Stuttgart88
20/01/2006, 8:37 AM
There was a thread up here about the granny rule yesterday & obviously it's a sensitive issue, not least because we don't want to crowd-out home grown talent.
One area where the FAI clearly has its act together is in the under-age set up. It was good to see Staunton acknowledge that the U17s and U19s "are flying", as he put it.
But there's obviously a big concern that only a handful, if any, of these young players go on to bigger things, and importantly, go on to become successful full internationals.
Just imagine if we could develop our own "golden generation" of home grown talent who have been playing successfully together internationally all their lives?
I particularly fear for the likes of Stokes at Arsenal (the club I support as it happens). Although Arsenal are keen to introduce youth, their policy seems truly global. On the other hand Man City seems a good example of a club happy to trust in UK & Irish youth. Celtic too.
I personally feel that further improvemnent in the eL, to the extent envisaged as achievable within 5 years in the Genesis eL report, would assist massively in removing the risk & uncertainty of these players' sustained development.
Nevertheless, we now have on board an "International Football Consultant" with a level of knowledge, experience & status in the game that we've never even come close to having before.
Today's Indo correctly commends the efforts of people like Sean McCaffrey.
But my question is: should Robson be included in the development of these players & underage teams too? For example, is Robson better placed than, say, McCaffrey when it comes to advsing a player about his future? Could Robson's contacts & influence be used to get these players at better clubs (in UK or further abroad), or where they're more likely to flourish?
I reckon utilising Robson's experience in this regard could really be a feather in the FAI's cap. And it'd be perfectly consistent with the title "International Football Consultant". I see no reason why the curent underage managers & people like Bonner should be negative about any such involvement. I think not to include Robson in this regard would be an opportunity missed.
One area where the FAI clearly has its act together is in the under-age set up. It was good to see Staunton acknowledge that the U17s and U19s "are flying", as he put it.
But there's obviously a big concern that only a handful, if any, of these young players go on to bigger things, and importantly, go on to become successful full internationals.
Just imagine if we could develop our own "golden generation" of home grown talent who have been playing successfully together internationally all their lives?
I particularly fear for the likes of Stokes at Arsenal (the club I support as it happens). Although Arsenal are keen to introduce youth, their policy seems truly global. On the other hand Man City seems a good example of a club happy to trust in UK & Irish youth. Celtic too.
I personally feel that further improvemnent in the eL, to the extent envisaged as achievable within 5 years in the Genesis eL report, would assist massively in removing the risk & uncertainty of these players' sustained development.
Nevertheless, we now have on board an "International Football Consultant" with a level of knowledge, experience & status in the game that we've never even come close to having before.
Today's Indo correctly commends the efforts of people like Sean McCaffrey.
But my question is: should Robson be included in the development of these players & underage teams too? For example, is Robson better placed than, say, McCaffrey when it comes to advsing a player about his future? Could Robson's contacts & influence be used to get these players at better clubs (in UK or further abroad), or where they're more likely to flourish?
I reckon utilising Robson's experience in this regard could really be a feather in the FAI's cap. And it'd be perfectly consistent with the title "International Football Consultant". I see no reason why the curent underage managers & people like Bonner should be negative about any such involvement. I think not to include Robson in this regard would be an opportunity missed.