With all this money what does it mean for our Youth Academy?

[Mendoza]

It seems to have quite a good reputation across the country, but now with all this money, will we be using it to its full potetntial? A while back Dick Knight said he was disappointed with the first team conversion rate, and he wanted to make it better. From what I can tell it cant improve too much with our new found wealth.

Tommy Fraser, Adam Hinshelwood, John Sullivan , Kerry Mayo, Jake Robinson, Sam Gargan, Kane Louis, Andy Pearson, Dan Royce, Kane Wills were all released. Lynch looks like he is on his way out too.

Steve Cook, Josh Pelling and Steve Brinkhurst were given pro contracts, but only Cook maybe will realistically play in the first team.

The "Golden Generation" which we often refer too has pretty much been broken up. Only Tommy Elphick, Dean Cox and Adam El Abd are left. Adam Virgo can be added to the local boys come good in the first team we have left, so that leaves us with just four former youth players in our squad that are likely too play in the first team. Though I dont think El Abd will feature much.

The youth set up has been brilliant since Hinshlewood and Wilkins came in, its made us a few quid too. Just seems to be a bit on the downward at the moment.

I guess its a massive balance and gamble to stick with a youth team. Wilkins was the closest to making a success out of local lads, but now it seems we want to go a step further and push for the next level up, and sadly that means less demand for the youth team to push for a place.

What message does that leave for the boys of Sussex wanting to make a career in the game with The Albion? A move to Charlton, Palace or Gillingham? Hopefully we can still unearth a gem or two, but it does look less likely. Beyond Cook, Brinkhurst and Pelling, there isnt much, but there is a buzz about Jake Caskey and the kid I cant remember his name, who has had Premier League interest.

With money to spend, a new stadium coming, the future looks great, but not necessarily one that involves our youth academy. I would love to see a successful team at Falmer with four or five local lads being stars, but sadly I cant see it happen. Obviously thats in an ideal world.
The route we will go down is one with great players from League One and The Championship, with a couple of loans from the Premiership. One that will no doubt see some success and one that will bring the fans back. I was just sparing a thought for the local boys trying to make a name for themselves

Anyway, apologies for a thread about football

 

[clippedgull]

I'm sure Tony said in one of his numerous interviews that he was keen to see the Youth set up continuing to produce good home grown players.

 

[Bwian]

With Tony Bloom saying in a recent article that he wants to turn The Albion into the number one club for youngsters (as supporters and fans) I would imagine that those plans extend to the playing side.

He is obviously not a stupid man and will not be throwing silly money around for players- therefore the club's youth set up will be an important part of The Albion's revival.

 

[Mendoza]

You must be living on a different planet to me then mate, because from where I've been sitting the majority of players we have produced have turned out to be non-league gash.

And on that note, it's not a youth academy, it's just a youth squad. I would say our youth "policy" is good, but our set up is poor and needs heavy investment.

In fact hasn't the best player we have produced in the last ten years ended up at Peterborough? The full back I forget his name.

I think quite a few have been competitive at the levels we have played at. Yes there has been rubbish, but thats the same with signings from other clubs. Apart from strikers we have produced a decent team over the last few years

Sulllivan, El Abd, Elphick, Lynch, Hinshlewood, Harding, Virgo, Fraser, Cox, Robinson, Hammond have all done well enough to play in the first team in my opinion

 

[theonesmith]

You must be living on a different planet to me then mate, because from where I've been sitting the majority of players we have produced have turned out to be non-league gash.

And on that note, it's not a youth academy, it's just a youth squad. I would say our youth "policy" is good, but our set up is poor and needs heavy investment.

In fact hasn't the best player we have produced in the last ten years ended up at Peterborough? The full back I forget his name.

Gareth Barry?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

He is a local man putting money into his club - I think he will be keen to do right by the youth set-up. It has been great seeing so many coming through the ranks. There will be phases when more come through than others - but the more than get into the first team the more younger ones will be encouraged to join the club.

 

[1066familyman]

Some of the U10's I coach should be ripe for first team places in about...8 to 10 years time...so hang on in there .

