Irish Youth Development Structures

[Kiki Balboa]

One of the things I noticed with Irish youth football is putting huge amount of pressure on kids that are far removed from senior football. It has to be detrimental to the lads, who, even if everything in their careers goes right, never get to the unrealistic standard that was set on them. I think anybody that spends a lot of time around football knows that a great youth career doesnt always translate to senior football. I remember something from Tim Vickery on why you shouldnt put to much emphasis on individual performances at the u17 world cup, and u21s was a much better indicator of where a player will be at senior level.

The obvious example now is Troy Parrott. The chap has one senior goal at League 1, with 29 games (across different divisons). He aint the new Robbie Keane. At 19 years old, he has plenty of questions about his personal life. The calls for putting him in the senior squad, and actually putting him in, puts too much of a spotlight on a lad. It cant help him develop that people treat him destined for a champions league striker, when the current situation is so different. The mismatch between expectations and reality is just another barrier players like him have to overcome.

[Kingdom]

Ok, that's rather less scientific than I'd thought!

Careful now. ;)

[Kingdom]

One of the things I noticed with Irish youth football is putting huge amount of pressure on kids that are far removed from senior football. It has to be detrimental to the lads, who, even if everything in their careers goes right, never get to the unrealistic standard that was set on them. I think anybody that spends a lot of time around football knows that a great youth career doesnt always translate to senior football.
Fair point, and yes it is something that some of us can get quite giddy over.


I remember something from Tim Vickery on why you shouldnt put to much emphasis on individual performances at the u17 world cup, and u21s was a much better indicator of where a player will be at senior level.
I think I heard that interview as well - he was saying it in the context of European clubs signing young Brazilian (in reality) talent for multi-millions and they end up doing nothing. his point rings true of course, but it is on a whole different level to the irish context I would suggest. Often these brazilian kids, at the very least, are part of a capable first team squad, even they are minor Serie A teams (Botafogo, Gremio, Portuguesa etc). This was echoed by a infogram I saw in the past few days that showed the average age of the 2002 WC winning squad when they moved to Europe - with only Ronaldo moving before he was 23 (would need to clarify the exact age - may have been 24).


The obvious example now is Troy Parrott. The chap has one senior goal at League 1, with 29 games (across different divisons). He aint the new Robbie Keane. At 19 years old, he has plenty of questions about his personal life. The calls for putting him in the senior squad, and actually putting him in, puts too much of a spotlight on a lad. It cant help him develop that people treat him destined for a champions league striker, when the current situation is so different. The mismatch between expectations and reality is just another barrier players like him have to overcome
Fair point, but again I think you've got to marry peoples expectations from the player, with their understanding of the player. I'm not a scout and there's other people here better placed to judge our underage talent than me, but I'd be cocking an eye at anyone who has said Parrott is going to be a natural goalscorer in the Robbie Keane mould. I just don't see it to be honest. What I do see - and I can only judge him on the International underage games that I've had the opportunity to watch - is a player who is fair better technically than most others, and who has a great eye for creating chances, and spaces for others, but who can take his own opportunities also. I think he got on some decent ball vs Qatar, and was generally positive before finishing the last 20 as the sole striker where I can't remember him touching the ball actually.

If we're looking to him to start banging in the goals for us, then expectations need to be reeled back in. In that regard, I can't claim that I said it here, but I can claim that I said it to some forum members here, that I wasn't impressed with his selection vs NZ, in the sense that he played as the out-and-out striker, which I thought was a bit reckless at the time to be honest.

So I'd agree with you in one sense, but also I'd disagree with you :-)

[Bungle]

One of the things I noticed with Irish youth football is putting huge amount of pressure on kids that are far removed from senior football. It has to be detrimental to the lads, who, even if everything in their careers goes right, never get to the unrealistic standard that was set on them. I think anybody that spends a lot of time around football knows that a great youth career doesnt always translate to senior football. I remember something from Tim Vickery on why you shouldnt put to much emphasis on individual performances at the u17 world cup, and u21s was a much better indicator of where a player will be at senior level.

The obvious example now is Troy Parrott. The chap has one senior goal at League 1, with 29 games (across different divisons). He aint the new Robbie Keane. At 19 years old, he has plenty of questions about his personal life. The calls for putting him in the senior squad, and actually putting him in, puts too much of a spotlight on a lad. It cant help him develop that people treat him destined for a champions league striker, when the current situation is so different. The mismatch between expectations and reality is just another barrier players like him have to overcome.

I watch a lot of underage football and I can possibly see the excitement over Parrott. He was an exceptional 15/16/17 year old. I think your point is a very good one though - the move to men's football is a real jump and it sometimes exposes more than raw natural skill, but assets like temperament and out and out desire to live the life of a professional. You look at Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea and Jason Knight, who I all rate very highly and I think will all have very good careers. I would have felt from what I heard about them at schoolboy level, that all three of those lads had a good chance of making it, just like I would have felt Robbie Keane and others would have made it, because they lived for the game. I would have had major concerns about stuff I was hearing about Parrott's friends but to be fair to him, in the games I've seen he seems to be really trying and it's more down to an 18 year old completely out of confidence than a lack of desire. The managers at Ipswich and Millwall seem to speak well of his hard work which is good to hear. If he can maintain that good attitude and keep away as much as he can from the bad mates, he has a good shot at being a very good player, even if he may not be the world class saviour we hoped for.

Unfortunately, some of the very best we have sent over to England down the years have also flown close to the sun in how they live their lives off the pitch. I can tell you of a LOI second string playing one wing of Mountjoy several years ago and getting well beaten by lads who had not been living the lives of an athlete. There was some incredible players from places like the Oliver Bond that were lost to crime. A lot of them were really likeable. I suspect that happens in all countries but a more professional academy within the country may keep certain lads more focused on football than the other stuff.

[Stuttgart88]

Shamrock Rovers are away to Drogs tonight. I think the last time Drogs beat Rovers was when Sean Thornton scored the winner. Remember him? All the talent in the world, but rubbish lifestyle / attitude.

[tetsujin1979]

Scored this against Chelsea
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[Charlie Darwin]

Shamrock Rovers are away to Drogs tonight. I think the last time Drogs beat Rovers was when Sean Thornton scored the winner. Remember him? All the talent in the world, but rubbish lifestyle / attitude.
Three years ago in the cup, Lyons penalty.