Youth

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kennedmc

Just heard Wenger on Football Focus talking about developing youth players. He was saying that if a player doesn't have technique by 13 he will never have it.

He said the most important years are 7-13 and the best way of developing techhique is training (a minimum of) 4 times a week. Does the current underage / schoolboy structure cater for this? Hmmm I'm not sure.....

---

At that age there'd only usually be one session per week.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Good article which basically outlines reason England are such an average team:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle2910642.ece

If you're small and slow you'll find it really, really hard to make it in Britain. The thing is, slow players have to use their brains a lot more and the vast majority of playmakers are slow (Pirlo, Alonso, Xavi, Riquelme, Nakamura, Juninho, and on and on and on). England simply don't have any real playmakers, unless Paul Scholes qualifies. I don't know if the training methods is the reason for this but it's certainly a convincing article.

---

Malouda:

"Training sessions here are terrifying.

"They are just like matches, and you go flat out.

"During the actual games it is as though everybody's brains are switched off.

"People play by instinct, spontaneously, in the way they did when they first discovered football."

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eekers

good article about this and Kevin Doyle in the independent today

http://sport.independent.co.uk/footb...cle3213060.ece

---

10 million. I find that hard to believe.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kennedmc

Just heard Wenger on Football Focus talking about developing youth players. He was saying that if a player doesn't have technique by 13 he will never have it.

He said the most important years are 7-13

---

it is true. the main techniques are learned during that period. it is outlined in the FAI technical development Plan. the 7-11 timeframe is known (rather cleverly) as the FUNdamental stage. emphasis should be on letting the player familarise themselves with the football and develop the skills themselves, not through coaching which is only needed from the 11-13 ages and even then it should be on fun and enjoyment and not competiteve - i think it is called the training to play stage (not training to compete which is later).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kennedmc

and the best way of developing techhique is training (a minimum of) 4 times a week. Does the current underage / schoolboy structure cater for this? Hmmm I'm not sure........

---

it most certainly does not, but in fairness the FAI cannot be blamed for this. studies, other sports, play station, lack of volunteers, nobody pplaying football on the street anymore (which would count as a session) are the main problems.

the FAI (credit where it is due) are trying to sort out the grass roots with regards centres of excellence/emerging talens, 'coaches coaching', grant aided projects ... etc. it is a long, and mainly thankless, road but they are doing it and deserve kudos for it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

Malouda:

"Training sessions here are terrifying.

"They are just like matches, and you go flat out.

"During the actual games it is as though everybody's brains are switched off.

"People play by instinct, spontaneously, in the way they did when they first discovered football."

---

A piece from an interview by Italian player Luca Santonocito of Celtic:

Che differenza c'è fra i nostri allenamenti e i loro?

Quelli italiani sono basati soprattutto su tecnica e tattica con un basso ritmo di gioco; quelli scozzesi c’e meno tecnica e tattica, molta piu fisicità e resistenza, i ritmi di allenamento sono sempre molto elevati. Inoltre, io mi alleno tutti i giorni tranne il mercoledì, ho due partite alla settimana, e alcuni giorni le sessioni di allenamento sono sia mattino che pomeriggio, oltre alla palestra.

Babelfish translates it to this:

Which difference is between our training and theirs?

The Italians above all base on technique and tactics with a low rhythm of game; Scots c’and little technique and tactics, a lot piu fisicità and resistance, the training rhythms are always a lot elevate to you. Moreover, I train myself every day except the Wednesday, I have two left to the week, and some days the training sessions are are mattino that afternoon, beyond to the arena.

---

The training in Ireland and Britain really can't be good for our players with the way the game has changed. imo it's the single reason why England didn't qualify for the Euro 2004, a lack of intelligent midfielders. It looks pretty certain that the problem is the coaching.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kennedmc

THe simple fact is only a small number of players make it regardless of nationality. Irish players are no different to that. THink about the number of English players that fail to make the grade?

Young Irish players choose to go to England becuase the facilities are better and the personnel developing them are supposedly very good (money attracts the best). Also the money on offer if you make it at a lower end Championship club is excellent.

Young players can come back to Ireland and play professionally if they are good enough for LOI. Joxer Kelly Liverpool) and Stephen O'Donnell (Arsenal) at Bohs, Sean Kelly (Arsenal) at Cork to name a few examples

---

O'Donnell was captain of the Arsenal under 18's and no offense to Bohs but he had a lot higher aspirations than playing for them.
I suppose the question is would he have been better off being nurtured in an acadamy in Ireland?

Joxer Kelly was considered by far the best player of his age group at liverpool. Were he not to have become homesick at Liverpool, as I am led to belive, he would have had a good career in England.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by eirebhoy

The training in Ireland and Britain really can't be good for our players with the way the game has changed. imo it's the single reason why England didn't qualify for the Euro 2004, a lack of intelligent midfielders. It looks pretty certain that the problem is the coaching.

---

There are plans in place at the moment to eradicate the problem in England (think there's something similar done by the FAI, but the coaching education doesn't seem to be good enough). There was an article in the telegraph last weekend about Man Utd's coaching in their academy and how the FA are looking to duplicate methods in their new youth academy.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../sfnwin112.xml