Europe in LoI

Interesting piece in today's Irish Times about how Atlético Madrid saw a ‘gap in the market’ and set up an academy in Ireland. News to me.

Also includes an interesting line 'As the Atlético academy expands, in addition to having underage teams competing in the Dublin & District Schoolboys’/Girls’ League, its ambition is to have elite teams competing in the League of Ireland. The academy also runs regular football clinics as well as Easter and summer camps and is rolling out coaching clinics to schools'

Brexit has changed the notion of clubs thinking '“The talent is here, but for years no European club would touch Ireland. What happened is that from 15 or 16, kids would go to academies in England, and they’d be scouted there if they were any good by European clubs. Ireland was never perceived as a territory worth exploring from a scouting perspective.”

They often play right next to your own club Bohemians in the Phoenix Park!

What's the clubs name ?

The academy is called 'Atlético de Madrid Academy Dublin'

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Larry 'da' Wyse

The academy is called 'Atlético de Madrid Academy Dublin'

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Notions.

So 'Atlético de MAD'

There possibly should be 4 elite academies. Two in Leinster, one in Munster and one in Connacht & Ulster. It might happen organically through the bigger clubs in those areas.

Backpass is a brilliant UK retro football magazine, I would think likes of Easons do it, or you can get online, comes out every 1/4.

Full page feature in latest edition on the tasty affair of Dundalk v Linfield from 1979 EC in Oriel Pk, same week as Lord Mountbatten and Warrenpoint Bombings, it was absolute madness, the away leg played in Netherlands. Dundalk won 3-1 on agg and played Celtic in last 16 (2-3) a few months later.

Interesting but sad stat, Liam Devine who scored Dundalk equaliser at home, was Gary Rogers uncle, who would later win 5 league titles at Oriel, and whom he never met as poor old Liam died of cancer in his mid 30's.