worth a read...http://www.theguardian.com/football...ide:Pickable with editable override:Position1 quote; I look out of the window of my flat in north London and I don't see kids playing in the street, or walking home with steam on their shoulders and scabs on their knees, hotly contesting a goal that never was. I see them ferried instead between "play dates" in 4x4s, faces so blurred behind the windows they could be faces drawn on balloons. And when I do see children playing out on the streets, occasionally, I don't see a childhood I recognise.
A few things are different since we were kids brb. Not so many parks to play in, due to being sold off. More cars on the road, so playing in the street isn't so easy. Not sure if there is more danger to children from 'other people' than there was in our day, or whether we are just more aware of it today. I have got a mate who is the most loving dad you could ever meet, but when he take his daughter out, he is scared to show her affection like he does at home, just in case someone else sees and gets the wrong idea.
Agree that this is a big issue and is probably the main reason for a decrease in real English talent coming though but think the parents have to be blamed, a Daily Mail generation of people who are terrified of letting their children experience the world, playing out is something that doesn't seem to exist anymore and its not the fault of the children, parents would rather have their kids sit in front of a tv playing video games where they know where they are than let them go out where they cant see them.
I have to say I agree with Lenny. The quote posted at the top is so far stuck up it's own backside it's unbelievable. Maybe if he got out of his flat he'd see more. I see hundreds of kids every weekend playing the beautiful game and in the way it should be played. The lack of available, affordable decent playing venues are the biggest problems. Not the lack of kids wanting to play. Another problem is people wanting/expecting a finish pro even at a young age. Too much pressure on kids to be the next big thing without giving them a chance to make mistakes and develop.
I have to agree with gemini, especially as I'm only a few years out of school I know that the love of football of kids hasn't died. The playgrounds or school fields would be overcrowded by children playing football. There just aren't as many potential places apart from the school playground to play anymore. Probably more the reason that kids aren't playing in the streets anymore is more down to the parents being worried that they would get hurt by an oncoming car or fall over on the tarmac. A Health and safety riddled society is more the reason to less football in the streets.
