Also a lot of the academy lads are with the first team squad so don't always get the opportunity to play for the relevant age group
Saints Academy Thread
- Thread starter - Doing The Lambert Walk
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Our academy could see he had the abilities to start and win MOTM against a premier league side, whereas the England set up hasn't yet seen the qualities yet to include him in the squad for the u19's.Someone on the radio asked a couple of days ago [sorry, I really can't remember when or if it was BBC, talkSport, or another station, I wasn't in charge of the radio] why, if Southampton's Academy is so good, how come their under-age sides aren't at the top of every league.? As far as I know, nobody had an answer. Of course, nobody was really that interested in looking into it either. Most of these pundits and presenters pay lip service to what might be called 'research' and 'knowledge', preferring 'hearsay' as their main incoming newsfeed. Anyway, I have one reason, that is fairly well known amongst Saints followers. The Saints Academy process is to promote the best players from a younger age group, upto the next age group, when they show definite signs that they are capable of it. What it means is that the under-age group they leave behind becomes weaker for their promotion, and hence they often don't lead their respective leagues. But the individually promoted players become fast-tracked and learn much quicker, according to their potential. And that's where it really matters. Not that the under-age team wins the league, but that the players progress. Josh Sims is a perfect recent example.
Hopefully a pundit read that.
No matter how well you do, if nobody notices you're not going to progress. And i think its proven that our academy notices.
I'm sure Saints would love to win something, but the Academy has its plan and the leagues/cups are used to provide match experience and help in player development. However, I suspect they would rather not get relegated and drop a level.
Sure I heard (though I may be mistaken) that someone like Sheff Wed's youth team used to win everything but they only had 1 player in 10 years break through to the first team and most of the youth team ended up out of football or in non league. Basically they picked the most developed young players and went for results but in the long run none of the players were good enough to help the first team. Playing for results is a reason the national team is **** as they just pick the most developed athletes who can win at u16/u17/u18 level in academies, not the best players
You'll have me reaching for my soap box again in a minute.
Not sure about Sheff Weds, but in my day Watford were the "best" youth side around. They did have some of those players make it, though I can only think of David James who played at the top regularly
I'm a huge believer that they are not important, not in the slightest. I know we have some (Fran mentions this at times) that think winning is good for them, but that approach is part of the reason we are not as good at producing players good enough to be the best in the world.
Barcelona as an example, don't play 11 v 11 games until about 15 or 16. Parents aren't allowed to ask about the result for younger age groups.
Took a while to remember that one. Florin Gardos lacks match fitness, having been out for so long. Unlike JayRod, where we were thin on strikers, and needed the position covered, we've just about been rich enough in CBs. Occasionally, recently he's been on the subs bench, but he's very much the last CB to be called upon. It's a shame. He was going to be really good, in my opinion, judged by his limited appearances before he got a bad injury. That was so long ago I can't even remember what it was. He's been injured several times since on the back of the original one, I believe.
I agree that results are not important, but I think it's difficult to remove competition. I don't think kids should be protected from the thrill of winning and the disappointment of defeat, after all, that's the goal of the sport.
it's up to parents and coaches to be mature and appreciate its not the be all and end all.
Young Nathan Tella has signed apparently:
Conjugations, indeed.
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Conjugations, indeed.
This is the crux of the issue. The competition will be there. It's natural and you'll see it all over the pitch in every game, so you don't need to even mention it. However the "competition" is always the focus at junior level and it needs to be controlled. The focus should be the technicality and use of the ball, however here it just doesn't happen enough.
I went on a radio show years ago, arguing on this very point with the host. I said at the time that my kids were 6 and 7. Put them in the floor with a board game and they'll compete like crazy. It's natural, so you don't need to do anything else around competition. Focus everything on how to play the game and the skills. Then things will improve.
Good luck with your last sentence. Not a chance.
I played at an academy until I was 14, with some of the best players I have ever played with (29 now) and 2 of the guys I played with went pro, 14 is not really an age you can really judge players imo (not talking about me as I was definitely not good enough). But the players they took on to u15/u16 and then into YTS level were definitely the more developed physically. I'd like to think every team should be looking for 1 an age group at YTS level to be making it with the first team and a handful to be making a career out of football, but obviously that depends on the level of the club and probably wishful thinking on my part.
This is why I (as a person who has no interest whatsoever in international football) have always maintained B teams are the answer. I really can't see and haven't heard an argument against them that makes sense. The positives for the national team, the teams lower down the divisions and the players themselves are ridiculous.
https://arsenalyouth.wordpress.com/...an-tella-joins-southampton-in-permanent-deal/Young Nathan Tella has signed apparently:
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Conjugations, indeed.
Confirmed here. Has suffered from injuries...perfect for us then. Should avoid too many conjugations in future.
He will probably have had 3 first team games before Southampton tell us anything. 
I can only speak from my own experience and although it was a good few years ago. I doubt much has changed.
The team I joined as an 8 year old was coached by one of the players dads.
As is natural, his son wanted to win and because they were winning(I think they won the league) us fringe players never got a game. "Can't change a winning team" - Ok Sir Alex, this is tyro league under 8s
Appreciate that's not true of all coaches at kids level, but a lot of them do seem to prize results over helping to develop all the kids who come to their club.
The best coaching I got as a kid was the soccer skills half term courses.
Where the only match was a mini five a side tournament on the final day. The whole week was focused on technique.
The #YoungLions action continues! Here's the Under-20s' line-up to face
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shortly:
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