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Perhaps the AFL youth system is not too bad

Diamond_Jim
in Melbourne Demons

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Have just read this article in the Guardian on UK Soccer academies.

Had never realised that they were so structured. Children identified at 6 years of age and then allocated to a club at age 8 !!

The irony is that very few if any make it to the EPL as the money clubs buy in talent from overseas.

Even the lowly Huddersfield has not had a player make its senior team from their academy for 18 years ! Huddersfield scrapped its 8-16 academy this year.

"The Premier League’s advocacy of the EPPP system was fundamentally challenged last month by one of its own clubs, newly promoted Huddersfield Town, who announced the blunt conclusion of an extensive review by scrapping the academy altogether in the 8-16 age groups. Parents of 100 boys were called to a meeting with the chief executive, Julian Winter, and told that their association with the club was to end in a month. Half the academy’s 25 permanent staff are to be laid off, along with part-time people working evening and weekends. Huddersfield had found that of all the boys who had come through their system, not one had played in the Premier League since Jon Stead, who graduated in 1999. That is 18 years of boys being taken out of local and school football from the age of eight, the overwhelming majority not securing a career. "

Makes you glad that our AFL system, flawed as it might be is not as bad. Would be interested to hear views on the various methods of youth development in the AFL and other sports.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/oct/06/football-biggest-issue-boys-rejected-academies

As usual the comments make for great reading

  • Quote
    •  

    From memory Leoni Messi was singed by Barcelona at Age 13 but under the age of 10 is not commonly heard of. There have been kids from many nations (including Aust) who have had to leave home as young as 15 to fulfil their dreams. Its always been a big problem in soccer/football as the pressure placed on these kids is beyond ridiculous. 

    IMO AFL kids have it easy and most of the time carry on like mummy's boys  I've always been surprised why so many struggle moving interstate when they really shouldn't be.

     

    Edited by Jibroni

  • Quote

    To be honest thats a huge indictment on the quality of Huddersfields academy. Not the kids coming through but the coaching/facilities. 

    No wonder they scrapped it

    Edited by biggestred

  • Quote
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