Why Clubs Shouldn't Develop Young Players

[Frankie 8,186]

Written by AMMS

 

There can few industries as unstable as football, which is strange because unlike most industries it is built on hugely stable ground. A loyal and existing support, social and cultural importance, heightened local interest and guaranteed media exposure should make professional football as secure as any industry. Yet itâ??s a precarious profession at every level. Players are fickle and avaricious, feted or discarded depending on form and fitness. Managers and trainers are unlikely to see out their contract, either through their own volition or someone elseâ??s. Club directors and executives lose all the business sense they had when they enter football. Budgets are bust, losses racked up and reputations are ruined. And as weâ??ve seen lately the games administrators, the people employed to run the sport, are ineffective and inept, fuelled by self-interest and self preservation. Anyone who has ever read the words of Sepp Blatter or questioned the decision making process that awarded the World Cup to a country ruled by a feudal monarch, with a population less than that of Greater Glasgow and 95% covered in sand can conclude that poor decision making starts at the very top of the game.

 

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[UCF2008 0]

Interesting article. At first I was wondering the obvious about where the players would come from if clubs stopped developing them

 

I've said for years that our education system needs to change it's attitude towards football, but it's true that the clubs need to show more responsibility as well.

 

Too much radical change required for this approach to become the norm in the short term, especially in Scotland but we should at least continue working towards it.

[GovanAllan 0]

Great article amms, started to read it and thought what's this mad man on who's going to teach them. But you get it spot on mate, anyone down the park at the weekend watching the usual selection of youth coaches going beetroot red in the face as they scream at the young lads. Must say to themselves there must be a better way than this.

 

Would love to see a more American system in Scotland where the lads get a good education as well.

[stewarty 1,878]

Very thought provoking AMMS, cheers!

 

Whether its a club or not a club, its the ethos and the culture that needs to change. It seems we've talked about some of these different models before. When you look at some continental systems, they firstly place emphasis on agility and technique at a younger age, with the knowledge that strength and athleticism can be added when older. They also take ownership of a young players football and non-football development and provide schooling a tuition. I've heard about continental youngsters being told that if they don't take their studies as equally serious as their football, they wont play in games and place their future with the club in doubt.

[The Real PapaBear 0]

if you look at all the best youth development programmes, they all have one thing in common; they train these kids to be better people first and the football comes after that.

[Blue Moon 1,124]

You are absolutely right, Amms, the present set up isn't working but asking the clubs to give up their control over youngsters requires a level of altruism that doesn't exist in football.