pro football, who have we produced?? I'll tell you Joe Allen, Jazz Richards, Shaun Mac!! And 99 if you new anything about the way Pennock ran Swansea schoolboys, you certainly wouldn't go on about some cup! the last time Swansea Academy played the youth Reds at Stebo, they got beaten 3-2, and they will hardly be able to put a team together to beat, any Llanelli youth side, any time you fancy it, give Pennock a bell, and you will see first hand how poor Swansea City youth is, even against Welsh Premier League youth! The truth of the matter is, it is not a priority at Swansea, if it were, we would not be farting around with the likes of Pennock, good enough for Portalbot town, is about his level ............. please log in to view this image Cardiff Academy Notable graduates 1) Byron Anthony 2) Darcy Blake 3) Jonathan Brown 4) James Collins 5) Robert Earnshaw 6) Jamal Easter 7) Stuart Fleetwood 8) Chris Gunter 9) Joe Jacobson 10) Lee Jarman 11) Nathaniel Jarvis 12) Joe Ledley 13) Adam Matthews 14) Curtis McDonald 15) Josh Magennis 16) Aaron Morris 17) Aaron Ramsey 18) Christian Roberts 19) Damon Searle 20) Aaron Wildig 21) Scott Young If you think that is usless, like I said 99, where do we get a look in!........................... please log in to view this image
My son is in the U13's set up at the moment. The coach seems a nice guy and the team is good. The played Llanelli a couple of times last season and beat them fairly easily. Who knows at this age whether any of them will make it but there is a couple of them that seem very good. Hope there is some investment in the set up.
Luvgonzo that is a fairly young group there, but good on you, but it's the final product though, that we are wanting here, and we are not developing that final product, next time you watch your boy play, remember this you'll be lucky to see one of those lads develop to pro football, and that says it all regarding the system that we have in place............... please log in to view this image In July of 2009, Swansea City FC director Gwilym Joseph said: "Swansea City is flying the flag for the city, and facilities of this kind are vital if the club is to maintain its position and challenge for promotion." Swansea City football school of excellence could be up and running in two years' time, just a stone's throw from the Liberty Stadium. Councillor Graham Thomas, cabinet member for culture, recreation and tourism, said: "This new venture would be hugely beneficial to both Swansea City and the community because it would help develop the next generation of home-grown football stars and would allow schools and people of all ages to access top-class football facilities. "It's taken a long time to conclude the agreement but it's been worthwhile because it's the first step in achieving a full football academy in Swansea while protecting the present status of a school of excellence, and accommodating football in the community." Of course that was 2009, two years ago, when it was envisaged to be up and running by now? the fact is they are still squabbling with landor cricket! I say bowl the blighters out pronto............. please log in to view this image
Know what you mean, very few make it and Swansea need to produce some players. From my limited knowledge I would say 4 of the team he plays in have a chance.
Swansea Vital Football - Sousa: Swansea City Need A Youth Academy. - Friday July 10 2009 Paulo Sousa explained his plans at Swansea City Football Club in an interview with Portuguese paper Diario de Noticias. The 38 year-old explained that the club need a Youth Academy in order to grow: "In Wales there are two big clubs, which are Cardiff and Swansea. Cardiff is always the reference point, and this project is to change that logic. We had a conversation about the quality of football the team must play, and then we addressed the structural side of the club. The club wants to establish itself on the map of world football. "In the short term, there is a clear objective: the club does not have an academy. Without an academy, we cannot grow. This is an essential step and the first investments will be channelled into that. - Paulo Sousa......................... please log in to view this image Link: http://www.swansea.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=160899
Sousa for all his faults has got it in one, without an academy we cannot grow, the club has the money, first order of day let's get a team together, second let's get the academy built now, give landore what they want then let's get cracking
