"International Football Consultant" -a Broader Role?

**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.

**klein4** · 20/01/2006, 9:06 AM

people being people they dont really like others encroaching on what they might consider to be their area of responsibility. so Robson coming in and dishing out advice might not go down too well with people who might take the attitude that they have been doin alrite with their own ways up til now.

agree with you that its crucial to develop a strong league that can develop talent. I never understand people who moan about the state of the national team and then say the domestic league has nothin to do with them. as if the health of the senior team and the health of the domestic league are mutually exclusive. at the moment the state of our senior team is totally dependent on the whims of english clubs who may like Man City, go for "home" players or like Arsenal, United and chelsea spread their net a bit wider.Its been on the cards for a while now that less and less Irish kids are goin to come thru the ranks at Engkish clubs.

**CraftyToePoke** · 20/01/2006, 9:15 AM

I suppose it depends on Robsons view of the role he is in and how clearly defined it has been, he has spoken of assisting Staunton in any way possible but is this confined to the senior squad and u21's or will he be expected to have an involvement across the board? we wait and see.

From our point if view, i think it would be silly not to use the mans knowledge and contacts to better and further the prospects and careers of our youth if at all possible, particularly at a time when u.k. club sides are taking substantially less of our young talent as the global approach takes hold.

that raw talent will now remain on these shores and its vital we do all possible to keep those players in the game and hopefully over time, LOI will continue to improve and getting taken on by a uk club wont be the be all and end all for our young players in terms of having an international career.

if Robson can act as a guide or catalyst in this then id be all for it,absolutely. but a lot will depend on how he and, more especially, Staunton view his place in the set up.

**dr_peepee** · 20/01/2006, 9:17 AM

Pat Fenlon raised a similar point during the year.

Essentially our senior should be the product of 2 European Championship teams and a World Championsihp bronze so we should have some more quality players at our disposal. The fact we don't requires another look at how things are done.

**pete** · 20/01/2006, 11:41 AM

Sack Givens for starters. Because of our U21s performances in recent years we now need to pre quaoify with 2nd legged match even to get into qualifying group. Why no mention of how sh!te he with players available?

There is some controversy about Givens advising english clubs about the qualifiers of eL players in his U21 squad so adding Robson would probably lead to similar claims.

The only place the FAI have their act together is in U15-U19s where players are given exposure to lots of international tournaments. Kerr doesn't get enough credit for that.

Personally i don't think Robson would have the long term drive for the suggested role above.