Seriously though, I'd like to know some real detail on the Albion youth 'academy' set up...i.e. At what age do they start taking youngsters and what format are those youngsters playing ? I know of one 10 year old player from this area that has been picked up but not found out from his dad what the actual set up is. I'm assuming it just starts with attendance at one of the satelite schools of excellence ? I know the club is very involved with Sussex schools in offering opportunities for all in terms of after school and holiday football coaching, but as regards the structure for those kids that the club actually take on, I'm not so sure. Perhaps there's a proper question in there for the Insider some time ?

It's so difficult predicting which young players will come good and which ones aren't quite up to it. I think things can change so quickly for youngsters and a lot get picked up and then realeased by professional clubs far too early. Who's to say that a 16 or 17 yr old who gets realeased from a professional youth set up for instance wouldn't have proved to be a quality player with the maturity that just a few more years can bring. It's certainly a tough job for those involved with youth set ups.

In terms of first team progression for Albion youngsters, last season must surely have been a record for any club in the football league, no ?

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

Callum Wilkins

 

[Napper]

I think there are no issues , the youth acadamy is still in good hands and is no worse than the academy that produced all those players. It's prob more the fact that there just are no good players coming through at the moment. They probably all looked like world beaters at a very young age but things change. We'll produce again I'm sure but it is quite a rare thing and I think we been spoiled a bit recently

 

[1066familyman]

I think there are no issues , the youth acadamy is still in good hands and is no worse than the academy that produced all those players. It's prob more the fact that there just are no good players coming through at the moment. They probably all looked like world beaters at a very young age but things change. We'll produce again I'm sure but it is quite a rare thing and I think we been spoiled a bit recently

That's what I was trying to say earlier . It also works the other way too, in that some youngsters who just don't look good enough can suddenly look very different just a year or two on.

 

[Brovion]

Some of the U10's I coach should be ripe for first team places in about...8 to 10 years time...so hang on in there .

Seriously though, I'd like to know some real detail on the Albion youth 'academy' set up...i.e. At what age do they start taking youngsters and what format are those youngsters playing ? I know of one 10 year old player from this area that has been picked up but not found out from his dad what the actual set up is. I'm assuming it just starts with attendance at one of the satelite schools of excellence ? I know the club is very involved with Sussex schools in offering opportunities for all in terms of after school and holiday football coaching, but as regards the structure for those kids that the club actually take on, I'm not so sure. Perhaps there's a proper question in there for the Insider some time ?

It's so difficult predicting which young players will come good and which ones aren't quite up to it. I think things can change so quickly for youngsters and a lot get picked up and then realeased by professional clubs far too early. Who's to say that a 16 or 17 yr old who gets realeased from a professional youth set up for instance wouldn't have proved to be a quality player with the maturity that just a few more years can bring. It's certainly a tough job for those involved with youth set ups.

In terms of first team progression for Albion youngsters, last season must surely have been a record for any club in the football league, no ?

They start taking them at 8 and they keep on taking them up to 16. There is very much a 'revolving door' poilcy because as you say players all develop at a different rates and someone who looks an outstanding prospect at 8 or 9 is just run-of-the-mill at 12. Needless to say the boys who are dropped each year are usually devastated - but not always!

I know two of this years' scholarship intake. George Hayward has been at the club since he was 8 whereas Josh James didn't join until he was 16 and he had Reading, Charlton and to a lesser extent Villa all sniffing after him.

With regard to format it's the same as you play with your lads.

 

[les dynam]

You must be living on a different planet to me then mate, because from where I've been sitting the majority of players we have produced have turned out to be non-league gash.

And on that note, it's not a youth academy, it's just a youth squad. I would say our youth "policy" is good, but our set up is poor and needs heavy investment.

