In my opinion the English League is the most competitive league in Europe. However in terms of technical ability it is miles behind Spanish Football. Would like to know opinions of fellow fans of both English and Scottish supporters on how we can improve our young players? Do the youngsters get to bogged down with tactics? Are our coaches at Academy and Schoolboy levels not good enough? Or do the problems lie elsewhere?
The Bundesliga is more competitive, but I like the sentiment of this thread. I have an idea that I think would work in Scotland, only because the game is skint and it would be feasible. This would apply for other sports, not just football. We completely revamp the way youth players are brought through by routing it through schools and universities. The school curriculum would take on popular sports as a mandatory topic, giving kids the chance to work on technique, nutrition and tactics as they grow up. Those with high grades and potential could apply to take on a degree in that sport (in this case football) with the programme funded by major clubs of each sport which they'd then study all aspects of the game as well as looking after their bodies while playing in competitive matches & training. They would also obtain a seperate, smaller qualification in a choice subject as insurance should their football careers fail. Something like IT or a trade they could take on. The university leagues are already there but would obviously have a higher standard of player involved, this could be screened on TV as people would tune in to see the next batch of stars. The Scotland U21 side would be selected from this league too. As they graduate, players would be introduced to SPL clubs through a draft system like in the US. This would obviously work best in an 18 team league, all players would be awarded a one year professional contract and they'd have to stay with that club for their first year then they'd be free to do whatever they liked or they'd be released if they're ****e. Players would then be responsible people with a bit of an education and plenty knowledge of the game. Their technique should be of a high standard as they're not bogged down in tactics at an early age. What do you think? It wouldnt work in England as the wages still on offer to 18 year olds is much more than most players around the world. However it could work in Scotland as the game is skint, and if it works it could be introduced around Europe.
Frank A lot of sense in what you say here, but would require the ONE essential, all elusive ingredient: the will at boardroom level. Frankly (cuse the pun) that aint gonna happen. The suggestion that football skills, competence, training be formalised within a scholarly framework would work well, I think. But the downside is it does risk sidetracking kids into "the fitba" at the expense of their academic pursuits. They might develop an elitist approach, too, thinking they dont need to study cos they are conveyor-belt, sure fire bets to become pros. We cant all be Pat Nevins. Get Roxburgh and Brown on the case both accomplished managers/trainers AND former teachers
****ing red ash parks I still find bits of red ash in my knees to this day. The youth football is run by some wee pricks da that disnae have a ****ing clue and has never played at any level, he really has no scooby probably a bit of a perv too. He resorts to the game plan of get the bigger ****s on the park and just ****ing boot it hard. ****ing arseholes that don't let wee guys play in the street "you'll hit my car" "you'll ruin the grass", snooty ****s.
Simple really, force every club to use 1% of their income to coach local kids, maybe even introduce a rule saying that EVERY player has to give a half days coaching per week, this would also mean that pervy scum like Marlon King would not be allowed a contract due to his criminal record, justice for all.
Scottish/British football will never produce great players again until we're poor. Make the lower classes poorer I say, then we'll have good poor players to entertain us.
Please explain how the lower classes can get any poorer, when the ****ers are allready at rock bottom
The difference is in America, College football is on par with the NFL and some even prefer it to the NFL (less strict rules and more open games), Most college football teams have 80,000 seater stadiums (some NFL teams even play in them), they also get big money from TV and Adverts so they can bring through future stars quite easily. The Youth structure in Football has a long way to go before it reaches that mainstream, if it ever does, I am guessing over here no one would actually watch it.
The other potential problem with following the American model is that they use it for sports that are primarily US only sports (or at the very least, no.1 in the world for that sport). Therefore the top kids are not poached by youth developments in other countries, like they are in football across the world. Put it this way, as a 16 year old with some potential (and I don't mean a world beater), would you rather play college games with the possibility of being drafted to some ****e club, or go sign for a club who pay you, and you have freedom of choice of who you sign for? For me it's attitudes to coaching. Smaller games, with less players, more focus on possession and tactical ability than strength and speed when you are bloody only 15. Too many coaches at that age group who are more obsessed with winning and maintaining their own reputation than actually helping young players' progression. (In particular, at the bigger named clubs, where some managers seem to see it as some sort of badge to be proud of, that they coached "Insert random club name here" U-15's to winning the league, rather than producing any players capable of progressing upwards).
People have been pointing out for decades that continental players have far superior technique than British players, yet nothing seems to have been done about it. This issue should be addressed ASAP as it won't fix things overnight. We need to coach very young kids to have good technique and wait till they come through. The British attitude to drinking and nutrition also seems to be years behind professional teams on the continent. While this is a problem for society as a whole, the British are amongst the most unfit and obese in Europe, football clubs need to educate players in its importance. People seem happy if players go out on the piss, provided they don't do it the day before match. Do you ever hear stories of German or Spanish teams going out on the lash? The attitude to nutrition in neatly summed up by Harry Redknapp's famous 'It doesn't matter how much pasta players eat if they can't pass' comment. He overlooks the fact that if 2 players of equal ability are on the pitch, the one on a healthy diet is going to contribute a helluva lot more in the last quarter of the match when the other player is running out of steam. Our players are also at a disadvantage when playing on the international stage because of the way British games are refereed. How often do you hear a commentator saying 'You can get away with a challenge like that in the EPL/SPL, but not in Europe'? British refs need to interpret the rules of the game in the same way as continental refs so that our players know on a consistent basis what tackles are legitimate and which are going to be punished.