In fact hasn't the best player we have produced in the last ten years ended up at Peterborough? The full back I forget his name.

that's a bit short on insight. hardly anybody used to come through the youth set up and those that showed promise were quickly moved away (barry and standing). under wilkins the youth structure was reorganised and improved and we started winning the southern non premiership youth leagues consistently. since wilkins was promoted to work with the first team the flow of talent has dried up a bit.

of the lads that came through yes loads have not made it. but loads have and compared to how the situtation use to be, well we've had a real golden patch in my opinion. harding was sold for 750k. hinshelwood played for england under 21s, virgo played for scotland b, hammond was sold for 250k (i think?), lynch is off to forest for about 300k, elphic was player of the season 2 years ago, cox is a first team regular and on his day a superb player in most people's view.

are those the players you were refering to when you used the term 'non-league' gash?

 

[pork pie]

Hopefully we will build one! Our "School of Excellence" is not what is needed with our catchment area.

 

[1066familyman]

They start taking them at 8 and they keep on taking them up to 16. There is very much a 'revolving door' poilcy because as you say players all develop at a different rates and someone who looks an outstanding prospect at 8 or 9 is just run-of-the-mill at 12. Needless to say the boys who are dropped each year are usually devastated - but not always!

I know two of this years' scholarship intake. George Hayward has been at the club since he was 8 whereas Josh James didn't join until he was 16 and he had Reading, Charlton and to a lesser extent Villa all sniffing after him.

With regard to format it's the same as you play with your lads.

Cheers for the feedback.

Are you saying then that boys taken on by the Albion play competitive 11 aside football against teams from other league clubs from U11's up ? I remember one of the Albion in the Community coaches telling me that they take a team over to Holland for tournaments but as that was for about U9's age group then that would obviously be no more than 7 or 8 aside ( and of course the dutch are light years ahead of us in terms of how they structure grassroots youth football ).

The reason I ask is that I'm firmly in the... " 11 aside at U11's is way too early" camp and was just curious to know what the Albion do. I won't get on my soap box about 11 aside again, at least not on this thread anyway

 

[Brovion]

Cheers for the feedback.

Are you saying then that boys taken on by the Albion play competitive 11 aside football against teams from other league clubs from U11's up ? I remember one of the Albion in the Community coaches telling me that they take a team over to Holland for tournaments but as that was for about U9's age group then that would obviously be no more than 7 or 8 aside ( and of course the dutch are light years ahead of us in terms of how they structure grassroots youth football ).

The reason I ask is that I'm firmly in the... " 11 aside at U11's is way too early" camp and was just curious to know what the Albion do. I won't get on my soap box about 11 aside again, at least not on this thread anyway

If they play representative matches against other clubs then yes it's 11-a-side from Year Six and short-sided games before that, i.e. it matches what they play outside of the Albion. (I'm with you on that soapbox!)

Yes they play full games against the youth teams of other league clubs (Northampton, Gillingham, Orient etc), but not all clubs have youth teams at all ages. The U-16s this year for example were in a 'league' of only four teams, that meant they only played six competitive matches all season! Some of the shortfall was made up with friendlies and sometimes they got the boys to play a year 'up'.

 

[1066familyman]

If they play representative matches against other clubs then yes it's 11-a-side from Year Six and short-sided games before that, i.e. it matches what they play outside of the Albion. (I'm with you on that soapbox!)

Yes they play full games against the youth teams of other league clubs (Northampton, Gillingham, Orient etc), but not all clubs have youth teams at all ages. The U-16s this year for example were in a 'league' of only four teams, that meant they only played six competitive matches all season! Some of the shortfall was made up with friendlies and sometimes they got the boys to play a year 'up'.

What always puzzles me is that all primary school football is now 'mini soccer' format on the say so of the FA and yet they are not bold enough to demand the same of club football at yr6. If they were consistant on this matter then at least it would ensure kids aren't chucked into 11 aside until U12's (yr 7) instead of U11's. I recently emailed 22 clubs inolved in the league our boys play in, asking if they would be interested in petitioning our league to move to 9aside next season instead of 11 aside, and the almost total lack of response was quite depressing really.

Anyway, I best stop here as I've already set one foot back on my soap box and I did promise myself I'd put it away and just accept what I seem unable to change.
Thanks for all your feedback